Quaker Monuments

Click here for Wikipedia article on Quaker Peace Testimony.

Right click image to enlarge.

1652 - Pendle Hill, Borough of Pendle, Lancashire (England). Visited in 1652 by George Fox [1624-1691] leading to his foundation of the Quaker movement.

1930 - Pendle Hill, Wallingford, Pennsylvania (USA). Quaker educational center near Philadelphia named for Pendle Hill (England).

After 1690 - Grave of George Fox, Quaker Gardens, London (England). "In keeping with Quaker beliefs in plainness and modesty, his grave has only a simple marker."

1694 - Old Quaker Meeting House, 137-16 Northern Boulevard , Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York (USA). "Remains today much as when it was first built, with dark, warm floorboards, simple benches and hand-hewn timber ceiling beams. By all known accounts, the oldest house of worship in New York State and the second oldest Quaker meeting house in the nation." [Where is the oldest?]

1699 - Quaker Meeting House, Newport, Rhode Island (USA). "Active 1699-1919. Around 1700 about half of Newport's population were Quakers. A stone's throw from the White Horse Tavern, the oldest tavern in America."

1703 - Fair Hill Burial Ground, 2900 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA). "Founded in 1703 on part of a grant of land of 16 acres given to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) by George Fox [1624-1691], who is known as the founder of the Society. He received the land from William Penn [1644-1718] as a gift. The present burial ground was laid out in 1843 and enlarged in 1853, providing almost five acres of green space in this urban neighbohood. Most persons buried at Fair Hill are Quakers, many of them participants in the early abolitionist and women's rights movements. Some of the more renowned include Lucretia Mott [1793-1880], James Mott, Thomas and Mary Ann McClintock, Sarah Pugh, Ann Preston and Edward Parrish. Some colleagues in the anti-slavery movement, not Friends, are also buried there, most notably Robert Purvis [1810-1998], an African-American known as the President of the underground railroad, and his family. The site was recently placed on the National Register for Historic Places."

Circa 1833 - Peaceable Kingdon by Quaker artist Edward Hicks, Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA). Click here for more information on the "kingdoms of Edward Hicks." Probably painted in Pennsylvania. Image shows one of about 60 versions of the Peaceable Kingdom painted by Hicks.

June 4, 1862 - Joseph Sturge Memorial, Swallow Hotel, Five Ways, Birmingham (England). Joseph Sturge [1793-1859] was a Quaker who campaigned tirelessly for peace, even visiting St. Petersburg in an attempt to avert the Crimean War. Memorial was restored & rededicated on March 24, 2007.

March 2007 - Blue Plaque for Joseph Sturge, 64 Wheeleys Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham (England).

1872 - George Fox Memorial, George Fox Lane, Fenny Drayton (England). At birthplace of George Fox [1624-1691].

October 28, 1893 - Penn Treaty Park, Delaware (Columbus) Avenue & Beach Street, Fishtown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA). Alleged site of famous peace treaty signed by William Penn [1644-1718] and the Lenape Indians in 1683. Click here for Wikipedia article. See associated virtual PennTreatyMusuem.org. Mentioned by Tom Flores (2008).

1901 - Statue of William Penn, City Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA). 1"1.3-m (37 ft), 27-ton bronze statue of Quaker and Philadelphia founder William Penn [1644-1718]. One of 250 sculptures created by Alexander Milne Calder that adorn the building inside and out. The statue is the tallest atop any building in the world." City Hall is the world's tallest masonry building.

About 1905 - Horfield Quaker Meeting House, 300 Gloucester Road, Horfield, Bristol (England). "A peace garden has been created to celebrate the building's centenary. The latest addition is a panel of colourful tiles [right image], which have transformed a plain brick wall into a work of art. The panel is made up of hand-made tiles spelling out the Quaker principles: 'peace, equality, simplicity, truth,' alongside pictures of animals." Info courtesy of Peter van den Dungen.

October 12, 1907 - George Fox Stone, opposite old Browne homestead, Bowne Avenue, Flushing, Queens Borough, New York, New York (USA). "A large granite monument...was dedicated yesterday to the memory of George Fox [1624-1691], the noted Quaker preacher. Members of the Flushing Historical Society and many Friends were present. The stone bears this inscription: 'Here stood the Fox Oaks, beneath whose branches George Fox, founder of the Society of Friends, preached, June 7, 1672.'" Click here for a description of the historic neighborhood around the stone.

