Restoration of Beloved Memorial Planned

MAY 2022 Restoration of Beloved

Memorial Planned

Dedicated to the children of Wellsboro as a gesture of love in 1938, the bronze statue of Wynken, Blynken and Nod on its man-made sea and tranquil fountain is in need of some tender loving care. The Honorable Fred W. Bailey of Denver, Colorado, presented the statue in memory of his wife Elizabeth Cameron, who was born and raised in Wellsboro and has been enjoyed by generations of residents over the years. While Fred and Elizabeth Bailey never had any children of their own, her love of children was obvious in the memorial her husband chose to reflect her life. Over the years many improvements and restoration efforts have been made to the memorial to keep it the alluring attraction it is in our community. In 1950 the Lions Club erected the wrought iron fence that adorns the statue today and in 1976 the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital erected the plaque containing the beloved Eugene Field poem for which the statue was inspired. In 1982 repairs were made to the fountains foundation while the statue was sailed away to temporary quarters and in 1989 a committee was formed to raise the necessary funds for the restoration to be performed by the Gettysburg Restoration and Preservation Association, Inc. to maintain its splendor in our hometown. After 33 years, plans for the restoration of the statue and fountain are in the works as Borough Employees and the local Chamber of Commerce collaborate to secure funding for the expensive project. The statue must be “blasted” with walnut shells to remove the thick patina that had built up over the years and the fountain basin must be coated and repainted to bring it back to its former glory. If interested in contributing towards the fundraising efforts, please contact the Borough of Wellsboro office at 14 Crafton Street or call 570-724-3186.

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