ashtabula county history

January 2012 Gazette Newspapers

History of Ashtabula County

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JANUARY 2012 GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS • 3Ashtabula County History

Publisher ........................................ John Lampson

President ................................ Jeffrey J. Lampson

General Manager ........................ William Creed

Senior Editor ................................Stefanie Wessell

A Gazette Newspapers Publication

Editorial Office46 West Jefferson Street, Jefferson, Oh 44047

P.O.Box 166Phone: 440-576-9125 • Fax: 440-576-2778

E-mail: [email protected]

Ashtabula County History 2012

BY STEFANIE WESSELLGazette Newspapers

JEFFERSON - If you’relooking to learn more aboutthe history of America, youdon’t have to travel veryfar.

Right in AshtabulaCounty there are 38 prop-erties and districts listedon the National Register ofHistoric Places inAshtabula County, includ-ing one National HistoricLandmark. The NationalHistoric Landmark is theJoshua Reed Giddings Law

Ashtabula County is rich in historyOffice, located right in thecounty seat of Jefferson.

Joshua Reed Giddingswas a prominent abolition-ist who served as a U.S.Representative from 1838to 1859. His law office andits historical significance isprofiled in this special sec-tion of the Gazette.

Every year, the Gazettefocuses on a historical partof the county in a special sec-tion. Last year, we profiledthe so-called “haunted”parts of the county. Thisyear, we take a look at someof these 38 sites on the Na-

tional Register of HistoricPlaces.

The National Register ofHistoric Places is the offi-cial list of the nation’s his-toric places worthy of pres-ervation. Authorized by theNational Historic Preser-vation Act of 1966, the Na-tional Park Service’s Na-tional Register of HistoricPlaces is part of a nationalprogram to coordinate andsupport public and privateefforts to identify, evaluate,and protect America’s his-toric and archeological re-sources.

The first site inAshtabula County to benamed to this list was theCol. William HubbardHouse, located in theAshtabula Harbor. Namedto the list on March 20,1973, the Hubbard Houseallows visitors to take aglimpse of life in the Con-necticut Western Reserve inthe middle third of the 19thcentury. There are threedistinct features of theHubbard House: the circa-1841 home of William andCatharine Hubbard on thefirst floor; the Underground

Railroad exhibit area on thesecond floor; and the CivilWar and Americana exhibitarea in the basement. TheHubbard House also is fea-tured in this special section.

The most recent site inAshtabula County to benamed to the National Reg-ister of Historic Places isthe Cleveland Hotel, lo-cated in Conneaut. TheCleveland Hotel wasnamed to the register onDec. 20, 2007.

In between those times,a wide variety of other his-toric sites were added to the

list, some familiar, like theAshtabula County Court-house Group, whereAshtabula County commis-sioners still hold their meet-ings today, and some moreobscure, like the WindsorMills Fort and Village Site.

Other sites include theDavid Cummins OctagonHouse in Conneaut, theRock Creek School, which isnow used as a communitycenter, the CongregationalChurch of Austinburg, theMother of Sorrows Churchin Ashtabula, the JeffersonTown Hall and more.

Historic Blakeslee Log Cabin .....................Page 4National Register of Historic Places listings inAshtabula County, Ohio ..................... Pages 6 - 7Joshua Giddings’ Law Office ......................Page 8Historic Conneaut Lighthouse ..................Page 10Harpersfield Covered Bridge ....................Page 12Hubbard House ....................................... Page 13Ashtabula Harbor Lighthouse ..................Page 14Shandy Hall ..............................................Page 15Windsor Mills Christ Episcopal Church...... Page 16Ashtabula Harbor .......................... Pages 16 - 17Warner’s Hollow ............................. Pages 18 - 19

Ashtabula County History2012 Story Index All

AboardtheHistoryTour

AllAboardtheHistoryTour


BY DORIS COOKGazette Newspapers

PLYMOUTH TOWN-SHIP - With AshtabulaCounty Historical Societyas one of the oldest his-torical societies in Ohio, itonly seems appropriatethat one of its sites is onthe National Register ofHistoric Places.

Blakeslee Cabin, one ofOhio’s original log cabins

PHOTOS BY DORIS COOK The Blakeslee Log Cabin wood bank barn was a recent addition to the historic sitein Plymouth Township owned by the Ashtabula County Historical Society. The barnwas put up in a partnership between the society and the Ashtabula County JointVocational School.

This bronze plaque designates the 200-year-old-plus Blakeslee Log Cabin being placedon the National Register of Historic Places. The cabin site is open for tours by appoint-ments and for various educational events by the Ashtabula County Historical Society.

This historic Blakeslee Log Cabin, built in 1810, is only one of a few original log cabinsin Ohio still on the grounds where it was built. The John Blakeslee family journeyedfrom Connecticut to settle here in northeast Ohio after the Revolutionary War.

Historic Blakeslee Log Cabin part of Ashtabula County Historical Society’s holdingsstill standing where it wasbuilt in 1810, is ownedand maintained by theACHS. It was built byJohn Blakeslee a year af-ter he arrived from Con-necticut in 1810.

The log house has beenhome to three individualimmigrant families sincethat first owner and hisfamily settled in, accord-ing to records kept by theACHS trustees.

Residents in PlymouthTownship are among themany volunteers from allover Ashtabula Countywho have helped the soci-ety in keeping it repairedand maintained. Parts ofthe cabin and other oldstructures on the sitewere restored in pastyears, according to ACHSboard president CherShepard.

ACHS trustees BarrieBottorf, Ray Clark, Marv

Knasel plus many othersare among the volunteerswho see that the mowingis done and look after thecontinued maintenance ofthis 201-year-old logcabin.

In the last few years,the society partnered withthe Ashtabula CountyJoint Vocational School,now known as A-Tech, tobuild a bank-type barn inclose proximity of thecabin. Creek stone wasused to enhance the tallwood barn, which will beofficially dedicated thiscoming September.

One of the major eventsheld at Blakeslee Cabin isthe Log Cabin Days al-ways held the first week-end after Labor Day inSeptember. Other ACHSprograms and events arealso held at the site.

Blakeslee Cabin is opento the public for various

events and by appoint-ment to groups or indi-viduals. Many area schoolgroups over the yearshave visited the BlakesleeLog Cabin to learn aboutearly pioneer living backin the 1800s.

Ashtabula County is

part of the ConnecticutWestern Reserve andearly settlers came to thispart of northeast Ohiocountry after the Revolu-tionary War. The cabinwas placed on the Na-tional Register of HistoricPlaces in April 1998.

It is located at 441Seven Hills Road, Ply-mouth Township, just offRoute 11.

For more informationor to book a tour, call (440)466-7337, then leave amessage and phone num-ber.

