Allentown's Civil War Monument Stays as Part of 7th and Hamilton "Peninsula"

Published in the Morning Call February 8, 2024

By CHRISTOPHER DORNBLASER | cdornblaser@mcall.com | The Morning Call

Allentown unveiled its final Center Square redesign plans Wednesday, with an anticipated completion date of 2025, and it’s already generating attention online.

  The $6.5 million project would change the intersection at Seventh and Hamilton streets, creating a plaza-type space around the Soldiers and Sailors Monument that can be used for events. Seventh Street will be reduced to two lanes, and a bike lane will be added.

  Construction is expected to begin in the fall.

  The city shared the new design on its Facebook page, highlighting some additional improvements, such as enhanced paving, new trees, green spaces and public art.

The post generated a lot of attention, gaining nearly 300 shares and more than 300 comments in less than a day. Many pointed out that they liked the design, however the issue of traffic came up as a concern.

  With the intersection being right outside the PPL Center, it’s already one of the busier areas of the city.

  Genesis Ortega, the city’s communications director, said Thursday that consultants have conducted an intersection capacity analysis as part of the project planning process.

They determined that the proposed redesign will meet traffic standards set forth by PennDOT, according to Ortega.

Ron Young, a PennDOT spokesman, said the proposed changes at the intersection will need a Highway Occupancy Permit from PennDOT. The city has submitted an application for one.

PennDOT typically issues them to property owners, developers, utility companies, municipalities and municipal authorities, and other interested parties who desire access to the state’s right-of-way, Young said.

He said PennDOT has no oversight on the land use, but does have responsibility to accommodate access onto state roads.

  Initial plans for the overhaul of the busy intersection were presented last June. Those plans made it clear the Soldiers and Sailors Monument would stay in the square, after some feared it could be moved as part of the redesign.

  The landmark, which honors the 47th Pennsylvania Volunteers who served during the Civil War, was dedicated in 1899 and has been the focal point of the square ever since.

Read a similar story on WFMZ - click here.

February Meeting Highlights and Photos

Steve Knowlton presented "Thirteen Months in Dixie, or the Adventures of a Federal Prisoner in Texas."

It was a fascinating story of a Union soldier Oscar Federhen who gets left behind by a troop ship and is sent to and escaped from POW Camp Ford, the largest Confederate-run prison west of the Mississippi. His autobiographical story is written down in a journal, re-written and then passed down through the family until it finds the light of day again. Steve researches the story and finds it is plausible (at least “80%”) and edits it into the book recently published.

Steve is a Librarian for History and African American Studies at Princeton University.  His historical research has been published in many peer-reviewed journals. He is the recipient of the annual William Marshall Wingfield Award from the West Tennessee Historical Society and has twice won the Justin Winsor Library History Essay Award.

Winners of our monthly Book Raffle for Preservation are pictured below.

From the Brigade Commander ~ February 2024

From the Brigade Commander

With the holiday season behind us, most folks have hunkered down for the worst of the winter season. These are the days when it’s hard to trade a warm, well-lit home for a cold car and a dimly- lit walk from the parking lot into the hotel. But we hope you’ll decide that our February lecture subject, and, of course, the chance to catch up with friends and acquaintances, will be too tempting to pass up. We look forward to seeing you.

In the February Newsletter, as always, you’ll find a summary of our February lecture and information about our guest speaker.

It may still be winter, as we’ve been reminded in the last week or so—twice, in fact! But spring is already in the air as work on this campaign year’s field trip is well underway. We’ll share details once the planning is further along.

Finally, some of you may remember “Love is a Battlefield,” a song recorded by rocker Pat Benatar. In honor of Valentine’s Day (another important reminder to add to your February planning calendar, by the way), in the February Newsletter we share a few stories and tidbits about the search for love in the Civil War era.

Barry

February 6 Presentation Details Announced

Steve Knowlton presents: "Thirteen Months in Dixie, or the Adventures of a Federal Prisoner in Texas"

Steve Knowlton will share the wartime plight of Oscar Federhen, who was captured by the Confederates as a relatively new recruit and sent to—and later escaped from— POW Camp Ford, the largest Confederate-run prison west of the Mississippi.

  Steve is a Librarian for History and African American Studies at Princeton University.  His historical research has been published in many peer-reviewed journals. He is the recipient of the annual William Marshall Wingfield Award from the West Tennessee Historical Society and has twice won the Justin Winsor Library History Essay Award. This is his first book.

January Meeting Photos and Summary

At our January 2nd meeting, a brief review of the Taylor Sword dedication was given, and then our speaker introduced.

Chris Bryan presented a detail analysis of the II Corps, Army of Virginia bloody and demoralizing defeat at the Battle of Cedar Mountain on August 9th, 1862, soon after its initial success where it nearly defeated Stonewall Jackson’s command.

His presentation described the fighting at Cedar Mountain in detail and then its aftermath for the II Corps that summer. Those events would shape the success of the future XII Corps, Army of the Potomac at Antietam.

The monthly Preservation Book Raffle was held and winners in person and for preservation.

January 2 Meeting Details Announced

Cedar Mountain Presented by M Chris Bryan

NOTE: this topic was originally set for February but was switched due a scheduling conflict by the original speaker.

The II Corps, Army of Virginia suffered a bloody and demoralizing defeat at the Battle of Cedar Mountain on August 9th, 1862, after initial success where it nearly defeated Stonewall Jackson’s command. This talk will describe the fighting at Cedar Mountain in detail and will also briefly describe the aftermath for the II Corps that summer. These events and conditions would later shape the conspicuous success of the future XII Corps, Army of the Potomac at Antietam.

