To see photos of the Town’s renovations, through the installation of the lights, and to the centennial celebration, visit this page: Our Legacy!
To stay up to date (until the domain is no longer owned, December 2024), go to Our Legacy Continues!
Note regarding the discrepancy in verbiage:
We began our project with a group decision to go with “Memorial Swinging Bridge” both as a domain name and a Facebook site name that were available. As we ended the project, many began to use the term “Veterans Memorial Swinging Bridge.” You will see it both ways here.
We also began our project with the tag line of “Light Up Our Legacy.” As we finished fundraising and moved into planning the day of celebration, the line became “Lighting Our Legacy.”
Please forgive us if you see the lines both ways on this website!
Day Is Done … Gone The Sun …
We have had our glorious day! The bridge is now illuminated, calling all veterans – both living and in honored death – to come home.
This webpage will live on until December 9, 2024, with probably little to no maintenance. Until then, the content is available for you to view and use!
Photos leading up to the illumination and photos from our day can be found on this page: Our Legacy!!
Press Release: Memorial Bridge Centennial, lighting celebration July 3, 2023
by Karen Fritz
‘Lighting Our Legacy”
WINAMAC – A “star-spangled, heart-tugging, patriotic” celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Memorial Swinging Bridge at the Winamac Park is planned for the eve of Independence Day, Monday, July 3.
The centennial rededication of the footbridge will mirror aspects of the original dedication ceremony from 100 years earlier. It will culminate at dusk with a patriotic grand finale – and the much anticipated illumination of the bridge with a newly-installed, professional LED system.
Perhaps Winamac’s most beloved and sentimental landmark, the Memorial Swinging Bridge has now spanned the historic Tippecanoe River at the town park for a century. One of the oldest suspension bridges in Indiana, it was erected and dedicated shortly after the Great War. Still feeling the pain of loss, community leaders named the bridge “Memorial” in honor of “soldiers and sailors” from Pulaski County from all wars.
The Centennial Celebration
The Centennial Celebration of the Memorial Bridge will run from 4 to 10 p.m., Monday, July 3, at the Winamac Town Park. A central theme of the evening will be to honor the county’s veterans and current service men and women. Military members attending, past and present, are encouraged to wear uniforms, memorabilia or shirts and caps that commemorate their service. Members of the public attending are invited to wear period costume from 100 years ago (the “Roaring 20s”), or other historical clothing, or patriotic wear.
The lighting of the bridge at dark (about 10 p.m.) will be the culmination of efforts to honor veterans and Gold Star Families by “lighting their way home.”
Winamac VFW Commander Stan Czech will serve as master of ceremonies. The following is a brief itinerary of events:
- 4 p.m. – Food vendors will open for business and remain until the bridge is illuminated.
- 4 p.m. – Local bands will begin playing sets.
- 5:30 p.m. – The Culver Academies Naval Band will play the National Anthem, ushering in the youth baseball and softball games.
- 7:30 – The Memorial Swinging Bridge Centennial & Rededication Ceremony will begin, featuring dignitary proclamations, the recognition of POW and Gold Star Families, a salute to veterans, and a patriotic Medley by Culver’s Military Band.
- 8:30 – Live, local bands will resume playing. Socializing in the park.
- 9:45 – Patriotic Grand Finale followed by the Illumination of 100-year-old Memorial Swinging Bridge.
NOTE: The public should note there will be reserved parking only at the Main Street (west side) entrance of the park on July 3. Pedestrian traffic on the bridge will be closed during the 7:30 and 9:45 ceremonies.
ALSO: Gold Star family members of Pulaski County soldiers who wish to participate in the Rededication Ceremony should call 574-595-5474.
The ‘Light Up Our Legacy’ Project
In anticipation of the Memorial Bridge’s centennial this summer, a citizen’s group was formed four years ago to facilitate efforts to spruce up the bridge and make plans for a grand celebration. Central to the group’s plans was an effort to illuminate the bridge with a professionally designed and installed, multi-color LED-lighting system.
Associated Controls + Design of Indianapolis is the designer and contractor for the lighting project – the same company that oversaw the South Bend River Lights and the MLK Bridge lights in Fort Wayne.
Known as “Light Up Our Legacy,” the lights are being installed on the bridge’s cables, towers and beneath the structure. Light color combinations can be changed for holidays and seasons. Funding has been secured from private and corporate donations through a variety of fundraising projects the past two years.
Heading up the Memorial Swinging Bridge Project are Greg and Brenda Henry of Winamac. Kathleen (Kathi) Thompson has served as chair of the fund development committee. The sponsoring organization is the Winamac VFW. Dozens of committee members and additional volunteers have been meeting and working since early 2019 brainstorming ideas and gathering histories and photos of the bridge. They organized fund-raising efforts, contacted local government entities for support and advice, and interviewed contractors for the illumination portion of the project. The committee also developed a website and social media platforms, published a monthly newsletter and produced brochures.
Todd Zeiger of Indiana Landmarks has worked with the committee as a consultant. The Winamac Town Council and its park committee provided scheduled refurbishing of the bridge. The Pulaski County Historical Society secured a grant to further help finance the town’s renovation of the span. The town council gave its approval for the centennial committee to proceed with the plan to illuminate the bridge.
Bridge history
The memorial footbridge to honor the county’s military service members was commissioned in April 1923 by the board of the then new Winamac Park Association. The town council pledged $1,000 toward the project, and the newly-formed Winamac Kiwanis Club helped to ready the park on the west side in preparation. A contract was awarded for $3,197 and the 200-foot span was completed three months later.
The day-long dedication festivities for the footbridge in July 1923 began with a parade featuring veterans of the Civil War, Spanish-American War and the Great War, along with Gold Star Mothers. Congressman S.E. Cook gave a speech. The celebration continued in the early afternoon with a band concert and baseball game. The dedication address was given by Major General Leigh Robinson Gignilliat, accompanied by cadets, from nearby Culver Military Academy. The celebration concluded with an elaborate evening display of fireworks.
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Memorial Swinging Bridge July 3 Rededication/Centennial Celebration
Grand Finale “Lighting Our Legacy” – S O L D I E R S
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- American Revolution: Patrick Schuttrow – (Reproduction uniform provided by Brenda Henry)
- War of 1812: Maddox Bucinski – (Vintage Citadel cadet uniform donated to/provided by WCHS Drama Dept., altered by Nancy Allman)
- Mexican War: Max Gearhart – (Reproduction uniform provided by WCHS Drama Dept.)
- Civil War: John Seno – (Reproduction uniform provided by WCHS Drama Dept.)
- Spanish-American War: Connor Jones – (Reproduction uniform provided by WCHS Drama Dept.)
- World War I: Ryan Huggler – (Vintage uniform provided by Pulaski Co. Historical Society)
- World War II: Andrew Fritz – (Grandfather’s vintage U.S. Navy officer bridge coat/hat)
- Korean War: Alan Huggler – (Reproduction uniform provided by WCHS Drama Dept.; plus vintage hat provided by Pulaski County Historical Society)
- Vietnam War: Jakob Penicaro – (Grandfather’s vintage uniform)
- Desert Storm/Desert Shield: Jimmy Terry – (Veteran, wearing own uniform)
- Afghanistan War: Brandie Bucinski – (Veteran, wearing own uniform)
- Iraq War: Mike Zahora – (Veteran, wearing own uniform)
Drummer: Chad Watts
Organized by: Patrick Schuttrow, drama director at Winamac Community High School, Karen Fritz and Brenda Henry, members Memorial Swinging Bridge Committee.