Mayor Ike Stage
Mayor Message – National Purple Heart Day, Aug. 7
The Purple Heart, established in 1782 as the Badge of Military Merit, holds a revered place in the hearts of Americans as a symbol of courage and selflessness displayed by the brave men and women wounded or killed while serving in the U.S. military.
National Purple Heart Day, observed August 7th each year, gives us an opportunity to honor Purple Heart recipients, many who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom and liberty. It’s a time for us to reflect on the tremendous courage they all exhibited in the face of adversity, often at great personal cost.
Grove City’s Purple Heart Memorial Walk in Henceroth Park, 2275 Mallow Lane, serves as a poignant tribute to our community’s heroes who received this honor. The heart-shaped pathway is lined with trees planted in memory of each local military hero whose life was lost in battle or as a result of injuries sustained in service. Flanked by other military memorial monuments, the Walk is a tranquil space for reflection and remembrance, while serving as a reminder of their sacrifices.
As we have each year since the Walk’s opening in 2017, we will host our National Purple Heart Day Ceremony at the entrance of the Walk, Wednesday, Aug. 7 at 10 a.m. This is one of the events I most look forward to each year as it gives me and our community an opportunity to recognize our heroes and share their stories.
The ceremony marks the kick-off of our annual Flags for Heroes, a moving display of multiple full-size American flags, one for each individual honored along the walk. The flags are displayed 24 hours a day through the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 13, and lighted at night for quiet evening strolls of reflection and contemplation.
Our community holds a profound respect for our military heroes and their families. Here, their sacrifices are not just remembered, but cherished.
Please join me at the Purple Heart Ceremony. Then take the family to visit Grove City’s Flags for Heroes, military memorial monuments and museum displays, where the legacy of our military heroes and their families is not just a footnote in history, but personifies the strength, courage and resiliency of our community.
- Purple Heart Day Ceremony: Wednesday, Aug. 7, 10 a.m., Purple Heart Memorial Walk in Henceroth Park, 2275 Mallow Lane
- Flags for Heroes: Displayed day and night at the Purple Heart Memorial Walk, Wednesday, Aug. 7 through the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 13.
- Grove City Welcome Center & Museum: 3378 Park St.
- For a complete list of Grove City memorial sites, visit bit.ly/gcMemorials.
City Page – Step Back in Time at Century Village
Along Orders Road in Fryer Park, is a destination providing a delightful journey to the architectural and cultural heritage of our community in the 19th century. Century Village is filled with historic buildings showcasing life from a bygone era, maintained and shared by the Southwest Franklin County Historical Society (SWFCHS) and the City of Grove City. Among other period structures, the Village includes authentic log homes and barns, a general store, blacksmith shop and train depot. As the first building renovated, the one-room schoolhouse is the anchor of the Village and stands where it was originally built in the mid-1800s.
Orders Road School
In 1879, Allen and Mary Orders deeded a brick building and surrounding one acre of land to the Jackson Township Board of Education. The building became known as the Orders Road School, or school #10, where three generations of children ages five through 16 received their primary education, until the schoolhouse closed circa 1928. After closing, the building was used to store farm equipment until it was restored and dedicated in July 2002 as the first attraction in Century Village.
Kegg-Kientz Log House
This log dwelling was built on property purchased between 1860 and 1880 by William Kegg, a prosperous landowner in Franklin and Pickaway counties. In 1960, the land was sold to the Kientz Family, who donated the house to SWFCHS and the City of Grove City in 1997. The house was dismantled with the help of inmates from the Orient Correction Institution, placed in storage for six years, and rebuilt in a joint effort of the SWFCHS, the Boy Scouts and the City. The original location for this log cabin was Beatty (Kegg) Road. It was reconstructed in Century Village and dedicated in 2005.
Jones Log Barn
Originally constructed circa 1850, the original location of this log barn was on the property of Patty L. Jones on Rensch Road. Donated to Century Village, it was dismantled in 2005 with the help of inmates from the Pickaway Correctional Institution and reconstructed at Century Village in 2006 by SWFCHS volunteers in conjunction with the City of Grove City.
Haines-Black House
This log structure was once located on a 203-acre farm on Borror Road just south of Zuber Road and owned by the Black family, who purchased the land from the Haines family in 1935. Planned for destruction in 2009, the building was offered to the Jackson Township Fire Department for practice burning. However, after discovering under the dilapidated siding was a structure proven to be possibly more than 150 years old, it was offered to SWFCHS. Further research found the cabin was likely constructed prior to 1850. The home was reconstructed at Century Village between 2009 and 2012.
Augenstein-Spillman Blacksmith Shop
The blacksmith shop was constructed using original logs from a two-story log home built on Beatty Road in the 1850s and furnished with tools used in Earl F. Augenstein’s Blacksmith Shop on Orders Road. It was moved and reconstructed to Century Village between the years of 2011-2013.
Train Depot
The Grove City railroad depot was built in 1884 by the Cincinnati Midland and Columbus Railroad Company. Passenger service ended in 1956; in 1972 freight service ceased and the railroad no longer stopped in Grove City. Renovation began after the depot was relocated in 2018 by the City from its original Front Street location in Town Center. The most recent building added to the Village, the depot was dedicated October 2021.
Visit Century Village
4185 Orders Road
Open Houses (free): Fourth Saturday each month, May-Sept., 2-4 p.m.
Guided Tours ($3-5 per person): www.swfchs.org/tour-requests
The Southwest Franklin County Historical Society operates multiple local historical sites in addition to Century Village, including the Grant-Sawyer Home, 4126 Haughn Road; the Gardens at Gantz, 2255 Gantz Road; and the Grove City Welcome Center and Museum, 3378 Park Street in Town Center. For more information, visit the SWFCHS website: www.swfchs.org.
