Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Patriots Memorial topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
DAR, county and cities propose three-county memorials for unmarked Revolutionary War veterans; $225,000 seed funding pledged
Summary
The Delaware City DAR and Delaware County Veteran Service Office proposed three linked memorials across Delaware County for unmarked Revolutionary War veterans, and the county has committed $75,000 per site (a total of $225,000); a design competition is slated to launch this summer.
Representatives of the Delaware City chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Delaware County Veteran Service Office outlined a plan to create three related memorials honoring unmarked Revolutionary War veterans from across Delaware County.
"We do envision three related but unique monuments that would serve as a tangible reminder of our county's history," said Lynn Scheel of the Delaware City DAR, who described research that identified several Revolutionary War veterans whose graves are unmarked or lost to time. The group told the Sunbury committee the monuments would initially focus on Revolutionary-era veterans but are intended as lasting sites to memorialize veterans from subsequent conflicts.
Brian Delver, director with the Delaware County Veteran Service Office, said the county has budgeted $75,000 for each site, for a total of $225,000, and that the Delaware Foundation will host a fund to accept private donations to help complete the work. "What we're looking at is partnership with the city," Delver said. He described the proposal as historical in nature and not a mechanism for recent memorial requests.
Amy Wright, Oak Grove Cemetery administrator with the City of Delaware Parks and Recreation, said the plan includes a design competition the group expects to launch this summer and that Oak Grove Cemetery is a likely site for the Delaware memorial. Wright said the three monuments could be distinct to each community while remaining thematically linked countywide.
Cynthia Conroy, Sunbury cemetery sexton, was introduced as a local point of contact for siting questions. The committee was told a selection committee will include a Sunbury representative; the final location in Sunbury may depend on the selected design and site constraints. The group indicated an unveiling is planned for Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2026.
No formal funding request for Sunbury was made to the committee at this meeting; the county-level funding commitment and an anticipated public fundraising account through the Delaware Foundation were the primary financing items described. The committee received the presentation and offered to assist when City-specific decisions on siting and local artist outreach are needed.
