This week: "Thanksgiving Jig" Will Putnam~2004~
COMMERCIAL FISHING IN OHIO: Above; Brownhelm historian, Bill Cutcher (now a resident of Pittsfield Township), tells an audience gathered in the Ritter Library Annex about the days of commercial fishing along the southern shore of Lake Erie.
A portion of the audio accompanying "Views" this week is a bit of Bill's presentation at last Monday's meeting of the Vermilion Area Archival Society. Therein Bill describes how an anonymous "bootlegger" muffled the sound of his tug so that it wouldn't be heard by the authorities as they crossed the lake from the Canadian shore.
For folks who (for one reason or another) are unable to hear that recording - Bill tells us that on this particular boat a metal tube was attached to the exhaust at the front of the vessel to back (fore, aft), and then run beneath the surface of the water to muffle the sound. Normally, the tugs could be heard coming from miles away.
I did catch most of what Bill had to say with both my digital and tape recorders. But to be very honest his presentation really requires first-hand experience to be appreciated to the fullest.
Perhaps one of the saddest facts of the entire matter (i.e. commercial fishing in Lake Erie on Ohio's waters) is that it is more than likely an industry soon to become extinct.
As I editorialise here on the subject I should explain that very few folks know and/or understand that perhaps the folks most sensitive to conservation of the lake and the fish therein are, and always were, commercial fishermen. Some of this I already understood after I read an essay written, perhaps 50 years, ago by Lake Erie legend Captain "Big Ed" Lampe. But it was truly underlined by that which Mr. Cutcher said and graphically illustrated to those who attended this presentation. After the meeting I had an opportunity to talk, briefly, with Don Parsons - and he underlined much the same idea.
It sure makes a great deal of sense to me. After all, fishing was their livelihood.
It's a deep subject. (No pun intended.)
And lastly, I should explain that Bill was not talking to the group in the new Rotary Centennial Park ('neath the old water-tower). I didn't like the background in the pic I took of him in the annex - so I placed his shadow in a photo of that area I took some weeks ago. But it worked out nicely.
TOM & BRYCE: I should explain that none of the fishing related photographs that appear on this weeks page were intentional. They are just a matter of pure happenstance.
On Monday last (11-13-06) while at the Vermilion Photojournal Susan Borso handed me an envelope containing several items and the above photograph was one of them. This particular photo came from Tom Neiding.
Those who know the boys in the pic will recognize that Tom Neiding is the young man on the right (holding the pike), and his brother, Bryce, is the boy on the left (holding the fishing rod). Tom was kind enough (and smart enough) to make notations on the back of the pix.
The photograph was taken in April of 1956. At the time Tom is 15 and Bryce is just 10 years old. They are pictured standing on 7 1/2 tons of "netted" Pickerel (Walleye). The boat is the "Marilyn H. out of the Lake Erie Fisheries, Vermilion and was owned by Hosko's (a well known fishing name) out of Toledo.
I don't know how many young "Viewers" access this page - but I would surely like young folks, who never got to experience of seeing these tugs coming in fully loaded, to see this photograph or those which are similar. Because those days are long, long gone.
Neiding's Lake Erie Fishery was located in the area where the present day Vermilion Boat Club now hold title.
Some years later Tom and Bryce's father, Harold, would open a place called the Lake Erie Drive-In (restaurant) next to the Lake Erie Lanes Bowling Alley. They, of course, specialised in Lake Erie perch dinners and sandwiches. It was a popular eating spot for both young and old people. And it was one of those places that, to my knowledge, no longer exists in America. They had "carhops" - pretty girls who would come out to your car, take your food order, and serve it on a tray that fit in the car window - a la "Happy Days".
I attended school with Bryce, and knew his brothers (both Tom and the older brother Jim) only to recognize. Bryce was, as are his brothers, well known about Vermilion. But, unfortunately, he passed away in early February of 1987 at the tender age of 41. But the memories live on...
YE OLDE BROWNHELM STATION: Last week a pic of how Brownhelm Station looks today appeared in this space. And then my good friend Dennis Lamont sent me this photo of the station as it appeared in its proverbial "hayday" with the following note. (In #1 he is commenting on the saw I e-mailed everyone with the link to last weeks page):
Strange how much you've got to know before you know how little you know. -Anon
1. Have to keep remembering ...what I don't know is so important, they write books about it ...and the Cleveland Public Library just about covers it!
2. Attached is a picture of the Station at Brownhelm Station ...one of Alberts moldy slides that we managed to save, little bit of photoshop and it would be a nice picture.
Dennis
I use the note here because I find it to be amusing. The "Albert" he refers to is is electric history partner Al Doane (who now lives in Amherst). Between Dennis and Al they must have about a half a million photographs of the region. And I did clean the pic up a bit with Photoshop CS2. I currently use it as a "desktop" pic.
The one thing I'm not sage enough to know is the location of the old station. I'm thinking that it was somewhere along the rails between Claus Road (to the east) and Sunnyside Road (to the west). But if that is the case I'm curious as to just how folks accessed the station. I mention that because today there is a sizeable ditch between Brownhelm Station Road (the road running parallel to the rails behind the station) and the station.
I rest assured that some good soul will let me know that location.
