Not too many people have heard of the tiny village I come from, but there are some fascinating qualities about it. The small town of Barnesville, Ohio is right in between Wheeling, West Virginia and Zanesville, Ohio. The most excitement in the town is shown on Friday nights for the Barnesville Shamrock football games. It is astounding how much support this high school football team receives from such a small town. I cheered them on from the sidelines all four years of high school.

The sheer beauty of the town founded in 1808 sometimes goes unappreciated. The buildings have so much history and significance to them. There are also areas where brick roads still exist, which fascinates me. Brick roads are part of the reason I chose Ohio University as my college. They hold so much history and beauty in them.

Although the town seems fairly insignificant to most, it actually attracts people from all over the state, even country, during the last full weekend in September. Local people work hard year-long to prepare their gardens for the annual Barnesville Pumpkin Festival. During this festival, pumpkins are weighed to determine who grew the heaviest pumpkin, which is then crowned the King Pumpkin. In 2017, the record was broken with 2,150 pounds. There are also competitions for heaviest watermelon, gourd, sunflower, and more. Part of the main streets of town are shut down to set up food stands, rides, and other attractions. The coolest fact about this festival, in my opinion, is that my great-grandfather, Vernon Burkhart, founded it in 1964.

It is important to appreciate, and certainly never forget hometown roots. I am incredibly proud to have been raised in a town with so much history and love for one another.