One of Ohio's 5 Largest Glacial Erratics to Be General William S. Rosecrans Statue Base

Glacial boulder to be used as the base for the General William Starke Rosecrans Statue to be erected on Sunbury Square was moved into position on  July 25, 2012.   Also shown in the photo is the Town Hall to the left and the Myers Inn Museum which faces the public square at the far right.

An anonymous donor gave the boulder to the statue project in 2010 with the condition it be moved from the donor’s property quickly so it would not interfere with the sale of the property.

Stacy Wills of Eitels Towing and men from the Rosecrans Headquarters and the Big Walnut Area Historical Society moved the boulder to a temporary location on Tom Paul’s property.  The statue committee continued to raise funds and worked on the brick walkway to the statue.  Wednesday morning, July 25, it was brought to Sunbury by Eitels Towing and placed on the prepared base by Eastland Crane.  See photos

BWAHS member and geologist Chuck Grapes researched the boulder and determined the boulder is an igneous rock and formed from ancient volcanic magma probably more than 2.5 billion years ago.  “I would describe the rock type as a gabbroic anorthosite.  It is very similar to the rocks brought back from the moon by our astronauts during the Apollo Space Program,” noted Grapes.

The boulder was brought from northern Ontario to central Ohio during the Wisconsin glacial period which occurred approximately 110,000 to 10,000 years ago.  As the glacial ice melted the boulder was dropped in place at the surface. Geologists call these rocks glacial drop stones or glacial erratics. 

Eastland Crane operator Jim Bushman weighed the boulder stated it is 40,000 pounds or 20-tons, which easily places it in the top five largest glacial erratics found in the state.  The largest glacial erratic found in Ohio is located just east of Sunbury off Hartford Road.  Learn more

“Of fine museum quality, the boulder is comparable to the glacial erratic located in front of the geology museum at Orton Hall on the OSU campus,” commented Grapes.

The completed bronze equestrian statue of General Rosecrans will be mounted on top of the boulder.  A plaque will be on the north face of the boulder.

Over $10,000 in commemorative bricks have been sold for the walkway to the statue.  These engraved bricks have been stored waiting for the boulder to be positioned.  There is still plenty of time for people to purchase additional bricks to honor their family or loved ones.  There is also a list of all the Civil War vets buried in Delaware County on the website.  The V.F.W. suggested each of these veterans should have a brick in the walkway.

Alan Cottrill of Zanesville will sculpt the statue which will be one and a third times as tall as life size.

Of the estimated $173,000 for the statue and walkway only $72,500 is left to be raised when the boulder was placed on the square.  Donations to the statue are made through the Big Walnut Area Historical Society which is a 501(c)(3)organization so the donations are tax deductible.  Information about the bricks is available in the brochure holder at the statue site and in the Myers Inn Museum which is open 12-3 Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays, and 10-3 on Saturdays. To learn more about the Rosecrans' Statue.

(09/05/2012)