A new memorial connects Ada's history to the stories of those who served

Ada Township held its first community-wide Memorial Day event at a newly dedicated veterans memorial Monday, bringing families and veterans together at Covered Bridge Park to honor fallen service members.

The memorial was created through a partnership between McDonald-Osmer American Legion Post 451, the Ada Historical Society, Ada Township, and Forest Hills Central High School, according to Fox 17. The collaboration produced six granite tablets that walk visitors through Ada's military history from the community's founding in 1838 to modern conflicts.

Six tablets tell Ada's story across the wars

The memorial panels begin with the Perry expedition to Japan, an event that took place near Ada's founding. They progress chronologically through the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Cold War, the Persian Gulf War, and post-9/11 conflicts, according to the report.

Brett Talbot, service officer for American Legion Post 451, said the township approached the Legion about creating a veterans memorial at the new park. The group decided to tell multiple stories about veterans' experiences abroad while connecting them to Ada's local history.

"Well I hope that they get a feeling of how Ada has taken part in what what's developed over the years and how they've been involved in some of our wars and conflicts," said Mel Bauman.

The design intentionally includes women and children in every image. Talbot called it a "transgenerational story" that showcases both military service and life back home during times of war.

"We wanted to relate to kids, we wanted kids to see this and know our story, not just the story this generation, but prior generations, and know that maybe they're part of that story too," Talbot said.

A personal connection to Ada's past

The memorial also traces Ada's growth from a frontier settlement to a modern community with its new downtown village. For Talbot, who has lived in Ada for five years, the project created personal ties to the community.

"It was a way for me to discover Ada, personally, someone who's only been here for five years," Talbot said.

Dan Shackleton, finance officer with the Post, said the memorial offers a place for reflection.

"It'll be a great place for people to relax and just think about what freedoms we have in this country," Shackleton said.

The dedication marked the first Memorial Day event held at the memorial. Ada also held a separate Memorial Day service at Woodlawn Cemetery on Monday at 1 p.m., co-sponsored by Ream McElroy Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9381 and Foss-Agin-Meyer American Legion Post 185, according to Ada Icon.