Toleration

I was browsing a few websites on the Wissahickon Park Saturday afternoon and I clicked the link for statues in the park. I was surprised to find one listed that I'd never seen. The Toleration statue pictured above. All this time in the park and I've never happened upon this statue? My goal for today's run was to locate this thing. I wish I could say that I searched high and low, spending hours in the park until I finally stumbled upon it but I actually did a little more digging on the internet and turned up an approximate location. Just north of the Walnut Lane Bridge on the Eastern Side of the park. I've run and biked trails in that area countless times, that intrigued me even more.

I stole a little info about the statue from the Friends of Wissahickon website. "Erected in 1883, this marble statue of a man in Quaker clothing is situated on a ridge on the eastern side of the Park just north of the Walnut Lane Bridge. Standing atop Mom Rinker’s Rock, the nine-foot-eight-inch statue has the word “Toleration” carved into its four-foot-three-inch base. The statue, which was created by late 19th century sculptor Herman Kirn, was brought to the site by landowner John Welsh who is reported to have purchased the statue at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia.Welsh, a former Fairmount Park Commissioner and U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain, donated his land to the Park prior to his death in 1886."

I ran 4-5 miles there on some rugged trails and enjoyed another beautiful day. I took things very slowly as I approached and just began looking around. It didn't take long. I gazed up as I passed by a large rock, that I literally have run by 100 times, and boom there it was gazing out above me. I actually felt a little foolish for never noticing it just 50 feet above my head. I guess I am to busy looking at where my feet are landing and not taking in the scenery.

I quickly found a rough trail to the top of the rock and checked out the statue and the view. I also found some extremely fragrant wild flowers that filled the entire area with the scent of late spring.

After that I turned it around and headed home on a shorter route. I was dragging by the end. 8+ miles in 64 minutes. 54 miles for the week. A number I have run a few times this year but haven't topped.