Memorial shows Kipton’s passion for patriotism
KIPTON – Residents of this rural village can thank five women for their perseverance when twin monuments honoring veterans are formally dedicated this Memorial Day weekend.
“We`re just five patriotic women with a passion for patriotism,” Dolores Whitney said as she glanced around at the freshly paved concrete walkways, sidewalk forms and the twin granite slabs with black onyx engraving of the names of 341 people – Kipton, Camden Township and Henrietta Township residents who served in the military, going as far back as the War of 1812.
The monuments are in a small park on state Route 511, just south of the larger park familiar to motorists and bike riders who come through the village on the Lorain County Metro Parks portion of the North Coast Inland Trail. The new memorials, 4 feet wide and 5 feet high, frame the park`s 1867 Civil War obelisk that bears the names of Union soldiers who hailed from Kipton and the townships.
All of the names on the new memorials were engraved for no cost by Ashland Monument Co. in Ashland.
The women first began to think about a way to honor local military vets three years ago, according to Whitney. Inspiration was not the problem. Finding money was.
“We just couldn`t connect with any groups,” Whitney said.
After a number of efforts failed, the group finally found help from the trustees of Henrietta and Camden townships, who donated $5,000 for the new memorials.
Future plans call for a Civil War-era cannon found in a nearby barn to be displayed on a concrete pad.
Plans also call for memorial bricks to be added along the new walkways in front of the monuments. Names on those bricks will be sold individually and won`t have to be military veterans, according to Whitney.
Future names added to the twin monuments are expected to cost $100 each.
Sunday`s formal dedication is after 2 p.m. once the village`s annual Memorial Day parade has concluded.
Contact Steve Fogarty at 329-7146 or sfogarty@chroniclet.com.
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