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Ottawa County Time Traveler Eastern Ottawa County Past & Present APRIL 2026 |
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by Linda Higgins In 1933 the parcel of land behind the National Guard Armory (now the urgent care facility) was gifted to the city and the American Legion. Originally known as The Upper Market Space where farmers sold their produce, after World War II, it served as a memorial to the 37th Tank Company. At the beginning of the war that company became part of the 192nd Tank Battalion. The 42 local men, Company C, were sent to train at Fort Knox, Kentucky. 32 of this company were supporting General Douglas MacArthur on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines on April 9, 1942, when they were captured by the Japanese. They joined The Bataan Death March, forced on the 66-mile march by the Japanese military. The 66,000 Filipinos and 10,000 Americans were brutalized on the march, and of those who made it to the prisoner camp many died of starvation and disease. Twenty-five hundred Filipinos and 500 Americans died on the march, and 26,000 Filipinos and 1,500 Americans died at the camp. Ten of the 32 men of Company C were alive when the camp was liberated in 1945. Company C earned three Presidential Unit Citations for their heroic defense of Bataan before they surrendered. The Memorial Rose Garden was dedicated to these 42 men in May of 1954 with a parade and speakers. American Legion members and many volunteers developed the park, with materials and labor donated by community businesses and individuals, as well as the city. For instance, the original star-shaped garden was built in a weekend by a group of 15 men, with dirt supplied by the city and stones donated by Kelley-Island Lime and Transport Company from Marblehead. The entrance stated “Lest We Forget.” When the Armory was sold in 1969, City Council and State Representatives Howard Knight and Ken Thompson fought successfully to have the land deeded to the city. (Judge Tom Stahl had suggested to the council that should the park be sold they should condemn it and turn it over to the city.) In November 2001, a rededication of the Gold Mothers Star and dedication of the new Veterans Memorial Walkway at the park took place as a result of work by members of the American Legion, VFW, Boy Scouts, Masonry Construction, countless other entities and community members. This ceremony followed years of determined attention to the old and installation of the new by these dedicated volunteers. The Veterans Memorial Walkway Brick Program, through which engraved bricks can be purchased to honor and memorialize local veterans, is ongoing. This project honors all those who have served during wars and conflicts, beginning with the Civil War, as well as during peacetime. In 2012, the Veterans Park entrance archway was added by veterans/designers Ernie Hopkins, a trustee with American Legion Post 113, and Dave McDougall, American Legion Post 113 Commander, with the aid of city employee Eric Petersen. These men planned and executed the revitalization of the park, including flagpoles flying POW-MIA, United States and Ohio flags; a restored WWII M5 anti-tank gun; and a bronze statue of a pair of empty combat boots with a helmet resting upon a rifle to honor fallen soldiers. The raised, star-shaped garden has brass plaques on each point honoring the military branches. The eternal flame in the center has truly endured, as has the Fallen Soldier Battlefield Cross. A restored M-42 Duster tank stands on the north side of the park. Space Force and Merchant Marines insignias have been added to those of the Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. An irrigation system supports the beautiful landscaping and the Fallen Soldiers Monument is illuminated. Welcoming benches, a podium and an upgraded electrical system are present, also. Donations fund park maintenance, and renovations have been supported by the Elks’ and others’ donations. The city supports the efforts of the many volunteers, regular and spontaneous. Port Clinton’s Veterans Park is located at 115 Monroe Street and West 2nd Street and is a lovely spot to visit and reflect. Fortunately, respect is evidently contagious, as vandalism has not been the problem it is for some local parks. Use this link to see or share the article online: Linda |
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by Lorrie Halblaub In this series we are taking an historical look at an area that covers approximately a mile of Main Street in downtown Marblehead. Heading east from the Village limits, we will discover the facts and the stories of how Marblehead became what it is today. [This is the 13th article in the series.] After one passes under the quarry’s conveyor belt over Main Street, the next property on the left is #17 the Kelleys Island Ferry Boat Line building, parking lot, and dock. Ferry service from this spot began in 1991. Of all the places in Marblehead that have changed over the years, this property has changed the most.
In the past, right on Main Street, was once the Lakeside & Marblehead Railroad Train Station and after the Interurban train station was ruined in an accident, that train used the same station. Eventually the station was torn down. Gone were the sounds of the trains and passengers.
Behind the station toward the lake, was once a neighborhood, full of houses that were owned by the quarry and rented to the quarry workers and their families. Most of the homes were the first place that immigrants from Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, and other easter European countries lived. There were two streets. Popular Street was nicknamed “Mud Row” and the little houses had a shed on the side for pigs, chickens and maybe a cow, much like the homes they left behind in the “Old Country.” The other street was Maple Street, nicknamed “Millionaire Row.” These homes had indoor plumbing and steam heat from the quarry’s power source. This was luxury to the workers who could afford to rent them. Here, children played, dogs barked, neighbors gathered and talked. Now, it too is silent.
At age 8, Joe Malfara came to this neighborhood from Italy with his mother and two siblings. His father had come to work in the quarry years before and earned enough money to send for his family. He, like all the quarry workers, wanted a better life for his children in America. Six days after the family was reunited in Marblehead, Joe’s father died. His mother was suddenly a widow with three children, no job, no money to return to Italy, and spoke no English. Joe said that the other quarry worker families, convinced her to stay. Times were tough. There was no Welfare System then. The quarry let her continue to live in the house and the Italians, Slovaks, Germans and others helped the Malfara family survive. Joe said he remembered picking dandelion leaves in James Park and was amazed that there was food on the ground to pick for free in this new country.
Though the men worked together and the families lived together as neighbors who helped each other, at first, the immigrants wanted to cling to people of their own ethnicity. Over the years, the lines of ethnicity blurred and Marblehead became a melting pot. It took years, but those first quarry workers reached their goal…..their children and their children’s children DID have a better life. In fact, Joe Malfara grew up and became one of the Mayors of Marblehead.  You can use this link to read or share this article: Lorrie |
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This article continues into several long columns. You can access the entire article at the library in the Digitized Microfilm files on the library website. Use the article title to search and then the date to find this article in the results. |
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For over a decade, renowned Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has helped expand America's sense of itself, encouraging a national conversation about identify with wit, wisdom, and compassion. In Professor Gates' exploration of the ancestry of influential people across the country, he has taken millions of viewers deep into the past to reveal connections that bind us all as he continues his quest to "get into the DNA of American culture."  Past seasons are available on DVD at the library. NOTE: A correction to last month's article on OCOGS -- meetings start at 7 pm |
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Earth Day is every April 22nd, which was yesterday in case you missed it. Not to worry, if you want to do something to celebrate the planet. Arbor Day is tomorrow, April 24th. It falls on the last Friday of April each year. While they seem very similar and both occur in April, they are separate and distinct in how they started and what they promote. Feel free to look them up and compare details. Typical Arbor Day activities include planting trees, nature hikes, and educational sessions on tree care. There's an "Arbor Day Walk to the Bicentennial Oak" at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums in Fremont, OH from 8 - 9 am on Friday. It is free. And walking through Spiegel Grove anytime is not a bad way to enjoy Arbor Day. |
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Even if you're not an avid birdwatcher, there's something for everyone in this week of events and education in Northwest Ohio. A key speaker this year is Kenn Kaufman, author of A Season on the Wind, noted earlier in this newsletter, along with 8 more inspiring speakers. Flyers are available at the library, and the website BWIAB.COM has registration and program information and schedules. Have a great week!! |
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