The interest in the Moving Wall replica of the Vietnam War Memorial has grown to the extent that organizers have changed the route of the caravan bringing it in to Ironton.

Now the wall will come in through the north end of the city starting at the Hanging Rock exit.

“We had calls from businesses wanting to see it,” Ted Riedel, organizer of the event, said.

The Moving Wall will be one of the features of this weekend’s Rally on the River. It will be displayed along with the Ohio Flags of Honor at the Ironton Hills Shopping Center from Thursday through Sunday.

“It is half the size of the one in D.C. and has everything about it as the one in D.C.,” Riedel said.

At 9 a.m. Thursday, bikers from as far away as Columbus and Cleveland, along with local groups such as the Patriot Guard and Bikers for Christ, will meet at the Best Western in Russell, Ky. They will escort the wall along U.S. 23 to the Greenup Dam where the caravan will cross the Jesse Stuart Bridge coming into Lawrence County on U.S. 52. Then the bikers will take the Hanging Rock exit turning onto North Second Street to Park Avenue up to Ironton Hills.

Then volunteers will spend the next four hours assembling the wall. At 7 p.m. will be the opening ceremony where two Vietnam War veterans, Charles Meadows and Jim Delong, will speak. Also on the program will be VFW Post 8850’s honor guard, Mayor Rich Blankenship and Lawrence County Commissioner Bill Pratt.

“We have two bagpipers coming in,” Riedel said. “Anyone wants to volunteer to erect wall, can be at Ironton Hills at 10.”

Approximately $7,000 is needed for this event, including the base for the wall, lumber for the platform and the hotel costs for those who travel with the wall.

Donations can be mailed to the American Legion Post 433, P.O. Box 377, Ironton, OH 45638.