Pledge of Allegiance

Cherryvale, KS

Pledge of Allegiance

From E. Main, ¼ mile north on 5700 to Fairview Cemetery. Controversy will always exist about whether Frank E. Bellamy, a Cherryvale high school student, actually wrote “The Pledge of Allegiance.” In 1890 he entered the pledge in a contest sponsored by The Youth’s Companion, but the magazine never acknowledged his entry. The words he wrote, supposedly, were printed in an 1892 issue, but a Companion staff member, Francis Bellamy, was given credit. Cherryvale’s Bellamy, a Spanish-American War veteran, died in 1915 before he knew of the controversy and was never able to defend authorship. He is buried in Fairview Cemetery with a copy of his handwritten pledge beside his grave. Look for the flagpole and flag to find his grave.

Enjoy the Journey

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