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1. Ashtabula County Courthouse GroupDate listed: June 30, 1975. Northwestern corner ofJefferson and Chestnut Streets, Jefferson – 41°44’19"N80°46’12"W

2. Ashtabula Harbor LightDate listed: August 4, 1983. Ashtabula Harbor,Ashtabula – 41°55’06"N 80°47’45"W

3. Ashtabula Harbour Commercial DistrictDate listed: September 5, 1975. Both sides of W. 5th St.from its 1200 block to the Ashtabula River, Ashtabula– 41°53’58"N 80°47’59"W

4. Eliphalet Austin HouseDate listed: February 24, 1975. 1879 State Route 45 inAustinburg, Austinburg Township – 41°46’31"N80°51’19"W

5. Blakeslee Log CabinDate listed: April 1, 1998. 441 Seven Hills Rd., south ofAshtabula, Plymouth Township – 41°50’41"N80°46’10"W

6. Boice Fort And Village SiteDate listed: July 24, 1974. Western side of PymatuningCreek, near Wayne, Wayne Township –41°32’25.116"N 80°38’9.672"W

7. Michael Cahill HouseDate listed: October 5, 1988. 1106 Walnut Boulevard,Ashtabula – 41°54’04"N 80°48’01"W

8. The Cleveland HotelDate listed: December 20, 2007. 230-238 State St.,Conneaut – 41°56’39"N 80°33’18"W

17. Francis E. Harmon HouseDate listed: February 24, 1975. 1641 E. Prospect Rd.,Ashtabula – 41°52’28"N 80°46’32"W

18. Harpersfield Covered BridgeDate listed: November 3, 1975. County Road 154 overthe Grand River, Harpersfield Township – 41°45’22"N80°56’40"W

19. Harwood BlockDate listed: March 21, 1978. 246, 250, and 256 MainSt., Conneaut – 41°56’39"N 80°33’21"W

20. John Henderson HouseDate listed: November 7, 1976. 5248 Stanhope-Kelloggsville Rd. in West Andover, Andover Town-ship – 41°36’28"N 80°36’44"W

21. Hotel AshtabulaDate listed: June 20, 1985. 4726 Main Ave., Ashtabula– 41°51’50"N 80°46’58"W

22. Col. Erastus House HouseDate listed: July 30, 1974. State Route 46 and Rich-mond-Footville Rd. at Rays Corner, Lenox Township –41°41’00"N 80°46’52"W

23. Col. William Hubbard HouseDate listed: March 20, 1973. Corner of Lake Ave. andWalnut Boulevard, Ashtabula – 41°53’59"N80°48’17"W

24. Jefferson Town HallDate listed: June 18, 1981. 27 E. Jefferson St., Jefferson– 41°44’19"N 80°46’05"W

25. Kilpi HallDate listed: December 12, 1976. 1025 Buffalo St.,Conneaut – 41°57’55"N 80°33’19"W

26. Lake Shore & Michigan SouthernRailroad Station

Date listed: October 14, 1982. 147 E. Jefferson St.,Jefferson – 41°44’21"N 80°45’43"W

27. Lake Shore And Michigan SouthernPassenger Depot

Date listed: March 27, 1975. 342 Depot St., Conneaut –41°56’59"N 80°33’33"W

28. Mother of Sorrows ChurchDate listed: March 9, 1995. 1500 W. 6th St., Ashtabula– 41°53’45"N 80°48’13"W

9. Congregational Church Of AustinburgDate listed: December 22, 1978. State Route 307 inAustinburg, Austinburg Township – 41°46’17"N80°51’23"W

10. Conneaut Harbor West Breakwater LightDate listed: April 10, 1992. Western breakwaterpierhead at the harbor entrance, Conneaut –41°58’47"N 80°33’29"W

11. Conneaut Light Station Keeper’s DwellingDate listed: August 21, 1992. 1059 Harbor St.,Conneaut – 41°58’01"N 80°33’07"W

12. Conneaut WorksDate listed: July 30, 1974. Off Mill Rd., Conneaut –41°56’13.2"N 80°34’10.8"W

13. David Cummins Octagon HouseDate listed: September 9, 1974. 301 Liberty St.,Conneaut – 41°56’28"N 80°33’26"W

14. Eagle Cliff HotelDate listed: October 20, 1995. 5254 Lake Rd., E.,Geneva on the Lake – 41°51’40"N 80°56’40"W

15. Joshua Reed Giddings Law OfficeDate listed: May 30, 1974. 112 N. Chestnut St.,Jefferson – 41°44’26"N 80°46’09"W

16. Griggs Grange No. 1467Date listed: December 13, 1995. 1467 Brown Rd., northof Jefferson, Plymouth Township – 41°47’19"N80°42’47"W

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National Register of HistoricPlaces listings in AshtabulaCounty, Ohio, Continued

29. New Lyme InstituteDate listed: January 1, 1976. 929 Brownville Rd. inSouth New Lyme, New Lyme Township – 41°34’58"N80°47’01"W

30. New Lyme Town HallDate listed: August 6, 1975. North of South New Lymeat 6000 NC 46, New Lyme Township – 41°35’10"N80°46’43"W

31. L. W. Peck HouseDate listed: January 1, 1976. 2646 Eagleville Rd. inEagleville, Austinburg Township – 41°42’54"N80°50’48"W

32. Rock Creek SchoolDate listed: February 9, 2005. 2987 High St. in RockCreek, Morgan Township – 41°39’46"N 80°51’30"W

33. Shandy HallDate listed: June 28, 1974. 6333 S. Ridge Rd., south-west of Geneva, Harpersfield Township – 41°46’55"N80°58’58"W

34. West Fifth Street BridgeDate listed: August 23, 1985. State Route 531 over theAshtabula River, Ashtabula – 41°54’01"N 80°47’53"W

35. Windsor Corners DistrictDate listed: September 5, 1975. U.S. Route 322 andState Route 534 in Windsor, Windsor Township –41°32’07"N 80°56’04"W

36. Windsor Mills Christ Church EpiscopalDate listed: May 29, 1975. Wisell Rd. and U.S. Route322 at Windsor Mills, Windsor Township – 41°32’09"N80°57’43"W

37. Windsor Mills Fort And Village SiteDate listed: October 21, 1975. Off U.S. Route 322,southeast of Windsor Mills, Windsor Township –41°31’52.644"N 80°58’30.252"W

38. Wiswell Road Covered BridgeDate listed: April 11, 1973. Wiswell Rd. over PhelpsCreek at Windsor Mills, Windsor Township –41°31’59"N 80°57’50"W

Map Courtesy of Ashtabula CountyConvention & Visitors Bureau



JEFFERSON - A smallwhite clapboard officebuilding on busy North

Ashtabula County’s Joshua Giddings’Law Office still preserved for posterity

PHOTO BY DORIS COOKThe tiny white clapboard wood law office of famous lawyer and anti-slavery movement leader Joshua R. Giddingsis preserved and maintained today by the Ashtabula County Historical Society. It is open for tours by scheduledappointments.