MORE TRAINS: Whilst attending Monday's VAAS meeting Brownhelm historian, Marilyn Brill, handed me an envelope marked thusly in very fancy and neatly penned script:
TO CHAS. BARBER COMPLIMENTS OF H.S. LUDLOW
More than a few long-time Vermilionites will recognize both names. "Chas" Charles "Charlie" Barber and H.S. Ludlow. Charlie was the Maintenance Supervisor for Vermilion's school system, and Mr. Ludlow was the father of Vermilion photographer Paul Ludlow.
Mr. Ludlow was a fan/historian of locomotives. It was my understanding that he had a hobby of recording both photographs and sounds (whistles) of the trains. And evidently (obviously) Mr. Barber was also a fan.
Inside the envelope was a 1978 California Southern Railroad Calendar (published by the Orange Empire Railway Museum, Walnut CA) and a dozen photographs of locomotives. A number of the locomotive pix were taken by Paul Ludlow of trains passing through Vermilion. Most are annotated.
This particular photo was taken by the Ludlow Studio (407 1/2 Division Street, Vermilion, Ohio - Phone WO.7-4241) of the Nickle Plate at sunrise on February 17, 1958. I am, of course, guessing - but I would say that this pic was taken along the railroad just west of Vermilion.
It's a nice pic, and it reminds me of several things I didn't particularly like about these old trains. One very glaring thing was the smoke and cinders they emitted as they passed. Today persons complain about the noise of the diesels along these roads. They either forgot, or never knew, what these old locomotives were like. Otherwise they wouldn't be complaining about the noise.
ENTERTAINMENT/SPORTS PAGE: Here's a real nice pic of Alta Weiss, Vermilion's professional baseball player I received from my friend, "Buffalo" Bill Hlavin some time ago. Dr. Weiss and her father owned Vermilion's professional baseball team. She wasn't from Vermilion.
In reading a bit about her I find that Squire Williams - Vermilion's Mayor - was, in some respects the person who really took first notice of this wonderful pitcher. Some historians place her in a ballpark at Vermilion-On-The-Lake when Williams first noticed her. But given the time sequence that is highly improbable. At the time Alta was playing there was no VOL yet. I would deduce that she was most likely playing ball at Crystal Beach. That field was on the east side of the park in the area that is now the home of a BP service station and a strip mall.
I intend to write a bit more about her - and her Vermilion connection - but I need more information. She is really one of Vermilion's most notable characters.
Be sure to visit a new page put together just the other day: Vermilion's Youngest Minstrels The photo isn't new - but I'm not entirely finished with the page or the concept (which is still in the development stage). But it is interesting.
The movie this week is not intended to promote beer - but it is sure amusing.
Just in time for the first snow.
ENGINE 602: Hither for your enjoyment is yet another pic Mr. Ludlow gave to Charles Barber. This one is truly historic. Engine #602 was built by Brooks in 1901. It had 81" drivers.
The photo was taken on June 2, 1902 as it was about to go on a run between Toledo and Elkhart, Indiana. This was the very first engine to pull the very famous 20th Century passenger train that ran between New York City and Chicago.
Great, great stuff!
THE NEW VAAS CALENDAR: It's out, and it's a keeper. From the Clubhouse at Vermilion-On-The-Lake to the hotel at Beulah Beach Vermilion's "Vacationland" Communities are there.
If you would like to purchase a calendar you can purchase one from myself or any member of the VAAS. They are $5.00. If they have to be posted an even $7.00 should handle the cost of postage and handling. The address for the VAAS is available below (in the "What's Afoot" section). Please make all checks/money orders, etc. payable to the Vermilion Area Archival Society.
If you want a calendar for Christmas I would suggest ordering/purchasing one soon.
They're great keepsakes.
You better hurry if you want one of these documents. They're going fast.
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. Everyone is welcome to join them on November 29 at 7p.m. for STORIES FROM A CHRISTMAS PAST at the Nordonia Library 9458 Olde Eight Rd in Northfield. This storytelling program will feature holiday stories from history. It will be repeated on December 12th at 2p.m. at Ritter Library, 5680 Liberty Ave. in Vermilion. Both performances are free and open to the public. For more information, call the Nordonia library at 330-467-8595 or the Ritter Library at 440-967-3798.
To arrange for this or any of their programs to be presented for your group, contact Eden Valley directly by responding to this e-mail with your request. For a complete schedule of Eden Valley Events check out their calendar 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.
Last week I received the following communique from Larry:
"We're thinking about organizing an "Eco Cultural" Safari to Meru Kenya next February, that will include tours of our Home and the schools our kids attend, an SOS World Children's Village, an AIDS treatment Center, Meru Methodist University, and even a visit to nearby Game Park to view some wildlife. We think the cost for a 9 day visit will be about $3,000. (we can keep the cost low because we won't be viewed as typical tourists and will have the support of the Merian Community) Let me know if you know of anyone intersted in making such a trip."
So there you are folks. If you'd like to take the Safari let me know and I'll put you in touch with Larry. It's an opportunity of a lifetime.
Larry Hohler Hope Children's Fund, Ltd.
In relation to Larry's work with the Hope Children's Home I have recently 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 #2:
CLASS REUNION UPDATES: 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.
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. So send him any information that you would like to share with other classmates and he'll put it up for all to see and view.
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 35, November 18, 2006
© 2006 Rich Tarrant