The Hillside Cemetery cannon will return to its hill. This time, not upon the debris of time, but on a new concrete base to be unveiled on Sunday, Nov. 9. More than a century later, the nearly 9,000-pound gun will be anchored to a reinforced pedestal, ready to withstand new generations.
The ceremony, organized by the Peekskill Museum, will take place at 2 p.m. It will mark the rededication of the monument in honor of the 665 men from the area who served during the Civil War, 91 of whom lost their lives. The event will be held outdoors at Hillside Cemetery. It will be free and will take place rain or shine.
The cannon’s story dates back to 1898, when it was transported from Fortress Monroe, Virginia, through the efforts of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). The Union veterans of Peekskill secured it as a tribute to those who had fought for the Union. Since then, the cannon has stood on the cemetery hill, facing the Hudson Valley.
Over more than a century, the base deteriorated. Moisture, weight, and frost opened cracks in the concrete. Earlier this year, the cannon was temporarily removed while a new foundation was designed. The restoration was carried out over several months, coordinated by Tim Warn with volunteers Cathy Romanych, Paul Romanych, John Bischoff, and Frank Goderre.
The work will include the installation of the new concrete pedestal, donated and assembled with local materials. Robert Van Winkle of R.V.W. Sculpture Arrangement will provide the crane to lift the gun. Keith Bobolia of Home Mason Supply will supply the gravel. The cement was donated by Brendon Fitzgerald Contracting, and Paul Romanych will handle the wood framing, rebar, and metal reinforcements.
The Peekskill Museum also led the fundraising effort that made possible the bronze commemorative plaque, financed by residents and local organizations. The plaque will be mounted on the new base during the ceremony, as a testament to the collective effort that returned the monument to its place.
The rededication will include a reading in memory of the veterans and a brief presentation on the cannon’s history. With this reinstatement, Peekskill will once again face its own history. The cannon will stand in its original position at Hillside, no longer as an instrument of war, but as a monument to those who fought for freedom.
