• Pennsylvania Turnpike Mounds at Valley Forge
• 1943 Devon Plane Crash
• More Anthony Wayne Monuments

These two photos, taken on 24 July 2024, shows the enormous mounds of surplus soil from the widening project in what appears to be their final form. Recent grading activity can be seen, especially on the mound closer to the Turnpike (on the left), that appears preliminary to final seeding. In the upper photo, the Sunoco sign adjacent to the Turnpike exit ramp for the Valley Forge Service Plaza can be seen on the left edge. The lower photo shows the access road to the Service Plaza (visible in the distance), with large mounds on both sides. The former paved and fenced large overflow parking areas created for the bicentennial in 1976 have been completely covered, and the motorcycle safety training course and classroom trailer formerly located there are gone. Photos © 2024 John O. Senior

Two articles describing the tragic crash that appeared in local newspapers (from Newspapers.com).

[LEFT] Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Thursday, May 27, 1943, page 5
[RIGHT] Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Thursday, May 27, 1943, Page 1

PILOT KILLED WHEN U. S. ARMY FIGHTER CRASHES AT DEVON

Devon, Pa.—AP—An Army fighter plane from the Philadelphia area crashed Wednesday on a lawn in this Philadelphia suburb, killing the pilot. Army authorities withheld his identity, pending notification of next of kin.

The plane crashed and burned on the estate of Mrs.Percy H. Wilson at the southeast corner of Exeter and Waterloo Roads. It barely missed hitting the roof of a three-story apartment building.

Mrs. Wilson's two grandsons, William Wilson, 9, and Louis Wilson, 7, were playing on the lawn, but were called into the house only a few minutes before the crash at 3:45 p.m. (EWT).

Mrs. Wilson said she heard a terrific noise and explosion. Then, as debris from the shattered plane struck the house, she ran outdoors.

"There was a deep hole in the lawn and the shattered fuselage of the plane with flames spouting from it,” she declared. "Whoever was inside was burned to a crisp."

In addition to those described in Cheryl Leibold's article, there are other noteworthy monuments to Anthony Wayne. In particular, one may be found in Erie, Pa. on the site where his remains were originally buried after his death there in 1796. The General Anthony Wayne Blockhouse was rebuilt upon the site of his original grave. An historical marker is located over the entrance to the blockhouse.

This monument to Anthony Wayne is little known outside the Erie, Pa., area, and marks Wayne’s first resting place at Fort Presque Isle in what later became the city of Erie. The location of the grave was lost after the remains of the abandoned fort burned in 1852, and was only rediscovered in 1878. A replica blockhouse to memorialize Wayne was constructed over the grave in 1880. It is located on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Soldiers and Sailors Home, out of sight from the street, and out of the way for most visitors to the city. In addition to the tomb, it houses a small museum that displays archeological finds from the site, including remains of Wayne’s original coffin, and exhibits on the early history of Erie.

Sources:

• “Fort Presque Isle,” Wikipedia, last edited April 22, 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Presque_Isle.
• “General Anthony Wayne Blockhouse,” The Historical Marker Database, last revised June 23, 2022, https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=21420
• “Mad about ‘Mad’ Anthony Wayne,” Erie Times-News, October 25, 2015, accessed as https://www.goerie.com/story/lifestyle/2015/10/25/mad-about-mad-anthony-wayne/24976615007/ on July 15, 2023.

Photograph by Dale K. Benington taken August 1, 2009. The Historical Marker Database.

Photograph by Jeff Sherry. Erie County Historical Society: Rendering and The Story of Gen. “Mad Anthony” Wayne-Maybe Not so “Eerie” after all..