Parking

Today I will discuss what may be the smallest (and loneliest) park ever. It's Grable Post, located smack in the middle of the intersection of Moyamensing Avenue, 3rd Street, and Reed Street in South Philadelphia. As its name suggests, Grable Post is a post—a flag pole bearing the US and POW-MIA flags with a wall and small garden box built in honor of veterans. I had walked by the park countless times and never really noticed it until I saw it listed on the Department of Parks and Recreation's website as a park (there's also a much better picture there). That said, I've never seen anyone spending time by the post, unless they were waiting for the 57 bus which rolls down Moyamensing. When I went to get a closer look at it and to see what its story was, I was dismayed to find that the light blue chain link fence surrounding it was locked. Perhaps there was a problem with vandalism in the past. It was difficult to really immerse myself into the park when I had to stand by and lean over a fence, scribbling notes on a piece of paper.

The wall behind the flags has "Pennsport Veterans Memorial" and "consecrated grounds of Greble [sic] Park Memorial" inscribed in it. The trusty internet didn't turn up much about Grable Post, except for the page on the P and R website. A plague embedded in the sidewalk behind the post states that it was designed and constructed in 1978 by Walter S. Zvlewski with assistance from the Catholic War Veterans, which is no surprise, seeing that there is a Catholic church catty-corner to the park and a Parochial school across the street. Unfortunately, the internet didn't have anything to say on Zvlewski or anything relating the Catholic War Veterans to Grable Post either.

It seems a shame that a veterans memorial should be so forgotten. It's definitely piqued my curiosity, though, and perhaps I'll take a trip to the library to see what else I can dig up on it. I encourage everyone who happens to be in the area to go and check out Grable Post, so that the memorial can actually do want it is supposed to and memorialize those who have served the country. And if anyone has any more information on the Post, please me know in the comments.

Upcoming Events in Parks:

Brush up your History: The History of Penn Treaty Park presented by Ken Milano, author and historian. Tonight, 4/22 6PM refreshments and book sale, lecture begins at 6:30PM with a book signing following. Library Company of Philadelphia, 1314 Locust Street (note new location). Free.

Nature: Wissahickon Spring Bird Walk, Sunday 4/26, 9-11AM. Nature walk featuring birds that migrate in spring. Bell's Mill Road & Forbidden Drive.
Another Spring Nature Walk in the Wissahickon. This one is for all of you who can't get up before noon. Sunday, 4/26, 2-4PM, Northwestern Ave. & Forbidden Drive

Get Involved:Dickinson Square Park Clean Up (Saturday, 9AM).

Get your veggies: Farmer's Markets: Fitler Square (Saturdays, 9AM-2PM); Clark Park (Saturdays, 10AM-1PM), Rittenhouse Square (Saturdays 10AM-2PM).

If you know of anything exciting happening in your local park in the near future, please e-mail amy@phillyist.com!

Image by the author.