A History of the Purchase of the Community Memorial Park Written in the Best of My Knowledge and Memory Since a history is a statement of fact I hope that all who read this history will know that I am trying to state facts, not to gain or give any special glory to any individual. The newly organized Lions Club’s president, Dr. Charles Balwin, appointed a committee of H.W.McCalla, chairman, and Carlos Oberholtzer, L.C. Dove, E.C.Tucker, and Harry Keady, who were to act as a Civic Improvement and Community Betterment Committee. In trying to think of some worthy project for this fine group of men to undertake, I fount that a year or so before the Centerburg Garden Club had tried to lease or buy the Darling ground at the intersection of the 3-C highway and Route 314 for a park. They had been unsuccessful however. It was the start of the project the committee had been looking for. At the 1944 Delaware County Fair I talked with the sister of Mr. Darling about how and where we could contact Mr. Darling. I asked her if she thought it possible to purchase this ground and she told me “No!” She did give me his address and I wrote to him and had several others write in hop of securing the land. We heard nothing in reply to our letters. I then asked Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hall if they would contact Mr. Darling which they agreed to do. In answer, Mr. Darling said he was not interested in selling the field. We asked Mr. Hall to write him again and the answer we received to the proposed park as a memorial to his father, Mr. Darling said the idea sounded like philanthropy and he was not a philanthropist. This was all very disheartening, and after thinking it over we asked the Halls to write him once more. We asked this time for an option on all of his holdings in Centerburg. Once again said no in a one page letter which had a surprise ending. Mr. Darling’s wife had come in and said to sell. He said he would sell all his holdings in Centerburg for $6,500 which included a large house on a hill above the field, a property on Clayton Street and the field itself. We would give the Hall’s an option on the holdings for $250 which was to them and them alone. He did not want to be bothered with anyone else. At last the answer had come that the field could be bought. However $6,500 dollars looked like a lot of money. After calling the Civic Improvement and Community Betterment Committee and discussing all the possible angles, we decided that if the property of the hill could be sold and the property on Clayton Street sold, we could raise the balance of somewhere near $1,000. At the next meeting of the Directors of the Lions Club we submitted our plan which they approved. At this same time, the conservation Club was undertaking a project of their own. It was disclosed that they had offered Homer Reynolds $3,000 for the building owned by Walter Miller of Columbus. Carlos Oberholtzer and I were at this meeting when the Conservation Club decided to offer the money. We realized that two major projects could not be successfully carried out at the same time. We then decided to invite the Conservation Club to help on the park idea. After much discussion and a roll call vote at that meeting, they decided to appoint a committee to meet with the Lions Club committee and see what could be arranged. George Richey, president of the Conservation Club appointed that committee. The Conservation Committee and the Lions Club Committee met at McCalla’s store, but they were unable to decide anything definite. However they did decide that the Directors of the Lions Club and the Conservation Club should hold a joint meeting. This meeting was held at the school building. There it was decided that a committee of three from each of the clubs should be appointed. President Balwin appointed Lee Dill, J.B.Snyder, and H.W.McCalla for the Lions Club. President Richey appointed Judge Charles Hayden, Ralph Oliver and A.R. Phillips from the Conservation Club. Mr. Phillips did not serve so Mr. Richey took his place. The two committees met and Judge Hayden was made chairman, J.B.Snyder, vice-chairman, Geroge Richey, secretary, Lee Dill, treasurer. At the meeting of the Directors of the Lions Club and the Trustees of the Conservation Club it was decided that each club would borrow half of the $250 needed to secure the option. The presidents of the clubs and the secretaries signed notes at the Croton Bank for the money. With the needed option money at hand, and the park committees organized, the joint committee called on the Halls to notify Mr. Darling to prepare the option. All of this action took place in the early part of December 1944. The committee received no reply from the Darlings until Christmas time when Mr. Darling came to Centerburg. He told Mr. Hall that the only way he would accept the $250 on the property option was that a number of responsible men sign an agreement to make good the balance on the option if the need arose. The committee turned down such an arrangement because they felt it was not fair to make any one person or persons responsible for a community project. Again it seemed that all the efforts put forth was lost. At the next meeting of the Conservation Club, Judge Hayden reported this out of committee. He did not, however, ask that the committee be excused. At