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Ottawa County Time Traveler Eastern Ottawa County Past & Present July 2024
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by Linda Higgins Most of us have probably had occasion to be grateful to those selfless individuals who have chosen to serve us when needed during a fire or car accident or any number of unfortunate, often devastating, life events. They arrive quickly and work efficiently and compassionately. Have you ever wondered, when sirens sound or those red vehicles whiz by, horns blaring, how in the world this worked during the early days here, say mid-1800s through mid-1900s? Port Clinton, referred to in some historical sources as a hamlet, was more fortunate in its youth than many other towns because it did have the lake as a water source. That was a limited resource, however, as carrying the lake water any distance to the fire was a major issue. Often, buildings were left to burn and/or were razed because hauling water was too difficult and/or too slow—but not for lack of effort. In the mid-nineteenth century, while Port Clinton had dirt roads, and no sewers, street lights or other power sources, or reliable communication, the group of males of all ages who volunteered, at great risk to themselves, was known as the Bucket Brigade. By 1870, Dr. Charles Bainbridge, a local physician and the mayor from 1871 through 1873, was insisting that Port Clinton needed better protection. He organized and fully supported a volunteer group known as the Bainbridge Hook and Ladder Company. When the old city hall bell, serving as the fire alarm, rang, the volunteers went running. Their equipment consisted of a hand pump with a long handle on each side, requiring the power of 24 men to reach top capacity. If water was available from cisterns or wells, the building might be saved, but more often than not, if it wasn’t near enough the river or lake, it was lost. Without street lights, fighting fires at night was even more of a problem, so torches provided the light. The “torch boys” were volunteers as young as fifteen. Two of those mentioned in notes were Will Dickman, Jr., and Joe Kuhnle, whose father volunteered with the company. Then-mayor Edward Bertsch organized the first official volunteer fire company in May of 1890. He appointed one chief, one captain, one engineer, one assistant engineer and twelve hosemen. When Mayor Bertsch, serving as first chief, was absent, the town marshall would substitute. The company added a hose cart and a steam fire engine, both garaged in the city hall, around this time. The team of horses nearest the fire site would hurry to the site when the bell rang, because the city never owned its own horses, for reasons unknown. Bainbridge Hook and Ladder Company disbanded about 1900 and the new fire company was officially titled Port Clinton Volunteer Firemen. Eventually, the department added a Willys utility truck with chemical tank and hose to the inventory. In 1921, they purchased a new Stutz fire truck. They slowly acquired other equipment, and in 1941 the men built their own truck on a Dodge chassis and used it for many years. Our fire department has since evolved into a well-trained, dedicated group of firefighters and EMTs. The department deals with numerous fires and other life-altering events, as well as lesser problems, with the continued support of a thankful community. Their equipment may be much more effective than that used by the Bucket Brigade, but their willingness to save lives and property at the risk of their own safety is timeless. Use this link to see or share the article online: Linda
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by Lorrie Halblaub What was it like to be a prisoner on Johnson’s Island during the Civil War? Make no mistake, these former southern gentlemen and officers were treated like the prisoners that they were. They arrived in Sandusky on a prison train in chains. Some townspeople greeted the rebs with cries of “Murderers! Traitors! Thieves!” and worse. Next, the prisoners boarded the passenger boat Island Queen, and they realized they were going to an island. No civilians were allowed to land on the island, but the Island Queen made a tidy profit taking sightseers to view the prisoners from the water, as if it were a zoo. Upon arrival at the camp, prisoners saw the high stockade walls, and a large open space around the camp that led to biggest lake they had ever seen. They saw guards, armed and in uniform. Now, they knew escape would be difficult. As prisoners were registered, any U.S. money was taken and held for them to purchase items, from the Sutler, but Confederate money was considered worthless. Block and room numbers were assigned. Whatever rank they had held was ignored. Sergeants, lieutenants and generals were all “mister” now. Many had been wealthy men, used to servants and the best of everything. All that was gone. In life on Johnson’s Island, the Confederate soldiers had many other enemies besides the Union Army. Hunger was an enemy. They cooked their own meals, but there was never enough food, nor was it nutritious. Cold was an enemy. They were totally unprepared for the Ohio cold, snow, and ice. They came in uniforms meant for a warm southern climate. Because the camp was built quickly using green wood, soon gaps and holes in the boards were plentiful. At night, they slept on straw ticks with shoddy, thin blankets. Newspapers that were eagerly read to glean any information about the war, were then used for insulation on walls, under blankets, and clothing. Disease was an enemy. In the beginning, everyone thought the war would be over quickly. As the war went on, the prison became overcrowded. At first there were only 1,184 prisoners. By 1864 there were 3,231. Originally the guards were to be one company. By the end of the war there were four companies. Boredom was an enemy. To fill their days, they played baseball, cards, dominos, and chess. They made arts and crafts from clam shells, bones and gutta percha, a tree that produced a rubber-like substance. They organized prayer meetings, wrote letters, held Masonic rites if a man was a member, and had a debate society. They tried to make and play instruments and act out plays. Books were sent from the YMCA. Some men received packages from home. It was an unwritten law among the prisoners that food items had to be shared. If a prisoner was wealthy, extra items could be purchased at inflated prices from the Sutler. Every day was a misery and at nine pm all prisoners had to be inside. By 9:30, it was lights out upon punishment of death. Next month….escape! You can use this link to read or share this article: Lorrie |
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Cemetery Walking Tour @ Lakeview Cemetery Saturday, July 27, 2024 2 pm Lakeview Cemetery Mausoleum - 524 W 3rd St, Port Clinton, OH Maria Moon of the Port Clinton Friends of the Cemetery will discuss the history of Lakeview Cemetery, as well as facts about some of the individuals who are interred there. The terrain is unlevel grass and some paved walkways. Please wear comfortable shoes. No registration required.
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Lost Ohio Treasure by Mark Strecker 977.1 STRECKER 2024 "The Buckeye State is rich in buried treasure stories, but what's true and what's not? Wild yarns and plausible legends cling to a number of historical events, including the French and Indian War, Confederate general John Morgan's raid into Ohio, Prohibition, John Dillinger's bank robbing career, and the California Gold Rush. The hope of finding these riches has inspired treasure hunters since Ohio became a state. But enthusiasm has its drawbacks, for many an Ohioan has been duped by con artists toting everything from divining rods and magic tomes to dubious devices like the "scientific gold compass." from back cover
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Model of Perry's ship Lawrence on display at Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial National Monument. from News Herald, Friday Jul 03,1964 p 1
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One of the many online resources to use when searching for family history is Heritage Quest. From the library's website, idarupp.org, hold the cursor over the Online Resources heading on the home page. This will pop up options for resources in an alphabetical list or by subject. Make your choice and select Heritage Quest when it appears on the screen. Following shows the Heritage Quest home page and a short menu bar at the top. By clicking on Research Aids, you open the following page with many options to learn more about how to begin or expand your family genealogy. Have fun! |
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The Jet Express company was established in 1988 and started operations in the spring of 1989. The latest addition to the fleet, Jet Express IV was added in 2009. It serves the Sandusky/Cedar Point route. Built in 1995, it will be 30 next year.
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The Jet Express heading to the lake on Thursday, July 11, 2024.
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