Debbie Gilbert and Larry Baughman put the shine back on the Olde Stone Tavern marker on Poland’s South Main Street.

POLAND — Poland Historical Society members joined in a national effort by cleaning the Ohio historic markers at locations in Poland.

National Historic Marker Day was April 30.

“Poland currently has six historical markers in the village along South Main Street and one at the Little Red Schoolhouse in the township,” Poland Historical Society member Laurie Fox said. “According to the Historical Marker Database, there are more than 138,000 historic markers located across the United States. Many of them have not received any care or maintenance for years.”

The event encouraged groups, such as the historical society, to get involved and help clean the markers and preserve their importance for local history. Because most markers are located next to high traffic roads, they are exposed to road salt and debris. By having an annual cleaning program, corrosion and damage can be prevented.

So, Poland Historical Society members Larry Baughman, Joanne Eiselstein, Laurie and Mike Fox, Debbie Gilbert and Dave Smith set out to clean the markers. They began in the morning April 30 and finished up at the Little Red School House on U.S. Route 224 at Struthers Road in the early afternoon.

“The cleaning will be an annual event taking place on the last Friday of April,” Fox said.

Next year, the society will be adding to its marker list.

Friday, the society will have a ribbon cutting for a new marker to commemorate the Riverside Cemetery Bridge. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

The bridge is a bowstring arch truss bridge fabricated by the Wrought Iron Bridge Co. of North Canton. What makes the bridge so special is its unusual design patented in 1872 by William Rezner of Cleveland. The Poland bridge is the only one of its type in existence in Ohio.