Butler city officials are attempting to cement the city's place in World War II heritage history.

Butler council voted Thursday to submit a letter of support for the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau in nominating the city as a World War II Heritage City with the National Park Service.

Jack Cohen, president of the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau, said the city's impact on WWII comes from the invention of the Jeep.

“It absolutely mechanized the Army, and it helped them get around,” Cohen said of the Jeep. “Before it, they had to get around on horse-drawn buggies.”

According to the NPS' website, the highest locally elected official must nominate their community by submitting a cover letter detailing a city's contribution to WWII efforts. A municipality must also have efforts in place preserving its WWII history, the website criteria says.

Cohen referenced the words of President Dwight Eisenhower, who said the Jeep was one of the main tools that helped the Allies win the war. He said a designation like this would be an achievement for Butler.

“When we heard about it, we had our writers put something together,” Cohen said. “How could we not be proud of the Jeep?”

The staff of the tourism and convention bureau is preparing a submission letter for the National Park Service, which is accepting heritage city nominations until Aug. 31.

Also at the meeting, council approved motions to advertise for the resurfacing of the park's pickleball court, and the rebuilding and restoration of the Ritts Park Memorial within the park. Portions of both projects are also funded by a Department of Community and Economic Development Greenways, Trails and Recreation Grant.

Councilman Jeff Smith said during the meeting that Ritts' pickleball courts have been popular, and dozens of people play weekly. The resurfacing project will add even more courts to the park.

“There is a really large pickleball population in the city,” he said. “With this, we'll probably end up with seven or eight total (courts) when it's all done.”