In another issue of Milestones (Vol 21 No 2 Summer 1996 ), Regina Morrow Riley fumes:
“It has been an astonishing journey to preserve this place. Old attitudes prevail in this valley and nobody quite seems to know what to do with a historical resource. The Beaver County Corporation for Economic Development even wanted to build an industrial park at the site several years ago. During recent archaeological excavations conducted on the site from 1991-1994, significant features of Wayne’s camp have been found. These include firepits, chimney foundations, floor sills and even wagon tracks. Hundreds of historic and prehistoric artifacts have been uncovered. A trace of the Old Beaver Road is virtually intact. This road is at least 5,000 years old and was a well-known Indian trail in the distant past.
“Our efforts to save this site have been serious and many organizations want to help. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is very interested in saving this site. The major hurdles in this effort are the local commissioners, who do not all agree on the site’s preservation. This has been a hurdle that cannot be jumped. We have done our part to preserve the history of this unique site. From California to Ireland, the history of this place is known. Thanks to the efforts of a patriotic group of people in this county, Legion Ville has appeared in many recent history books. Efforts to save the Fallen Timbers National Battlefield have been aided by our public awareness campaign with Legion Ville.
“It remains to be seen what will happen to Legion Ville. It is obvious that many people in this county simply do not know what to do with a cultural resource. We have what is arguably the best preserved Federal Era site in North America. What we do to this site will be a testimony to who we are and what we are all about. We have done our part in bringing the history back to life. Ten years from now, I do not know what will be at Legion Ville. My guess is that it will not be a historic site. My guess is that something will be built there and the graves desecrated. Whatever is there will be a testimony to what is really important to Beaver County. As we all argue over who is going to hold the fire hose, will we all watch the house burn down? The choice has to be made.”
More than a quarter century later, and we Beaver Countians have not yet decided what to do with Legion Ville. Or maybe—after all—we have. But come next Memorial Day and Veterans Day, let’s at least remember that American troops who died while in service to our country are still buried there, forgotten and ignored unlike other local veterans’ gravesites.
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