the meeting of the Directors of the Lions club it was reported that the deal for this land and park could not be closed. At several of the previous meetings of both clubs, Mr. Wayne Durbin had signified a willingness to purchase the house on the hill with a few acres to go with it. He would give $2000 for the house and the lots which went with it. Mr. Durbin was contacted and again he said he would buy the house. Again the members of the joint committee took the matters up with the members of the board of directors of the Lions Club. The directors thought the project could be revived, so the joint committee decided that a public meeting should be held. Mr. Klingler offered the use of his theatre for this meeting. Dr. F.O. Haberman had said in these meetings that he would gladly take charge of the solicitation of donations to raise the purchase price of the field. In the meantime, Mr. Pat Besch who lived in the property on Clayton Street was contacted to see if he would be interested in buying the house at $3,500. At first he said he was not interested. Mr. Dill had found a purchaser for the property and Mr. Besch was later told this. He then contacted Mr. Reed and said he would give $3000 for the property. Tom Reed presented this offered price at the next meeting. It was agreed to sell Mr. Besch the property at $3250. By the time of the public meeting in the theatre, both of the properties had been sold. Then all that remained to be done to close the deal was the raising of the balance of $1,250 when the deed arrived. The original committee was intact with the exception of Ralph Oliver who had been replaced by Milo Watson. Through all these meetings, there had been much discussion as to who should hold the deed for the park after it had been secured. The committee decided after considerable investigation and discussion with the Township Trustees that the Trustees of the Township should hold the deed. They would in accepting the deed perpetuate the part for the town and the surrounding community. The public spirit shown by the Trustees is to be commended by all. At this time Judge Hayden contacted the Knox County Engineer, Mr. Veatch, as to surveying the different tracts. Mr. Veatch did the surveying and the description of the property as it was divided was placed on record. Judge Hayden then took over the job of searching the records of this property and of making the deeds. One deed was made to Wayne Durbin, one to Mr. Besch and the other made out in the name of the community Memorial Park to the Trustees of Hilliar Township. The deeds were then sent to Mr. Darling. Before the deeds could come back we had more than enough money to pay the communities share of these deeds. This was done by having Mr. Durbin’s money, Mr. Besch’s money, the money solicited by Dr. Haberman, the proceeds of a White Elephant Sale which Kay Buel managed, and the proceeds from the Lions Club picture shows which George Richey arranged. The Lions Club had now raised $170 on their show and the conservation Club had raised $460 on the White Elephant Sale. All deeds were delivered with the exception of the park deed to the Township Trustees. It was decided to have a dedication service June 3, 1945 and invite Governor Lausche to be the main speaker. Lee Dill acted as chairman of a joint entertainment committee. The ceremony was held at 2:30 p.m. following a picnic dinner at the park. The boy Scout Troop No. 1 raised the flag for the first time over the 14 acre park. Carlos Oberholtzer directed the young peoples band and J.B. Snyder acted as Master of Ceremonies. Judge Hayden introduced Governor Lausche who delivered the address and H.W. McCalla presented the deed to the Trustees. At a joint meeting of the Township Trustees, and three from the Lions Club and three from the Conservation Club, it was voted that a planning board consisting of the Township Trustees, and three members of each club should be established. This board was set up consisting of Ed Kile, Clay Lytle, E.E. Debolt, Milo Watson, George Richey, Judge Hayden, Lee Dill, H.W. McCalla and J.B. Snyder who would act as chairman. This board was to act for one year. Out of this group a board of control was selected. This board consisted of J.B. Snyder, Lion, E.E. Kile, Trustee, and Judge Hayden, Conservation Club, Chairman. The boundaries of the field did not include a run along the 3-C highway nor a strip of willows on the south side belonging to the Coe estate. Judge Hayden thought the park should include that portion too, so he bought it from Mr. O.R. Clawson who then owned the land. The purchase price was $25. By this purchase, any possible trouble which might arise from crossing this strip was forever quieted. The securing of this property was much more difficult than it sounds when read. In conclusion let me say that the people who had any thing to do in any way in making the park will be more than repaid if the youth of this community will go there and under supervised direction build for themselves strong minds and healthy bodies: Strong minds so that they may be able to take their place in society, and healthy, clean bodies so that the next generations may be clean and healthy. Signed, H.W. McCalla
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 17:29:48 +0000
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