ADA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Families in Ada Township gathered Memorial Day to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice, marking the first community-wide Memorial Day event at the township's newest veterans memorial.
The memorial at Covered Bridge Park was dedicated through a collaboration between members of the McDonald-Osmer American Legion Post 451 and community partners, creating a space designed to connect Ada's history with the stories of those who served.
Brett Talbot, service officer for American Legion Post 451, said the township approached the American 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 memorial features six granite tablets that walk visitors through different eras of history, starting with events near Ada's founding in 1838, including the Perry expedition to Japan. The panels progress chronologically through the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, the Cold War, and modern military interventions including the Persian Gulf War and post-9/11 conflicts.
"It'll be a great place for people to relax and just think about what freedoms we have in this country," said Dan Shackleton, finance officer with the Post.
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The design intentionally includes women and children in every image to create what Talbot calls a "transgenerational story." The memorial showcases both military service and life back home during times of war, including scenes of Ada's growth from a frontier settlement to a modern community with the development of its new downtown village.
"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.
The project involved collaboration between the American Legion, Ada Historical Society, Ada Township, and Forest Hills Central High School.
For Talbot, who has lived in Ada for five years, the project created personal connections to the community.
"It was a way for me to discover Ada, personally, someone who's only been here for five years, Talbot said."
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