LaGrange Township and the Village of LaGrange wrapped up their three-day founding celebration Monday, marking the township’s bicentennial and the village’s 150th anniversary with festivities that drew residents together around their shared history.
The Memorial Day weekend celebration, which ran from Friday through Monday, featured a parade, vendor fair, car show, 5K run and walk, and the highly anticipated unveiling of the reconstructed Civil War monument that has stood as a centerpiece of the community for more than a century.
The highlight of the weekend was Monday’s Memorial Day parade that stepped off at 1 p.m., followed by the dedication of the new Civil War monument in the town square. The statue is a replica of the original monument that local residents called “Sherman,” named for Union Army Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, though the general was not actually the figure depicted. The original statue, dating to 1903, was destroyed in June 2022 when a truck ran through a stop sign and crashed into it.
LaGrange Township was established in 1825, with the village incorporated 50 years later in 1875. The township was named in honor of the French estate of Marquis de Lafayette, who served with the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.
The weekend celebration was a collaborative effort involving multiple organizations including Keystone Local Schools, the Elyria Public Library System LaGrange Branch, LaGrange Lions Club and local businesses. Village Mayor Gary Kincannon said the idea stemmed primarily from LaGrange Township trustees and Trustee Rita Canfield, along with the LaGrange Historical Society.
As part of the festivities, the LaGrange Historical Society and LaGrange Postmaster Eric Amsden collaborated to create a commemorative pictorial postmark marking both anniversaries. The special postmark was available on five postcards featuring historical photos of early 20th-century LaGrange, including images of the original statue and businesses that once lined the town square. More info here.
The celebration marked a significant milestone for the small rural community in southern Lorain County, bringing together current residents to honor the legacy of the early settlers who first arrived in 1825 and established what would become a lasting community.
Upcoming community events can be found on the 2025 LaGrange Founding Celebration Facebook page.
Discover more from Northeast Ohio News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
