IT'S BACK: Well the clock [face] is finally back. It's been gone since sometime last fall. I don't know whether tis new or repaired - but it's back. Exchange/Rubberneck Park seemed naked without it.
This picture was taken Thursday [3-31-05]. It does not look like this today. Not by a long stretch. Today is grey, windy, rainy and snowy. Truly an early spring day - where above the wind the birds can still be heard [as this is writ].
This week the finished touches are being done on the park and the corner of Liberty and Main Streets. New light poles have been erected on all four corners, and new concrete crossings from each curb are being laid. When spring finally springs pictures of the improved park will appear here.
BROWNHELM STORE: Brownhelm resident/historian, Bill Cutcher, sent this photograph along several weeks ago. As folks may know Bill and his wife, Bonnie, owned and operated the Brownhelm Store for many many years. [Not, however, when this photo was captured.]
I am presently unfamiliar with all the history of the operation so I can't do much more than present the photo at this time and say, "Wow! This is a wonderful picture!
It is about the turn of the 20th century. I believe the boys in the portrait are playing ball. I also believe that Bill mentioned that the store burned sometime after this picture was taken. I don't know that it was completely destroyed - but the building was damaged some.
A great picture...
BERLINVILLE REVISITED: Last week a similar picture of Berlinville appeared here. After seeing that pic Dennis Lamont, electric historian from the Birmingham area, passed along this photo showing the electric tracks passing just west of Berlinville along the highway.
One of the very striking things I note about this particular photo is that the highway is paved. Though this may seem to be insignificant - it is not.
What this fact (i.e. the paved road) signals is that the end of the electric road was near. Automobiles were replacing the need for electric transport, and it wasn't long before the electric lines were dismantled, and became history.
My friend, Larry Howell, told me that a relative owned some land in this area, and when he was a youngster he can remember walking the path of the old electric line and seeing the rail ties still in the ground.
NATE: This was just too irresistible. This is one of my younger sisters sitting on the back bumper of a very very shiny auto in the driveway just south of the Vermilion News office just a few years ago.
My interpretation of the photo is that it was probably Easter. If not it had to be a Sunday photo taken sometime in the very late 1930's or early '40's. Her name is Nancy Alice Tarrant Emery.
This picture came to me via Texas from our cousin, David Lindsay.
Dave has passed along several family photographs that have some relevance beyond the fact that they are family pictures. This is but one of them.
I've no idea about the identity of the photographer, but this is one of those pictures that has an artistic quality about it. I would compare it to the picture that appeared on this page of the movie actress, Dorothy Granger, taken when she was a child in New London, Ohio. There's just something rather pleasing about the photo whether one knows anything about it or not.
TOUCHDOWN: On August 12/13 1943 a tornado touched down in Vermilion Township. When I went to look for information about the storm in the micro-files of The Vermilion News at Vermilion's Ritter Library I found that the files for the months of June through December of 1943 are missing. If memory serves me well I believe that similar files are missing from 1942 also. I have no explanation for this. So - it is my intent to go to the Lorain Public Library and take a look at the Lorain newspaper files for that time period. I'm certain that the story will appear in those files.
In the meantime Glenn Risdon's daughter, Alice Stukey, let me borrow photos she has pertaining to this incident. I don't fully comprehend all that I've seen thus far - but what else is new?
If I read this correctly this is a photo of the Krapp farm just west of Vermilion [across from what is now Sherod Park]. Today a brick home stands here (formerly the Bauman home). I am told that Mrs. Bauman was a Krapp.
I believe that one of the Krapp women died in this storm.
According to Alice's pictures the storm also struck the Sherod home (the pix are in the collection) and the Risdon farm on Risdon Road. There was some significant rain with the storm producing some flooding of local streams.
Some weeks back I published photographs taken by my grandfather, Pearl Roscoe, and local photographer, Rudy Moc, showing the damage done by this tornado to Maple Grove Cemetery. At the time I had no idea as to the other damage caused in the area.
