Event to launch new heritage trail

PORTAGE TWP. — The Ottawa County America 250 Committee is hosting a public event on Monday to launch a new history trail to help celebrate the country's 250th birthday. History buffs are invited to attend the launch event for the History/Mystery Trail. It's scheduled for 4-6 p.m. Monday at the Shores & Islands Welcome Center, 770 SE Catawba Road, in the Port Clinton-Catawba Island area. There will be snacks and a raffle. The committee, in a news release, noted the new trail is an opportunity to: • Experience stunning natural landscapes • Find unique landmarks • Learn more about the rich cultural history of the region • Pay homage to the five American Revolutionary War veterans interred in the county. The trail has 31 stops on the mainland across much of Ottawa County and also on South Bass and Middle Bass islands. A printed map is available, or the trail can be navigated using the Bandwango digital service. To sign up for the Bandwango digital tour, go to shoresandislands.com/america-250. The signup only takes a few seconds, and it's free. Participants who complete the trail and answer 15 trivia questions online can earn a free commemorative Ottawa County-America 250 "History/Mystery Trail" patch. Happy birthday, America The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, so the America 250 celebration marks the 250th birthday of the country. Various events will occur across the country, including locally. A state website at america250-ohio.org lists some of the events. For example, Ohio Goes to the Movies events in Erie County will include a "Night at the Movies With Mr. Edison" event at Milan Town Hall on Feb. 11, presented by the Edison Birthplace Association, and a screening of "Tommy Boy" on March 1 at Cinemark Sandusky Mall. The Erie County Historical Society has an Ohio 250 section on its website for people who want to learn more about the celebration in Ohio. For example, the section includes a link to the Revolutionary War Veterans Graves Project. "In collaboration with the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office, Terracon Consultants, Inc. and local chapters of the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution, this project seeks to identify, document and map the final resting places of an estimated 7,000 Revolutionary War patriots buried in Ohio," explains the website devoted to the project. As of Tuesday, more than 3,000 grave markers in Ohio had been documented. An interactive map at the website shows the location of graves across Ohio, including in Erie, Ottawa, Sandusky and Huron counties. The grave locations in Erie County are at Oakland Cemetery, Venice Cemetery, in Castalia and at Sandusky's Cholera Cemetery.