Chester in Delaware County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Freedom's Pride, c. 1900

(Named 2009)

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 10, 2024

1. Freedom's Pride, c. 1900 Marker

Inscription.

Japanese, Meiji Period
(1868-1912)
Bronze
Alfred O. Deshong Collection

Erected 2009 by Widener University.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical year for this entry is 1900.

Location. 39° 51.694′ N, 75° 21.299′ W. Marker is in Chester, Pennsylvania, in Delaware County. It is at the intersection of 14th Street and University Place, on the right when traveling west on 14th Street. Marker and sculpture are near Old Main, on the Widener University campus. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 University Place, Chester PA 19013, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania and in Greater Philadelphia.

It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

New Netherland,

and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within

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walking distance of this marker: Pennsylvania Military College/Widener University Veterans Memorial (a few steps from this marker); "Albie" Filoreto Memorial Carillon (within shouting distance of this marker); Brig. Gen. Charles E. Hyatt (within shouting distance of this marker); In Commemoration of the Centennial (within shouting distance of this marker); Millennium Flame (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Dr. Anna E. Broomall (about 700 feet away); Rochambeau Route (approx. ¼ mile away); Sun Village War Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chester.

Regarding Freedom's Pride, c. 1900.
The Deshong Art Collection at Widener
January 13, 2010 (article in Widener Magazine)
An article in Sunday’s Philadelphia Inquirer focused on the “languishing” state of the Alfred O. Deshong mansion and museum on the Avenue of the States in Chester, and also tells the story of theft of some of the paintings from the collection in the 1970s. Reporter Mari A. Schaefer writes in the Inquirer that in the 1980s a “court took control of the estate, giving the art to Widener University.”

A primary feature

Freedom's Pride Sculpture and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 10, 2024

2. Freedom's Pride Sculpture and Marker

of that art collection, a Japanese sculpture from the Meiji period (1868-1912) eagle that stood in front of the Deshong Mansion, now stands on the lawn of Old Main. Restored and installed last November, it bears the new name “Freedom’s Pride.” A few other pieces from Deshong’s holdings that include Japanese carved ivory figures, Chinese carved hardstone vessels, Japanese and Chinese lacquerware and numerous large bronze vases, can now be seen in the Widener Art Collection & Gallery on the first floor of University Center on the Chester Campus.

Freedom's Pride image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 10, 2024

3. Freedom's Pride

Freedom's Pride Detail image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 10, 2024

4. Freedom's Pride Detail

Credits. This page was last revised on August 11, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 11, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 196 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 11, 2024, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.