Date? - Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, University of Illinois at Chicago, 800 South Halsted, Chicago, Illinois (USA). Jane Addams [1860-1935] received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931.

1930 - Pendle Hill, 338 Plush Mill Road, Wallingford, Pennsylvania (USA). "A Quaker center for spiritual growth, study and service. At Pendle Hill, students and staff live, work, worship and study together. First director was Henry Theodore Hodgkin [1876-1933] who founded the Fellowship of Reconcilation (FOR) in 1914 in UK and in 1915 in US. Clarence E. Pickett [1884-1965] and Homer Morris lived in houses on the Pendle Hill grounds. Pickett was general secretary of the American Friends Service Committee [1929-1950] and chief of "Stranded Mining and Industrial Populations" for the federal government [in the mid-1930's].

1930? - Swarthmore College Peace Collection, Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania (USA). Online Exhibits. Swartthore is very close to Pendle Hill.

1949 - George Fox University, 414 North Meridian Street,| Newberg, Oregon (USA). Founded in 1891 by Quaker pioneers. Named George Fox College in 1949. Merged with Western Evangelical Seminary & renamed George Fox Univesity in 1996.

1953 - Quaker House, New York City, New York (USA). "A four story brownstone just blocks from the United Nations Headquarters, which has served as an informal meeting space for the UN community since 1953. Given to Quaker United Nations Office-New York (QUNO) by a small group of donors to support a permanent Quaker presence at the UN, the house has become an integral part of the program work of the QUNO office."

Click here to see the Phoenix today.

K E T C H

1954 - "Phoenix of Hiroshima," North Fork of Mokelumne River, off Tyler Island, Lodi, California (USA?). "John Gardner (phoenixofhiroshima @comcast.net, 209-570-4070) has already rescued the Phoenix after seeing it listed for free on craigslist [in late 2006 or early 2007], its San Francisco owner simply wanting to get rid of it to avoid paying any more fees to the Oyster Point Marina. Gardner paid a San Francisco boater to tow it to its current location." Constructed in Hiroshima (Japan) by American Quaker Earle Reynolds [1910-1998] (top image). "1954 brought the realization of a dream for Reynolds when he, his first wife Barbara Leonard Reynolds [1915-1990], and their three children began an around the world voyage on the Phoenix. They stopped at over one hundred ports, and Earle gave lectures on conditions in Hiroshima. Young Jessica [middle image] documented this trip in her book, which was later published [1958]. When they arrived in Hawaii in 1958, they met the crew of the Golden Rule (qv), Quakers who were on trial for their attempt to sail into the nuclear test zone near Bikini Island to protest nuclear weapons and atmospheric testing. They had been arrested and prevented from completing their mission. After talking with the crew of the Golden Rule, Dr. Reynolds and his family decided to complete the mission in their place. He also believed that the government did not have a right to restrict access to the open ocean. After sailing into the restricted zone, he was arrested and sentenced to two years in prison. This verdict was appealed and eventually overturned." Earle Reynolds founded the Peace Resource Center at the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC) in 1975. Barbara Reynolds founded the World Friendship Center in Hiroshima (Japan) in 1965 and the Peace Resource Center at Wilmington College, Ohio, in 1975.

K E T C H

1958? - "Golden Rule," Eureka, California (USA). Now out of water and for sale by Leon Zerlang (humtug@gmail.com). Asking price is $9,500. Email Jan. 19, 2010 from Wendy E. Chmielewski, PhD, George Cooley Curator, Swarthmore College Peace Collection, Swarthmore. Pennsylvania (USA): "The sailing ship that in 1958 [Quakers] Albert Bigelow [1906-1993], James Peck [1914-1993], George Willoughby [1914-2010] (who just passed away two weeks ago), attempted to sail into the atomic testing grounds near the Marshall Islands. The ship has been repossessed by Leon Zerlang, the ship yard owner (from the bankrupt actual owner). Leon is aware of the ship's history and would like to help save The Golden Rule, but needs ideas and help on what to do to save this ship. Several years ago I received an almost identical email from another ship owner trying to save The Phoenix (qv), a sailing ship with a similar history. I don't know the fate of The Phoenix. It would be a shame to lose still another piece of peace movement history. Ideally something like The Golden Rule, a beautiful sailing ship, should be preserved by the Smithsonian, but I don't know that they have any interest in it." Right image shows Earle Reynolds [1910-1998], his second wife Akie Nagami, Phil Drath, Betty Boardman, Bob Eaton, Horace Champhy, and Ivan Massar embarking from Misaki, Kanagawa (Japan) on February 16, 1967, en route to North Vietnam with medical supplies. "In 1959, Bigelow published a book, "Voyage of the Golden Rule: An Experiment with Truth," which documented his journey. The story would go on to inspire fellow Quaker Marie Bohlen to suggest the use of a similar tactic to members of the Vancouver-based Don't Make a Wave Committee (later to become Greenpeace) in 1970."

