"The Columbus Family Chapel: The spirit of Columbus still pervades the New World" by Frank P. Cummings in the Sons of Italy TIMES (April 27, 1992) Perhaps the United States of America should really be called the United States of Columbia, since it was Christopher Columbus (and not Amerigo Vespucci, after whom the country is named) whose voyage of discovery 499 years ago led to the colonization of the New World. The Columbus family has left a beautiful legacy of the exploits and spirit of Christopher Columbus in the tiny yet exquisite Columbus family Chapel in Boalsburg, Pa. the chapel is in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnston, just a few miles from Penn State University in State College. The chapel and the little village of Boalsburg, nestled in the wild beauty of the Allegheny Mountains, have interesting histories. Drivers entering Boalsburg on Route 322 encounter a prominent sign alerting them to the community's place in the National Register of Historic Places and Boalsburg's importance as the birthplace of Memorial Day. Curiously, though, there is no mention of Boalsburg's greatest treasure--the Columbus Family Chapel, a 16th century Spanish chapel that stands as a unique memorial to Columbus because of its origin with the discoverers family. In 1909, Col. Theodore Davis Boal, one of the more colorful figures in the family that settled in the area in the late 18th century, removed the chapel piece by piece from the Columbus Castle in northern Spain and brought it to the United States. His wife, Mathilde de Lagarde, a French-Spanish niece of the Columbus family, inherited the chapel from her aunt, Victoria Columbus, the owner of the Columbus Castle. Upon Victoria's death in 1908, the Columbus Family Chapel rightfully fell into the hands of Theodore and Mathilda Boal. The exquisite contents of the chapel--its myriad art treasures--were moved to Boalsburg. The Boal family took enormous pride in preserving the chapel, a legacy passed on to succeeding generations of the family. From Captain David Boal, who emigrated from Ireland to the New World with his family in the 1700's, to Christopher Lee, the great grandson of Theodore Davis Boal and the administrator and director of the Columbus Chapel and adjoining mansion, eight generations of Boals have maintained the estate. and a ninth generation, the children of Christopher and Jennie Lee, wait in the wings. The Columbus Family Chapel is in a small edifice built by Col. Theodore Davis Boal in 1912. It contains meticulously maintained and preserved paneling and woodwork. A choir loft, with a great escutcheon of the Columbus family on its railing, contains colored panels showing the castle of Castile, the Lion of Leon, Columbus' admiral's anchors, the islands of the Indies and an attendant eagle representing the Alba family. There is a reredos, or altar backing, along with an altar replete with fine Spanish linen and lace. Rounding out the collection are: a massive silver crucifix; brocade vestments (one maniple is more than 500 years old); carved statues of saints; family swords; and art masterpieces, including "The Sacrifice of Isaac" by Ribera, dating from 1615, and a "Pieta," dating from 1535, by Ambrosius Benson. Columbus' admiral's desk may also be seen adorning this historic chapel. The chapel has a silver reliquary containing two pieces of the True Cross given to Don Joachim and Don Felix Columbus for the chapel in 1817 by the Bishop of Leon, who certified their authenticity. There are chairs dating from the 1700's and an organ that was often played by Col. Boal's wife, Mathilde. Each year on Columbus Day, a special Mass is celebrated at the chapel for those connected with the chapel and the Boal estate, including Father O'Hanlon Council 4678 in State College. "One of the council members, George Smith, served the Columbus Mass every year for about 50 years, up until his death." Lee said, "and there has always been a good showing by the local K of C Council." Theodore Davis Boal was one of the founding members of the council. When asked about the chapel's relative obscurity, Lee replied, "The reaction of most people who come here to see the chapel is: "This is amazing! Why didn't I hear about it before?" "To them I say, 'Please tell others,'" Lee added. "It's been quite an experience operating this site," Lee said. "It pays for itself, but it does it mostly through deferred maintenance. I don't know of any other historic site in the United States except this one that pays its own costs." The Boal family has maintained the property since the 1700s. Since 1952, the chapel and mansion have been a non-profit educational museum open to the public. The authenticity of the chapel is well documented within 165,000 pages of family history recently cataloged by the Penn State University Library. The family history goes back to 1451 and is one of the most remarkably detailed records of familial descendancy anywhere. The Columbus chapel is big enough for only 35 people. But from its ancient admiral's desk, one gets an honest feel for the discoverer and the ancient mood of the Llamas del Moro (Flames of the Moor), the Columbus family castle in Spain from which the small chapel was taken. Grand Knight James Hendrick of Father O'Hanlon Council also spoke of the Spanish beauty of the interior of the chapel and the Knights' involvement in the annual Mass. "Yes, we attend the yearly Mass, which is always held in the beautiful Columbus Chapel. It's standing room only, though, and we fill the chapel to capacity every year." Tourist Information The Columbus Family Chapel and the Boal family mansion are located on Business route 322, directly opposite the Pennsylvania Military Museum and the 28th Division Shrine at Boalsburg, four miles east of Penn State University. Visitors can trace American history from the frontier era through farming and commercial times to the turn-of-the-century elegance of Col. Theodore Davis and Mathilde Boal's years, while discovering the beauty of Early American and European furniture, glass, china, silver, paintings, and objets d'art. On display in the 16th century Spanish Columbus chapel are baroque and Renaissance paintings, vestments, chalices, candlesticks, and an admiral's desk that belonged to Christopher Columbus. Christopher Lee, museum curator and estate administrator, is a member of the eighth generation of the Boal family to inhabit the Boal estate. He said the family is making a concerted effort to make the quincentennial celebration in the United States an uplifting and educational experience. The site is open six days a week (closed Tuesdays) from May 1 to Oct. 31. Summer hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Spring and fall hours are 1:30 to 5 p.m. COLUMBUS CELEBRATION 1992 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS May 1 Museum Opening May 2 Music at the Boal Mansion Museum May 17 Reenactment of 1920s troop reviews (28th Division Shrine) May 25 Memorial Day Festival Summer '92 Heirs of Columbus/ The People of America Series of ethnic festivals spotlighting various cultures May 30 Slavic June 14 English, Scottish, Irish & Welsh June 21 German, Swiss, Dutch, Swedish, Finnish July 12 French July 26 Spanish Italian, Latin Amer., Greek August 16 Native American/African American August 2 Good-bye Columbus! Special events marking Columbus' departure from Spain October 9 500th Anniversary Ball (Boal Mansion Room) October 10 Halftime ceremonies at the Penn State-Miami football game (Beaver Stadium) October 11 Fifth Annual Boalsburg Cultural Heritage Festival For further information, contact: the Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum, Boalsburg (466-6210) America Discovers Columbus in 1992 Heirlooms from the 1400s associated with Christopher Columbus were inherited and brought to Pennsylvania in 1909 by his descendants in the Boal family. Since 1952, the collection has been open to visitors as a museum. The Columbus Chapel Museum in Boalsburg, Centre County is the strongest connection with Christopher Columbus in the United Stated and it's the only tangible link with Columbus in the nation as America counts down to the momentous columbus 500th anniversary in 1992. The museum contains family heirlooms dating from the 1400s including an admiral's desk, an explorer's cross of the kind planted on shores of newly discovered territories, a conquistadore;s helmet, church relics and the Columbus family tree and coats of arms. CUMMINGS-01.ART