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America's 250th Birthday party in Fort Recovery included a parade with local first responders, veterans, the Color Guard from Historic Fort Wayne, the Fort Recovery Marching Band, and community members who decorated floats, golf carts, tractors and bicycles.
Fort Recovery on Saturday celebrated America's 250th birthday with a grand party that brought out the entire community. The day included a parade, contests, music, food, an alumni softball game, kids activities, hot air balloon rides and a fireworks show to top it off. A highlight of the day was a dedication ceremony for a new monument honoring the 19 Revolutionary War soldiers who died at the Battle of the Wabash and whose remains are buried beneath the Fort Recovery Monument.
The party was the brainchild of village councilor Amy Wendel, who organized the parade for this year's Harvest Jubilee, and Kim Rammel of the Fort Recovery Historical Society. Wendel says she talked to Rammel about making the parade "American birthday-themed," and that's when Rammel informed her that the Ohio History Commission was supporting Community Homecoming and Picnics this year.
With that, several members of the merchants group, JoAnne Glentzer, Maria Bruns, Rammel and Wendel, got together and decided, "Let's have a party!" Wendel recalls.
Wanting the celebration to be free of charge for all of the community, the committee launched a fundraiser selling yard signs. Over 450 yard signs were sold since March, Wendel reports.
"Once word got out, Lisa Timmerman with the American Legion and the VFW in Fort Recovery came to a meeting, and both organizations wanted to get involved," Wendel says. "They were able to help by giving ideas for the day, giving donations and advice. Debbie Zumstein, with the Daughters of the American Revolution, had been working getting a new marker for a few folks who had lost their lives in Fort Recovery - this was dedicated Saturday during opening ceremonies."
See today's Town and County page for details about the new marker, which has been placed in Pioneer Cemetery.
Community fundraising allowed the entire celebration to be free for the community, including a "dining across the decades" luncheon in Krenning Park.
Mayor Dave Kaup delivers remarks on the meaning of America and its semiquincentennial at the America's 250th Birthday party in Fort Recovery.
The dedication ceremony featured performances by the Fort Recovery Marching Band and the Fort Recovery High School By Request Group, remarks by DAR, Legion, and VFW leaders. Mayor Dave Kaup also spoke on the meaning of America and its semiquincentennial, concluding, "I hope all of you leave here this morning with an increased sense of pride, with a greater appreciation of the history of America and of the responsibility of being an American."
"Great attendance, great food, great time had by all," Wendel said to sum up the day. "And best of all the day was truly a 'free will donation' day! All expenses had been covered, and any donations that came in, the committee has a few ideas of what to do with that money."
After hours of searching, a group of Fort Recovery residents succeeded in digging up a time capsule from 1976 in Krenning Park. The materials, which were buried in a milk can, were wet but will be displayed at the historical society after drying out.