Chestnut Street in the vil-lage was the law office ofJoshua Giddings,Ashtabula County’s aboli-tionist movement leader.

Giddings was not a na-

tive son of the county, butborn Oct. 6, 1795 inBradford County, Pennsyl-vania.

Giddings was a schoolteacher first, then studiedlaw to be admitted to thebar in 1821. He came toJefferson to establish a lawpractice.

A member of the WhigParty, Giddings in 1826was elected to the OhioHouse of Representatives.By 1831 he formed a part-nership with another law-yer, Benjamin F. Wade.

Both men became lead-ing advocates in the anti-slavery movement in Ohio.Giddings was less a fire-brand for the cause thanWade, but both became fa-mous as the abolitionistmovement gained promi-nence in the North beforethe Civil War.

Giddings law office wasbuilt in 1823 and still

stands at 112 N. ChestnutStreet (State Route 46). Itis owned today and main-tained by the AshtabulaCounty Historical Society.

Both Giddings and Wadewere elected to the U.S.Congress and spent most oftheir careers as fiery out-spoken opponents of sla-very. Wade was electedpresident of the U.S. Sen-ate during the AndrewJohnson administrationand would have becomepresident of the UnitedStates if one more senatorwould have voted to im-peach Johnson.

Meanwhile, Giddings in1842 was forced to resignfrom Congress after he wascensured for defendingslave mutineers aboard theship Creole. The Africanslaves overpowered thecrew and murdered oneman, then sailed the shipto Nassau, Bahamas where

they were declared free.A diplomatic contro-

versy erupted and Giddingsas an Ohio Congressmanand lawyer argued thatonce the ship was out ofU.S. territorial waters themutineers (slaves) wereentitled to liberty, earlyrecords show. Giddings wascensured by the House ofRepresentatives and re-signed, but he was quicklyreelected and sent back toCongress.

For his 20 years in Con-gress, Giddings continuedto use the nation’s capitolbuilding to debate the is-sues of slavery. His home inOhio served as a station onthe Underground Railroadbefore and after his elec-tion to Congress.

In 1861, PresidentAbraham Lincoln ap-pointed Giddings as theU.S. general consul generalto Canada. Giddings died

in Montreal, Canada onMay 27, 1864.

The ACHS formed in1836 in Jefferson and laterbecame owners of GiddingsLaw Office, still preservedtoday as it resembled thefamous lawyer when hefirst practiced law here.

Giddings was also one ofthe founders of the Repub-lican Party. With his son-in-law George Julian,Giddings and he were partof the Radical Republicansin Congress.

The law office site wasnamed to the National Reg-ister of Historic Places inMay 1974. Tours are givenat the Giddings Law Officeby appointment only. Toschedule a tour, call theACHS at (440 466-7337 orCher Shepard at (440) 813-8618.

(Historical informationfrom ACHS archivalrecords.)

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CONNEAUT - Standing 80 feethigh over Lake Erie and linked tothe Conneaut shoreline by a sandbar, the Conneaut Lighthouse isnow private property.

Known as the “Conneaut WestBreakwater,” the 1930s-era light-house is the third to have gracedthe Port of Conneaut, in the north-eastern-most corner of AshtabulaCounty. It was named to the Na-tional Register of Historic Placeson April 10, 1992, just eight yearsbefore it landed on a list of light-houses to be auctioned off by thefederal government’s General Ser-vices Administration.

Another 11 years passed beforeJerry Killilea, a greenhouse owner,farmer and part-time deliverytruck driver in the central Ohiotown of Orient, saw the ConneautLighthouse auction story on a Co-lumbus TV station and offered thewinning bid of $46,000.

Killilea — who had never laideyes on the lighthouse — pur-chased the lighthouse as a vaca-

Historic Conneaut Lighthouse now private propertytion retreat spot for his extendedfamily.

Killilea’s new ownership addsanother chapter to the lighthouse’sunique history. As dear toConneaut residents as is theStatue of Liberty is to Americans,the present lighthouse is thefourth to have marked theConneaut harbor. The first lightwent up on a pier in 1835, reflect-ing Conneaut’s busy port thathandled grain, whiskey, and forestproducts.

According toLighthouseFriends.com, in 1885,the pier was determined to be toodeteriorated to hold the light, sothe light was moved to a tower ad-jacent to the keeper’s dwelling atthe end of Harbor Street in thePort of Conneaut.

The next lighthouse servedfrom the 1890s through 1917,when its $125,000 replacementwas built on a cement crib at theend of a breakwater on theharbor’s western side. It was asquare, two-story brick-and-ce-ment structure with a tower at oneend.

In 1935. that lighthouse wasblasted with dynamite to makeway for the new. Described as a“new, sleek tower,” the new$70,000 structure rested on asquare base, stood four floors highand had 20 windows.

“In the late 1930s, there was aconscious effort to represent themachine age, speed and efficiency.The style of this lighthouse is aclear attempt to look modern andto make a break from the past,”said Patrick Andrews, who re-viewed the Ohio State HistoricPreservation Office’s 1992 petitionto place the lighthouse on the Na-tional Register of Historic Places.

When the lighthouse was com-pleted in the 1930s, its light —11,000-candlepower — could beseen 17 miles into Lake Erie. Itsfog horn was said to have “blastedair through a 3.5-inch pipe andmetal vibrator” to create a soundthat could be heard for 15 miles.Initially, the lighthouse was con-trolled remotely by a keeper andtwo assistants from a shore house.Ice on the lake kept the light inac-tive from Dec. 25 to March 1. Dur-

ing this time, the keeper and hisassistants were said to have takentheir vacations.

Modernization slowly broughtthe end of the light’s function. In1972, the lantern in the originallighthouse was replaced by a mod-ern, automated beacon. A horizon-tal black strip was painted onto theformerly all-white tower about half-way up to serve as a day-mark.

In addition, a secondary lighthas been placed on the port’s eastbreakwater. It displays green light,in contrast to the lighthousetower’s alternating red-and-whiteflashes within a five-second period.

When the lighthouse wasdeemed by the U.S. Coast Guardto be “in excess,” it was first offeredat no cost to eligible federal, stateand local agencies, non-profit andeducational organizations. Whenno one stepped forward, it was puton the GSA’s on-line lighthouseauction list.

The first “winning” bid of$35,000 was submitted by GaryZaremba, president of Artisan Res-toration Group of New York. WhenZaremba came to Conneaut to look

at the light, and — like Killilea andhis family in 2011 — was unableto find a boat to take him the mileoffshore, he ended up wading outto the structure.

