Delaware County War Memorabilia Exhibit at DCHA

By Cyndee Pattison

Military uniforms and equipment, artifacts, photos and other items related to war dating as far back as the American Revolutionary War are on display at the Delaware County Historical Association’s exhibit, “>From Bayonets to Bombs: Delaware County in Times of War” until the end of August. Many items on display come from the museum’s collections and several are on loan from Delaware County residents.

According to DCHA Executive Director Tim Duerden, there is very little documentation about the involvement of county residents in the American Revolution because Delaware County was not established until after the war and local communities did not exist until the 1780s or 1790s. However, a six-pound Revolutionary War era cannonball and a British bayonet were found in the Elk Creek area of Delhi. Donald Buel found the cannonball while woodchuck hunting on his father’s farm. Rosemary and George Sheehan found the bayonet in a building on their property.

During the Civil War, many local residents joined the 144^th New York Volunteers, formed in Delhi and the 101^st New York Volunteers, formed in Hancock. Items on display include an original Civil War drum, a diary written by Walton resident and member of the 144^th, Edward Hoyt chronicling his war experiences at the front and photographs of Civil War veterans, including one taken in 1912 in front of the Civil War monument on Courthouse Square, Delhi.

There are artifacts from World War I including a donated uniform of the late Bovina resident and United States Marine Corps corporal Fletcher Davidson.

The exhibit contains an Army Nurse’s uniform worn by Walton resident Elma Howland (Kent) who served in the Army Nurses Corps I from September 1943 until January 1946. A WW II Army corporal’s uniform worn by Delhi resident Charles Eustis is also on display along with his duffel bag and war medals, including two bronze stars he received for demonstrating heroism under fire.. Duerden noted that 3,616 Delaware County residents served during WW II during which 92 died.

The exhibit also includes uniforms from the Korean War and the Vietnam “conflict.” Letters written by Vietnam soldiers to their former teacher Fannie Delameter from Treadwell are also on display.

The museum is open 7 days a week, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. and admission is free. Historic buildings are not open on Mondays. DCHA is located two miles northeast of Delhi Village on NYS Route 10. For information, call 607-746-3849 or visit www.dcha-ny.org

Used with permission from Delaware County Times.