Some of Alice's photos are Rudy Moc pix. When I finally nail down the entire story I'll bring it to you here and in the Vermilion Photojournal.
BIG ED: Finally I've produced a picture of "Big Ed" Lampe I like. Lampe is, of course, someone who interests me (and some others) a great deal. I've been writing about the gentleman for several years and would like to finish the story...except...I don't have an ending.
It's not that I don't know when and where he died or where he is buried. It's not that I don't know much about him. However; what I really need to know is what (exactly) happened to his boats; the Grandon and the Peerless. It's very important information because it is the crecendo (if you will) of the life of a lengendary figure. Captain Lampe is worthy of a good ending to his tale - and I don't want to fabricate it because I know it is there.
Below you see a promo for a book I've written that will reach publication, perhaps, in June. I really wanted to have the "Masters" story in that book, but I could never find the ending. Hopefully, I will be able to do one more book in the next year. And in that, his story will be the centerpiece.
CLASS REUNION UPDATES:
Ray Beursken tells me that the VHS class of 1955 has scheduled their 50th class reunion on September 10, 2005 at the Boat Club. Class members of 1955 should put this date on their calendar. They're hoping for a good turnout.
Bruce Eldridge tells me that he and John Hunter just secured the Amvets hall for their 45th 60,61 & 62 class reunion. The reunion will be Sat. July 22, 2006. John Hunter, class of 1960, will be starting a web site in May or June of 2005. Bob Wolford, class of 1961, will be sending out a letter to all the classmates who attended our 40th class reunion asking them to update their E-Mail and help find other classmates.
A gal named Shelly from the Class of 1985 tells me that "the VHS class of 1985 will be having a 20 year reunion in the summer of 2005......no further details. The name of the organizer is Kim Schultz."
From Roger Boughton comes the following note: Thanks to Gail Lyon and Pat and Glenn Owen we have some additional pictures of our reunion held last October. Take a visit to our website and see what's new. Memories of this October are only a click away. Enjoy and remember.....if you send pictures we'll share with others on our website. Mary Ann is busy writing stories for her Virginia paper. You'll want to visit the site and read her thoughts on Liberty. Keep the pictures coming as classmates who were not able to attend are enjoying seeing "old" school mates. Also, you might want to send us news from and about your family and we'll include it on our web site. Our survey clearly indicated that most wanted our reunion held in Vermilion in 2009. Thus, we'll be celebrating our "special" occasion (50th Reunion) in September of 2009. Put it on your calendar and plan to join the fun. Remember our web site is located at: Class of '59 and I'll update it as as I receive enough new pictures and information from our classmates to make it worth reading. So send me any information that you would like to share with other classmates and we'll put it up for all to see and view.
I've visited Roger's website and it's fun.
Persons interested in having their VHS (and vicinity) reunion plans posted on this site are welcome to do so. I can't provide anyone with webpages to post their activities in depth, but I can provide a link to existing pages and/or post some activity items here. All anyone need do is contact me at my email address and pass along their material electronically.
I should add that some of the people who are noted in this part of the page are good resource folks for all types of information if one should be looking for some long lost friend. I won't give out contact information unless I have permission from those named, but I will contact them on your behalf if you desire.
As news regarding VHS reunion activities comes to my attention it will appear on this web page. There's not much going on right this moment, but stay tuned folks.
The Beat Goes On: The page is generated by the dreaded Macintosh Computer and is written and designed by (me) Rich Tarrant. It will change weekly ~ usually on Saturday. Bookmark the URL (Universal Resource Locater) and come back at your own leisure. Send the page to your friends (and enemies if you wish). If you have something to share with those who visit this page, pass it on. And if you see something that is in need of correction do the same. My sister, Nancy, is a great help in that respect. It only takes me a week to get things right. And follow the bookmarks. You might find something you like. If you experience a problem with them let me know. Also, if you want to see past editions of this eZine check the new archives links below.
Links to other sites on the Web
Vol.3, Issue 2, April 2, 2005
© 2005 Rich Tarrant