OHIO
Archaeological and Historical
PUBLICATIONS.
BUCYRUS CENTENNIAL
The centennial of the city of Bucyrus,
Ohio, was
most appropriately celebrated in a
program of exercises
extending from October 2 to 5, 1921.
There were ad-
dresses by Honorable Harry L. Davis,
Governor of
Ohio, Honorable Hugh L. Nichols, former
Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court of Ohio, Honorable
Benson W.
Hough, Judge of the Supreme Court, Mrs.
Frank H.
Alfred, great-granddaughter of Samuel
Norton, one of
the founders of Bucyrus, Nevin O.
Winter, the well-
known writer of Toledo, Ohio, Honorable
Smith W.
Bennett and other prominent citizens.
The exercises
throughout were interspersed with music
selected espe-
cially for the occasion and this
feature of the program
culminated in a grand musical
entertainment by the
Bucyrus centennial chorus on Thursday
evening,
October 5. This was repeated on the
following evening.
An interesting feature of the musical
program was the
rendition of Colonel Kilbourne's Bucyrus
Song by the
centennial chorus. The words of this
song are found
on a subsequent page of the QUARTERLY.
The entire program of the centennial
may be said
to have reached its height of interest
and enthusiasm in
the remarkable pageant which was
presented on Tues-
Vol. XXXI-1. (1)
2 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications |
Bucyrus Centennial 3
day afternoon. There were fifty-seven
separate sections
in the procession, representing various
phases of pioneer
life and prominent incidents in the
eventful early history
of Bucyrus and Crawford County. The
first section
represented the "Spirit of
'76" and was contributed by
the American Legion, which figured
prominently
through the entire celebration. There
were many rep-
resentations of Indians - Indians on
the move, Indian
squaws at work, Indian dances, Indians
on ponies,
Indian chiefs in council, etc. Colonel
Crawford, of
course, occupied a prominent place.
There were sections
representing his family, his
cavalrymen, his capture by
the Indians and his tragic burning at
the stake. Johnny
Appleseed was appropriately remembered.
Early farm-
ing implements were in evidence. The
founders of the
city, Samuel Norton and Colonel James
Kilbourne, were
honored in a number of floats.
Different organizations
of Bucyrus and the townships of
Crawford County con-
tributed sections of this wonderful
pageant and the
present generation had a rare
opportunity to witness the
past history of this region move by in
pleasing variety
and progressive succession.
A center of special interest throughout
the celebra-
tion was the Public Library of Bucyrus,
where a really
wonderful display of relics and
souvenirs representing
the entire history of Crawford County
was on exhibi-
tion. These were systematically
arranged with appro-
priate labels. A continuous stream of
people passed
through the building and enjoyed the
opportunity to
visit this exhibit. The celebration did
much not only
to revive interest in the past but to
arouse local pride in
present achievement. A historical
society has been
organized as a result of this
centennial celebration and
4 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications it is safe to say that the interest manifested by Bucyrus in the early October days of 1921 will be made to live continuously in this organization. Credit for the success of the celebration is due to the splendid spirit of co-operation among the various committees and organizations, civic, fraternal and reli- gious. Many compliments were extended to Honorable John E. Hopley, Chairman of the Executive Committee, and General Edward Volrath, Treasurer, who were especially active in planning the celebration and who presided over a number of its functions. |
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