May 3, 2007

New Almaden community rallies for plaque to honor Pat Tillman

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

When Army Ranger and former NFL football player Pat Tillman was killed in Afghanistan in 2004, the New Almaden community took the loss personally. Tillman, who grew up amongst the bucolic rural streams and hills of New Almaden along with his two younger brothers, was a popular figure long before he reached adulthood. The community wanted to honor the young man they all knew and loved with a monument.

Kitty Monahan and John Slenter on a recent visit to Bulmore County Park where the Pat Tillman monument will soon be erected. Photo by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

“When Pat first died many people talked about erecting a monument to honor him,” said New Almaden Community Club and New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association President Kitty Monahan. “Nothing came together so we applied for funding with the Historical Heritage Grant Program.”

Pat’s mother Mary Tillman, who still lives in New Almaden, said, “I was pleased to learn about the memorial. As a little boy Pat loved playing in the hills, climbing trees and running the trails. As he got older he developed a great appreciation for New Almaden's rugged beauty and rich history. I think he would be very honored and humbled to be remembered in this way.”

Monahan remembers when Tillman and his friends were teenagers and they would meet at the Bulmore County Park, a small strip of land at the corner of Almaden Way and Alamitos Road, kitty-corner to where the young boy lived. This is the site chosen by the New Almaden Community Club to erect the monument. They have applied for a grant of $4,000 with residents covering the other monies needed to build the monument, which will not only honor local hero Tillman but also honor hard rock miners. The total cost of the entire project is $5,000.

However, the Historical Heritage Grant Program ruled that Tillman was not a historical figure and only permitted $3,250 toward the project. The neighbors were undeterred and have agreed to cover the additional cost to see their dream of creating a lasting tribute to their hometown hero come to fruition. The commission will vote on the proposal on May 17. If approved, the plan will be presented to the Board of Supervisors. The community is hoping to dedicate the erected monument on September 8, 2007—the same day as the New Almaden Day Parade.

“All the community is pitching in,” said Monahan. “Dutch Mapes will arrange the granite to be brought here. He’s our master bricklayer and will supervise. Damien Pantiga has the bricks for the foundation and the park bench. And Peggy Melbourne has designed the plaque about Pat with artwork. The whole community is pitching in to help.”

The monument is planned to be 59 inches tall with separate plaques for both Tillman and the Quicksilver miners on the historic granite rock reading:

“Patrick Tillman November 6, 1976—April 22, 2004

Pat lived in New Almaden for most of his life. He came to love the area for its history, community spirit and serene atmosphere. He roamed the hills with his brothers as a kid, and as he grew older, he hiked and trained on the trails as an athlete and a soldier.

Pat grew up to be an inquisitive scholar, faithful friend, loving son, brother and husband, community volunteer, aggressive athlete and heroic Army Ranger.

New Almaden and our nation lost Patrick Tillman in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004 in service to his country.”
The Tillman memorial will also feature logos replicated by Melbourne of the schools Tillman attended, Graystone Elementary, Bret Harte Middle and Leland High School, as well as the Arizona Cardinals and the Army Rangers, which he joined.”

The second plaque will read:

“Hard Rock Miners

Drilling contests were the miners’ own distinctive event. The contest pitted individuals or teams of two miners against one another. They centered on hand-drilling, an essential aspect of the hard-rock miners work. Drilling contests tested participants’ skill at this particular task; the men bored into a boulder, usually Colorado or Vermont granite. This piece of granite was used for one of these contests and came from the Delores Taranga Tunnel Site in the park. The competition required courage, skill, strength and endurance.

Sponsored by Historical Heritage Commission and Department of Parks and Recreation of Santa Clara County

New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association

New Almaden Community Club.”

In addition to the historical monument honoring Tillman and the miners, a brick park bench will be built by the New Almaden community.

Pat loved the rural surroundings of New Almaden and he enjoyed running the trails, climbing trees, and swimming in the reservoir with his brothers and friends,” said Mary Tillman. “He always felt fortunate to live in such a beautiful place.”

Tillman received national admiration when he left a lucrative NFL football career to enlist as an Army Ranger. Subsequently, it was learned that he was killed by friendly fire after an initial cover-up of the actual events. Congress is still investigating the army’s treatment of the incident.

“Pat was a local hero who gave his life for his country,” said New Almaden resident John Slenter. “It is unfortunate what happened to him. People will realize that he was a hometown boy who hiked these hills, walked these streets and went to schools here. Unfortunately, we may never know what really happened.”