Historic, Homegrown and Handmade: Developing the Hawpatch Trail Brand

OLG partnered with LaGrange County Trails and LaGrange County Community Foundation to develop and launch the Hawpatch Trail brand through our Soul Sessions Workshops, one of our signature brand development services. With Brand Champions representing key stakeholders throughout the community, we facilitated three Soul Sessions Workshops to uncover the story, values and identity behind this exciting community initiative.

Together, we established a brand platform, manifesto and visual identity for the Hawpatch Trail. We used those foundation pieces to build out additional elements, including a case statement to support fundraising efforts and a marketing and communications plan to inform the public about the trail and its many benefits to the community.

The logo design leans into the uniqueness of the name “Hawpatch.” The word has a natural symmetry, and by incorporating subtle arrow forms into the H’s, the design reflects the trail’s purpose while allowing the name to function as a wayfinding element. The long, horizontal form of the mark also mirrors the trail itself—stretching left to right, east to west in a straight, continuous path.

Thank you, LaGrange County Trails and LaGrange County Community Foundation, for partnering with OLG and allowing us to help you launch the Hawpatch Trail!

About the Hawpatch Trail

Built upon one of LaGrange County’s historic rail lines, the 17-mile Hawpatch Trail will connect Wolcottville, Topeka, Millersburg and beyond. For many residents, particularly the Amish community in LaGrange County, biking is their primary mode of transportation. The Hawpatch Trail will get adults and children off the main roads and onto a safe, dedicated path for recreation and commuting to work and school. As the trail expands to connect with routes in Noble and Elkhart counties, it will open new opportunities for health, recreation and regional growth for residents and visitors alike.