Street Renaming, Open House Saturday At Newtown American Legion

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — The public is invited to an open house at the Morell Smith American Legion Post 440 on Saturday, June 13, from noon to 5 p.m. at 41 Linden Avenue. The free event will celebrate the nation's 250th birthday, Flag Day and the U.S. Army's birthday.

The afternoon activities will include a barbecue, beverages, kids activities and games. At 3 p.m., the legion will hold an event to ceremoniously rename Linden Avenue as Morell Smith Avenue.

Morell Smith was the only soldier from Newtown killed in action during World War I.

In addition to the legion post bearing his name, post members begin their Memorial Day observance each year by laying a wreath and firing salutes at Smith's gravesite at the Newtown Cemetery.

The ceremony will include remarks by Ed Merriman, chairman of the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors; U.S. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick; State Senator Steve Santarsiero; State Rep. Perry Warren; Matthew Allen from the Bucks County Department of Veterans Affairs; and post historian Jon Guy.

The closing will be led by Post Commander Kyle Davis. Post Chaplain Brian Mills will deliver the invocation and Scout Troop 99 will present and retire the colors.

The Morell Smith American Legion Post 440 on Linden Avenue in Newtown. (Jeff Werner/Patch)

The American Legion Post will ceremoniously mark the renaming of Linden Avenue as "Morell Smith Avenue" during a Flag Day Open House on Saturday. (Jeff Werner/Patch)

At the request of Post 440, the township supervisors in April approved a resolution ceremoniously naming Linden Avenue after Smith who grew up on State Street in Newtown Borough and graduated from George School in 1907 and Penn State in 1911.

When the U.S. joined the war in 1918, Smith signed up to serve and was commissioned in France in June 1918. Smith was killed in action later that year on October 18 in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

The June 13 open house is free and open to the public. Organizers said the afternoon is intended as both a community celebration and a tribute tied to the street renaming and the post's namesake.

The Morell Smith Post 440 building is located at 41 Linden Avenue in Newtown. The open house will run from noon until 5 p.m., with food, drinks and activities offered during the event and the street-renaming ceremony set for mid-afternoon.