TIME MARCHES ON: By now many folks know that Vermilion Hardware (a.k.a. Bailey's) is closing. And it is certainly a regretful passage. For it is one of -if not THE - very last of the long-time Vermilion family businesses. So its closing represents the real ending of an historical era in the life of the community.
There is no great need to try to diagnose the situation behind the closing of the store. The pretty City of Vermilion, O. is hardly immune from the economic woes of our nation. In fact the community has been experiencing a down-turn in the economy for several years now. The Lorain Ford Motor Assembly Plant is gone. And the Lithonia Lighting plant is no more. So it's not surprising that other elements of the local business community should be feeling the pinch. But it's a risky business to begin to extrapolate - and carry over that gloomy forecast to firms that have not (formally or informally) announced their intentions. But - having said that - such speculation, nonetheless, exists.
Just this week rumors about the closings of Vermilion's Andretti Chrysler, Ponderosa Steak House, and Brushaber Plumbing (another long-time family enterprise) have begun to circulate. Some of this speculation may be plausible. Competition is fierce, and credit - an integral part of the operation of some of these industries - is tight.
How all of this will play-out is anyone's guess. Time, most certainly, marches on. And sometimes a few things are left behind...
Light and West Breakwall
Vermilion, O. c.1910
VERMILION VIEWS: It may be that I've been somewhat hasty in eradicating the "Locals" part of "Views". The decision to drop that segment had to do with the fact that nothing was really happening there. So many people are now operating their own webpages it just seemed like a waste of space.
Re-thinking the matter I've decided that I'll bring some of that info back to this page. Although I've maintained links to pages like my friend Larry Hohler's Hope Childrens Home in Kenya project; and another friend, Bette Lou Higgins' Eden Valley Enterprises history project, I dropped VHS alumi information and links.
Methinks that was a mistake in judgement. Some of these Alumi groups - like Roger Boughton's VHS Class of 1959 have every intention of staying close to one another and, therefore, need and deserve to have a consistent link from a Vermilion, Ohio page such as "Views". Ergo; I will maintain a current link to that page in the links section for as long as they want.
In addition to this the reunion of classes '63 -'64 -'65, actually the 44-45-46th of each class will be held at the VFW on 6/27/09. Ruthie Bauman Tanner will be sending out postcards soon - but she doesn't have everyone's address. So- "Views" is a good place to let those who won't receive a card know what's going on. Carl Lapp was very helpful with the class of '65, but since he has passed away perhaps someone else in that class would like to help. Carol Radde Hoff is going to put a notice in the Vermlion Photojournal so a meeting can be held fairly soon. I am a member of the VHS Class of 1963. These classes don't have webpages so "Views" will try to keep folks updated. And I would certainly welcome other VHS classes and Vermilion related non-profit organizations who really, really want have their news, and / or web site links published as a part of "Views" to just let me know.
Stay close...
"Victory is sometimes bitter-sweet"
UNDEFEATED:
They won 7 of 7 games and scored 287 points while only allowing their opponents 79. It was a perfect season.........almost.
Pictured are:
Bottom Row L-R: Thompson, Reutner, Mehnert, Ruetnik, Coleman, Emmerick, Thayer, Fitzpatrick, and Crow.
Middle Row L-R: Moc, Neilson, Neiding, Weiland, Stewart, Tisher, Carruthers,Kubishke, Bachman, and Nabakowski.
Top Row:Agnew, Meyfield, Gergle, Rathbun, Mey, Goll, Gerber, Smith, Miller, DeWitt, Paul, Walker, Day, and Kukes.
The season would have be "perfect" is everyone on the team had been at their final victory with Huron. But on October 29, 1945 their back-up quaterback, 17 year old Don Kudela was hurt during a practice behind South Street School. And on November 7th he died of those injuries.
So their victory was certainly sweet. But it was also somewhat bitter.
It is interesting to note that in later years a significant number of the men on this particular team became very prominent and productive members of their respective communities. Whether this had something to do with their participation on this team, the school and the education they received, genetics, the good Lord, or all of the above is one of history's great and wonderful mysteries.
July 4th 1914
DALL NOT DULL BROTHERS:
Despite the fact that nobody has put me in charge of making a list of the 10 most dynamic persons to have lived and worked in Vermilion, Ohio during the 20th century I have done it anyway. Very close, if not at the very top of this list, is electric lighting pioneer, businessman, politician, and avid sportsman on both land and sea, F.W. Wakefield (PJ 3-18-04). Among the very many reasons I consider him to have been vital to the positive development of our community is because he was a tireless promoter for and of Vermilion, Ohio. He saw the potential of our community for both industrial and recreational development, and actively - very actively - pursued and promoted it throughout his lifetime. Although his successes were, perhaps, only minimal that is irrelevant. As the author Frederick Wilcox once observed, "Progress always involves risk; you can't steal second base and keep your foot on first ..."
