A PLACE OF MEANING — Rodney Wedlake, left, and Jay Ruttencutter are board members of the Motorcyclist Memorial Foundation. Founded in July 1993, the memorial wall holds the names of dedicated motorcyclists who have died or names of those who believe in what bikers stand for. Wedlake noted he has family members listed on the wall, including his mother and father, a brother and his in-laws. He can immediately pinpoint the location of their names on the opposite side of where he stands. The wall is especially meaningful to him, as he ensures its upkeep by visiting the site at least three times a week. -- Julie Stenger

HOPEDALE — Along the quiet backroads in Harrison County lies a powerful tribute.

And yet, it is a tribute which is too-often forgotten.

Many do not even know of its existence.

But for the ones who do … well, they realize the significance of this sacred site.

They understand this is a special place of remembrance.

RESPONSE TO REQUEST — This small maroon sign was erected to show the way drivers should turn to reach the Motorcyclist Memorial in Hopedale. The sign, however, is located off the Hopedale exit, rather than on the highway. Some concerned residents and members of the Motorcyclist Memorial Foundation are hoping a sign can be placed before the exit, as those wanting to visit the site are not given notice. -- Julie Stenger

This is a memorial for a family who is not bound by blood, but one joined by chrome, leather and the thunderous roar of engines.

The Motorcyclist Memorial in Hopedale was built out of love, sorrow and a shared purpose.

The first of its kind in the United States, built in 1993, it has continued to draw visitors from all over the country, as well as from Canada, Mexico and nations throughout the world.

For decades, they would come by the thousands every Memorial Day weekend, the rumble of their engines a living, breathing eulogy.

They are the brothers and sisters of the road, and they are drawn to the black granite walls that stand sentinel behind the American Legion Post 682.

NAMES ADDED LAST TWO YEARS — All of the names listed on this back wall of the Motorcyclists Memorial in Hopedale have been added within the last two years, according to board members of the Motorcyclist Memorial Foundation. To date, there are still six more columns of names to be added to the wall. Names are added twice a year. -- Julie Stenger

Etched into the stone are names — more and more every year — of those who have ridden their final miles.

The ones who gathered here each Memorial Day now gather on the fourth weekend in July for the annual Memorial Weekend Rededication Fundraiser.

It is here this powerful, heartfelt affair takes place. Where new names are added to the wall, and where old friendships are rekindled.

According to Richmond resident Tom Bradley, who served on the board for 27 years, the date was switched from Memorial Day to July due to the weather. He said they had mornings where there would be frost during the event.

Bradley stated thousands of individuals would attend the rededication.

“In the early days, there were not as many names as there are today,” Bradley exclaimed. “There used to be about 2,000 people who came to the rededication for the weekend, which consisted of Friday and Saturday. Campers would stay and the main ceremony would be held at noon on Saturday. We would read all of the names on the wall and add the new names during that weekend.”

The weekend would include a motorcycle rodeo, bands performing music, fireworks and dirt drags, along with food vendors, biker games and the selling of motorcycle T-shirts and accessories.

Bradley explained during the past 15 years, however, word got out and the wall grew. Names continued to be added, and with it, the addition of more panels to the wall.

While the annual ceremony may no longer read every name listed on the wall due to the number of lives engraved, it remains a special time for motorcyclists throughout the country and beyond to join together and remember those who have been lost to the open road.

And within that quiet space, beside the 2-D granite motorcycles, beside the “Walkway of Memories,” a profound love and grief exist.

It is a place where a hand on a cold stone can reconnect a family to a person whose laughter has been gone too long. It is a place where a tear can fall.

A place where a silent conversation can begin again.

And yet, for every soul who finds their way here, there are countless others who speed by, completely oblivious of this sacred space.

Are they too busy? Too preoccupied? Or do they just not know of its existence?

How many motorists become so focused on the road ahead that they fail to see the memorials, the people and the stories which mark our landscape?

They drive past so much but see so little. And too often, they forget to look for what has been hidden just beyond our view.

Such as the Motorcyclists Memorial.

For the thousands who travel to this site each the year, its location can still remain difficult to locate.

And for those who are rushing along U.S. Route 22 in their everyday hurry, that memorial continues to remain invisible.

The memorial is a story awaiting a signpost to show the way.

There is no marker, no sign that has been placed along the highway to bring attention to its existence.

For years, a growing number of community residents, along with members of the memorial board have been advocating for this simple, yet profound solution.

A sign added to the highway would be much more than just a mere road marker informing drivers on which exit to take.

It would be an invitation … an invitation to pause, to remember and to pay respects.

It would be an act of kindness for the grieving families who visit, ensuring that the legacy of their loved ones is not forgotten in the hurried rush through life.

This memorial was built out of love, sorrow and a shared purpose.

