Trolley Square in Wilmington in New Castle County, Delaware — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Detective Thomas P. Conaty Jr.
Conaty Park
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 10, 2023
1. Detective Thomas P. Conaty Jr. Marker
Thomas Patrick Conaty, Jr. was born in Wilmington on March 12, 1916. He was raised by Irish immigrant parents on Gilpin Avenue in the Forty Acres. A bright student and an outstanding athlete, he graduated from Salesianum where he excelled in football, basketball, tennis, and baseball. He attended LaSalle University on an athletic scholarship. After one year, Tom left college to help support his family during the hard years of the Great Depression.
On April 1, 1940, Tom Conaty joined the Wilmington Police Department as a patrolman. After five years of service he was promoted to the rank and grade of detective.
While on patrol at 2:00 a.m. December 26, 1946 at Seventh and King Streets, Detective Conaty was shot and fatally wounded. The assailant was captured and convicted after the largest manhunt in Delaware history. Killed in the line of duty at age thirty, he left behind his wife Louise and three sons, Tom, Bill, and Gerry.
Detective Conaty was a fearless protector of the peace who gave his life while serving the community. The park that we dedicate to his memory should act as a reminder to the citizens of Wilmington of the ultimate sacrifice made by this honorable man in their service.
Erected 2000.
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Law Enforcement. A significant historical date for this entry is March 12, 1916.
Location. 39° 45.491′ N, 75° 33.651′ W. Marker is in Wilmington, Delaware, in New Castle County. It is in Trolley Square. It is on Gilpin Avenue east of North Dupont Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 25b Trolley Square, Wilmington DE 19806, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Philadelphia. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic, on the Delmarva Peninsula, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Kelly's Logan House (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Forty Acres (about 500 feet away); Landscaping for Rainwater Management (about 500 feet away); Frank E. Schoonover Studios
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 10, 2023
2. Detective Thomas P. Conaty Jr. Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on February 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 12, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 522 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 12, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
