A few years ago, the city of
Dublin, Ohio, transformed a quiet spot behind historic Indian Run Cemetery into
a Veterans Park. It features a Grounds of Remembrance honoring those who have
served the United States in times of war and peace. Visitors walk down a
Recognition Walk lined with dedication stones, some of which are inscribed with
names of individual veterans from Revolutionary times to the present.
The park is a peaceful and
inviting place. The young sycamore trees that have been planted will one day
provide a shady canopy over the grounds. A POW/MIA memorial stone gives special
pause, as does the POW/MIA flag flying overhead.
An open-air pavilion provides a
backdrop for both official ceremonies and private reflection. Inscribed on the
wall is this lovely except from Concord Hymn, by Ralph Waldo Emerson:
On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We place with joy a votive stone,
That memory may their deeds redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons are gone.
O Thou who made those heroes dare
To die, and leave their children free—
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raised to them and Thee.
Indian Run Cemetery is one of
the oldest burial grounds in Central Ohio, with the first burial dating back to
1814. Although it has been restored, a long period of prior neglect means that many
stones were irreparably broken and others were lost. Stones that could not be
matched with a gravesite have been set against the old dry stone border wall
that surrounds the cemetery. Many members of the families that founded Dublin
are buried at Indian Run. At least one Revolutionary War soldier, Nathaniel
Babcock, is among them, as a modern monument attests.
The design of the new
memorial fits in with the historic cemetery it surrounds, with the American
flag flying proudly over them both. I like the way this seems to bring history
full circle.
Thank you, veterans!
--Shelley
If you go: Access to the
Dublin Veterans Park and Indian Run Cemetery is not particularly well marked.
From the downtown Dublin intersection of Bridge St. (State Route 161) and High
St. (Dublin Rd.), go north on High St. one block to Darby St. Turn left as if
going to the Dublin branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library. Cars should continue
past the library and veer right to park in the Indian Run lot. For more
information, see: http://dublinohiousa.gov/parks-open-space/grounds-of-remembrance
Previous Veteran’s Day posts:
Thanks for posting this, Shelley. As many times as I've visited Dublin, I wasn't aware of the cemetery, though I vaguely remember seeing a sign for "Indian Run." Never knew what that meant...
ReplyDeleteI imagine a great big thank you is owed those who persevered in restoring this historic cemetery, too!
Jacqi, there's an Indian Run falls and Indian Run park, too, and they're accessed from the same parking lot. The cemetery was restored by the Dublin Historical Society in the late 1970's, and while they did a good job, it had been neglected for far too many years prior. If you let me know when you come next time, maybe we can visit it together!
DeleteOne of the greatest testaments to our humanity is our eagerness to honor our war veterans with care and love. Stories like this one, creating a Veterans Park near a historic cemetery, make me think of all the time and expense and group decisions it must have taken to bring this about. My father was a WW II veteran, and his entire career after the war was spent working for the Veterans Administration. Veterans Day is an important occasion for our family and many, many others. Beautiful photos, Shelley.
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful dedication on your father's part, Mariann. And you're right, things like this don't happen without a lot of cooperation and thought. Glad you enjoyed the photos--Veterans Day happened to be a beautiful one this year!
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