Willard ready to celebrate 150th birthday

The City of Willard will celebrate its 150th year as a community in 2024. The town was founded as Chicago Junction in 1874 and renamed Willard in 1917 in honor of Daniel Willard, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad president. Originally founded as a railroad town, our hard-working citizens make Willard a vital contributor in today's global economy. Our robust manufacturing portfolio of Pepperidge Farm, Stanley Black and Decker, Lakeside Book Company, Star of the West, and Guardian Manufacturing rivals any other small town in America. Surrounded by rich soil, the Willard area is a leader in the nation's food supply chain, including the 3,000 acres of some of the richest organic soil in Ohio known as the "muck," which produces nearly 10% of the state's vegetable supply. Bolstering a solid education system, the Willard City Schools play a vital role in the future of Willard by educating our students with the latest state-of-the-art technology in one of the largest k-12 school buildings in Ohio. Learning continues through the innovative Willard Memorial Library, the anchor library in the Huron County Community Library network. The community's health is in good hands through Mercy Hospital, which recently celebrated its 10th year at its new facility and has continuously been ranked as one of the best places in the nation to work in healthcare. The city prides itself in providing quality police and fire protection to our citizens by consistently training to meet our residents' needs and engaging with the community at local events. Our city park is one of the best small parks in Ohio, constantly providing updated amenities and activities for all to enjoy. Partnering with community organizations, the park department is at the forefront of bringing the community together by offering year-round activities through events like the Downtown Spring Fest, Annual Car Show, Festival in the Park, Willard HopeFest, Goods in the Woods, Taste of Willard, and the Christmas Parade of the Lights to name a few. As we will remember our past 150 years in 2024, we also forge ahead with a fresh new future as we celebrate today and look forward to what is to come. Check us out at www.willardohio.gov. Bryson Hamons is city manager for the city of Willard.