MAIN STREET BEACH: I took a number of pix whilst at the Riverwalk Rib Cookout at the foot of Main Street last Saturday. This one shows the band getting ready to entertain folks while they eat their ribs and enjoy ice cream provided by the Friends of the Ritter Public Library.
I found it somewhat amusing that they band opened with the National Anthem. It just seemed a bit obtuse to play the anthem during a sit-down dinner. But...
Shortly after I captured these shadows the rains finally came. And it did rain hard.
Vermilion expatriots may not know that it hadn't really rained in the area since sometime in June. (I didn't need to mow the lawn for 2 weeks - everything was turning brown.) So the moisture was appreciated. The Riverwalk sponsors did have some tents for diners so the event wasn't an extreme travesty. The weather, for most of the day, was quite pleasant.
One interesting story concerns a young fellow I met during the fest. He and his wife recently (i.e. with the last few years) purchased the old Buell/Andress brick home on Main Street (just a few hundred feet south of the place where this pic was taken). They couple is from Maryland (they are natives of New York State). He told me that his wife found the home on the internet, took a virtual tour, and decided to buy it. He didn't actually visit the home until the deal was about to close.
Now my question, naturally enough, was/is "Why?" The answer was that the couple simply didn't like the neighborhood they were living in in Maryland.
Well, okay. What more can I say?
BEULAH BEACH INST: I've got access to a few more pix of Beulah Beach, but this one simply appealed to me because it is pretty. This is one of the rare few growing beach and religious communties in our region.
I was surprised during the week while working on the microfilm viewer at the library when former Vermilionite and summer Beulah Beach resident, Steve Armstrong, stopped and said hello. He saw my car (with license MR1CKR) in the parking lot so he knew I was in the library somewhere. Steve grew up in this community.
In a related matter it was not until just recently [through this page and the Vermilion Archival Society] that I became aware of Dorothy Koontz's ties to this community.
This, along with places like Linwood Park, and the Olympic Club, is one of the very nicest places on Lake Erie in Ohio.
ROGER: I've had this photograph for quite awhile and didn't know exactly where or when I was going to apply it.
This, of course, is local resident Roger (Bachman). Now it is my firm belief that all towns should have character and
that all towns need have, whether they like it or not, characters.
Roger is one of our town's characters. The word nonplussed may best describe him. He is not stupid. He is simply a person who marches to the beat of a different drummer. His greatest talents are his insights as to what exactly is going on in Vermilion, Ohio. I don't mean politically, or even socially. It is surprising just how much ground a fellow on a bicycle can cover in a little town. His perceptions can be exceptionally valid and are often, extremely, pleasantly, and sometimes unpleasantly candid. Depending on which side of those perceptions one is standing they can be viewed as being very innocent. Something like the perception of the little boy in the old story of the Emperor's New Clothes.
THE SMITH: While visiting the old files of the first issues of The Vermilion News I stumbled across this advertisement. Jerius I. Howell is a well known personage in Vermilion's past. His photo has appeared in past issues of "Views". What is news (to me) here is the location of his shop.
In this particular ad the shop seems to be located east of the Lake House (later the Maud-Elton Hotel) when it sat on the southeast corner of Liberty and Division (Main) Streets. It says that the shop is on Water Street.
My assumption is that that Water Street must have been a bit further east of Exchange Street, and is likely the little alley/street between what we know today as the Sunoco Gas Station and the Cargo Warehouse. That's a guess of course.
I'm fairly sure that some time later Mr. Howell had a shop on the west side of Main Street near the corner of Ferry Street.
This old location is as I have indicated, however, "news" to me. I'd really like to have a map of Vermilion proper as it appeared in 1900. I do believe that something of this nature will require the services of a good artist and a group of interested historically minded citizens.
PHOEBE CONTINUED: This is another photograph of Phoebe and Holden Judson I received from Mary Michaelson, Assistant Curator of the Lynden, Washington Pioneer Museum a few weeks ago. This photo was taken on the couple's 50th wedding anniversary on June 20, 1899 just before Holden died. This is the photo I used in a Vermilion Photojournal article about the Judsons, and it is also that which appeared in the original copy of Phoebe's book A Pioneers Search For An Ideal Home.
As time passes the more interest I have in both Phoebe and Holden. My communications with folks in Washington State have proven to be very interesting.
Phoebe's brother, William met an untimely death in a flash flood when he had been in Washington State for but a short time. William was married to a Vermilion girl named Anna Maria Pelton. Anna and William had three children. After William died she returned to Vermilion (by boat). She never remarried and died in Lorain in 1902.
Mary's father was Slyvester Pelton. Sylvester was Lester A. Pelton's uncle. Lester Pelton's story can be found at the following link: The Lester Pelton Story. Mary's mother was Eunice Sturges. Eunice was the daughter of Vermilion's Pioneer Woman; Charlotte Sturges.
I also note that Anna's parents lived in the house now owned by Jim and Kathy Weber. It is the house on the lake on the curve where Decatur Street meets Huron Street on the north end of town.
This is great stuff folks - just great!
ENGELBRY ICE WAGON: I find this to be a rather curious photograph. The ice wagon is Engelbry's. The store is Krapps. My first impression of the pic is that it is the southeast side of Division/Main Street - but that's not writ in stone. Tis writ more in mud. Wondering aloud (in writing) I wonder if it might not be the north east side of the same street sometime before fire tore through the block in 1901. None of the stores I can identify in this photo were named in that fire, and Krapps had stores in several locations in this general area over the years. However the two-story building in the background strong resembles that which was Nolan's Saloon/Leftie's/Lemon Tree Lounge/Strong Waters, (on the east side of the street) etc. Thus, I suppose this will require some further thinking. And that's the fun of it.
WHAT'S A FOOT: The Vermilion Area Archival Society 2006 Historic Calendar is now available at several locations around Vermilion for $5.00. These are new calendars that feature Vermilion's fishing industry.
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. With all the bad things happening on the "dark continent" it's really nice to know that there are some places where the light does shine brightly.
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: "We are planning the 45th at the AMvets Hall on route 60 in Vermilion. The date will be July 22, 2006. Bruce Eldridge, John Hunter and Bob Wolford will serve as chairmen with the committee consisting of Buzzy Young, Shirley Mayer, Sue Opperman, Judy Gutman, Denny Owen as well as Tom and Judy Williams." Their website can be found at the following link: Classes of '60 to '62.
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.
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 18, July 23, 2005
© 2005 Rich Tarrant