Eclipse enjoyed by thousands of people

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Monday’s total solar eclipse came, it went and in between, people cheered when Van Wert County was in totality shortly after 3 p.m.

Jubilee Park, Smiley Park, the Van Wert Reservoir, Van Wert Walmart, Edgewood Park in Convoy, the Middle Point Community Building parking lot, and Willshire Ball Park were among the local mass gathering spaces for Tuesday’s rare event. In addition, Lincoln Ridge Farms in Convoy hosted approximately 1,000 people.

While the number of people coming to the area to see the eclipse was short of projections – Ohio EMA estimated the county’s population could double for the day – a noticeable number of people still flocked to Van Wert County to experience the once-in-a-lifetime event. Many of the out-of-state visitors seemed to come from Michigan, but license plates from Indiana, Nebraska, Kentucky and other states were visible as well.

“The numbers weren’t there like the State of Ohio had anticipated,” Van Wert County EMA Director Rick McCoy said. “They had to base their numbers off of the 2017 eclipse and I think the time of the year, on a workday on a Monday probably brought numbers down but it didn’t disappoint me at all. We still had good crowds in town but I’m glad we didn’t see the big numbers because we would have issues that we talked about before.”

After the eclipse, as people were leaving the area for home, traffic became backed up on westbound U.S. 30. At one point, traffic was reported to be at a standstill from Richey Road all the way to Fort Wayne. Traffic was also slowing going in other spots, including N. Washington St. and U.S. 30 at John Brown Road in Van Wert, but no other major delays were reported.

McCoy spent over a year preparing for the event and coordinating with local officials but like thousands of others locally, he was able to enjoy the show when it happened.

“I had no idea what to imagine,” he said. “I’ve seen a partial eclipse before but it’s totally different when you see the totality of going into total darkness and seeing the corona. I could see the solar flares on the sun, I could see Venus and Jupiter…I describe it as a Biblical proportions experience.”

McCoy also thanked law enforcement officials and others for working with him while planning for the eclipse.

The next total solar eclipse in Ohio will take place in 2099.