Last Saturday the club sponsored their 3rd Annual George Diener Memorial Steelhead Trout (fishing) Tournament on the club grounds from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. and some good sized fish were caught.
Vermilionite Tommy Gibbons captured the first place trophy bringing in a 26.5", 6.2# fish. And Lakewood native Tom Gill grabbed 2nd place with a longer (27.5") but lighter (4.6#) trout. Tom's dad, Brendon Gill, who was last year's winner came in third with a 27", 4.10# steelhead.
Maura Robison and her son are pictured above with her brother's, Tom Gill's, fish.
It was noted that those fish actually lost about 2# while they sat in the cooler before they were offically weighed. [Some folks suggested that Gibbons snuck into the cooler between weighings and filled his fish with lead sinkers.]
Lake Havasu is a 35 mile inland lake (a sizable body of water).
The replica is a 17 foot copy of the Vermilion Light which stands on the north side of the Great Lakes Historical Society's Marine Museum at the foot of Main Street. It was commissioned by the Lake Havasu Lighthouse Club in memory of one of their members, George Darrow, who was a retired U.S. Navy Chief. The Vermilion Light was chosen because "Vermilion is known as the city of sea captains".
The nonprofit Lighthouse Club has a mission of providing aids to navigation on the lake in the form of these miniature lighthouses - which are replicas of famous lighthouses around our nation. The organization indicates that there is potential for 70 of these structures to be built around the lake.
The Vermilion replica has a 3.5 nautical light that is visible across the entire lake.
Amazing folks - absolutely amazing.
I've kept this pic in tact here - notes and all. The tug in the background is a Parson's boat (Parson's Fish was next door). And the building across the stream is one I'd completely erased from my memory til I saw this shot.
Bob Smith, I believe, now lives in St. Louis. He sent me some maps and histories of his family several years ago. What I found interesting (you may not) was that his family (I know not whether it's through his mother or father) is a relative of the Tuttle, ergo Sturges, ego Austin, ergo Pelton families. That's a relationship that goes back as far as the first families that settled along the river.
I've been wanting to write some more formal things about the Smith family (I've got some beautiful pix), but I need to know some more about Warren's wife Emily. There I'm drawing a blank
Somewhere along the proverbial line someone told me their relationship to Emily but I don't recall exactly who that was.
I know, I know - the first thing to go is the mind. It is,a terrible thing to lose.
JACK GRAY: I wish I had a picture of him. I remember him quite well. He was the proprietor of a place called the "Shack Lunch". It t'were a little diner/restaurant. I'm not exactly sure where it was located. My thought is that it could have been in the place now occupied by part of Lee's Landing on Main Street where Ruth and Norm Duperow had their place. But then again it might have been in the gully where the old-new Post Office (now empty) is today on Liberty Street next to the old LSE depot. And then again, my brother Al inadvertantly mentioned that the restaurant at the old Crystal Beach was called "the Shack". In any case, that was one of Jack's enterprises. By the time I knew him he was retired and living in the little block house seen in this photo (taken this a.m.) on the southeast corner of Decatur and Edson Streets.
I knew mainly about Jack because my father frequently talked about him. My father liked characters. I believe that was true because he was also one [Geo. Wakefield used to fondly refer to him as a "Maine-iac"]. But back to Jack. Jack was an Irish emigrant who spoke with an accent. He drove an old jeep. And he, somehow, had managed to become a man of means. He was not wealthy, but he owned land. The land upon which I am sitting at the moment (from Decatur Street south to the railroad and west to Edson Creek) was once Jack's.
One reason my father specifically mentioned Jack was because he was not "phased" by persons with less than stellar personalities and/or intentions. He was, in a word, fearless. Beyond that he also made a mean hamburger that came on toasted bread - not a bun. And that, with a glass of cold beer after a hard workday, was something many a good man could depend on during the early years of the last century at Jack's lunch counter.
I have more on him somewhere, and intend to bring that forward in the future. But until I saw this match cover I had forgotten him.
THE VIRGIN RIVER: I was looking for information about Vermilion's Schools when I came across this map. It was traced from an 1833 map by Vermilion historian George Wakefield, and appeared in the Sesquidentennial celebration book of Vermilion in 1987. George, of course, didn't put in the colored lines. But I felt it would help i.d. things from this "net" view of the map.
Lest ye not recognize anything here it is a map of the river from about Ferry Street to Lake Erie. The green line designates the existing shoreline. Note that there has been some very significant, but natural, erosion. The piers are simulated/drawn on the pic.
The blue line indicates the approximate location of an old bridge that once spanned the stream about 1825. I doubt that it lasted too long on this river. But the foundations for the bridge remained into George's time. My guess is that the bridge landed on the eastern banks in the approximate location of what was once Cloudy's ferry dock (which is now near the site of the present day Vermilion Yacht Club). The yellow line on the east bank denotes the trail that ran from the bridge/ferry toward what became Linwood Park. My guess (again) is that that trail was once a stage trail, and not just a footpath.
