Giant Checkerboard in Washington Park

In the 1930s and 1940s, a giant checkerboard was located in Washington Park, close to where the red popcorn wagon now is situated. According to an article in the May 11, 1964 issue of the Sandusky Register, the checkerboard was erected through the efforts of Bernard McGory, when he was the president of the National Checkers Association. The facility was popular with both local and residents and tourists visiting Sandusky. The checkerboard was constructed out of concrete, and the squares were about twelve inches square. The checkers, also made from concrete, had a metal loop on the top, and players used a hook to move the checkers. When John Glenn, Sr., father of the astronaut, visited Sandusky in March of 1964, he was sad to learn that the giant checkerboard had been dismantled several years ago.