MOUNT VERNON — The November 7 meeting of the Knox County Historical Society will recognize the centennial of the end of World War I.
The Wednesday evening program will be presented by Dr. John Fowler, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Museum, 875 Harcourt Road.
It was known to many as “The Great War,” or “The War to End All Wars,” and it was 100 years ago at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918, that the First World War officially came to an end. Since its beginning in 1914, 9 million soldiers had died, with 21 million more wounded.
Even before America’s entry into the War in April, 1917, some young Knox County men left to serve with military units from Canada, England and France. Many more from our Mount Vernon National Guard unit later served in Battery E of the 134 th Field Artillery of the Ohio 37th Division.
Dr. Fowler, vice-president of the Historical Society, will discuss the major events leading up to the armistice agreement, the involvement of Knox Countians in the War, and the huge celebration here as the War came to an end. A special exhibit about Knox County’s involvement in the War will be on display at the Museum throughout November as well.
The final Historical Society meeting of 2018 will be held at the Museum on Dec. 5 when Pam Allen, Site Manager at Westerville’s Hanby House, will present the story of musician and scholar, Benjamin Hanby, composer of the Christmas classic, “Up on the Rooftop.”
Museum programs are free and open to the public, and all persons interested in area history are invited to attend. For more information, call 740-393-5247, or check the website at www.knoxhistory.org.
