State Route 78 designation will be recognized at ceremony

NELSONVILLE — The John S. Townsend Camp 108 of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War will conduct a special dedication ceremony at 7 p.m. May 30 at the Military Museum 229, 11 September St., Nelsonville.

This ceremony will recognize the designation of State Route 78 as the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry Highway. There are now two signs in each of the counties that this highway passes through indicating this designation.

State Route 78 passes through a number of counties from which men in the 78th Ohio were recruited. Starting in Nelsonville, it passes through Morgan, Noble and Monroe counties. It also comes close to Muskingum, where much of the 78th officer corps was recruited. The number coincidence may not be a coincidence, as Civil War veterans were still alive when Ohio highways were given numerical designations.

The program will include remarks by several local dignitaries, a presentation of a brief history of the 78th OVVI; visits by the way of SUVCW “time machine” from Sen. John Sherman, brother of Gen. W. T. Sherman, and Capt. Joseph McCoy, 13th West Virginia Infantry; and Civil War music performed by Steve Ball, who in addition to his “musician’s hat,” will be representing the SUVCW Department of Ohio as the senior vice commander.

After the presentation is over, attendees will be invited to have a guided tour of the museum. The tour will be conducted by Ray Baker, museum director.

This dedication is scheduled for May 30, which was the official Memorial Day as recognized by the Grand Army of the Republic, and is still recognized as such by the SUVCW.