Plain Township in Wooster in Wayne County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Origin Of Wooster Memorial Park

A Tribute To Paul Spangler

Photographed by Craig Doda, January 27, 2024

1. The Origin Of Wooster Memorial Park: Marker

Inscription. Wooster and Wayne County are extremely fortunate to have this quiet, wooded, 325-acre park. Wooster Memorial Park was created through the vision of Paul S. Spangler (1900-1986), a Wooster native and Wooster High School teacher. Mr. Spangler long dreamed of this area becoming a park. In 1964, he began a series of land donations to the City of Wooster, stipulating that the area be used as a public park and named 'Wooster Memorial Park' in memory of his family and his strong faith. He made land donations in 4 deeds (January 14, 1964, 77 acres; May 2, 1969, 17 acres and 29 acres; June 27, 1978, 10 acres), totaling 133 acres, to the City of Wooster.

On November 9, 1968, the City of Wooster purchased from the Becker family 121 acres of adjacent land, which comprise the remainder of the original park area. In June 1970, with Mr. Spangler and Mayor Paul Tilford in attendance, the former Spangler and Becker properties, totaling 254 acres, were dedicated as Wooster Memorial Park. An additional 71 acres (the Strock Woods and Monitor Bank parcels), purchased with Clean Ohio funds by the Killbuck Watershed Land Trust, were added to

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the park in January 2008. The park has been designated by the City as a permanent natural area.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical month for this entry is January 2008.

Location. 40° 48.664′ N, 82° 1.404′ W. Marker is in Wooster, Ohio, in Wayne County. It is in Plain Township. It is on Silver Road, on the right when traveling west. The marker is in a kiosk at the parking lot of Wooster Memorial Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Wooster OH 44691, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Amish Country

and in Greater Cleveland.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The James T. and Marilyn N. Strock Preserve (here,

Photographed by Craig Doda, January 27, 2024

2. The Origin Of Wooster Memorial Park: Marker

next to this marker); The Monitor Bank Parcel (here, next to this marker); Flora and Fauna of Kenwood Acres Prairie (approx. 0.2 miles away); Charles W. Follis (approx. 4.3 miles away); General David Wooster (approx. 4.4 miles away); Harvey Howard House / Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) (approx. 4.4 miles away); H. Freedlander Company (approx. 4.4 miles away); War Savings Stamps (approx. 4.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wooster.

Photographed by Craig Doda, January 27, 2024

3. The Origin Of Wooster Memorial Park: Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on March 8, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 13, 2024, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 490 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 13, 2024, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.