1959 - Statue of Mary Dyer, Massachusetts State House, Boston, Massachusetts (USA). By Quaker sculptor Sylvia Shaw Judson "The Massachusetts legislature enacted a law that every Quaker in its jurisdiction should be banished on pain of death. Mary Dyer [c1611-1660] was hanged in May 1660 for re-entering that colony, rather than abandon the principles of freedom of speech and conscience." Copies are in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, & Richmond, Indiana.

1962 - Statue of Mary Dyer, Stout Meeting House, Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana (USA). "The Massachusetts legislature enacted a law that every Quaker in its jurisdiction should be banished on pain of death. Mary Dyer [c1611-1660] was hanged in May 1660 for re-entering that colony, rather than abandon the principles of freedom of speech and conscience." Original of this statue is is Boston, Massachusetts; another copy is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

C E N T E R

August 6, 1965 - World Friendship Center (WFC), 8-10 Higashi Kan-on, Nishi-ku, Hiroshima (Japan). Founded on 20th anniversary of the bomb by American Barbara Leonard Reynolds [1915-1990] who also founded the Peace Resources Center (PRC) at Wilmington College of Ohio (USA) in 1975. "Not only a 'home away from home' for travelers to Hiroshima, it is a place where local Hiroshima residents volunteer their hospitality of peace in a variety of activities." Supported by Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) & by the American Committee of the WFC, currently chaired by Mary Ann Albert of Warsaw, Indiana (USA).

1969 - Quaker House, 223 Hillside Avenue, Fayetteville, North Carolina (USA). Near Fort Bragg. Slogan: "YES To The Troops. NO To The Wars."

1972 - Quaker House Geneva, 13 avenue du Mervelet (near Petit Saconnex), Geneva (Switzerlnd). "Quaker work at the United Nations in Geneva is greatly enhanced by the facility where its offices are located and where much of its programme with diplomats and others actually takes place. Located in a pleasant residential neighbourhood not very far from the Palais des Nations, Quaker House is not only home for the Quaker UN Office but also serves as the Meeting House for the Geneva Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends and provides meeting space for a range of other groups.

May 1974 - Lucretia C. Mott historical marker, Pennsylvania highway 611 north of Cheltenham Avenue, Elkins Park, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (USA). Text: "Nearby stood 'Roadside," the home of the ardent Quakeress Lucretia C. Mott [1793-1880]. Her most notable work was in connection with antislavery women's rights, temperance and peace." Said to be the most important woman abolitionist in America.

1974 - Friends Center, 15th & Cherry Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA). Three buildings including the 1856 Race Street Meetinghouse, site of Quaker witness from the abolition of slavery, to women’s rights, to binding up the wounds of war. Houses 19 nonprofit organizations that bring approximately 300 workers and 75 children to the Center each day. "You can browse through literature provided by the Quaker Information Center, look at the lobby displays provided by groups such as the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), or take a moment to sit quietly in the worship room."

1975 - Statue of Mary Dyer, Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA). "The Massachusetts legislature enacted a law that every Quaker in its jurisdiction should be banished on pain of death. Mary Dyer [c1611-1660] was hanged in May 1660 for re-entering that colony, rather than abandon the principles of freedom of speech and conscience." Original of this statue is is Boston, Massachusetts; another copy is in Richmond, Indiana.

C E N T E R

August 6, 1975 - Peace Resource Center (PRC), Wilmington College of Ohio, Wilmington, Ohio (USA). "Has "the world's largest collection (outside of Japan) of reference materials related to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki." Founded by Barbara Leonard Reynolds who also founded the World Friendship Center (WFC) in Hiroshima (Japan) in 1965. Entry #820 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001). One of 27 US museums in "Museums for Peace Worldwide" edited by Kazuyo Yamane (2008).

Date? - Quaker Heritage Center (QHC), 1870 Quaker Way, Wilmington, Ohio (USA). One of 27 US museums in "Museums for Peace Worldwide" edited by Kazuyo Yamane (2008).

