SUMMER(S) FARE: T'was hotter than heck last Saturday when I caught local resident, William Summers, sitting in the refreshment tent at Historic Vermilion Inc's Summer Fare cookout on Main Street in front of the Marine Museum. Extreme weather tends to put a damper on events - and this weather was extreme. T'were very near 100 degrees. And there wasn't much of a breeze. But there really was a nice crowd in attendance.
While looking over some of the articles the Great Lakes Historical Society had in their tents next to the museum I overheard some fellow in a cowboy hat telling some folks, "In Alabama we'd call this a cold front."
And so it goes...
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL: These chairs were grouped below the GLHS Museum next to the street during the aforementioned event. They make a nice photo.
I don't know who the artist is - but they're very pretty chairs. Some are Vermilion scenes. One was a wheelchair (a rather novel idea). But I don't know how practical these chairs might be. They're almost too nice to sit on.
My taste in lawn chairs runs to aluminium re-webbed chairs that fold. Lawn furniture that makes a statement is something I find rather baffling.
1950's NASCAR: Someday I'm going to gather a bunch of photographs such as these and put them on display somewhere. This was the NASCAR of my childhood at a track in Indiana.
The track, of course, was some farmer's field. The most recognizable person in this pic is Bill Seals. And the cars were from the 1930's.
This was the time of my oldest brother, Billie - and these were some of his friends. I do recall that he had one of these vehicles in the old garage that used to sit behind The Vermilion News office on Grand Street (behind the old Congregational Church).
I can also remember when he used to drive that old car (it was old to me). I have a very vivid recollection of him taking me out to the barn where he and my sister, Nancy, kept their horses on East Darrow Road in that car. I also remember a day when he left me in the car at the top of Coopers Hollow (along Gore Orphanage Road) while he went down into the hollow looking for some of his friends who were riding there. I must have been about 5 years old, and I was afraid that the Indians were going to come and take me whilst he was gone.
They never did.
But this was the NASCAR of the 1950's. I dont think there was anything more thrilling than to go to the tracks at Lorain or Sandusky and watch those races. Some of those cars would actually fly up into mid-air, crash, and the drivers would walk away. I don't recall that they had any of the safety equipment they now have. But the cars were well-built, and they didn't going nearly as fast.
THE "PICKLEWORKS": South Shore Packing; "the biggest pickle-packing plant in the United States of America". I always found S.L. Appleman's and Sam Yonovitz's olive/pickle-packing plant to be a pleasant place. It was almost like the dairy - where workers always wore gloves and hats whilst they worked. But I also understood it was a tough business where people worked hard and long for very meager wages. More than anything else I enjoyed the odor.
It wasn't like the Basic Foods company in the old State Street School where the aroma of the spices could often be quite powerful, and cause one's stomach to roil. The smells from the "pickleworks" was much less oppressive.
Originally, this building on the southwest corner of West River Road and South Street was built for the Dall Brothers Motor Company. This is the same Dall that has the Ford Dealership in Elyria, Ohio. While in Vermilion they sold Overland vehicles.
Today the building is occupied by a boat sales/fishing tackle business.
LSE CAR #64: From LSE historians, Dennis Lamont and Albert Doane, comes this very unusual photograph of the 1903 Brill Lake Shore Electric Car #64 abandoned on the hill across the river from McGarvey's Restaurant. I've not a clue as to how they know this is car #64 - but they do know their stuff - so I'll take their word on it.
I don't believe this is the same car that "Smitty" used as a bait store just down the hill by the river, and I don't know the fate of this car.
I can't say for sure, but I believe that one of these cars was also used to house a diner where the former Vermilion Post Office sits today. (Those things sit in my memory in a very vague twilit place.) But then again, this car might just have been scrapped.
This is a very rare photograph. Somewhere I may have an aerial view of this car as well.
JUST ACROSS THE RIVER: Just across the river from the previous scene was this sight/site; "Charlie" McGarvey's boat drive-in restaurant. It is very visible in the other photograph. There must be thousands of these particular pictures in circulation. But be that as it is I note that pix similar to this are being sold at auction on eBay for obscene amounts of money. I would be very remiss if I didn't tell folks (again) that these photo copies are only worth the value of the paper upon which they are printed.
I note that a postcard picture of Foster's Boathouse just sold for $80.00 in that forum. I know not who paid that kind of money for that card but...I would gladly sell them a bridge over the Vermilion River for $100.
WHAT'S A FOOT: Family day at Linwood Park, when a car load is $20. is now extended to Mondays through Thursdays June through August.
Also, visit (or re-visit) the Hope Children's Home site linked below because there are some additions there that you might find interesting.
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.
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 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.There are some new pix on that site now (7-2-05).
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 15, July 2, 2005
© 2005 Rich Tarrant