This week: "No Train To Memphis" BR549 ~2004~
REFLECTING : Nothing dynamic about the pic above. It's just a graphic of yesterday - and yesterday's weather in Vermilion, Ohio. This, like the active Weather Channel report at the bottom of this page, is not so much for "Viewers" in the continental U.S. so much as it is for those in places like Qatar, Wales, Spain, Germany, and Italy. Everybody (here) is waiting for the other (proverbial weather) foot to fall. Few folks can recall experiencing such mild weather in this region during their lives.
The rain, however, gives me some time for (no pun intended) reflection.
This is the 198th editon of Vermilion Views. It began, as some may know, as an e-mail. Those who take the time to visit the Vermilion Views Archives can see what I mean. Due to the fact that the e-mail servers of some folks will not accept electronic images - added to the fact that e-mails are, by an large, limited in their capacities to transfer information - e-mailing severly limited both the size of what could be put together and who could receive it.
Ergo; this webpage was established. Most browsers could read this page - and I could change it weekly - much like a weekly newspaper. The format set all that was needed was for me to insert new information on the page each week.
What I never figured on was the expense inherent in this operation (not counting the time I spent/spend working on the project).
Some months back someone inquired as to that subject and, off-hand, I had no real answer. So I took a look at it, and added it up.
Server subscription services required to keep Views afloat for 12 months run about $400. Some of this has been added relatively recently. The "search engine" was added just a few months ago. However; Those expenses don't take into account the equipment used to generate the page, the DSL connection, annual subscriptions to reference libraries, nor the time required to produce and maintain this particular page along with 20 or 30 more that pertain to (mostly) the history of our town - Vermiion, Ohio.
All of that is well and good - because this began, after all, as an e-mail - a veritable hobby. It was not intended to become a profession. But I do have some concerns because "Views" is, nonetheless, my creation. Setting aside all the expenses I put more than a little of myself into it. And I'd hate to see it end when I bite the (proverbial) dust. Ergo; I need discover a way to insure that it continues.
Consequently, I am giving serious consideration to making "Views" available only by subscription. That may be a rather arrogant idea. But it is an option. Funding is, despite my arrogance, vital to this project.
But that's what happens when it rains. I start thinking. It had better snow soon.
VHS MUSICIANS: This is the product of a very difficult scanning job. Try scanning a single photograph printed on two pages of a hardbound book and see what happens.
My sister, Nancy, wanted to have this pic scanned for a project that she's working on for (I believe the VHS Class of 1954/55). Thus, did I give it a whirl - and this was the product.
It's okay.
The names of all the students in this particular pic were not listed. (Oft-times I wonder just what was going through the brains of those who edited these books. I understand that not listing names was a rather innocent mistake. Who among them wouldn't, after all, know the identities of all the kids? But the student editors did have advisors. I also understand that my hindsight is a perfect 20-20.) So, for now, I'll leave the identifyin' up to "Viewers".
This pic was, of course, taken on the gym floor of the brand new Vermilion High School c.1954-55 (now Vermilion's Intermediate School). And I doth recall the smell of the new school; there's nothing like the odor of newly set concrete in the morning.
HITCHCOCK'S BIRDS: I receive a number of photographs from one Bryan Chandler who lives in San Francisco. Bryan is Harry Chandler's son - "Tootie" Mary Louise Reisinger's nephew.
Most of the pix that Bryan sends me are dynamic. I keep them all, but use very few in "Views". This one just strikes me as being unusual. The title to the message containing it was: Hitchcock's Birds comes to San Francisco from my backyard-true! The birds on the powerlines with the city in the foggy background is mesmerizing to some degree.
Great Stuff!
HISTORIC MATCHBOOKS: Wandering through the photo archives on the MAC G5 I came across this matchbook cover. I know nothing of either Homer Pelton nor of the "Horse Shoe Inn" on Lake Road in Vermilion. But I'm sure that some "Viewer" can enlighten us on the subject.
I'm guessing that the resort was west of town. But there are, on the other hand, a few places to the east where it might have been. The cottages on the cover look like those that can still be found a Mari-Dor Beach and that which once was Peck's Cottages.
We shall, no doubt, see.
This establishment on this cover was Jack Gray's eatery on Division/Main Street in the heart of town. Today it's the northern part of the storefront occupied by the Lee's Landing art/gift shop.
Jack, for whatever reason, was a favorite of my father. Dad, always told me about Jack's antics, and never failed to mention to me that Jack's hamburgers were always served between two slices of bread - as opposed to buns. Jack also served beer in his Shack Lunch.
I do remember Jack long after he had quit the business. He kept a very small stone-block house on the southeast corner of Jefferson and Edson/Thompson Streets. To my knowledge he drove an old jeep and he owned a great deal of the property just the west of the aforementioned house. That property is, in fact, where I live today.
I should mention that Mr. Gray was either a Scot or Irish immigrant (something I didn't know when I was a youngster). Sometime in the future I'll write a bit more about him.
THE POPWORKS: Thanks, in no small part, to the Hohler boys (Dale and Larry) I've acquired a goodly amount of information about Vermilion's old popworks. For many years their Uncle, Vermilionite Larry Shafts, owned and operated the small popworks on east Ohio Street. It was just a few doors east of St. Mary's Church.