Zaremba planned to open thestructure to guided tours and even-tual overnight lodging, since itsfirst and second floors are the sizeof the average living room.

But unlike Killilea, Zarembadid not pursue a lease from Ohiofor the bottomlands on which thetower stands. Thus, the lighthousereverted to the General ServicesAdministration, another on-lineauction, with a minimum bid of$5,000.

Killilea’s was one of six bids onthe lighthouse last year.

Unlike Zaremba, Killilea has noplans to abandon the ConneautWest Breakwater lighthouse. Hesaid it “meets and beats” his ex-pectations.

“You live only once,” he saidupon visiting the lighthouse for thefirst time. “When people ask mewhy I bought this, I tell them thatthe Statue of Liberty was alreadyspoken for.”

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BY SADIE PORTMANGazette Newspapers

H A R P E R S F I E L DTOWNSHIP - TheHarpersfield CoveredBridge has become an iconfor not only AshtabulaCounty (along with themany other coveredbridges), but for the townof Harpersfield Townshipas well.

Anglers flock to the Harpersfield Metropark during many months of the year.

Harpersfield Covered Bridge still a county staple

PHOTOS BY STEFANIE WESSELLConstructed in 1868, the Harpersfield Bridge spans the Grand River.

Constructed in 1868,the Harpersfield Bridgespans the Grand River inwestern Ashtabula Countyby the City of Geneva. Thebridge was added to theNational Register of His-toric Places on Nov. 3,1975.

A flood in 1913 nearlywashed away the land onthe north end of the bridgeand a steel span was at-

tached to make the bridgesecure.

The bridge is con-structed with a HoweTruss design, meaning thewooden bridge uses care-fully measured beams toform triangles to createsupport for the roof.

The bridge’s strong con-struction allows for trafficto flow over it even today,and the bridge is still apopular attraction amongtourists.

And it’s not only carsthat can make the tripacross the river, as bothsides of the bridge have en-closed walkways for thepedestrian to travel onfoot. Every once in a whilea fisherman can be seencasting his line off from thebridge.

The Ashtabula CountyMetroparks now owns thebridge and the surround-ing area, which is com-posed of the HarpersfieldCovered Bridge Park,which is the most recog-nized park in the Genevaarea.

Since the bridge is lo-cated right on the GrandRiver, the spring and sum-mer months can bring inlocal fisherman as theyfish along the shores.

“It is located on

Harpersfield Road at theGrand River dam, wheremany fishermen angle fortrout (in spring and fall),bluegill, crappie, large andsmallmouth bass, etc,” theMetroparks officials said.

The park provides pic-nic tables and recreationalfields for play and leisure.The Metroparks officialsare proud to take claim tothe area and see it as afamily friendly environ-

ment, as the shallows be-low the dam provide chil-dren with hours of enter-tainment.

The Harpersfield Cov-ered Bridge even has a fol-lowing among communitymembers who meet anddiscuss ways to keep thebridge preserved andclean. The Friends of theHarpersfield CoveredBridge Park is an activegroup that is proud to sup-

port the bridge in any waypossible.

“We need to work to-gether to take care of thisbeautiful park of ours andwe, the ‘Friends,’ cannot dothis without the help ofpeople,” DeniseWeinmann, chair of theFriends of theHarpersfield CoveredBridge Park, said in a re-cent blog after volunteershelped to clean the park.

The Metroparks offi-cials say the HarpersfieldCovered Bridge Park isvery well respected in thecommunity and they areproud to keep it clean forall those who visit.

“As with any publiclyowned facility, we encour-age the use and enjoymentof the Harpersfield Cov-ered Bridge Metropark,”officials said. “Becausethis is a public park for theenjoyment of everyone, weencourage visitors and pic-nickers to clean up andcarry out their trash.”

Whether it is throughthe work of theMetroparks or the commu-nity, the Harpersfield Cov-ered Bridge is still wellpreserved and offers aglimpse back in time towhomever comes for avisit.

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BY MARTHA SOROHANGazette Newspapers

ASHTABULA – Col. Wil-liam Hubbard might be sur-prised to learn today that hisbrick home has become a sig-nificant landmark at LakeAvenue’s terminus at WalnutBoulevard in Ashtabula.

Placed on the NationalRegister of Historic Places inAshtabula County on March20, 1973, the 170-year-oldstructure was saved from thewrecking ball to be turnedinto the Hubbard House Un-derground Railroad Mu-seum.

But Hubbard might notrecognize the home that visi-tors tour today, says MuseumDirector Betsy English.

“The original house hadtwo more wings,” she said.“One was a summer kitchenand the other a mother-in-law suite.”

Though its first floor issimilar to other historichouses in what was onceknown as Ohio’s “Connecti-cut Western Reserve,” withperiod furnishings in the par-lor, dining room and kitchen,the home’s second floor con-tains an Underground Rail-road Museum exhibit, whilethe basement is filled withartifacts, tools, weapons andinformation on the Civil War,some from the Charles MosesAmericana Collection.

Visitors are forewarnednot to expect to see a “tun-nel” connecting the house toLake Erie’s Walnut Beach, toits immediate north, a tun-nel which local lore says pro-vided a final escape route forrunaway slaves. No suchtunnel has been located.

The house was built byWilliam Hubbard, sent toOhio from Oneida County,N.Y., to work as a land agentfor his uncle, NehemiahHubbard, Jr.

The elder Hubbard wasamong the 40 founders of theConnecticut Land Company,which came into existenceafter lands in the Ohio Ter-ritory were redivided in1795. He owned some 58,000acres of land here, but hesent his nephews, son of hisbrother, Isaac, to establish a

PHOTO BY MARTHA SOROHANThe 170-year-old Hubbard House Underground Railroad Museum, at Lake Avenueand Walnut Boulevard in Ashtabula, is open for tours weekends in the summer.

Hubbard House: Terminus of the Underground Railroadpresence for him in theWestern Reserve because ofhis advanced age.

Thus, William Hubbardand his family arrived in theConnecticut Western Re-serve in the late spring of1834, joining brothers Mat-thew and Henry who had es-tablished homes in this area.

They purchased about 50acres of land from NehemiahHubbard in 1836. But theydid not live there at first be-cause Hubbard was runningfor his uncle the Ohio Ex-change Hotel, a few blocksaway. Historians believethat Hubbard, who consid-ered himself a farmer, firstbuilt a barn on the propertyto shelter his animals andfarm equipment.

He and his wife,Catharine, built the house inlate 1840 or 1841, usingbricks made of clay dug fromthe banks of Lake Erie.Much of the work was be-lieved to have been done by“Uncle Jake,” a fugitiveslave.

