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State Park Dedicated To Jesse Owens
By: Associated Press, Jo Ingles | Statehouse News Bureau
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Ohio Gov. John Kasich dedicated a new state park and wildlife area named for Olympic great Jesse Owens.
Jesse Owens is widely regarded as one of the most talented track and field athletes in history. He already has facilities at the Ohio State University named after him. That’s where he was a standout in the school’s track and field program before becoming a four-time gold medalist in the 1936 Olympics.
The 13,000 acre area that will be named after Owens spans parts of Guernsey, Morgan, Muskingum and Noble counties. The new park was created after the Ohio Department of Natural Resources struck a deal last year with American Electric Power to buy a large portion of a 60,000-acre parcel of reclaimed strip mining land.
The governor had dedication events in Columbus at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium and later in the day at Miner’s Memorial Park in McConnelsville.