Vermilion Ohio, A Good Place to Live
Magnificent: This gorgeous photograph blew me quite away. This is the sanctuary of the First Congregational Church (when it was located next to Town Hall) in Vermilion about 1900. The center-piece is the new pipe organ. It was donated by Mr. J.C. Gilchrist "in memory of his young daughter, Daisy," three years prior to the date of the picture. Installed in January of 1897 at a cost of $1,250 a Professor Andrew of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music gave the premier recital. Just the pure opulence of the sanctuary stuns me; the beautiful lantern chandelier; the ornate woodwork on the table and piano; the wallpaper; and the, less than subtle, presence of patriotic symbolism just take my breath away. I remember this place rather vividly. But it was not quite this lavish. At this very time the same church, which built a new home on State Street in 1957, is busy refurbishing the "new" pipe organ. Thirteen hundred bucks probably wouldn't cover the cost of a single reed in this instrument. But so long ago - and so far away this photograph bridges a century to touch ones heart and soul.
November 11: As we stumble down memory lane we need take some time (but just a moment) to remember our war Veterans. I'm not going to sugar coat my feelings about war. I find both it and the results therein to be extremely repugnant. However; there is, nonetheless, the reality. I know very few people who have faced war and found it to be an admirable venture. However Christian and however Democratic one may be a war is not a philosophical concept or an ideal. While those concepts may surely be somewhere at the bottom of most conflicts the heat of battle is neither a place nor a time where one can call a time-out to debate the subject(s).
In the "New Views" portion of this page is the final column written by WWII war correspondent, Ernie Pyle. It was never published. And, perhaps, that's what gives it all the more meaning. But that which truly punctuates this column in particular is the fact that it was never finished. It just trails off without an end. Sometimes silence speaks louder than any word(s).
Another Winner: This is a rather unusual picture of the inner Vermilion harbor in the early 20th century. Due to the obvious lack of activity (I'm guessing) it is most likely a late summer/early autumn photo. To the right is Cloudy's Ferry Dock where now the Vermilion Lagoons sit. That which looks to be a natural river-type reef (but could be something Cloudy built) running to mid-stream would attest to the shallow nature of the waterway, and of the swampland to the east. This is not the most pituresque view of the Vermilion River by a long shot - but it is (again) unusual. One has to wonder as to the reason anyone might have thought this was a going to be a great picture for a postcard. But there is something about it that I can appreciate.
And Another: "Buffalo" Bill Hlavin forwarded me these photos. Now this second picture is a great deal more appealing. In the background the Maudelton Hotel hovers over the skyline, and the drugstore building can be seen just up the hill between the fish houses.
I do remember (as a very small child) walking along some of the wharves on the river side of these fisheries. I recall looking through the slats of the decks thinking that I could fall through them into the water. And I also remember the smell. I had a very sensitive stomach, and the fish smell was not pleasant to me.
The entire industry literally went up in smoke in the early 1950's.
Crystal: And the last blast from the past; an early (1900?) Crystal Beach Amusement Park. By the looks of patrons it could not have been long after the place had been known as Shadduck's/Shattuck's Grove. That which amazes one the most may be that even given the means of transportation at the time of the picture people came out in droves to spend the day.
At the time one either came by horse, horse and buggy, or maybe by that new fangled thing called the "horseless carriage/the machine". Or then they might have come on the Lake Shore Electric. However they got there it is plain that they did.
Younger folks may not fully realise this but Crystal Beach was just as (or more) popular than that place up the road called Cedar Point.
The Beat Goes On: The page is generatedby 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 let me know and I'll send them to you.
Links to other sites on the Web
Vermilion Ohio Historic PixHistory
of Linwood ParkVermilion Community OrchestraVermilion Chamber
of CommerceVermilion's Oldest ChurchVermilion Visitor's Advisory (Satire)Gore Orphanage HistoryThe Lester Pelton Story
Vol.1, Issue 33, November 8, 2003
© 2003 Rich Tarrant