By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com
WABASH COUNTY – Mother Nature tried, but she couldn’t dampen the spirit of Wabash County residents on Wednesday as they gathered to celebrate Indiana’s 200th birthday.
The Indiana Bicentennial Torch made its way through the county Wednesday afternoon, traveling from LaFontaine to Wabash to North Manchester before ending in Paradise Spring for a brief ceremony featuring state and local officials.
Mayor Scott Long received the torch in LaFontaine and, with police escort, rode with it on the Wabash County Trolley 85. Long left the Trolley in front of the Wabash County Convention and Visitors Bureau office on Main Street.
From there he walked and ran it up Miami Street to Hill Street where he passed it off to Natalie Unger, the second of 16 torchbearers.
Torchbearers made their way along Miami Street to Harrison Avenue and then to Wabash Street, stopping at O.J. Neighbours Elementary School where Michael Beauchamp handed the torch off to North Manchester businessman Brady Burgess.
Beauchamp sang when arriving
Burgess rode the Trolley to North Manchester, where he disembarked on the edge of Manchester University.
From there he ran to near the Jo Young Switzer Student Union Building where he passed the torch off to MU President Dr. Dave McFadden.
Burgess was excited and even practiced for the experience
In North Manchester, the flame made a brief stop in front of the home of former Vice President Thomas Marshall for a brief ceremony. The Peabody Singers performed songs including “Back Home Again in Indiana” as part of the ceremony.
Winding its way through the town, Manchester High School teacher Jabin Burnworth eventually passed the torch to Wabash businessman Sam Frazier. Frazier, who is president of the Paradise Spring Board of Directors and the Wabash County Historical Museum, rode the Trolley to Wabash where he walked from the museum to Paradise Spring where he lit a cauldron to celebrate the state’s Bicentennial.
Before Frazier lit the cauldron, the American Legion Post No.15 color guard presented the colors while the Wabash High School students performed the national anthem, “Back Home Again, In Indiana” and “Happy Birthday.”
Mark Newman, executive director of the Indiana Department of Tourism, greeted the crowd where he thanked Mitch Figert, the Wabash County Historical Museum executive director who headed the county’s Bicentennial Committee, as well as the committee for its efforts. He also thanked the local residents for braving the elements to take part in the celebration.
Figert, likewise, thanked the committee and the torchbearers, who were introduced by emcee Bev Vanderpool.
Long read a proclamation declaring Sept. 28 as Bicentennial Day in the City of Wabash.
Wabash was the 54th of the state’s 92 counties which has had the torch as part of its statewide relay. The torch is slated to travel 3,200 miles around the state before ending up in Indianapolis on Oct. 15 for a celebration on the newly created Bicentennial Plaza west of the Indiana Statehouse.
After spending the night in Wabash, the torch and its support crew were to head to Kosciusko, Noble and Whitley counties on the 18th day of the tour.
For more on the event, see the Oct. 5 edition of The Paper of Wabash County.