Smyrna times., 1912-01-10
DELAWARE TO HAVE PLACE
HISTORIC VALLEY FORGE
TO BE REPRESENTED IN THE
CLOISTER OF THE COLONIES
Delaware SocietY, Sons of the ReVo-
luton Taking an Active Interest
in the Proposed Memorial

Delaware Society, Sons of the ReVo-
luton Taking an Active Interest
in the Proposed Memorial
Work will be started in short
time on the bay to be erected at
Valley Forge, Pa, to represent |
Delaware in the "Cloister of the
Colonies. - This will make the
sixth bay to be erected in the
cloister and when completed all the
middle colonies with the exception
of New York, will be represented
by one of these memorials. A
movement is now on foot to have
New York also erect one and IN fact
the work is not to stop until every
one of the thirteen original colonies
have erected a bay in memory of
the brave soldiers who encamped at
this spot and fought and won the
freedom of this country. The ex-
pense attached to providing a Della
ware Bay has been guaranteed by
George A. Elliott president of the
Delaware Society Sons of the Amer
lean Revolution. Architect Milton
B. Medary of Philadelphia, who de-
signed the other bays, is now at
work on the one to represent Della
ware. The drawings have been
completed and work will soon be
started. The appearance of the
memorial will be practically the
same as those representing the other
colonies. The cost will probably be
between So, 900 and 81, 500. Had it
not been for the generosity of Mr..
Elliott it is likely that it would
have been some years before Della
ware, the first to ratify the Federal
Constitution. would have been rep
resented in the "Cloister of the
Colonies" " When on a trip to VAL
ley Forge some time ago, Mr.. Ell
liott met the Rev. W. Herbert
Burk, rector of All Saints Church.
Norristown, Pa, and minister in
charge of the Washington Memorial
Chapel at Valley ForgA. Mr.. Burk
is author of the Valley Forge guide,
generally used by visitors to the
historic battle ground, and is much
interested in everything pertaining
to Valley Forge and especially in the
"Cloister of Colonies. considered
one of the most beautiful memorials
at Valley Forge. He told Mr.. Elliott
that he had been trying for some
slime to take up the matter of plac
~-Ts--a1s- ~-Ts---sa -&sL- there, but without success
Some of the historical societies
were interested and desired to hav'
it done but could not raise th'
funds. Mr.. Elliott then became in
terested with the result that the ba.
is to be erected early in the coming
year. The "Cloister of Colonies
is a large memorial structure an
the windows that are being place
On each side of the entrances by tn
different colonies are being desig
mated "bays". Mr.. Burk in hi
book, "The Valley Forge Guide,
gives several pictures of the bay
completed so far and in describin
them says: "The Cloister of tn
Colonies is a unique monument
patriotism and the most beautifI
memorial at Valley Forge. Each
the thirteen colonies will be repre-
sented by a bay The cloister form
a porte cochere to the chapel and or
of ths entrances to the Washingtt
Memorial Cemetery. Beginnir
at the chapel the bays include II
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virgins
the archway, Maryland and Mass
chusetts. They are built of Holme
burg granite and Indiana limeston
The floors are of Knoxville marb
and in the centre of each Is a larI
COPY in brass of the Colonial sea
The ceilings are of oak, handcarve
nd on the central boss of each Ell
blazoned the State arms. ." i
donors of the bays, and the dates
the dedications are as follows: M
Jersey Bay-Miss Sarah R. Che
1905. uPennsylvania-T. Bloom b
field, 1906. Virginia-George
Thomas. 1907. Maryland, James
Mitchell, 1908. Massachusetts
Massachusetts Society, Sons of
American Revolution, 1909.