Set in stone
Construction company moves Blair statue to front of courthouseBy Phil Ray, pray@altoonamirror.com
Article Photos
HOLLIDAYSBURG - A piece of Blair County history was put into place Monday outside the Blair County Courthouse, thus evoking a sigh of relief from John W. Schraff of New Enterprise Stone & Lime Co. Inc.
Schraff, who is used to building bridges, was asked to do something different Monday - help move and place a statue known as the "Pioneer Family" from its original setting on the grounds of Highland Hall Annex to the courthouse grounds.
He said with a serious tone, "This is our first statue."
Then he joked, "Yeah, we move statues all the time."
"We didn't want to break something," he said as the 7-foot-2-inch statue was placed gently onto a prepoured concrete base on the Union Street side of the 121-year-old courthouse.
The moving of the statue, which depicts a pioneer family - a father, mother and child - was a combined effort that included county employees, Fiore Construction Co. and New Enterprise.
The sculpture, weighing a ton or more according to Schraff, was created by W. Walter Campbell, one of the founders of the Altoona architectural firm, Campbell, Rea, Hayes and Large.
Campbell, who died in 2004 at age 93, took up sculpting in his retirement and created many works of art that can been seen in the Hollidaysburg area, including the tiger outside the Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School.
The sculpture of the pioneer family - a husband standing behind his wife, who is seated reading to a babe in her lap - was a Campbell contribution to Blair County during the nation's bicentennial celebration in 1976.
The commissioners had used Highland Hall, a former school located a block from the courthouse, as an annex, and decided the spacious side yard was the perfect location for the gift.
The county sold Highland Hall in the mid-1990s, and Commissioner Diane Meling said Monday that ever since then, there has been talk of finding a new spot for the sculpture.
County workers built the new concrete base while a Fiore forklift brought the statue from Highland Hall. A New Enterprise boom then was used to place the statue perfectly onto its new home.
Blair County Law Librarian Lucy Wolf, a history buff herself, said, "This is a really good place for the statue. More people will see it than at Highland Hall."
Wolf marveled at the detail of the figures in the sculpture: the musket beside the man, the ruffles in the woman's dress and the book in her hand.
The Pioneer Family joins a statue in commemoration of those who died in the Civil War, a memorial to area law enforcement officers who died in the line-of-duty and a tribute to the county's homicide victims - all outside the courthouse.
Mirror Staff Writer Phil Ray is at 946-7468.
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Blyguy
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11-24-09 9:52 PM
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Not sure, but the girl was probably Pam Webber. Mr. Campbells granddaughter I believe.
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BlairProud
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11-24-09 7:44 AM
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I had the good pleasure of meeting Mr. Campbell and his wife before they passed away. I only met him for about 30 minutes, but was so impressed with him and his many accomplishments.
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Chuxspringer
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11-24-09 7:35 AM
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Just a note. These things are lost to history around here because no one writes it down in a safe place. Sometime you are around the courthouse notice ALL the different figural faces on the second story lintels. Not one Commissioner can provide information on who the represent.
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Chuxspringer
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11-24-09 7:32 AM
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No mention of the young local girl that became an excellent Tiger basketball player that provided the inspiration for the child? Sorry can't remember her name.
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ghemphill
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11-24-09 4:51 AM
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Not having been a native, but living in the Hollidaysburg area now for over 10 years, I really appreciate this article and would encourage more like this information could be written. What a tribute to such a person and the history of our area. Thanks. Gordon
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