Scott Neal, left, works with the World War I cannon at Memorial Park Friday as he and his father, Randy Neal load it onto a waiting flatbed for transport to a local company where it will be restored. The cannon weighs nearly 10 tons and has been displayed in the park since 1926. (Darrel Radford / For the Courier-Times)

By DARREL RADFORD
For The Courier-Times

A Henry County landmark is missing today but residents shouldn’t worry. No one has stolen the 19,080-pound cannon from its hilltop perch at Memorial Park.

The cannon – a 220 millimeter field piece captured by New Castle native Gen. Omar Bundy during World War I – is being cleaned and repaired in preparation for Memorial Park’s 100th anniversary celebration in 2020.

“I think every kid in Henry County has probably climbed on top of that cannon at one time or another,” said Laurie Davis, the Memorial Park manager.

Randy Neal and his son, Scott, made short work of loading the massive cannon onto a flatbed truck Friday and transporting it its repair location. Lee York and Kirk Robbins are also involved in the project.

The Henry County Historical Society, led by its president, Gene Ingram, is playing a major role in assisting with the project.

“The Historical Society is thrilled to be involved in this,” Ingram said. “We’re going to work with Randy and Kirk and make sure everything done is going to maintain the authentic appearance of the cannon. We’ve made commitments to the board that the gun will be put back in as close as possible original condition.”

Ingram said one of the key concerns are the cannon’s wheels, which were in danger of collapsing.

When work on the cannon is complete, Ingram said it would go right back to its perch on top of the hill, where it had been since 1926.

Manufactured by the Fried-Krupp Co, in Germany, the cannon is 15 feet long and 6.5 feet in height. It was brought to New Castle thanks in part to the efforts of the Howard R. Smith Post of the American Legion, which spent three years working to obtain it.

The Pan-American Bridge Co, of New Castle helped unload it in 1926 at the park. There it stayed for nearly nine decades until being loaded for delivery to a local company that is volunteering time for restoring the cannon.

According to Davis, plans call for return of the cannon to the park no later than the fall of 2015.

“We are trying to get the entire park, including the memorials, buildings, shelters and playgrounds renovated before June 11, 2020, which is the 100th anniversary of the park,” Davis said. “We are planning a large celebration that weekend and would like the park to be ready for another 100 years of making memories for our kids, grandkid and great-grandkids.”

Davis said the park welcomes donations from individuals, groups or organizations to help with the cost of some improvements.

“We have already begun some repair work on the old stone bridges, the Wilbur Wright memorial, the big memorial and the Korea and Granada memorials,” Davis said. “We are also working on grants to help absorb some of the cost.”

Davis said anyone who wants to volunteer time, talent or money may call 529-1004.

More on the cannon, its history and Gen. Omar Bundy’s capture of it will be featured in this Saturday’s “Historically Speaking” column in The Courier-Times.