The Hubbard Home’s linkto the Underground Rail-road is significant. Soon af-ter arriving in Ashtabula,William had followed hisbrothers by joining theAshtabula County Anti-Sla-very Society. Abolitionistsentiment ran in the family,as Matthew and HenryHubbard helped found theAshtabula Sentinel, an abo-litionist newspaper. Helpingsend slaves to Canada be-came one of Hubbard’s pas-sions

According to one account,eyewitnesses noted that 39slaves were once in hiding onthe property, known on theUnderground Railroad Cir-cuit as “Mother Hubbard’sCupboard.”

“They made short work ofa barrel of pickles,” the wit-ness wrote.

Fugitive slaves arrived atall hours of the day and night,looking for assistance fromHubbard and his wife. Norecords of the number ofslaves helped by theHubbards has been located.

In subsequent genera-tions, the house passed outof the Hubbard family. Be-

lieved to have been modern-ized in the late 1870s into an“Eastlake” style residencewith larger windows and or-nate trim work, it served overthe years as a women’s socialclub, a kindergarten, and aParks and Recreation De-partment building. It alsostood vacant.

Just as it was about to berazed in 1979, the home wassaved by a group of citizensthat included Thomas(“Tim”) Hubbard, a descen-dant of William andCatharine.

An agreement was drawnup with the City of Ashtabulato receive the property on thecondition that it be restored.Thus, it was restored, andtoday contains period piecesoriginal to the home or toAshtabula County.

Restoration continues, asthe brick home’s yellow paintis in the process of beingstripped and reapplied. Thecolor was chosen by TimHubbard, who found yellowpaint chips during an archeo-logical dig.

“The house had beenpainted about a dozen yearsago, after nearly 50 years ofneglect,” English said.

Ground is expected to bebroken in the spring, 2012,for a small gift shop at therear of the property. The ex-pansion is self-funded by themuseum.

A popular site for schoolgroups and bus tours, theHubbard House is the startof the annual UndergroundRailroad Pilgrimage Tour ofAshtabula County in Octo-ber. It has also sponsoredwintertime Film Festivalsfeaturing historical movies.

The Hubbard House isopen for self- and volunteer-guided tours 1 to 5 p.m. Fri-day, Saturday and Sundayfrom Memorial Day throughlate September, and closedholidays. Admission is $5adults, $4 seniors, and $3children 6 to 16. Group toursand rates are available byappointment. Contact theHubbard House at (440) 964-8168.

(Some data for this articlecame from SuperMedia,Acxiom, Infogroup.)

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BY SADIE PORTMANGazette Newspapers

ASHTABULA - TheAshtabula Harbor Light-house is a piece of historyfor the Ashtabula Harbor,as it has been a landmarkon the east pier of theAshtabula River since1836.

Originally the light-house had seven oil lampslit to keep ships safe onthe water. All the lampswere lit by use of spermwhale oil, which was har-vested from the whale’sblubber.

The first l ighthousekeeper was a captain bythe name of Bigelow. Oneof the problems faced byCaptain Bigelow was hav-ing to replace the woodenpiers that were damagedby storms and accidents,according to info providedby the Ashtabula Light-house Restoration andPreservation Society

The Ashtabula Harbor Lighthouse still attracts historians today(ALRPS) .

This first lighthousebegan to erode, causing asecond lighthouse to bebuilt.

As rot and storms be-gan to crumble the origi-nal lighthouse in 1876, asecond lighthouse wasbuilt on the West Pier asdocking requirements re-quired a change in the po-sitioning of the harborlight.

Throughout its history,the west end lighthousehas seen its fair share ofchanges. A new Fourth Or-der Fresnel fixed red lightlens was installed in 1876,along with a first-class si-ren fog signal.

In 1905, a new light-house was built, when theAshtabula River was wid-ened and new dock con-struction was completed.

Before the completionof the new 1905 light-house, the river-wideningproject left the 1876 struc-ture 60 feet out into the

river and away from thepier. This gave the appear-ance of a “floating light-house.”

Later, during the con-

struction, the 1876 light-house actually did “float,”as it was moved off its is-land (the dock) and wasplaced on a barge until the1905 lighthouse was com-pleted.

Both the old and thenew lighthouses couldnow only be reached byboat by the keepers.

The lighthouse wouldgo through a few morechanges, including in1916 when the light wasmoved approximately1,750 feet of the previoussite. The structure wasdoubled in size and a new50-foot concrete crib wasbuilt to support it. Thetwo-story building wasconstructed of steel withiron plate.

This lighthouse wasnow able to house thelight keepers.

An addition to the 1905stone break-wall was con-structed in 1915 from Wal-nut Beach.

The lighthouse also haswithstood damagethroughout the years. In1927, the steamerGleneagles of the Cana-dian Steamship Linesrammed the lighthouseand drove it back sixinches, heavily damagingthe ship. No injuries were

reported.In 1928, an ice storm

imprisoned two keepers inthe lighthouse. The CoastGuardsmen had to tunnelthrough five feet of ice tofreedom.

In 1959, the U.S. CoastGuard installed a newFourth Order Fresnel lenslight in the lighthouse.The l ight rotated andemitted a three-secondwhite flash that could beseen as far as 19 miles ona clear night. This light,made in France in 1896,remained in use until1995 when it was removedand taken by the CoastGuard to be permanentlydisplayed at theAshtabula Maritime Mu-seum. A foghorn was alsoinstalled in the lighthousethat blew two blasts everyminute. In addition, anautomatic radio transmit-ted a dash-dash-dot signalat a specific period.

These were importantaids to the shipping navi-gations going to and com-ing from the harbor. Al-though the beacon lightwas electric, operation ofthe foghorn required im-mediate supervision.

The l ighthouse re-mained manned by theU.S. Coast Guard until

1973 when it was auto-mated. At that time it wasthe last remaining light tobe manned on Lake Erie.

The Harbor Lighthouswas added to the NationalRegister of Historic Placeson Aug. 4, 1983.

“In 2000, a small groupof lighthouse enthusiastsformed, with the help ofDennis Hale, theAshtabula LighthouseRestoration and Preserva-tion Society with the goalof eventually purchasingthe Ashtabula Light andrestoring it as a touristand educational attractionfor the Ashtabula area,”ALRPS officials said.“This group has grown toinclude 152 members.”

Although the officialuse of the lighthouse is nolonger needed, the stronghistory behind the light-house remains of value tothe community.

“Our eventual goal is tocompletely restore thelighthouse as it was whenlast manned, and thenturn it into an educationalcenter pertaining toAshtabula’s MaritimeHistory, the life of a light-house keeper and the fa-cilities that they lived in,”Earl Tucker, historian ofthe society, said.

ALRPS gave tours twoyear ago of the lighthouse,offering a way for the pub-lic to see firsthand what itwas like before you coulddial in the Coast Guardfor help on the waters.

