The Deshong Art Museum at 1020 Ave. of the States in Chester about 1935. Alfred O. Deshong donated money and property to his home town of Chester.
Note: Alfred O. Deshong was born and lived in Chester his entire life. Deshong[1837-1913] operated a successful quarry business for years and was a director of the Delaware Co. National Bank He invested his fortune in the collection of art. Deshong donated liberally to support the Chester Hospital and upon his death, donated his trust and land to the city of Chester which resulted in the creation of the Deshong Art Museum and Deshong Park. Over time, the museum fell into disrepair, suffered theft and eventually closed. The art museum is currently vacant and the art collection resides with Widener University.
July 11, 1913
ALFRED O. DESHONG MEMORIAL ART GALLERY
Design of New Gallery
The
Times today presents to its readers a picture of the new Art gallery to be
constructed on the grounds of the A. O. Deshong Memorial Park. The plans drawn by Brazer & Robb of New
York City, architects, were accepted yesterday by the trustees under the will
of the late A. O. Deshong. The trustees
are Judge William B. Broomall, Col. James A. G. Campbell of the Delaware County
Trust Company and Clarence Deshong, a brother of the dead benefactor.
ITALIAN
RENAISSANCE STYLE – The building is to be placed on the lot situated on the
West Side of Edgmont Avenue, south of Eleventh Street. The design selected shows a building in the
pure Italian Renaissance style, so suitable to an edifice intended to house
works of art, as the age of the Renaissance was the most artistic of modern
times. It will probably be constructed
of a light colored stone or marble with bronze doors and grills in the windows. The building will be ornamented with carving
suitable to the style and suggestive of an art gallery. All modern art galleries for the housing of
paintings are designed with large surface blank wall in order to make them most
suitable for their purpose, as such rooms are best lighted by sky lights in the
ceiling. For this reason the architects
have purposely placed two surfaces of blank wall decorated with carving at
either side of the main entrance, so that the character and use of the building
will be plainly indicated on the exterior.
In the
center of the plan is placed a large room with walls about 25 feet high for
hanging large paintings with Oriental rugs above. Grouped around this large room are four
smaller rooms for small paintings, and on each end of the building are rooms
with side lights for various articles of bric-a-brac, carved, ivory, &c.
The
building will be connected with the present house by a glazed corridor under
which will be placed the heating pipes, as it is intended to heat the new
building from a plant in the present house, thereby removing the most to be
feared danger of fire. The new building
will be absolutely fire proof and of monumental construction in every
particular.
OTHER
FINE IMPROVEMENTS – The dimensions of the building will be about 125 feet by 40
feet, it will be forty feet high. Work
will be started just as soon as possible.
It will require one year in its construction according to a statement
made by the trustees. This handsome
building will be the first improvement for the new park. Others will follow as fast as the trustees
can arrange for them. These will include
swimming pool, baseball ground, tennis courts and other amusements for the
public.
What
will be one of the prettiest and most valuable parks of any small city in the
country, was made possible through the generosity of the late A. O. Deshong,
who, during his life, gave much to charity and worthy public institutions. It is the purpose of the trustees that what
is done about the park will be of the best and constructed to last for all
time.
DCHPN Monthly E-Newsletter |
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Happy Independence Day! Check out all these events happening this month Read the announcements below for important information |
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Please check the websites for updated information before attending and be safe! * Indicates a free event. Some events require pre-registration and close when full. The list includes events in the surrounding areas as well. If you have an event you would like on this list on future e-newsletters, please submit by the end of the month to dchpn_planning@yahoo.com.
*Genealogy Workshop Jul 11 and 25, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Middletown Free Library, 464 S Old Middletown Rd, Media, PA 19063
Come learn about Genealogy or get help with your current research!
Feel free to bring your own laptop/tablet, but we do have a few to borrow.
Multiple dates throughout the summer | | |
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*The Human Tales of RMS Titanic Jul 11, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Swarthmore Public Library, 121 Park Ave, Swarthmore, PA 19081
More than a century later, the tragic story of the “unsinkable” ship RMS Titanic continues to captivate the imagination. This program recounts many of these stories through dramatic readings of first-person accounts in letters, prose, and poetry against the historical backdrop of the time.
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*No Stone Left Unlearned: Armenian Tombstones of Philadelphia Jul 12, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Zoom- registration required
This presentation follows not just the evolution of the Philadelphia Armenian community's gravestones and their symbols over the past century, but also delves into the historical context of the period and the cultural traditions which these immigrants brought with them.
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*The Kennedy Murder Case with Roger Arthur Jul 12, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Rachel Kohl Community Library, 687 Smithbridge Rd, Glen Mills, PA 19342
Join us as we take an in-depth look at one of the 20th century's most famous--and infamous--events: the assasination of President John F. Kennedy. In this in-person lecture, local historian Roger Arthur will take us through the events in the immediate aftermath and the people involved in them.
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*Lions, Tigers and the Taj Mahal Jul 13, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Winsor Room- Radnor Memorial Library, 114 W Wayne Ave, Wayne, PA 19087
Visit the Gir Forest, last stronghold of the Asian Lion. Gaze at the sheer beauty and perfect symmetry of the Taj Mahal. Feel your pulse quicken as we close in on the rare, elusive Royal Bengal Tiger. It will be an unforgettable journey.
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69th Street Historic District Walking Tour Jul 13, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Bridge over Market Street, 6901 Market St, Upper Darby, PA 19082
Explore the historic 69th Street Shopping District in Upper Darby, a major retail center built at the terminus of the Market Street elevated primarily by real estate developer John McClatchy in the early 20th century. $10-15
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*Civil War History Lecture Series: "The PA 97th - Chester County's Own Regiment" by Roger Arthur Jul 15, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Roosevelt Community Center, 464 S Old Middletown Rd, Media, PA 19063
The 97th Pennsylvania Infantry was a Union infantry regiment which fought in multiple key engagements of the American Civil War, including the Siege of Fort Pulaski, Bermuda Hundred Campaign, Battle of Cold Harbor, Siege of Petersburg, and the Carolinas Campaign.
Multiple lectures in series | | |
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Cinema in the Cemetery: The Sandlot Jul 15, 8:30 PM – 10:30 PM
West Laurel Hill Cemetery, 225 Belmont Ave, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
Pack a picnic, gather some friends, and enjoy an evening under the stars! As the sun sets over the historic tombs, the grainy joys of the film experience will be brought to life during the Friends of Laurel Hill & West Laurel Hill Cemeteries’ annual Cinema in the Cemetery series. $10-20
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*Public Archaeology Day Jul 16, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Newlin Grist Mill, 219 Cheyney Rd, Glen Mills, PA 19342
Excavations are conducted under the leadership of resident archaeologist Keith Doms with assistance from members of the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology and volunteers from the community.
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*Scents of the Ancient World: Perfume Workshop Jul 16, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Helen Kate Furness Library, 100 N Providence Rd, Wallingford, PA 19086
Join us as we take a brief dive into the history of perfumes and ancient scents. Then we will be making our own perfumes to take home using scents commonplace to ancient peoples (but maybe not as common today)!
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A Summer Sleepover On The USS New Jersey Jul 16, 4:30 PM – Jul 17, 12:00 PM
Battleship New Jersey, 100 Clinton St, Camden, NJ 08103
Are you passionate about once in a lifetime experiences? Radnor Memorial Library invites men and women, ages 18+ to join our group to experience a trip back in time and a chance to live like a sailor who worked on board the 45,000-ton USS New Jersey (BB-62). $75. Register before 6/11.
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