One of Mr. Wakefield’s "minimal" success stories took place when the century was but a decade or so old and the automobile industry was still in its infancy. As the head of a newly established Vermilion Chamber of Commerce he persuaded two brothers, Louis A. and James R. Dall, to locate their business for the manufacture of motor pistons in the village. The brothers eventually constructed their Dall Motor Parts building on the southwest corner of South Street and West River Road/Water Street (now housing The Dry Dock boat equipment and supply store).
The gentlemen also operated a garage along the north side of Liberty Avenue just east of the Vermilion Boat Club. It is now owned by Moes Marine Service. Here the brothers began to sell the finished product - the whole automobile.
In the extraordinary Pearl Roscoe photo accompanying this tract brother James parades a new Willys Overland Knight along one of the town’s unpaved residential streets during 4th of July festivities in 1914. As was then the custom the vehicle was decorated with crepe paper that was probably purchased at Roscoe’s print shop. (Please note that I attempted to bring out more of the detail of the photo by applying a crosshatch brushstroke filter effect with special computer software. So if it looks a bit sketchy it isn’t the fault of anyone’s eyesight.)
Later James moved the auto dealership up the street (west) to the northwest corner of Liberty and Grand Streets to the site where the local ambulance garage is now located. Several years later he moved the business to Elyria where it (J.R. Dall Ford) remains to this day.
Brother Louis stayed with the engineering/manufacturing business until his death in 1949 at the age of 64. During the last few years of his life he kept offices atop Vermilion’s Erie County Bank building on the southwest corner of Liberty and Division/Main Streets (now city offices). By that time he had merged his Dall Motor Parts business with a Cleveland-based company, and had co-founded another auto parts manufacturing business, the H.A. Montgomery Company, in Detroit, Michigan.
One item that may better explain the connection between Wakefield and the Dall brothers concerns the fact that Louis, like the Commodore, was an avid recreational boatsman. Both in fact and in deed, he was the very first person to build and operate a power-driven pleasure boat on the Vermilion River.
So, as is apparent by their accomplishments, and this 1914 photo, the brothers Dall were anything but dull citizens of yesteryear in Vermilion, Ohio. Moreover; F.W. Wakefield certainly knew what it took to “steal second”.
Ref: The Vermilion News, 4-21-1949; Vermilion Area Archival Society, Pearl Roscoe Photo Collection, courtesy A.C. Tarrant. Published in the Vermilion Photojournal on 3-22-07.
3/18/07
12:57 PM
All that is left of Rosedale
THE RUINS OF ROSEDALE: I've been looking for these photographs (among others) for several years. In finally found them when I removed the hard drive from an old computer, placed it into a USB Hard Drive enclosure and plugged it into my main computer. I wish I'd known about these USB hard driver enclosures a long time ago. Their cheap and easy to use.
I took these pix of the ruins of Jos. Swift's palatial home "Rosedale" nine years ago. These are the ruins which are constantly mistaken for what some people refer to as the "Gore Orphanage". The site (as is obvious) has been - and remains - under constant attack by mindless vandals. And the urban legend perpetuating this vandalism is not just local. It is national.
During the last few years I have been contacted by 2 television producers (one from CA and one from NYC) interested in acquiring information about the horrors of the "Gore Orphanage". When I refer them to my story re: the "Light of Hope Orphanage" they are impressed - but no longer interested. I actually find the truth about the orphanage to be a more compelling story than any ghostly tale.
However; I, along with some of the descendants of Joseph Swift believe that this site should be preserved and protected. The Swift manse is, architecturally and historically, significant. George Ritter - the gentleman responsible for building Vermilion's Ritter Public Library - understood that significance and had his architects build the library in the image of the manse. And there are models of the mansion in museums - both in Ohio and our nation's capitol.
Hopefully this site will someday be protected and preserved. And the urban legend of the "Gore Orphanage" will be put to rest.
DON'T JUST SIT THERE WITH A MOUSE IN YOUR HAND - BUY SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF, YOUR DOG, AND YOUR BEST FRIEND-WOOF:
Take a cyber visit through my on-line store.
This enterprise is new to me so I don't know what to expect in the way of response - but it is actually very nice. Over the next weeks and months I will be adding (and deleting) different items with different pix that folks might like to use for gifts or just have for themselves.
So take a tour of the shop. Tell me how you like it and what you might like to see on some items. I'm always open for business and for reasonable requests and suggestions. If nothing else just do a little window shopping. It's fun!
VERMILION VIEWS GIFT SHOP
Also note that all the video (MP4) podcasts (where used) are done in the "Quicktime" format.
Stay with me on this project. Things will get better. (I pro-mize.)
NOTE NOTE:Past podcasts are no longer available in the on-line archive. They just take up too much disk space. But if one really, really, really wants to acquire a copy of a past cast it can be had by contacting moi - and I will place it on a disc and send it to ye for a minimal fee.
If, however, something important crops up it - it will appear here.
If you're looking for my old links section (pictured) I've replaced it with a pull-down menu (visible in the small box next to the word "Go"). If you're looking for links to more Vermilion history check that menu.