By Nancy Peckenham
It was quiet on the Newburgh waterfront this morning, the beginning of Columbus Day 2010, a holiday that honors the Italian navigator Christopher Columbus.
The statue of Columbus that had been erected in 1992 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ voyage to the western hemisphere in 1492 was surrounded by fresh brightly colored mums. It stands in UNICO Park on the waterfront, a small area of green that is itself named for the Italian-American service organization that raised the funds for the statue of Columbus.
Ted Coughlin and his son, Michael, came to see Columbus' statue.
Ted Coughlin and his son, Michael, stopped by the statue after attending Mass at Sacred Heart Church. Coughlin said he thought that some UNICO members might be holding a ceremony at the statue and that he, too, wanted to honor the day by coming by.
On the fishing pier, a family fed the ducks and, when asked about Christopher Columbus, the children were excited to share their knowledge. Rebecca Ramjug, age 13, said that Columbus “supposedly discovered America,” saying she wasn’t sure where he did land, but didn’t think he made it up this far north. “People didn’t believe him because he thought the world was round,” Rebecca added.
The Ramjug family had a lot to say about Columbus in America and Trinidad.
Her father, Roger Ramjug, recounted that in his native Trinidad, Columbus is “highly recognized” for his discovery of that island and others in the Caribbean.
Newburgh’s statue of Columbus may be getting more attention too, as larger crowds of people visit the waterfront and in the summer months sit beneath Columbus’s feet to enjoy the Newburgh Jazz Series and may stop by to read the tribute to the explorer and his vision that brought him to America.
Columbus watched over some of the performers in the Newburgh Jazz Series.
Loading...
