Stoystown held a “hometown heroes” event Saturday, dedicating 49 banners of past and present veterans of the community.

The local historical society behind it says preserving the stories of these small-town heroes is vital.

“We didn’t know a lot about some of these people until we did this,” said David Fox, President of Stoystown Area Historical Society. “Their family members came and brought a photo into us and gave us some information.”

Fox said they want to preserve the past and make it known to the future.

The banners will be up through Veteran's Day and then be put back up again around Memorial Day. Fox said another dozen or so will also be added throughout the year as they're learning about more local vets.