Improvements sought for Civil War cannon display in Petoskey - MI

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Improvements sought for Civil War cannon display in Petoskey
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A Dahlgren cannon from the Civil War era sits on display in downtown Petoskey's Pennsylvania Park. A few area residents hope to improve the cannon display by 2014, which will mark the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Mobile Bay, in which the cannon was used aboard the U.S.S. Hartford. (Ryan Bentley/News-Review / March 18, 2013)
Ryan Bentley (231) 439-9342 - [email protected]
8:52 a.m. EDT, March 18, 2013
PETOSKEY — Nearly 150 years ago, a military artifact that now stands in downtown Petoskey was involved in a well-known Civil War naval engagement.

And as that milestone anniversary approaches, some local residents hope to enhance the appearance of the Dahlgren cannon on display in Pennsylvania Park.

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“It’s a pretty famous piece of history right there,” said Petoskey resident Barry Cole, who is one of several past and present educators who’ve taken an interest in possibly making improvements to the display.

The cannon — located in Petoskey since 1905, and serving as a Civil War memorial — was among those used aboard the USS Hartford during the Battle of Mobile Bay in Alabama in 1864. The Hartford was the flagship of a fleet led by U.S. Navy Rear Adm. David G. Farragut that helped gain Union control of Mobile Bay. A directive by Farragut during the battle — commonly paraphrased as “**** the torpedoes, full speed ahead,” would become a lasting rallying cry for the Navy.

A 1993 account of the Pennsylvania Park cannon’s history — written by Nancy Hall for The Graphic, a sister publication of the News-Review — helped pique Cole’s interest in the device, which is one of several Civil War-era Dahlgren cannons now located around Northern Michigan.

Having retired from a teaching position with Petoskey schools, Cole now works as a parking ambassador for Petoskey’s downtown management office. While making parking-enforcement rounds, Cole has seen the cannon draw the attention of many downtown visitors, reinforcing his own interest.

Much remains to be determined for how the cannon display might be improved, Cole said. Those steps will include identifying fundraising requirements and how to meet them.

At a minimum, Cole and the other supporters hope to see an improved sign installed to describe the cannon’s history — since the existing sign at the display has deteriorated with age.

With the cannon itself showing some corrosion, the group also hopes to bring a metallurgist to the area to determine how much restoration it might need. If it appears feasible, Cole said the group might then try to raise funds and arrange for restoration work in time for the battle’s August 2014 anniversary.

Although Petoskey city officials can’t contribute financially to a cannon restoration project because of a tight budget picture, city manager Dan Ralley said they’d be supportive of efforts to improve the Pennsylvania Park display if funds can be lined up from outside sources.

To learn more about efforts to improve the cannon display, contact Cole at (231) 881-7558.

Follow @ryan_bentley on Twitter.

http://www.petoskeynews.com/news/fe...-display-in-petoskey-20130318,0,7382429.story
 
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