Town Cannon

What does Buddy Poppies and the Shenandoah Town cannon have in common? The town cannon is from the World War I time period. In the World War I battlefields of Belgium, poppies grew wild amid the ravaged landscape. The overturned soils of battle enabled the poppy seeds to be covered, thus allowing them to grow and to forever serve as a reminder of the bloodshed during that and future wars. Following is a brief history of the artificial poppy:

In the World War I battlefields of Belgium, poppies grew wild amid the ravaged landscape. How could such a pretty little flower grow wild while surrounded by death and destruction? The overturned soils of battle enabled the poppy seeds to be covered, thus allowing them to grow and to forever serve as a reminder of the bloodshed during that and future wars.

The poppy movement was inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields" written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae of the Canadian forces in 1915, before the United States entered World War I. Selling replicas of the original Flanders' poppy originated in some of the allied countries immediately after the Armistice.

Madam Guerin, who was recognized as "the Poppy Lady from France", sought and received the cooperation of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, early in 1922, after the Franco-American Children's League was dissolved. The VFW conducted a poppy sale prior to Memorial Day, 1922, using only poppies that were made in France. In the 1923 poppy sale, due to the difficulty and delay in getting poppies from France, the VFW made use of a surplus of French poppies that were on hand and the balance was provided by a firm in New York City manufacturing artificial flowers.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States was the first veteran organization to promote a nationally organized campaign, for the annual distribution of poppies assembled by American disabled and needy veterans. In 1924, the VFW patented the name "Buddy Poppy" for their version of the artificial flower. Buddy Poppy proceeds represents no profit to any VFW unit. All the money contributed by the public for Buddy Poppies is used in the cause of veteran€™s welfare, or for the well being of their needy dependents and the orphans of veterans.

Following the 1924 sale, the VFW believed it would stimulate local sales if the poppies they used were assembled by disabled veterans in hospitals within their own jurisdiction. The 1924 encampment of the VFW at Atlantic City granted this privilege, under the provision that all poppies would be produced according to specifications set forth by the National Buddy Poppy Committee, and that all poppies would be assembled by disabled veterans in government hospitals and by needy veterans in workshops supervised by the VFW.

Around the same year, the American Legion Auxiliary adopted the poppy as the organization's memorial flower and pledged its use to benefit our servicemen and their families. Today, the poppy continues to provide a financial and therapeutic benefit to those hospitalized and disabled veterans who construct them, as well as benefiting thousands of other veterans and their families.

Each nine-piece poppy is made by veterans for veterans in Auxiliary sponsored Poppy Shops that supplement physical and psychological therapy needed by hospitalized and disabled veterans. The Auxiliary provides the materials and the volunteers. The veteran make the poppy and is paid a small amount for each painstakingly made flower. For some it is their only income.

No matter what the cost of maintaining and supplying the Poppy Shops, the memorial poppy is never sold, but given in exchange for a contribution.

Each year the Veterans of Foreign Wars members and the Ladies Auxiliary members volunteer to distribute millions of bright red poppies, in exchange for contributions to assist disabled and hospitalized veterans. The program provides multiple benefits to the veterans and to the community. The hospitalized veterans who make the flowers are able to earn a small wage, which helps to supplement their incomes and makes them feel more self-sufficient. The physical and mental activity provides many therapeutic benefits as well. Donations are used exclusively to assist and support veterans and their families. The poppy also reminds the community of the past sacrifices and continuing needs of our veterans. The poppy has become a nationally known and recognized symbol of sacrifice and is worn to honor the men and women who served and died for their country in all wars.

Today, VFW Buddy Poppies are still assembled by disabled and needy veterans in VA Hospitals.
Buddy Poppy poem:

In Flanders Field

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

- By John McCrae

Our related articles on the cannon-

History of the cannon:

http://shenandoahnewz.com/town-history-new/112-cannon-at-school-house

Cannon Restored:

http://shenandoahnewz.com/town-history-new/168-cannon-restored

After 80 years, town installs plaque on Town Cannon. On January 28, 2015 Town workers installed the plaque on the front of the cannon after Forest Monger cut the mounting holes. It reads:

WWI Cannon 1906 Model

Donated To The Town Of Shenandoah

On October 29, 1934

By The American Legion,

Stewart Comer Post No. 106

The Gun Measures 25 Feet

In Length And Weighs

7,420 Pounds

Read more about the history of the cannon below.

Thousands of people drive by this cannon daily, but very few know much about how it got there until January 28th when a plaque was placed on the cannon. The cannon was placed there in October 1934 by the American Legion, Stewart Comer Post No.106 as a memorial to World War I veterans.

The below article appeared in the local paper.

Members of the Stuart Comer Post No. 106:

Cannon located on Shenandoah Elementary School ground, at intersection of Maryland Avenue and Rt. 340.

Cannon as it appears in May 2012 after wheels restored and a new paint job.

Our cannon as it appeared on November 8, 2014. On this day Members ofthe Shenandoah VFW Post 8613 were out around Shenandoah for the Buddy Poppy Fund Drive to support Disabled American Veterans. Buddy poppies were placed on the wheel of the cannon to highlight the history of the buddy poppy as it relates to the cannon. Earlier this year Councilman Charlie Jenkins painted the body of the cannon back to its original color of gray.

Have you noticed anything different about the cannon that is on the corner of Maryland Avenue and Rt. 340? The construction barricade has been removed to reveal a newly restored cannon! It now has new wheels and a fresh coat of paint. Last year, the cannon wheels were shipped to Stutzman Homes Wheel shop in Ohio. An Amish repair company that is the world's largest manufacturer of wooden wheels for horse buggies, carriages, wagons, and carts. They use air-dried hickory wood to craft its wheels in a broad range of sizes.

After the wheels were shipped off, local resident and councilman, Keith Sampson began the task of scrapping and prepping the cannon for painting. This month the cannon received a much needed coat of paint. The cannon was painted black with some of the parts being restored to their original brass color. Assisting Keith in the painting was his wife Dee. Thanks to Sampson family for voluntarily restoring a landmark that thousands of commuters see every day as they pass by our community.

To learn more about our cannon, please read this article about the history of the cannon:

http://shenandoahnewz.com/town-history-new/112-cannon-at-school-house

See our article about the cannon and buddy poppies:

Councileman Sampson