Ask locals to name a place that symbolizes LaGrange, and chances are they’ll pick Lafayette Square, the scenic heart of our beautiful downtown.

But what if you ask a longtime resident to name a venue that unites and defines our community? A good answer would be Callaway Stadium.

As a place where people from all over Troup County have come together over decades for memorable events, no single site without a steeple compares. People of all ages, from all walks of life and all sections of Troup County sit shoulder to shoulder in the venerable stadium - and ofttimes go home with memories that will never fade.

The start of this year’s football season marks the 50th anniversary of the stadium, and though fans of two of three local high school teams were disappointed with the outcome of their first games, Callaway Stadium certainly did its part. The facility, in fact, is in better-than-new shape, thanks to the addition of artificial turf in 2005 and a jumbo scoreboard last year.(We won’t belabor the point, but with a deluge half an hour before the LaGrange-Newnan contest on Thursday and buckets more rain on Friday, prior to the Callaway/Troup game, a regular turf field would have been muddied and chewed up beyond recovery just one week into the season.)

The demands on the stadium have grown in recent years, first with the addition of Callaway High School, then when LaGrange College launched its football program. Our fine high school soccer teams also play home games there. More stadium improvements are planned, including renovations that will flip the home side to the opposite side of the field and expand restroom, dressing room and press box facilities. It’s fair to say that Callaway Stadium will remain a center of attention - and not just for sports.

Many memories of Callaway Stadium come from special events. Hundreds of local students picked up their high school diplomas at commencement rites there. Signal moments in the community - including the Georgia Special Olympics and Dixie World Series opening ceremonies - have taken place there.

The stadium is aptly named. Among an array of wonderful gifts the Callaway philathropies have given this community, the stadium stands tall. The Troup County school system, LaGrange College, and Troup Parks and Recreation Department, along with LaGrange and Troup County governments, have done their part, too.

As it begins its second half century, Callaway Stadium is already considered hallowed ground.

May it enrich and enliven community life here for decades to come.