Elizabeth Township Historical Society: Bricks, plaques for sale at memorial plaza

By CHRISTINE HAINES

chaines@yourmvi.com

The Elizabeth Township Historical Society is giving residents an opportunity to leave their mark on history.

Individuals and groups may sponsor a brick or slate plaque in the memorial plaza, which is located in front of the historical society museum in the Coates House located at 581 Smithfield St., Boston, Pa. 

The memorial isn’t new, but it is growing. This summer the eagles that are part of the display received a new coat of paint, this time using realistic coloring.

“Cheryl Copeland, one of our board members, is an artist and she painted the eagles for us this year,” said historical society president Linda Bennett.

A marble bench has also been added to the plaza, a donation from Dorothy Howell of Howell Craft Inc. in memory of Herbert Howell, charter member of ETHS and owner of Howell Craft Inc.

The plaza started with flag poles donated by the Ganassi family in memory of the late Mario Ganassi in 1988. The Ganassi family is known locally for its construction company and nationally for family member Chip Ganassi, the former racecar driver. 

The flag poles sit atop a 3-foot-high, 10-foot-long wall. Bennett said the Allegheny County, U.S. and Pennsylvania flags are flown continually and are lit at night.

Ten years after the flag poles were erected, a memorial brick plaza was started. Bennett said the 10- by 20-foot plaza still contains numerous bricks ready to be engraved by Howell Craft, Inc., the locally owned company. Howell Craft has donated a marble bench in memory of Herbert Howell, charter member of ETHS and owner of Howell Craft, Inc.

Bennett said she weeds the plaza regularly and still finds bricks she wasn’t aware of. She recently spotted bricks commemorating two early settlers, Betsy Storer, 1726-1802 and Thomas Storer, 1725-1801.

“A few other bricks are ‘Boston School for those who served,” “Ben Romesburg SSGT WWII 1912-2005,’” Bennett said. “There are quite a few notables of the township.”

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