It was an ordinary day. Walking through Lancaster's Buchanan Park when I came upon a statue of James Buchanan. Buchanan Park is located in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Stood, looking at the statue, and realized that it wasn't in the best of shape. Wasn't more than a week afterward that I read an article in my local newspaper telling me that Lancaster Masonic Lodge 43, along with the Lancaster city offices of Art Objects and Public Parks, will be bringing back the shine to the bronze statue with the aid of A.R.T. Research Enterprises, a local business that specializes in fabrication and restoration services. Charles Grafly, a Philadelphia sculptor and professor at the Philadelphia School of Art, sculpted the statue from 1925 to 1927. Mary Buchmiller Lewith unveiled the sculpture on June 1, 1928. She was the daughter of Dulon F. Buchmiller. Dulon Buchmiller admired Buchanan and directed that $25,000 of his estate be devoted to the statue. He also donated the land for Buchmiller Park. Buchanan was a prominent Mason. Last year marked the 200th anniversary of his service as worshipful master of Lodge 43. This year marks the 200th anniversary of his appointment as the first district deputy in Pennsylvania by the Grand Lodge in Philadelphia. Lancaster erected its Buchanan statue two years before the impressive Buchanan monument in Washington's Meridian Hill Park. A lack of congresional enthusiasm delayed the national tribute to the Lancaster Democrat whom historians now rank as one of the worst Presidents. Buchanan was a lifelong advocate of slavery. Lancastrain Thaddeus Stevens spent his entire career in denouncing and trying to strike it down. Nevertheless, the New Era (Lancaster's newspaper) and other enthusiasts seemed to agree that both men were worthy of recognition in bronze. As the New Era newspaper put it, "Politics can have no place here. Let the dead past bury its dead." The newspaper printed its first plea for the memorials on January 17, 1903. It made a second plea several days later, noting that a few residents had pledged smaller amounts to support the cause. The initiative died from lack of support. Buchanan did get his statues in 1928 and 1930, but Stevens had to wait until this century. Sometimes it takes some time to get it right. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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