“In 2010, ALRPS beganoffering tours of the lightand our restoration work.In 2011 we had to halt thisprogram due to a lack oftransportation to andfrom the light,” Tuckersaid. “We are in hopes ofobtaining a new/used boatso that we can reinstatethis program as it is a val-ued asset in raising fundsto continue our work.”

(Some information usedin this article was pro-vided through theAshtabula LighthouseRestoration and Preserva-tion Society.)

FILE PHOTOAshtabula Harbor Lighthouse

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H A R P E R S F I E L DTOWNSHIP - Although thecemeteries in HarpersfieldTownship may be small, sig-nificant figures inAshtabula County’s historyare buried there.

A gravestone barely no-ticeable in Harper Cem-etery belongs to Col. RobertHarper, a prominent figurein the township’s andcounty’s history. Harper’sgravestone is a merefootstone, the name nearlyunreadable because of theeffects of time and nature.

Robert Harper was theyoungest child of AlexanderHarper. In 1798, Alexanderbought land from the Con-necticut Land Company andmoved the family from NewYork to the Western Re-serve. The Harpers wereone of the first families tosettle in what is nowAshtabula County.

Col. Alexander Harperfounded the township,which was at the time a wil-derness, and gave the town-ship his name in 1798 whenhe moved there. He diedlater that same year, at theage of 54. Harper’s wife,Elizabeth, lived until shewas 84, dying in 1833. Sheplanted the first apple or-chard in Harpersfield Town-ship.

Their son Robert Harper

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE WESTERN RESERVE HISTORICAL SOCIETYShandy Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 28, 1974.

Travel back to the 1800s at Shandy Hallbuilt Shandy Hall, whichwas added to the NationalRegister of Historic Placeson June 28, 1974.

Harper built the originalrooms of Shandy Hall in1815. The home, one of theoldest structures in the re-gion, still stands at 6333 S.Ridge Road West (Rt. 84).The Western Reserve His-torical Society maintains theproperty, which is now openas a historic house museumby appointment only.

After building ShandyHall, Harper took to ex-panding the property overthe next 20 years. The homegrew to 17 rooms and wasconsidered a mansion by thestandards of the times.

The two generations thatsucceeded Robert Harpertook great care to preservethe furnishings, tools andtraditions that existed atShandy Hall.

Virtually all the furni-ture pieces in the home be-longed to the Harpers. Thehouse looks much like it wasin the 1830s when Robert,his wife Polly, and their fourdaughters lived at ShandyHall.

Many of the original fur-nishings still sit in thehome, including a copy ofthe book “The Life andOpinions of TristamShandy, Gentleman” byLaurence Sterne. The bookbelonged to Harper ’sdaughter, Ann. The book

was Ann’s favorite, andShandy Hall took its namefrom it, as Ann began to callher home Shandy Hall, asthe book featured eccentriccharacters, which Ann lik-ened to her family. Thename became popular withthe community and has re-mained for over 170 years.

Modest in appearance onthe exterior, the rooms in-side include the original cel-lar kitchen with cookingfireplace, bake oven and abanquet room with covedceiling and early 19th cen-tury scenic French wallpa-per.

On the grounds, originalshrubs and trees shadeflower and herb gardens.

Because of the age of thehome and other history ofAshtabula County, peoplehave wondered if this homewas also a stop on the Un-derground Railroad.

However, it was quite theopposite. Harper was a prac-ticing attorney and tookcases from slaveholdersseeking the return of theirrunaway slaves. No slavewould have sought refuge atShandy Hall.

Tours of Shandy Hall areby appointment only. Toschedule one, contact theWestern Reserve HistoricalSociety at (216) 721-5722.

(Some of the informationused in this article was pro-vided by the Western Re-serve Historical Society.)

The house looks much like it was in the 1830s when Robert, his wife Polly, and their fourdaughters lived at Shandy Hall.

Ashtabula County Historical SocietyAshtabula County Historical Societywww.ashtcohs.com

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WINDSOR TOWNSHIP- The Windsor HistoricalSociety has compiled andpreserved much early his-tory of buildings, land-marks, pioneer families andother memorabilia aboutWindsor Township.

After purchasing in 2004the Christ Church Episco-pal at Route 322 andWiswell Road (known asWindsor Mills area), fromthe Episcopal Diocese ofCleveland, restoration workcontinues on the 1832-erastructure.

The Windsor HistoricalSociety received a $25,000grant in 2004 from theAshtabula Foundation for asecond restoration, accord-ing to WHS officials.

The church and thenearby restored historicWiswell Road CoveredBridge are both on the Na-

Windsor Mills Christ Episcopal Church museum is historic district hubtional Register of HistoricPlaces. Each fall duringAshtabula County CoveredBridge Festival, the societyputs on a mini-festival forvisitors by the hundredswho flock to walk down andtake photograph of thebridge built in 1867 andcreek gorge terrain with itsforest of trees. Visitors tourthe church museum filledwith early history memora-bilia of the Windsor commu-nity and take in a festivalcentered around pioneercrafts.

The scenic Phelps Creekflows through this area ofWindsor Township, oncehome to early Native Ameri-can Indians long beforeearly pioneers came afterthe Revolutionary War. The134-foot lattice typeWiswell Road coveredbridge was closed in the late1970s and restored twice.Since 2004, it is open to carsand Amish buggy trafficonly just off Warners Hol-


ASHTABULA - Take avisit to the City ofAshtabula PortAuthority ’s TransientDock area by the l i ftbridge and you’ll see anOhio Historical Markerthat celebrates the historyof the Ashtabula Harbor.

Specifically, the markercommemorates theAshtabula Harbor Com-mercial District, whichnot only is remembered byOhio historians but alsowas placed on the Na-tional Register of HistoricPlaces on Sept. 5, 1975.The historic district en-

Ashtabula Harbor once consideredone of the roughest ports in the world

This weathered bronze plaque dated 1987 was put onan old grindstone from the Windsor Township area as anentrance sign for the Windsor Historical Society’s ChristEpiscopal Church museum at North Wiswell Road andRoute 322.

PHOTOS BY DORIS COOKThe Windsor Mills Cemetery located across North WiswellRoad from the historic Christ Episcopal Church Museumin Windsor Township is filled with early pioneer familygravesites.

low Road (formerly part ofWiswell Road).

Windsor Township trust-ees maintain this section ofwhat was Wiswell Road lead-ing up to the Northeast Ohio4-H Camp Whitewood prop-

erty on South Wiswell Road.The Christ Episcopal

Church Museum has gonethrough many changessince it was built in 1832.Longtime Windsor Histori-cal Society member MarianAlderman of Orwell andother society members overthe years have kept records,documents, photos andmuch memorabilia whenthey took ownership of thestructure seven years ago.

