New Story Walk Highlights Local Veterans’ Wartime Contributions

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at Findlay’s Riverside Park to dedicate the new Heritage Trail Veterans Story Walk. (video below)

“Our Hancock County Veterans have blazed a trail in many of our great conflicts and wars. We have a rich tradition of Veteran contribution to keeping peace,” said Ed Newton, Resiliency Operations Manager for the Hancock County Veterans Service Office.

The Heritage Trail begins at Litzenberg Memorial Woods on the county’s west side and ends at Van Horn Cemetery on the county’s east side.

It connects parks, historic sites, and landmarks with more than 20 miles of pavement, grass and dirt.

The new Veterans Story Walk currently has four story boards and begins at Liberty Landing and ends at Riverbend Recreation Area.

The board at Riverside Park (above) tells about World War II.

The goal is to add four additional signs next year so the story walk will encompass the entire trail from Litzenberg to Van Horn Cemetery.

We spoke with Nichole Coleman, Director of the Hancock County Veterans Service Office, about the new Veterans Story Walk.

The Hancock Historical Museum researched the contributions of Hancock County Veterans in The War of 1812, The Civil War, World War I, and World War II.

“Thanks to a grant from the Findlay Hancock County Community Foundation, the information will now be available to everyone who uses the trail,” Ed said.

He says each story board will include information about a war or conflict and how Hancock County Veterans served or contributed.

“We want to make sure that we never forget about these important historic events and the part that our Veterans played. It gives us an opportunity to tell their story and helps us carry on our county’s rich heritage to the next generation.”

Get more details in the video below.