Historic Chambersburg fountain removed for repairs after crash caught on video

Amber South, Chambersburg Public Opinion
·2 min read

Chambersburg's Memorial Square will be missing its centerpiece for several months while repairs are made following a headline-making crash last year.

The historic fountain at the intersection of U.S. routes 30 west and 11 south was removed Wednesday by Lancaster-based ART Research Enterprises, according to Chambersburg borough officials. The nearly $100,000 project to restore the fountain will likely take six or seven months, said Dave Finch, assistant borough manager. The borough anticipates reinstalling the fountain by October.

Workers from ART Research Enterprises, Lancaster, prepare to remove Memorial Fountain in Chambersburg's square on March 2, 2022. The fountain was damaged in a crash in December.
Workers from ART Research Enterprises, Lancaster, prepare to remove Memorial Fountain in Chambersburg's square on March 2, 2022. The fountain was damaged in a crash in December.

The fountain had been covered with a tarp since an SUV crashed into it in early December. A video shared by Chambersburg Police Department showed the westbound vehicle striking the curb surrounding the fountain at a high rate of speed, going airborne and crashing into part of the fountain before landing in the basin.

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An inspection several days later showed the fountain to be in "severe negative condition," Finch said.

"Specifically, the basin parapet is displaced; two sculpted 'boy with fountain' statues and their base elements were severely damaged; as well as the internal structure at the base; and there may also be unknown internal damage to the spire, leaving the entire fountain to potentially have structural issues that could result in a collapse," he said in an email.

An SUV struck Chambersburg's Memorial Fountain, causing significant damage, early on Dec. 2, 2021.
An SUV struck Chambersburg's Memorial Fountain, causing significant damage, early on Dec. 2, 2021.

Insurance will cover the $91,682 cost to repair the fountain, according to Finch. The borough received $100,935 in early March and will put the difference toward repairing other damage caused by the crash, specifically the electrical equipment that powers and lights the fountain, Finch said.

A memorial to Franklin County citizens killed in the Civil War, the fountain was originally installed in 1878. A statue of a Union soldier stands next to it, looking toward the South for invading Confederates — a tribute to the Burning of Chambersburg by Confederate troops in 1864.

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The fountain had last been refurbished in 2016. ART Research Enterprises also completed that job, along with other repairs.

The driver of the SUV was charged with DUI after the crash.

Amber South can be reached at asouth@publicopinionnews.com.

This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: Chambersburg's Memorial Fountain removed for repairs after crash