Penn Common - York, PA - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

The modern city park in downtown York known as Penn Park or Penn Common was once a huge field hospital and tended to the wounded and dead from the Battle of Gettysburg. The former location of the York Fair and the U.S. Army Hospital during the Civil War, Penn Commons Park is a beautifully restored greenway that features a tennis court, playground, and pavilion. The park also features the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial. Marked by granite-metal figures, this memorial is dedicated to the men who fought in the Civil War.

The hospital cared for 14,256 sick and wounded soldiers during its three years of operation, from 1862 to 1865. Statistics show that 7,500 returned to active duty, 3,700 were furloughed, 1,100 soldiers were discharged, 1,300 transferred and only 193 died. This was very good survival and recovery rate.

Theis bronze marker is embossed with a reproduction of the plan for the General Hospital York, Pennsylvania 1862. The bronze tablet is raised up on a stone, rectangular prism base, about 2 feet high. The raised inscription reads:

PENN COMMON - York, Pennsylvania - Since 1741, when the Town of York was founded, Penn Common has been used as an area for public gatherings. In 1816, the Common was deeded to the Borough of York by the heirs of William Penn to be kept as a "public Common forever." During the Civil War, it became the site of a military hospital where over 14,000 Union troops were treated. In 1890, the City if York developed this land into a public park for its citizens. - Renovations: 1979 - Funded by the City of York and the U.S. Heritage Conservation Recreation Services aided by the Pennsylvania Department of Community Affairs and the Penn Common Planning Committee.

Group that erected the marker: City of York URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: Penn Park W. College Ave. & S. Pershing Avenue York York, PA USA 17404

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Date Logged Log   01/14/2023 bluesnote visited it 02/01/2016 Fabu Two visited it

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