Memorial Boulder

The World War I monument that stands in front of the Old Town Hall has a history of 8,000 to 10,000 years!  It was erected as a reminder of the service of Ridgeville’s men and women in WWI and here is a little more of that story:

The man responsible for the boulder was local physician Dr. Perry L. Morgan, who lived in the large house across the street from the Old Town Hall.  Dr. Morgan was a veteran of the Spanish American War and, in 1930, was a member of the committee for Memorial Day services.  He wanted to erect a permanent tribute to the veterans of WWI and he envisioned a monument.  Not a marble stone or statue but a large boulder to remain always in front of the Town Hall.  There were many boulders to choose from around town, but he wanted the right stone.  He began his search- checking in farmer’s fields and side roads, looking for the perfect boulder for his project.  Two and a half years later he found the stone he had been seeking on the farm of John Capel on Barton Rd.

Dr. Hubbard, a geologist from Oberlin College, was consulted and identified the boulder as a metamorphic garnet gneiss.  He surmised it was broken from a ledge of the granitic mountains which run from northern New York westward through Canada to the northern shore of Lake Huron.  The boulder had likely been moved by a glacier between four and five hundred miles from where it had separated from the ledge.  It had been shoved along the bedrock- tumbled and turned in the ice to wear it down to its present form.  When the glacier receded between eight and ten thousand years ago the boulder was left behind – exactly where it was found by Dr. Morgan.  The front, back, and edges are rounded and smooth and were deemed perfect for the intended purpose.  Dr. Hubbard was quoted at the time as stating, “It will probably last longer than the bronze plaque on its face”.

Moving the stone became a problem.  The first attempt was using a automobile wrecker from Charles Gilder to hoist the rock, but the weight of the boulder lifted the front of the wrecker.  In the end a farm wagon was borrowed and five men worked to winch the stone out of the field and onto the wagon for transport.  A four foot deep cement foundation was poured at the Town Hall and the rock was lowered three inches into the cement and allowed to harden.

Dr. Morgan’s next mission was the plaque.  He placed pieces of cardboard on the stone and went across the street to his home to view the size.  After determining the proper size, he designed the plaque and had it cast at Harsh Brass and Bronze Foundry in Cleveland.  It was then anchored to the stone.

The monument was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 1934.  Dr. Morgan cared for the stone until 1955, when the Ridgeville Garden Club took over it’s care and they continued to contribute flowers for each Memorial Day.

The inscription on the plaque reads:

In recognition of the patriotic devotion of our young men and women who nobly served their country in the World War 1917-1919  And in tribute to all who sacrificed at home this tablet is gratefully erected by the citizens of Ridgeville Township  May 30, 1934.

We invite you to visit this boulder and the other military monuments that are now back at the Old Town Hall.

They are a lasting testament to the patriotism and devotion our town has for not only our country but for the citizens who have sacrificed for our freedoms.

An outdoor rededication ceremony is planned for the three military monuments on May 28, 2023 at 1:00 at the Old Town Hall.

All are invited to attend and encouraged to bring a lawn chair.