The above shadows were captured in the mid-1950's when Mr. Shafts allowed local fire departments to burn the structure in a training exercise. (Vermilionite "Ells' Dickerhoff was the coordinator of the training excercise.)
Larry Shafts was a very interesting person. At one point in time he sailed with Lake Erie legend Captain "Big Ed" Lampe on the equally legendary tug the Grandon. He was active with Vermilion's Sea Scouts - sailing to the islands with the Parsons boys (among others) on the vessel they called the Bounty. He worked at the Wakefield Brass Lighting Company. The Archival Society has some of his notebooks from the Wakefield Co. in their archives. In one of them I discovered plans he drew for a garage to be built on the home he owned on Ohio Street.
Eventually he married Margaret Tansey - who was an equally well known Vermilionite.
Like the aforementioned Jack Gray - I intend to write more about Mr. Shafts (as well as his popworks) in the near future. So stay tuned.
NEW STUFF: This acrylic painting of downtown Vermilion, Ohio just came to me at 10 this a.m. from the artist (mon ami) Frank Homitz. I worked at it in Adobe CS2 and think the coloring is accurate. Some folks have asked if they can purchase any of Frank's works. I inquired about that this morning and he said, "I think so."
So there you are. I doth want thee to understand that what you see here (in this pic) and all the others is free-hand work. I've always been amazed that anyone could do that given the subject matter - architectural scapes. This is wonderful stuff and I'm always pleased to both see and have copies of Frank's work.
Another thing new this week is the 5th weekly edition of Vermilion Views Podcast #5 - new old news from 1935. This week I, again obviously, concentrate on Vermilion stories from the year of 1935. As time passes I intend to develop a more comprehensive, and pleasing, format for these casts. But foist I need get comfortable with the medium.
But back to Frank's artwork for a moment. If ye are interested I can easily put you in touch with him. E-mail, call, or come see me and I will help ye out.
WHAT'S A FOOT: There will be no meeting of the Vermilion Area Archival Society until the 2nd Monday in January of 2007. But in the mean folks should understand that everyone is absolutely welcome to attend meetings and/or to become a member of the VAAS.
Lifetime memberships are $100. Yearly memberships are $10 a person; $18.00 a couple; and $5 for a student.Our address is:
And I keep on forgetting to mention the projects of my friend Bette Lou Higgins, Artistic Director, of Eden Valley Enterprises. For those unfamiliar with her work - they stage historical people/events from (and) around the State of Ohio.
A great deal of research and practice goes into these productions to make them as accurate as possible. To arrange for this or any of their programs for your group, contact Eden Valley directly with your request (and/or to view a complete schedule of Eden Valley Events) visit their web page at www.edenvalleyenterprises.org.
Please take the time to 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" and elsewhere 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. Partially due to the horrors taking place in the Mid-East the continued suffering of the peoples in Africa go virtually unnoticed by both our nation and the United Nations - and that should not be. Contributions to that home may be made to a Vermilion expatriot Larry Hohler in New York.
Larry, his wife Yvette, and his mother stopped by to visit me for a few minutes in the kitchen of the Congregational Church (where I work) just a week or so ago. He read me a letter from Kenya pertaining to the Hope project - and everything seems to be going well (at the moment). However; I need to reiterate the fact that this is an on-going project. The need is forever continuing. Please keep that in mind.
In relation to Larry's work with the Hope Children's Home I have received some very interesting biographies of some of the children who have come to benefit by participating in this project. I'd like to share one of them with you each week. The following is #9:
CLASS REUNION UPDATES:This from Shirley Williams Gleason: The CLASS of '58 is planning on hosting the reunion on the weekend of July 17, 18, 19, 2008....The Committee will be sending out information this spring in regard to the plans.
The VHS Class of 1957 are planning their Class Reunion for September 15, 2007. They cannot find addresses for the following classmates: William A. Brown, Carol L. Burkle, Eddie L. Davis, Robert W. DeLong, Jim B. Henry, Alexander J. Lutz, or Neil M. Marcussen. If anyone has that information please forward it to
Bob Ferry, is heading up the VHS Class Reunion for 1987...20 years. Bob Ferry, is heading up the VHS Class Reunion for 1987...20 years. Hither is their website: Class of 1987
I was unaware of it but more than just a few folks do use this site as a link to their respective class sites - so - here's the VHS Class of 1959's site back for your convenience too: Remember that site is located at: Class of '59 and it'll be updated it as Roger (Boughton) receives enough new pictures and information from classmates to make it worth reading. And, incidently, I received the following communique from Roger this recently. It said in part:
JUST A REMINDER: You'll also want to place on your calendar the dates for our reunion in 2009. It will be held the weekend of September 18-20, 2009. It seems like a long way off but you'll find it will be here sooner than you anticipated.
It is my understanding that some of these links are not working, or not working well. If so it is a technical problem belonging to the respective parties operating those webpages.
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.4, Issue 42, January 6, 2007
© 2006 Rich Tarrant