There are two wharves along the river. One belonged to Charles P. Judson and the other is designated as the "Furnace" wharf.
Judson, as some folks already know, was Vermilion's first store-keeper. So, this wharf makes a great deal of sense; the goods came in by ship.
There are 3 houses marked in the approximate area of the present day Marine museum. One is marked E. Judson, another Solomon Parsons, and the last was C.P. Judson.
The locations of two iron blast furnaces built by the Geauga Iron Company of Painesville, Ohio in 1830 are also marked.
And the red mark suggests the approximate location of one of Vermilion's first schoolhouses. As is evident the building was lost in the lake a long long time back.
Interesting.
JEWETT 178: As much as I find all the photographs of the Lake Shore Electric cars exteriors to be fascinating, and I've read descriptions of the interiors of some of the Niles cars, I've not seen many photos of the inside(s) of the cars.
This photo shows a refitted Jewett car in the 1920's. The intent on the "refitting" was to maintain the interest of inter-city passengers by giving them comfortable bucket seats in which to ride. Note some of the advertisements on the walls above the storage racks over the seats. This is not unlike todays transit system buses. Also note the windowshades.
This pic looking toward the back of the car shows the "smoking section" in the foreground.
This photo appears in The Lake Shore Electric Railway Story by Herbert Harwood Jr. and Robert Korach, 2000. Lorain historian Albert Doane is a contributor to this book.
Moving along with things I've designed a series of Vermilion Christmas greeting cards. All 3 are featured above. They're very interesting.
Folks who are beginning to look for Christmas items might like to consider these cards, my book, "Yesteryear", and/or the Vermilion Area Archival Society's calendars.
The cards are $2.00 each/12 for $20.00. They will be printed (and personalized if one chooses for $1.00 extra) on demand. None of the cards will be produced without specific order(s). All portray old-time Vermilion scenes. They are 5.5"x 8.5" cards and envelopes printed on a textured, heavyweight paper. All are quality products. Or as I am wont to say, "Nice Stuff!!"
Persons wanting to order can simply contact me via e-mail, snail-mail, telephone [440-967-0988], or come and see me. I am about town.
WHAT'S A FOOT: Election Day, also my birthday, is coming up fast - Tuesday, November 8th. Vermilion's hottest contest is for the full-time Mayor office. It'll be a close race. Expatriots will see the results next week.
On Monday November 14th "Hank" Fischer will reflect on his 92 years spent in the Vermilion area. This is a regular meeting of the Vermilion Area Archival Society. The gatherings are normally held in the Community Room in Vermilion's Ritter Public Library at 7pm. These meetings are free and open to the public.
I will be recording this meeting and digitilizing the recording. Interested parties will be able to obtain a CD of Mr. Fischer's thoughts from me at cost. I can be contacted by e-mail, snail-mail, by telephone [440-967-0988], or (if you're lucky :) in-person at home or at the church kitchen. But be patient. This takes time.
The Vermilion Area Archival Society 2006 Historic Calendar featuring Vermilion's fishing industry is now available at several locations around Vermilion for $5.00.[Maryann's Beauty Salon; Brummer's Candy Store; Vermilion YMCA] These are new calendars that feature Vermilion's fishing industry. Anyone interested in one of the calendars can also contact me. Shipping and handling costs run about $1.35.
Also note that there are (unfortunately) some mistakes on the calendar. The name of Sue Backus under the "Business and Corporate Sponsors" heading is spelled incorrectly. And the month of March is listed incorrectly as being "2005". The days of the actual month, however, are correct for 2006.
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. Please keep in mind that the needs of Hope Children's Home are on-going. Contributions to that home may be made to Larry Hohler in New York.
CLASS REUNION UPDATES: 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:.
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: 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.
This week I changed the URL for Roger's site as he requested. There were some minor problems with it. But now things should be okay.Please note that I'll be placing the VHS Class of 1959's webpage into the links section of this page shortly. It's looks as though it is going to be a permanent connection for interested parties.
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.
Right now things in this area are (as is obvious) rather slow...
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
Vermilion Ohio Historic Pix
History
of Linwood Park
Vermilion Community Orchestra
Vermilion's Oldest Church
Vermilion Visitor's Advisory (Satire)
Gore Orphanage History
The Lester Pelton Story
The Wreck of The Niles #152
The History of Crystal Beach
Vermilion Views Archives
Vermilion's Pioneer Woman; Charlotte Sturges
Cloudy; Vermilion's Ferryman
Dedication Sermon of Jotham W. Goodell, 1843
Hope Childrens Home Kenya
"I will not do that thing with my tongue." ~ "Chalkboard" Bart Simpson
Vol.3, Issue 33, November 5, 2005
© 2005 Rich Tarrant