1989 - Quaker Tapestry, Friends Meeting House, Kendal, Cumbria, England (UK). A chronicle of Quaker life over 350 years. 77 hand-crafted embroidery panels, beautifully illustrated by 4,000 men, women and children from 15 countries. Click here for Wikipedia article.

1995 - Vietnamese-American Peace Park, 30 miles north of Hanoi (Viet-Nam). A project of the Madison Quakers. Image shows Dove Mound, inspired by the Native American mound at the Highground Veterans Memorial Park, Neillsville,Wisconsin (USA).

1996 - Jane Addams Memorial Park, 600 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois (USA). Honors Jane Addams [1860-1935], founder of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and first US woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize (1931). Park includes black granite statue "Helping Hands" by Louis Bourgeois. Entry #272 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001).

October 26, 1996 - Civilian Public Service historical marker, Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA). "Commissioned by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission." Honors "some 12,000 men who were classified as conscientious objectors to war...during World War II."

1998 - My Lai Peace Park, My Lai (Viet-Nam). A project of the Madison Quakers. At site of the My Lai Massacre on March 16, 1968.

November 6, 1999 - Historical Marker honoring the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA). The AFSC and the Friends Service Council (UK) shared a Nobel Peace Prize in 1947. Clarance Pickett accepted the prize on behalf of the AFSC.

2000 - Traces Center for History and Culture, Landmark Center, 75 West Fifth Street (Suite 211), St. Paul, Minnesota (USA). Traces "preserves and present stories of people from the Midwest and Germany or Austria who encountered each other during World War II." It is "a peace project presenting itself as a history museum," according o founder/executive director Michael Luick-Thrams. Traces has six exhibits documenting Friends' responses to the Holocaust: AFSC's refugee centers at Scattergood Hostel [in Iowa] and at Quaker Hill in Richmond, Indiana; Leonard Kenworthy's year in wartime Berlin helping would-be refugees get out of the Third Reich; Clarence Pickett's two fact-finding tours to Nazi Germany; and others. Clarence Pickett [1884-1965] accepted the 1947 Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). Landmark Center is a former Federal courthouse, built circa 1896, around a six-story neoclassical Victorian atrium. Click here for an article by the founder.

E X H I B I T

May 2001? - "In Pursuit of Peace: An Exhibit From the Earle and Akie Reynolds Archive," University Library, University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC), Santa Cruz, California (USA). "This is an on-line exhibit covering the life of peace activists, Earle and Akie Reynolds. 'It is not only the story of Earle and Akie Reynolds, but also of Barbara Leonard Reynolds, Ted Reynolds, and Jessica Reynolds [Renshaw], and the decisions and events that changed their lives. The archive itself contains a range of materials including correspondence, manuscripts, video and audio tapes, scrapbooks, nautical maps, photo albums and artifacts, all of which attest to the passion and dedication of the Reynolds' pursuit of peace. This virtual exhibit hopes to capture some of the excitement of discovery that the processing team felt in unraveling the stories contained within the archive.'"

E X H I B I T

August 6, 2008 - "Stories of Hope," permanent exhibit at Peace Resource Center (PRC), Wilmington College of Ohio, Wilmington, Ohio (USA). Highlights four stories: PRC founder Barbara Leonard Reynolds [1915-1990], Sadako Sasaki [1943-1955], the Hiroshima Maidens, and Dr. Takashi Nagai [1908-1951], the first published writer of the A-Bomb experience. The PRC has "the world's largest collection (outside of Japan) of reference materials related to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki." Entry #820 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001). One of 27 US museums in "Museums for Peace Worldwide" edited by Kazuyo Yamane (2008).

September 20, 2009 - "Who Sends Thee?," between Watson Library and the Meriam R. Hare Quaker Heritage Center, Wilmington College, Wilmington, Ohio (USA). "750-pound bronze statue features Quakers and tells a uniquely Quaker story. Indeed, members of the Society of Friends were behind much of its $84,000 fundraising effort... Reflects the Quaker Testimonies of peace, integrity, simplicity, community and equality. Depicts locals Quakers, Isaac and Sarah Harvey, on their way to Washington D.C. to speak with President Abraham Lincoln about the emancipation of enslaved persons in 1862."

Future - San Diego Friends Center, 3850 Westgate Place, San Diego, Califrnia (USA). Energy efficient straw bale building. "A unique collaboration between two historic peace churches and two well-established and respected non-profit organizations in the San Diego area: American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Peace Resource Center of San Diego (PRC), San Diego First Church of the Brethren, and San Diego Friends Meeting (Quakers)."

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