Harrisburg, Pa. – June 22, 2022 — Yesterday, Senator Maria Collett (D-12 Montgomery/Bucks) and Senator Bob Mensch (R-24 Montgomery/Berks/Bucks) welcomed guests from the Boston Legacy Foundation in Harrisburg to celebrate the signing into law of HB 1560, which renames State Route 2004, North Broad Street in the Borough of Lansdale and Hatfield Township, as the Doctor Frank Erdman Boston Memorial Highway.
Senate guests included George Whitehair (Executive Director of the Boston Legacy Foundation), Khoi and Heather Pham (artist and author team of the Doc Boston Adventures comic book), Bibhu and Bimal Moktan, and Doctor Francis Jeyaraj (physician and Boston Legacy Foundation member).
“Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Boston Legacy Foundation and their community partners, Doctor Boston’s achievements are being recognized far and wide, and this unsung trailblazer is finally receiving the accolades he deserves,” said Senator Collett.
Born in Philadelphia in 1890, Doctor Frank Erdman Boston was a physician, surgeon, and veteran who served as a medical officer with the 317th Engineering Regiment (one of the few Black regiments) during World War I. After returning to civilian life, Doctor Boston settled in the Lansdale area, where he became one of the first Black Americans to found both a hospital (Elm Terrance Hospital, which became Jefferson Lansdale Hospital) and an ambulance corps, both of which are still active today. Doctor Frank Erdman Boston Memorial Highway will honor this historic figure on the road leading to the Jefferson Lansdale Hospital.
“We are very appreciative, and I know the people that are here today representing all of Lansdale are very appreciative of the fact we are now naming that street, the Dr. Boston Highway,” said Senator Mensch.
Learn more about Dr. Frank Boston’s story at bostonlegacyfoundation.org.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Senator Collett: Bailey Landis, Bailey.Landis@pasenate.com, 215-688-0493
Senator Mensch: Lidia Di Fiore, ldifiore@pasen.gov, 215-541-2388