In the late 1950s, thechurch was restored by theAshtabula County Histori-cal Society, according to Al-derman, under a leaseagreement. Then in 1975 itwas returned to the Dioceseand later leased to WindsorHistorical Society.

The former church hasbeen a landmark in thecommunity for several cen-turies. It remained an Epis-copal church until the 1920sand in 1955 leased to theACHS, which undertook the

first real restoration work.The architecture of the

historic church museum issimilar to early New En-gland meeting houses withits “crown steeple.” Interiorwood used in the pews, bal-cony and pulpit came fromvarious locations duringthe restoration processes asdid museum addition doors

Tours at the church mu-seum are given duringwarmer spring through fallmonths. It is also open oc-casionally on Sundays.

compasses Bridge Street,on both sides from its1200 block to theAshtabula River.

The dedication of theHarbor’s Ohio HistoricalMarker in 2010 paid trib-ute to one of Ashtabula’smost colorful chapters: atime in the latter half ofthe 19th century whenAshtabula Harbor wasconsidered, along withCalcutta and Shanghai,one of the three roughestports in the world, a timeof exploding economic andimmigrant growth un-matched in the city’s longhistory.

The Lift Bridge Com-munity Association is one

of the entities responsiblefor bringing the historicalmarker to the Harbor, andit was part of theassociation’s mission tohelp the Ashtabula Har-bor become a major re-gional destination fortourism, recreation andentertainment.

Administered by theOhio Historical Society,the Historical Markersprogram enables Ohioansto commemorate and cel-ebrate local history andlearn more about thestate. Designed to be per-manent and highly vis-ible, the historic markers

See PORT page 17

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are large, cast-aluminumsigns that tell storiesabout aspects of Ohio’shistory.

Ashtabula’s marker islocated near the dock andlift bridge.

The marker bears thefollowing:

“When the Pittsburgh,Youngstown andAshtabula Railroad wasfinished in 1873,Ashtabula’s harbor be-came a direct route to shipiron ore to the boomingsteel mills of Youngstownand Pittsburgh.

“On the west side of theAshtabula River, a brush-fi l led gulley becameBridge Street. New build-ings and bridges attest tothe harbor’s importanceas a commercial and ship-ping hub from the late19th through mid 20thcenturies. Fires destroyedwood-frame buildings onthe block closest to theriver. A fire in 1886 nearlycleared the north side ofBridge Street. Anotherfire swept over the southside in 1900. Fire resis-tant brick buildings re-placed frame structuresand over the course of re-building, the level of thestreet rose approximatelyeight feet. In 1889, a

swing-span bridge re-placed the original pon-toon bridge over the river.A bascule l i ft (draw)bridge replaced the swingbridge in 1925.

“Demand for labor inAshtabula brought Swed-ish, Finnish, Irish, Italianand other immigrants tothe city. Bridge Streetserved these and otherresidents, and the marineand railroad trade.

“Businesses on BridgeStreet included depart-ment stores, barbers, gro-cers, attorneys, undertak-ers, and restaurants, aswell as pool halls, saloons,and brothels. Ashtabula’sharbor was one of thebusiest ports on the GreatLakes, even surpassingCleveland as an ore re-ceiving port. It was alsoreputed to be one of thetoughest ports in theworld, sharing that dis-tinction with Shanghaiand Calcutta. Machinesgradually replaced steve-dores and this process wasaccelerated with the in-stallation of Hulett oreunloaders on the docks in1910. By the late 20th cen-tury, mechanization pro-gressed to the point that,under a crew’s guidance,ships unloaded them-

PHOTO BY DEE RILEY

selves. The City ofAshtabula placed the har-bor commercial district onthe National Register ofHistoric Places in 1975.”

The Ashtabula HarborCommercial District con-tains 25 contributingbuildings, many of whichare still in use today, al-though for different pur-poses.

These businessesbringing a different kindof activity to Bridge Streetinclude everything from acoffee shop like HarborPerk; hand-made jewelrystores like Beaches, withits beach-glass jewelry,and Sandpiper Gallery,with lampwork, glass-bead jewelry; gift shopslike Bridge Street Bou-tique, Carlisle’s Home inthe Harbor and Defina’sThe Harbor Store; restau-rants l ike BriquettesSmokehouse and MonsterBurrito; and places topamper and indulge your-self at, like Marianne’sChocolates and MissElaine’s Heartmade, withits handcrafted soaps andother body-care products.

With places like these,Bridge Street has come along way from its past asone of the roughest portsin the world.

PORTS Continued From Page 16

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Warner’s Hollow“This is the forest primeval, the murmuring pines and

the hemlocks, bearded with moss and in garments green,indistinct in

the twilight, stand like Druids of old, with voices sadand prophetic…

“This is the forest primeval; but where are the heartsthat beneath it leaped like the roe, when he hears in thewoodland the voice of the huntsman?”

—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

For quite possibly fourteen thousand years, Warner’sHollow has fascinated mankind. Mound Builders, Indi-ans, early white settlers, you and I, our children andgrandchildren have felt its attraction.

From what sources within the place and within thepeople has this magnetism developed? When will woodedcliffs overlooking a deep gorge and a never-failing streammeandering among rocks until it is out of sight cease toinvite man to commune with nature? Across thousands ofyears, man has improved his tools from the clumsy imple-ments of stone to those too complicated for most to un-derstand, but these are dropped in the quest for a peacethat only the out-of-doors can grant. Some inner compul-sion has made people leave hut and skyscraper for suchplaces as Warner’s Hollow which were not made by hands.

When perhaps fourteen thousand years ago the melt-ing glaciers retreated northward, great quantities of wa-ter sought places to run off through existing depressions,deepening them until they were gorges too deep and toowide for the relatively small stream of our day to haveeroded across unnumbered centuries. Warner’s Hollow is

(Editor’s Note: The late Willard D. Loomis of Windsor Township taught school in GrandValley district for 42 years. A teacher and principal at Windsor Elementary, Loomis also

taught seventh- and eighth-grade geography and history classes later at GV Jr. High Schoolbefore retiring. He is well remembered as an avid Windsor area historian.)

a gorge extending southeast from Windsor Mills for a dis-tance of approximately one and one-half miles. Its depthincreases rather rapidly from perhaps thirty to one hun-dred feet. Layers of shale and sandstone rise vertically inmany places from a valley floor several hundred feet wide.A stream, named Phelps Creek after an early resident,flows the length of the Hollow and having left the escarp-ment behind goes across gradually descending land untilit joins Grand River near the southeast corner of WindsorTownship. Springs flow from the shale rock making upmuch of its sides. A large dome-topped piece of sandstoneapproximately forty feet high and one hundred feet in cir-cumference broke away from the left wall in ancient timeand came to rest several dozen feet below, smoothed untilit presents a nearly horizontal top in which a human foot-print has been carved. It has been named “Little Moun-tain”.