M. Chris Bryan earned a Bachelor of Science in History from the United States Naval Academy; a Master of Arts in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College, Annapolis; and a Master of Historic Preservation from the University of Maryland, College Park. A former naval aviator, Bryan works as a project manager and lives in southern Maryland with his wife and two children. Cedar Mountain to Antietam is his first book.

From the Brigade Commander - January 2024

After 160 years, the Jonathan Taylor sword has come home! In the January Brigade Call you’ll find photos of the sword which, along with other Civil War artifacts, are temporarily on display at Nitschmann Junior High School. Without the encouragement and patronage of so many of you, this historic event would not have been possible.

Here’s hoping 2024 will likewise be a year full of adventure for our Round Table. And here’s to another year of enjoying the company of the same great people ... and the hope that our good work will encourage others to join us.

We’ll be getting off to a very early start in 2024; our January dinner meeting and lecture will take place on Tuesday, January 2nd. And so, before you get too caught up in the holiday spirit, mark your calendar and plan to join us for dinner or the lecture ... or both. I’m sure Mr. Duffy will be very happy to get an earlier-than-usual email from you to request a seat or two ... or more for our January dinner meeting. You’ll find his contact information inside on page 2. As always, no reservations are needed for lecture walk-ins.

As you page through this newsletter, you may notice that our planned-for February speaker will be joining us instead in January ... and vice versa. You can read about Mr. Bryan and his lecture subject on page 2 of the newsletter. Inside, you’ll also find the final installment of Round Table member Frank Whalen’s story about the last days of Captain Jonathan Taylor’s life.

BARRY

Jonathan Taylor's Sword Dedication Ceremony

Jonathan Taylor Sword Dedication Ceremony
December 13, 2023
Nitschmann Middle School Bethlehem PA

       The sword of Jonathan Taylor, mortally wounded during battle in the Civil War 161 years ago today, was brought back to Taylor’s final resting place and dedicated as a living memorial and opportunity for history education.

Just recently a recruiting poster used by Taylor was discovered. Now, an exciting last-minute addition to the event was the announcement  of previously unknown correspondence from the Taylor family at the Bucks County Historical Society.

What follows is one excerpt from a letter written by Joseph Taylor, brother of Jonathan, who served as a corporal in Taylor's company and watched him fall that fateful day.

       "December 16, 1862 - I wrote you yesterday but the letter may not reach you, I will repeat that I am safe. Jonathan received a sever (sic) wound in the right shoulder. While cheering on his men, he was half turned round waving his sword when the ball struck him back of the shoulder blade and passed to the front of the collar bone. It knocked him down flat...."

       It was always felt that Jonathan Taylor carried the sword on the tragic day. Now we have indisputable proof!

       A number of students from Nitschmann Middle School spoke briefly about what this project means to them about Civil War and local history.

       Thanks in a very large part to members of the CWRT of Eastern PA Jonathan Taylor's sword has come home!!!

Read or watch the story as reported on WFMZ - CLICK HERE

Read the article from Penn Live: CLICK HERE

Lehigh Valley News wrote this: CLICK HERE

December Meeting Photos and Summary

What an amazing night! Between seeing the sword of Jonathan Taylor and hearing Mike Jesberger talk about Christmas during the Civil War years, it was an awesome adventure!

Ed Root brought the Tatylor sword and congratulated the Round Table for helping to raise the $9,000.00 needed to buy this historical artifact and bring it back to the Valley. Also on display were other items related to Taylor, and amazingly - a newly discovered recruiting poster from Taylor.

If that wasn’t enough - then we had our presentation.,

Before the Civil War, Christmas was not an official holiday in the United States. By the end of the war in 1865, Christmas had gone from a relatively unimportant holiday to the opposite – a day rooted in an idealized vision of home.

The way Americans observed the holiday changed too, setting the stage for the more modern Christmas holiday we know today. Though individual traditions still varied, the upheaval of the Civil War made the holiday season seem more and more important to separated families. The Christmas season reminded mid-19th century Americans of the importance of the home and the institution of new Christmas traditions.

Harpers Bazaar and artist Thomas Nast became major influences during these years and for a long time to come.

Finally our preservation raffle treated six lucky winners with signed books.

From the Brigade Commander ~ December 2023

Captain Taylor’s sword arrived safely in the Lehigh Valley, and we expect to have it on display at our December meeting. I hope you agree that the effort and financial support needed to return the sword to the hometown of its original owner was worth it. Many thanks to the many of you who played a role in this great success. The sword will be “unveiled” during a December 13th ceremony at Nitschmann Middle School. You’ll find details the the December Newsletter, including how to sign up to attend the ceremony.

A recent review of our Round Table’s website visits showed an almost 30 percent increase since the previous review. It’s sometimes hard to know exactly what causes a boost in visitor interest. But I’m guessing that at least some of it has to do with the Taylor sword and, especially, the article written by our own Frank Whalen, which was published in late October on WFMZ.com. You’ll find the second installment of that article in the December Newsletter.

Speaking of our website, let me bring to your attention to two recently posted items: “Restoration Victories: Bulldozers on Battlefields” and “GAR Museum and Archive: Connecting the Public Campaign.” You can access the first item in the Preservation Updates page on our website. You’ll find a summary of the latter news item, sent to us from our friends at the GAR Museum & Library in Philadelphia, in the December Newsletter on page 4.

Barry