80th Division Monument in North Park

Located at the corner of Wildwood Road and Babcock Boulevard in Allegheny County's North Park, this monument is dedicated to the veterans from the 80th Division of the U.S. Army. The monument includes a 4.7 field artillery gun pointed towards the intersection, with a large semi-circle stone wall behind it. The PennState Extension Demonstration Gardens surround the monument and are tended to by the Master Gardeners.

“The 80th Division, National Army, was organized at Camp Lee, Petersburg, Virginia, in September 1917 from selective service men from the States of Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. The division reached full strength in May 1918” according to the American Battle Monuments Commission. As of 1941, when the monument was first dedicated, over half of the 13,500 Allegheny County men that served in the 80^th Division during World War I were still living within the county. To recognize their valor and service, the Allegheny County Commissioners dedicated this prominent space within the county’s largest park to the veterans after the construction was complete, on June 8^th, 1941. The monument was dedicated again on August 3, 1967, to recognize the 80^th Division veterans who served in World War II. This site is made more beautiful each year by the surrounding PennState Extension Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden, which was established here in 1990.

About the Cannon

This 4.7 field artillery piece at the center of the monument was used in France during World War I. It was one of two field guns given to the veterans of the 80^th Division by the U.S. Arsenal in Rock Island, Illinois on May 22, 1935. The original location for both field guns was Allegheny County Memorial Park. In 1940 it was announced that one of the guns would be moved to this new monument. The second field gun continues to guard the graves of the 80^th Division in Allegheny County Memorial Park, located two miles south of here.

American Battle Monuments Commission. 80th Division, Summary of Operations In the World War. Washington, D.C. United States Government Printing Office, 1944.

Kelly, George E. Allegheny County Department of Parks, Annual Report. Pittsburgh, PA. 1941.

North Park Demonstration Garden, PennState Extension. Accessed November 7th, 2022. https://extension.psu.edu/programs/master-gardener/counties/allegheny/demonstration-gardens/north-park-demonstration-garden.

Pittsburgh Press. "New Monument to Valor of 80th Division." Pittsburgh Press, May 23rd, 1935, 36.

Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph Staff, Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph Staff. "80th Division To Dedicate Memorial." Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, June 1st, 1941, 40.

Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. "Guns Guard Heroes: French Cannon to Watch Over Graves." Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, May 24th, 1935, 4.

Rice, Blair M. "County Approves Monument To 80th Vets." Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, April 28th, 1940, 20.