When the hard austere beauty of rocks and cliffs withonly evergreens and snow to cover them yields to the softdrowsiness of spring, the schoolboy, homeward bound, lin-gers there and occasionally returns the next morning at-tuned in spirit to Whittier-

“Oh! For boyhood’s painless play,Sleep that wakes in laughing day,Health that mocks the doctor’s rules,Knowledge never learned in schools”and causes school principals and attendance officers

to regard spring with a somewhat jaundiced eye.

Although its springs and shades have refreshed un-told thousands through many hot summers, it is autumn’smagnificence of scarlet, gold, and evergreen which makesa following of its paths most rewarding. The Hollow isalways in season.

Temporary release from the boss, the job, the teacher,and the city is always there. In ages long ago, self-preser-vation dictated residence at Warner’s Hollow. Some primi-tive militarist perceived the defensive possibilities of thehigh point projecting from the right bank and formed bythe junction of Grindstone Creek with the Hollow. Twoearthen walls extending across a waist of this projectingarea made a citadel of one and one-half acres. Assailantsfaced a concave earth rampart about one hundred-fiftyfeet long which is still eight feet high in places. About tenfeet behind this first wall are the remains of a secondearthen wall now pounded and eroded down to scarcelytwo feet in height. The remaining sides of this defensiveposition were secured by the Hollow itself and the deepcleft of its junction with Grindstone Creek. Only if thestones which reinforced these walls had tongues mightwe know of the ferocity here displayed in millennia past.The primitive designers of this ancient fortification wereof a group extending far into New York and were back-ward in comparison to those living farther south in Ohio.

Quite possibly the historic Indians of the Erie Nationlater wondered at these works and surmised their pur-pose. The Indians of the Erie or Cat tribe were very ag-

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JANUARY 2012 GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS • 19Ashtabula County Historygressive. During the 17th Century they carried the waragainst the Iroquois Nations and were nearly annihilatedin a battle near the present Canandaigua, New York. Thusthis area was, Indian-wise, virtually a no-mans-land whenthe first white settlers came shortly before the year 1800.Stark geography was the only major opponent of the firstwhite settlers. More than a quarter century before thecompletion of the Erie Canal found the task of gropingone’s way westward through a constantly wilder land grimindeed. Perhaps the rocks and trees of Warner’s Hollowpossessed no allure for these travel-worn settlers. TheIndians who returned to the Hollow during the summerfor some years probably were quite welcome to monopo-lize its beauties.

Windsor Township furnished more than one hundredboys in blue during the Civil War. Perhaps some of themwalked through the Hollow or along its brink as they con-templated adding a year or two to their correct ages thatthey might volunteer successfully. Its paths may haveseemed strangely difficult to young veterans with infir-mities acquired upon Richmond.

In the summer of 1863, the Confederate Cavalry leader,General John H. Morgan, invaded Indiana and then south-ern Ohio, vowing to water his horses in Lake Erie. His3500 hardened campaigners swept east across the south-ern part of our state and after an unsuccessful attempt toget back over the Ohio River turned north. Hard ridingand sporadic fighting against growing odds seriously re-duced his command, but to the civilians of eastern Ohio,he appeared formidable in the extreme. Windsor farmerspondered on the number of beefsteaks, pork chops, andbushels of corn and oats which Morgan’s hungry troopersand horses undoubtedly would consume during onenight’s encampment in this locality and decided to try toconceal their livestock and grain in the vastness of

Warner’s Hollow. Surely so many farm animals hastilymoved to strange surroundings would have made a mightydin at feeding time, but the wisdom of the scheme did notcome to a proving because Morgan was forced to surren-der in Columbiana County.

Picnic grounds were established in a grove above theleft bank of the Hollow. There for many summers wereheld Windsor homecomings, Sunday school picnics, andreunions. The annual homecomings were customarily heldat harvest time and legions of horses and carriages wereto be seen. So many of the drivers apparently failed tobring sufficient feed for their horses that Mr. J. L. Loomis,owner of the neighboring farm, found it advisable to haulin his stocks of wheat and oats and to stack them close tohis farm buildings before this major social event.

Classes in the Windsor School held end-of-the-year pic-nics at the Hollow, grades studying science hiked there,Boy Scouts camped overnight; hay rides included a wienerroast at the picnic grounds, and hunters sought fox, rabbit,and squirrel within its precincts. Many a boy in WindsorVillage trapped there, starting before daylight to inspecthis line of traps, and occasionally filling the atmosphere ofthe school room with proof of having caught a skunk.

Warner’s Hollow was responsible for the growth of twosmall villages in Windsor Township. Neither village grewin the center of the township because travel on a roadrunning straight south from such a center would haverequired crossing the Hollow by a bridge so high and longthat its cost would have been prohibitive even if engineersof a century and a half ago had accepted so great a chal-lenge. The location of Windsor Corners east of the centerof the township permitted the road running south totraverse nearly level land while Windsor Mills’s situationwest of the center allowed a practicable bridging of therelatively narrow and shallow head of Warner’s Hollow.Thus the spacing of the two small villages was determined

by the magnitude of the Hollow.The old covered bridge which spans Phelps Creek im-

mediately south of Windsor Mills is an object of consider-able interest in its own right. Built so long ago that theexact year of its construction seems unavailable, it is 134ft. in length and carries traffic 32 ft. above the solid sand-stone channel of the creek. In supporting the three spans,the concrete and stone abutments are assisted by two pil-lars of which the northern is made of large, cut sandstoneblocks and the southern of rubble. Reroofing the bridgeperiodically has preserved the two layers of planks whichare its floor. In recent years, the area on the right banklocated by the ancient fort has become developed as CampWhitewood where large numbers of children from a widearea enjoy Warner’s Hollow in week-long sessions. A re-cent purchase of a much larger area of the Hollow by the4-H organization which has operated Camp Whitewoodsince its establishment in 1940 promises to preserve itsnatural beauty.

Thus during several millennia, Warner’s Hollow hasserved mankind. The benefits it has extended as a placewhere moral regeneration may be accomplished are in-calculable. In its role as inanimate observer and auditor,the Hollow has witnessed the historic Indian succeed theprehistoric Mound Builder only to be himself supplantedby the white man. Do we possess sufficient foresight andacumen to insure that we remain benefactors from tran-sition and do not fall victims in future ages?

If we do not succeed-“Still stands the forest primeval; but under the shade of

its branches dwells another race with other customs andlanguage….while from its rocky caverns……. Speaks, and inaccents disconsolate answers the wail of the forest.”

– W. D. LoomisWindsor

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