History is fragile.

Not long ago, an email arrived asking if we would be interested in hand-painted signs. The owner was clearing out storage and didn’t want to carry the signs to the landfill, if we thought they mattered.

They did matter.

Those signs became the rescued legacy of Albert Kemper Long (1905–1989), a Purple Heart veteran who poured his life into children, community, and country.

Without children of their own, Long and his wife ran a recreation center and later built a small park—carousel, train ride, candy concessions, picnic tables—all offered to their Ridgeville neighbors for free. His home, community center, and park are long gone now. Without support from people like you, his story would be little more than a name on a road and relocated ballfields.

History is fragile. Stories disappear unless someone recognizes their value before they are lost. Saving local stories is Rocktown History’s mission—and you make it possible.

Join our family of history friends: Sign up for emails. Follow our social media. Share with your friends.
And please, donate today. The orange button at the top of the page is waiting to help you.