There is mystery surrounding a 46-year-old monument in Chadds Ford that’s dedicated to the Delaware County servicemen who fought in Vietnam. The monument, a cannon on a pedestal, sits on private property along Route 202 across from Hillman Drive near a former Sovereign Bank branch building.
No one seems to recall the circumstances of the dedication, who commissioned the structure or who attended the dedication ceremony. No one seems to know what, if anything, will happen to it. Even the property owner where the monument is located was unaware of the monument until earlier this month.
The monument, with its stone pedestal in need of repair, isn’t visible from the road because it’s blocked by brush. Steve Quigley, of Concord Towing, knew of the cannon, but forgot about it until he came across the monument while he and his son were unloading some equipment two years ago.
“I saw the top of the cannon, and we trampled the weeds down…The thing was set there to honor the men from Delaware County who fought in the Vietnam War. It’s a memorial, and this isn’t the way we treat memorials,” Quigley said. “Nobody goes over there on Memorial Day to put flowers or a flag up. Everybody just ignores the thing.”
Quigley said he’s been in touch with Chadds Ford Township Manager Joe Barakat and with state Rep. Steve Barrar, R-160, of Boothwyn, to see whether the monument could be moved to a more public location where there would be better upkeep and maintenance.
Barrar was unavailable for comment, but Barakat confirmed talking to Quigley, saying the township can’t initiate anything because it’s a private property issue.
The property belongs to members of the Hineman family. Ron Hineman, of Delaware County Supply, said he didn’t even know the monument existed until reporters contacted him last week. He said he would discuss the matter with other members of the family before making any decision about moving the monument. Hineman did not respond to follow up phone calls this week.
The piece of property is a possible entry point into a parcel in Concord Township that may become a Wegman’s Market.
Many long-time residents of Chadds Ford have said they have a vague recollection of the monument, but have no recall of its original dedication on Nov. 11, 1966.
Chadds Ford Supervisor George Thorpe moved into the township in 1975 and said he knew only of the monument because he saw it while removing illegal signs one day.
On the pedestal is a plaque with a partial quote from Wendell Willkie, the 1940 Republican presidential candidate: “Freedom is an indivisible word. If we want to enjoy it, and fight for it, we must be prepared to extend it to everyone, whether they are rich or poor, whether they agree with us or not…”
The remainder of the quote reads: “…no matter what their race or the color of their skin.”
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
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