Wreath ceremony honors George Peabody

PEABODY-Peabody?s oldest son turns the big 2-1-3 today and residents came out to celebrate his birthday in style.George Peabody?s birthday festivities took place Saturday with a wreath laying ceremony at his gravesite in Harmony Grove Cemetery. Bagpipers played in the background while representatives from the Library Board of Trustees and the Peabody Historical Society spoke kind words about the city?s greatest philanthropist.?It?s very heartwarming to me,” said Peabody Institute Library Director Martha Holden. “This is a dedicated group of people who work hard to keep the memory and legacy of George Peabody alive.”The party then moved to the George Peabody House, the actual birthplace of the man of honor, where birthday cake and light refreshments were served.The event was sponsored by the Library Board of Trustees, who choose to honor George Peabody every year with this special thank you.?George?s gift to the city was the library,” said Holden. “So it?s very fitting that we honor him this way.”George Peabody was born a simple man who was never able to obtain a formal education. Although he taught himself the necessary tools to become the successful businessman he was, he always believed that having a quality education would have bettered him.As he grew older, Peabody dedicated much of his time and money to providing educational resources for the less fortunate children of his hometown. In 1852, he contributed over $200,000 of his own money to found the Peabody Institute Library.