Each one now features bronze plaques honoring 75 remarkable people from Owego and Tioga County—authors, artists, innovators, and changemakers who made their mark before the year 2000. The plaques include a QR code so you can dive deeper, with short bios and images right on your phone. It’s like a walkable, living history exhibit.
This project was truly a labor of love, with Rotarians spending about three years researching and gathering the stories behind these local legends, with the help of local history lovers. You’ll spot names like William Henry Bartlett, Edwin Booth, Harriet Comstock, Belva Lockwood, Esther McQuigg Morris, John D. Rockefeller, Emma Sedore, and Adam Weitsman—just to name a few.
Right in the middle of the columns, Rotary added a “soapbox” platform—yes, an actual spot to stand up and share your ideas with the world. Think of it as Owego’s own version of Hyde Park, where anyone can step up and be heard.
Whether you’re a poet, a dreamer, a future leader—or just someone with something to say—we hope you’ll give it a try.
Stop by, take a walk through history, and maybe… take the stage.
For more info: CLICK HERE