It contains countless tributes to fallen riders — a brick walkway inscribed with personal epitaphs and heartfelt messages. These tell a story of community and remembrance.

This is more than just a wall of names. It is a hallowed ground where families find solace and a sense of shared purpose.

And to allow the memorial to remain hidden is to let a beautiful, difficult piece of human experience become lost in the noise.

A road sign is not a grand gesture. But it would be a small miracle for these community residents. A sign would be a way to help people find their way to a place where they can stop, breathe and know that in this small corner of Hopedale, a silent, beautiful promise is being kept.

And isn’t that what everyone hopes for in the end? To be remembered? To have their story told, even after we are gone?

It would let every driver on that busy highway know that just a short distance away lies a place of deep meaning. A place where the roar of the engines is replaced by quiet reflection.

Members of the community have a chance to show visitors, as well as each other, that the sacrifices of these riders are remembered, honored and respected.

Officials with the memorial said this doesn’t need to be a complex issue, but it is one that should not get lost in red tape or forgotten about in a meeting.

Board member Randy Wedlake is one of the community residents working to get a sign placed on the highway prior to the Hopedale exit. It has been a mission for some people for the last 10 to 15 years, he explained.

For visitors who do not already know where the wall is located, discovering it can be more than a minor inconvenience.

For some, it can become a frustrating and time-consuming search.

Wedlake stated there is no signage or any type of visible marker indicating where the memorial is on the highway.

Unless one has a purpose for visiting, they are completely unaware of how to get there. First-time visitors have routinely circled the grounds and retraced their steps before discovering the site. While signs can be found after motorists have gotten off the exit, travelers going beyond the speed limit can easily miss its exit.

Westbound drivers who fail to take the Hopedale exit must now travel six additional miles to the Cadiz exit before there is a place to turn around.

This detour adds another 12 miles to their trip. Eastbound motorists who miss the exit face an extra seven miles and must turn around at the Bloomingdale exit — a detour totaling 14 miles out of their way.

When a sign was requested through the Ohio Department of Transportation, it was noted they would not place a sign on U.S. Route 22.

A small maroon sign was added off of the Hopedale Exit, indicating drivers should turn left at the stop sign. However, board members and community residents want to see the sign placed on the highway, not off the exit.

Lauren Borell, public information officer and legislative liaison for ODOT’s District 11, explained a call was placed by a representative for the Motorcyclists Memorial inquiring about a highway sign. She noted this is a “limited access highway” and signage for a specific location can not be placed along Route 22.

Borell said she referred the caller to a third-party company that handles Ohio logos.

“There are certain restrictions we have to follow,” Borell added, noting she would have loved to have been able to help, adding even her deputy director loves the Motorcyclists Memorial Foundation’s mission and is a huge motorcycle fan. However, guidelines have to be followed.

Board members were informed about the Ohio Logos website and asked to apply.

Kevin McDermott, general manager for Ohio Logos, said once an application has been submitted online, “a field review of the memorial would need to be done and where they wish to have signs placed to determine if they qualify for signs.”

The foundation is run by volunteers who have poured their hearts into creating and maintaining this sanctuary.

The memorial is maintained by hands which have felt the sting of loss, along with the warmth of its community.

This isn’t just a monument, it’s a living tribute, sustained by a commitment that runs deeper than any paved road, officials said.

Behind this sanctuary of memory is the Motorcyclists Memorial Foundation, and at its heart, a dedicated board whose devotion is measured in footsteps and quiet, consistent labor. As a volunteer nonprofit, the memorial thrives not on grand gestures but on the tireless efforts of these individuals.

Wedlake says he visits the site at least three times a week.

He is among the keepers of this sacred space, meticulously mowing the grass, raking leaves, restocking the box of pamphlets inside the gazebo, anything that needs to be done.

Their labor is not just about maintenance. It’s about care. It is an act of respect for those whose names grace the granite walls and for the families who come to remember them.

Many visitors, including the elderly, make the journey to Hopedale to honor a loved one. For this reason, the board added a small pavilion area where visitors can sit and rest in the shade while paying their respects.

The simple addition of a road sign would do more than just direct traffic, they said. It would acknowledge the significance of this site to the larger community.

This is more than just a wall of names.

It is a project that was born out of commitment. Ensuring that its presence is known is a vital next step. This is about a community coming together to do what is right and making sure that everyone who seeks this place of remembrance can find it.

Some things are worth slowing down for, and some stories are too important to be kept hidden … in plain sight.

For information, visit the Motorcyclists Memorial Facebook page or its website at motorcyclistmemorialfoundation.com.

The memorial is 100 percent funded through the annual Memorial Weekend Rededication Fundraiser and Donations. The MMF is a 501 (c)(3).

Donations can be mailed to: Motorcyclist Memorial Foundation, P.O. Box 2573, Wintersville, OH 43953 or through the secure website.