Please see addenda from August 24 and September 1, 2021 (below)
Visitors to Pittsburgh with an interest in Watch
Tower history have often visited the United Cemeteries in Ross Township where
CTR is buried. A famous landmark is in the center of the site, a 7 feet high
pyramid which was designed as a memorial for all those buried on site. The idea
was to have all the names engraved on the sides. In the event only nine names
were ever recorded before the plan was dropped.
Below is a photograph of the pyramid taken by the author in 2014.
andThis is the north face of the pyramid showing the inscriptions for Arabella Mann and Mary Jane Whitehouse.
Sadly in recent times this has been badly
vandalized. Below are some current photographs.
Some months ago, the cross and crown motifs on each of the four sides were hacked out. The structure was built as four triangular pieces leaning towards each other, with a capstone holding it all together. But now the capstone has gone, and the sides appear to have been partly prized open.
It was put together in 1920 and unfortunately
publicity was given to a treasure trove of memorabilia buried inside it. This
was all stolen back in 1994, so there is no value to anyone getting inside it
again.
The pyramid has now lasted a little over one hundred years. But now weakened, with its extremely heavy granite sides it may present a danger to the public. If not restored, it may be necessary to take the whole structure down.
Addenda from August 24
When this article first appeared, I received reports back-channel that the pyramid may have been taken down. I can confirm that the two photographs below were taken on August 23.
13 comments:
Do you have any information on 1994? How did they get inside? Was there a newspaper article, etc? Thank you.
Regarding the date 1994, see this link:
https://truthhistory.blogspot.com/2017/11/lets-go-rob-pyramid.html
You will need to read all the comment trail to get the fuller picture.
I appreciate that. Thank you
Won´t be surprised if that was done by Witnesses who tried to "correct" history...relatives of those who destruct vintage literature from the KH if it contains same symbols. But we´ll never know.
It is not fruitful, or kind, to speculate as to who attacked the pyramid.
I called the cemetery this morning (August 30, 2021) and they informed me that the Watchtower Society is having the pyramid removed. I'm sure they want that part of history forgotten.
TBT, thanks for that information. I can confirm it from other sources. As a reminder, we do not allow speculative editorial comments. This is a history site, not a controversialist site.
I can understand why, after this unwelcome attention, the pyramid's days seem numbered. And while there may no longer be family members around after all this time, it should be noted that the monument is a memorial to nine people, only two of whom have surviving individual markers on site.
As of last evening (August 30, 2021) the pyramid was still standing. I will be going over later this morning to check on it. My apologies on my speculative comment. I did message a Bible Student group that although saddened by the damage to the monument understand why it may need to come down if it presents a danger to the public. They are looking into what steps might be taken to save the pyramid but it is a long shot.
No doubt photos will follow but the pyramid was taken down today.
I am not sure if this is appropriate to mention this here, but in reading poor German collector's comment, I can attest that some Witnesses feel embarrassed about Russell’s study of the pyramids. When visiting the Allegheny congregation, in conversation with one of the elders there, I mentioned Russell's studies, and he replied: “we don’t talk about that”. It is a pity that Russell’s pyramidology is viewed by today’s Witnesses (those who know about it) in the context of embarrassment and failure, rather than in the context of history and the processes of a man who was searching for Truth....
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