I had walked past this park several times before, but didn’t really notice the theme until now. Peaceable Kingdom Park is a small corner park in Newtown, Pa (Bucks). The statue pictured above has an obvious theme, resembling the vision in Isaiah 11:6. Not all the animals listed in that verse are sculpted here. Just the lion and the lamb lying together with the little child who "...will lead them”.
I don’t know much about the history of the park, but it almost certainly dedicated in honor of Edward Hicks, a 19th century Bucks County Painter and Quaker minister. The park is named after his most famous painting, which hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. His works are famous for their visual portrayal of his Quaker beliefs.
Other than the sculpture, there are a few playground accessories that look to be made of plastic. There are sliding boards and some play congas, bongos, and maracas, which make fairly genuine instrument sounds. I don’t know if any of these things are supposed to fit into the theme, or create one of their own. I guess if the kids like it, that’s good enough in itself.
Thank you for this pic. I used to live not far from here when my kids were small. It was a touch of serenity and playfulness just a few years ago. The park was so lovely. Now my littles are all teens. Fond memories.
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