County kicks off bicentennial celebration

DAVE MOSIER/independent/submitted information

A number of people, including U.S. Representative Bob Latta, County Commissioners Thad Lichtensteiger, Stan Owens, and Todd Wolfrum, several other county officials and downtown development representatives, kicked off this year’s celebration of the county’s 200th anniversary — albeit a year late.

Lichtensteiger noted that the state legislature had designated the County of Van Wert on April 1, 1820, in honor of Revolutionary War hero Isaac Van Wart, one of the three captors of British spy Major John Andre.

“Those of you with even rudimentary math skills will be asking the question: ‘Doesn’t that make us 201?’.” Lichtensteiger said to laughs from the audience, but then noted that the county’s sesquicentennial (150th) celebration was held in 1971, a year later than the founding date would suggest, while 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic would have likely resulted in a large number of canceled events — something that hopefully will be avoided this year.

The commissioner also talked about the strengths of the county: its agricultural roots, its industrial base, its excellent schools, its great churches and civic organizations, and its people, while also providing a brief history lesson on the founding of the county.

Lichtensteiger noted that the first county seat was Willshire, with its location on the St. Marys River, before eventually relocating to Van Wert. While first giving a nod of gratitude to architect Thomas Tolan, who designed and built the county courthouse in the 1870s, the commissioner also lauded those “who stayed here in our county, worked and raised a family here while bright lights took others away.”

Lichtensteiger also said he was also grateful to those who went away and later returned to the county: “for family, for quiet living, for country life, perhaps just back to where it all started for them.”

The commissioner noted that there will be a number of articles written on county history during the coming year, as well as a number of events throughout the year on news sites and social media, as well as possibly some activities held downtown and during the Van Wert County Fair.

“So, happy 200th birthday to Van Wert County,” Lichtensteiger said.

Prior to taking a bicentennial kick-off photo, Latta provided the commissioners with a statement he had read into the U.S. Congressional Record honoring the county’s 200th birthday.

“This is a great county, and you do so much here, and you have so much to be proud of,” Latta said.