Fred Hahn (right) with F. Molski |
Although tired after a series of long drives too closely spaced, I enjoyed participating in the opening of the new Kosciuszko Park in Dublin Ohio, on the site of the land grant awarded to him as part payment for his services in the American War of Independence. It was interesting talking with the locals and discovering that they knew of Kosciuszko from the time they bought their land. References to him appear on their land deeds which describe the prior ownership of their respective lots, going back to Kosciuszko and thus providing proof of their current ownership. I don’t think anyone has yet reverse engineered this source of information to provide a definitive picture of how Kosciuszko’s land grant of 500 acres was actually disposed of. As far as I can determine, there is no specific mention of the sales of Kosciuszko’s Ohio land grant in his American will which had been contested all the way to the US Supreme Court.
Link to a previous article about the Park opening ceremony
According to the locals they had been agitating council for a long time to do something about improving the open space surrounding their homes. The open space of course was also part of the Kosciuszko’s land grant. In 1980 the Polish National Alliance established a historical marker honouring the memory of Thaddeus Kosciuszko. The marker erected by the Franklin County Historical Society is not located in the present park, but it reads: "Polish Patriot Thaddeus Kosciuszko".
This marks the northern boundary of the "Kosciuszko Lands." When General Kosciuszko visited the United States in 1797, Congress appropriated over $15,000 to him and a land grant of 500 acres. This land was part of his reward and pay for the services to the United States in the War of the Revolution. Lying on the east side of the Scioto River and extending from the Delaware County line below the Village of Dublin is the tract of land known as "The Kosciuszko Lands."
Mayor of Dublin Tim Lecklider |
Polish Consul Małgorzata Kozik |
Director of Parks and Open Space, Fred Hahn |
Alex Storożyński, President of the Kosciuszko Foundation |
Kosciuszko came to America in 1776 and offered his services to the Continental Congress. He was accepted and given the task of drawing plans for the defense of the Delaware River. The success of this work won him a commission as Colonel of Engineers in the Continental Army. He fought through the conflict but his most important work was the fortifications at West Point. In 1828 the Cadets at the Military Academy donated money with which to erect a monument in his memory.
This marker honors the memory of General Thaddeus Kosciuszko and is a tribute to all Polish immigrants in the nation. Dedicated on the 233rd anniversary of the birth of General Kosciuszko by Polish National Alliance, St. Thomas Lodge Number 2422, Columbus, Ohio. April 27, 1980.
Polska wersja wydarzenia w Nowojorskim Nowym Dzienniku
After the land had been purchased by Dublin Council for establishment of the Park, Dublin’s Director for Parks and Open Space explained at the opening ceremony how the Park obtained its name:
“It was really during the public input process that local resident Deborah Solove suggested the naming of the park after Thaddeus Kosciuszko. I personally was unaware of the name Kosciuszko until that time. It was after I had done some very basic research that I became more interested. I went down to the Dublin Public Library and checked out a book, The Peasant Prince, by this guy Alex Storozynski that I really became fascinated with the life and times of Kosciuszko.
And the rest is now history, and now available is a beautiful and appropriately named park for the locals to enjoy for generations to come.
Felix Molski - text and most of the photos
Marker |
Historic Marker photos by Dale K. Bennington
Kosciuszko Foundation - Cleveland Chapter, Vide-President Mary Kay Pieski |
Lajkonik Folk Dancers from Ohio |
More photos by Felix Molski can be found there
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