One of the eagles on the Batle of Minisink Monument. (
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It was 1932 and the country was in the throes of the Great Depression. In has been reported in subsequent years that on Halloween eve of 1932, two of the four marble eagles that adorn the corners of the Battle of Minisink monument disappeared. Intrigue and mystery still surround the eagles that vanished to this day. But wait, what is fact and what is folklore?
Marble weighs 156 to 172 pounds per cubic foot, so these were heavy-weight eagles. They sat upon each corner approximately 10 feet off the ground. The eagle dimensions are roughly 15″ tall and 19″ wide. In 1932, how was this caper pulled off and without anyone noticing anything amiss?
Theories have abounded over the years. An article in a 1951 Middletown Daily Record issue shared a few theories: They were taken for grave decorations; they were used to sink a gangster victim in a lake; they were taken for anchors; an art lover grabbed them; prankish boys took them; prankish men took them; they were dissolved by the atmosphere. And an article in a 1953 issue of the Independent Republic shared some reported possible locations: New England, Pennsylvania and other parts of Orange County, and at the bottom of the Hudson River.
After the eagles went missing, the Minisink DAR offered a $5 reward for their safe return (it was the Depression after all, a $5 reward in 1932 equates to about $115 today). In a Sunday Record article highlighting the 151st anniversary of the battle, July 22, 1973, the missing eagles were mentioned yet again: “The two birds disappeared on Halloween of 1932. Intensive police search then and continued efforts by DAR members, especially the recently deceased Miss Dolly Booth, never yielded a clue.” Aw, but were there clues?
Even today, one of the most common questions asked about the Minisink DAR restoration project is: Will the missing eagles be replaced?
The fact remains that the two eagles are gone but not forgotten... but are they truly gone? Perhaps they are roosting in an old barn somewhere in the Hudson Valley. Perhaps, unbeknownst to current owners, they are lawn ornaments or part of an estate. Perhaps someone bought them in an estate sale or a garage sale. Perhaps we can find them. One of our donors thought so, that is why Minisink DAR is launching our Find Our Eagles campaign with a $500 reward for their safe return.
Put on your detective hat and start searching for our missing eagles! Old barns, antique stores, online searching, auctions, garage sales, just to name a few places to search. Just maybe there are people out there that know the real story behind the mystery!
Please report any leads, findings or clues to: battleofminisinkmonument@gmail.com.
Good luck in finding our eagles! Stay tuned to our next article to find out more about the great eagle caper, or was it a heist?
Our Save Our Monument fundraising campaign continues into 2025! We only need $1,616 to reach our Phase 1 goal of $20,000 for the repair and cleaning of the monument. We will be embarking soon on our Phase 2 fundraising efforts to repair the historic iron fencing.
Please donate online via PayPal or Venmo or mail donations to: Minisink DAR Chapter, PO Box 704, Goshen, NY 10924.
Minisink DAR
Goshen