MOUNT VERNON — “An American Success Story in Fredericktown, Ohio” will be the topic for the Wednesday meeting of the Knox County Historical Society, at 7:30 p.m. at the museum, 875 Harcourt Road.
As the subtitle to the recently published history of the Kokosing Construction Co. suggests, it is the story of how “two men turned work into jobs, so that they could feed their families. Others joined them along the way, turning it into Ohio’s largest construction contractor and one of the construction industry leaders in the United States of America.”
It is also the story of founder Bill Burgett, who, with the help of many mentors, friends and family members, grew the company over a 60-year period into a workforce that now provides jobs for nearly 2,500 people. From its early days of building and remodeling houses, barns, churches and schools, Kokosing today builds interstate highways, bridges, stadiums, parking garages, and manufacturing and marine facilities.
The illustrated program will be presented by James Fox, who worked closely with the book’s author, Glenn Myers, in gathering photos and related information for the 60-year history of Kokosing Construction. The program is free and open to the public, and all persons interested in local history are invited to attend. For more information, call the museum at 740-393-5247.
Published on June 5, 2012
