Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Colonel Duffy Monument

The Colonel Duffy Monument in Duffy Park was dedicated on May 30, 1940, and named for Lieutenant Colonel Frank Duffy. Duffy was killed in action in France on August 17, 1918 when he stepped from a motorcycle sidecar and was struck by a mortar shell. Over the years repairs have been made to the statue, in 1957 and 1968 following acts of vandalism. The park sits in the path of the new Harrison Avenue bridge which will mean the statue and park will be removed. The statues new home is expected to be the Gino Merli Veterans Center on Penn Avenue. There is no word on what the city plans to do with the land where Harrison Avenue is presently located, it would seem to make sense to move the park and the statue to that location once construction is over and the new bridge is opened.

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