Diamond Park Ligonier, Penna.

Diamond Park Ligonier, Penna.. . , Why it's called "the Diamond" , Pennsylvania is the land of diamonds., This term for a town's central square, from olden times in Northern Ireland, was brought to our Commonwealth by the many Scots-Irish who settled here in the 18th and 19th centuries., Even before Ligonier became a town, it had its Diamond, a rough clearing among some log houses a few hundred feet up the hill from where old Fort Ligonier had stood. When Col. John Ramsey laid out the town in 1857, placing it astride the heavily-traveled Philadelphia-Pittsburgh Turnpike, the Diamond remained the townspeople's natural gathering place. It soon became a busy intersection when the north-south "State Road" crossed the "pike" right in the middle of town, creating four dusty parking areas for horses, wagons and stagecoaches., In 1894, the Ligonier Borough Council declared the Diamond a public park. The intersection was turned into an oval, planted with trees and grass, and crowned at its center with a bandstand. The distinctive profile of its roof would become a lasting Ligonier signature. Four large Civil War era cannons, pointing east and west, north and south down Main and Market Streets were installed in 1897. The beloved ornate drinking fountain, donated by the volunteer fire department in 1921, endures as a part of the new Diamond. Now, Ligonier's heart has been renewed, giving it new life for a new century and beyond., The 2018 Diamond Park Renaissance Project was designed by The EADS Group, Inc. and constructed by Darr Construction. The project took 3 years to complete from initiation of design to the end of construction. Ligonier Borough Council's intent was to reconstruct the historic park by implementing modern technologies and features to reduce maintenance costs, improve safety, comply with current codes, and provide for enhanced public enjoyment for the next 50+ years while maintaining the charm of this beloved space., - "A thing of beauty is a joy forever" - the Diamond. The Ligonier Echo, February 11, 1891, Cannons were given to the Borough of Ligonier by the War Department of the United States. The dedication and celebration took place May 21 and 22, 1897. In 1942, the four historic cannons were removed for a World War II scrap drive by the Borough Council. When the cannons were sawed in half to speed the melting process, the metal was determined to be of poor quality. Rumor has it that the cannons were never melted down and still exist somewhere in the local area., The decorative cast-iron drinking fountain was installed in Diamond Park in 1921. Its unique design had 3 drinking levels for people, horses and dogs. The fountain was a gift to the town from the Ligonier Volunteer Hose Co. No. 1. The fountain committee called it a "splendid move in the right direction and will be quite an advantage to the traveling public as well as to our local people." In 2003 a snow plow ran it over causing extensive damage. It was repaired and restored that same year at a cost of $48,000., On September 26, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower addressed a crowd of over 30,000 people. The President linked the century chain using an ax from the Fort Ligonier historical artifacts collection. This was the highlight of the Ligonier Bicentennial celebration. In the crowd that day, enjoying the festivities, were General Richard K. Mellon and Senator Edward Martin of Pennsylvania. The President spoke of Fort Ligonier's lasting legacy and its role in the country's western expansion., (Captions):, The first bandstand built in 1894., Governor Martin Grove Brumbaugh, 1915, Wedding of Miss Mary Jane Berkey and Robert E. Shaw, 1958, The day the President came to town at the invitation of General R.K. Mellon. President Dwight D. Eisenhower greets young Pat Regan during the Ligonier Bicentennial on September 26, 1958., Ligonier coronet band in front of the old music pavillion which was replaced in 1894.