Pandemic Journal: Victory Park, a reminder of those who died for our freedom.

Pandemic Journal: Victory Park, a reminder of those who died for our freedom.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

VICTORY TOWNSHIP — In an attempt to practice safe social distancing, I have been limiting most of my outdoor adventures lately to our family farm in Amber Township. But, sometimes I need a change of scenery. We all love the Ludington State Park, but Mason County offers some other great outdoor places that I would encourage you to explore (even though I must admit, during these times I’m kind of hesitant to share them!).

Today, Sunday, April 5, we ventured to Victory Park. Located on Upper Hamlin Lake at the end of Victory Park Road, this great little park, owned and operated by Victory Township, is a gem — and also likely one of the oldest public parks in the county.

The park features a boat launch, picnic shelter, campfire pit, and swing sets. But, today’s mission, for me, was to explore the hiking trails. In April 2012, Tristan Dennison Scribner of Boy Scout Trop 1144 in Scottville, identified and marked three trails that wind through the 40-plus acre park. Each of the trails connect. The Red Trail is a .48 mile hike that starts at the parking lot. The western portion of the trail is along a small bayou off of Hamlin Lake. It then makes its way up a steep leaf-covered hill that winds back near Victory Park Road. During this time, it intersects with the Blue Trail, .30 mile, and the Green Trail, .17 mile.

The prize of the hike is reaching a grand view of Hamlin Lake where you can even see the tips of the dunes past the narrows. Also, for me, the better prize is seeing the memorial dedicated to the Victory Township residents who sacrificed their lives for our country fighting in World War I and World War II. The memorial is a large stone with two plaques. The first plaque was erected in 1929 by Victory Grange No. 1099. The Grange was an agricultural society organization which was fairly popular back in the day. John A. Anderson, Frank Allen, R.D. Keith, Carol W. Loxen, William Vogel lost their lives during WWI.

The other plaque was erected in 1948 by Victory Grange No. 1099. Arnold Hargraves, Stanley Hansen, Garland Heyese, Walter O. Lorenze, Walter Thompson and Harold Snyder lost their lives during WWII.

This was a nice teaching moment for my daughters, teaching them about why our freedoms in this great country are so important and worth fighting and dying for. As we live in a temporary time of some restricted freedoms, we should never forget that men and women died so we can preserve our rights and freedoms. While we are willing to voluntarily comply for the safety of ourselves and others, we need to always remember the words of Abraham Lincoln in the Gettysburg Address: “…that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

If you would like to submit your Pandemic Journal about your experiences during this time, please email to editor@masoncountypress.com. Please include a photograph or two.

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