The public is cordially invited to join the Friends of Oakwood Cemetery at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 26th at the cemetery for its annual Memorial Day ceremony. The cemetery is located off Oakwood Avenue (Route 40) in Troy.
The historic, three-ton Meneely bell, located in front of the Earl Chapel, will be rung nine times to mark the start of the event. The Friends of Oakwood Cemetery and the Veterans of Lansingburgh will lay wreaths in honor of all deceased veterans. Master of Ceremonies Michael Barrett will be joined by Jim Pratt of the Veterans’ Miracle Center, guest speaker, and Nikki Osterhout will sing the national anthem. In addition, representatives of the NYS 125th reenactors will fire a musket salute and local Boy Scouts will place American flags on the graves at the Soldiers’ Plot
The event is free to the public. In case of heavy rain, the ceremony will be moved into the chapel.
The bell on permanent display at the entrance to the Marvin Library Learning Commons is a Meneely bell that originally hung in the Hy Rosenblum Administration Building. The former Immaculate Conception Seminary was demolished to build the College Suites.
The first Meneely bell foundry was established in 1826 in West Troy (now Watervliet) by Andrew Meneely, a former apprentice in the foundry of Benjamin Hanks. Two of Andrew’s sons continued to operate the foundry after his death, and it remained a family operation until its closure. The second Meneely bell foundry was established in 1870 by a third son, Clinton H. Meneely, across the river in Troy, New York, that closed in 1952.
Published: Wed, 02 May 2018 19:44:37 +0000 by d.gardner