Keep up to date with our newsletters.
2023 Fall – Our annual meeting features speaker Will Cummings who presents “E W Roberts and the early days of aviation in Sandusky.” We presented four speaker events this year. Old news – June 28, 1894 – Chief Spotted Horse, the Indian Medicine Man, are selling an Indian medicine. Boat tour cancelled. Seven Huron students excel in history at Ohio History Day program. Our new (old) website is now in place. with 67 pages, 109 sub pages (or posts) and 1600 media items (documents & photos). Old news – May 12, 1916 – Massive fire in the Schmidt building.
2023 Spring – Check our Event page for history related events occurring in and around Erie County, and check out OUR events scheduled for March 24, April 29 and May 24. Photos and a recap of our 2022 Annual meeting. Photos of the Almon Ruggles historic Marker dedication. It’s 1888-learn all about Canada soldiers [Mayflies]! What they are and where did they come from.
2022 Fall – Covid is still impacting our events which have been cancelled. Odd Fellows building and Harriet Beecher Stowe walking tour sites updated. What a long list of questions we answered over the summer. An historic marker is planned for Paul Brown in Norwalk. 1873 – A story about the horse called Old Kate (She would eat anything, and from the bottom of my heart, I believe she will.) Some great American Crayon photos from the Erie County Fair.
2022 Spring – Where are we now with walking tours? Fall Boat Tour planned. Annual meeting will be November 13. Condolences to Board Member John Hildebrandt on the loss of his wife. Our website has been overhauled. New pages include Events and More History for some great articles. We added Berlin Hts. Historical Society to our website. We received a War Ration Coupon for James Frank Opie (3 years old) sent from Oregon! Mystery train picture location identified. The keeper of a house of ill-repute was fined (May 1894). Historical Marker updates. J. L. Hudson Store tin ceiling picture. 1894 – Medicine Men set up on Townsend green.
2021 Fall – Tour and meeting updates. The history of Erie County (how Huron and Sandusky counties played a part). We mourn the passing of Relda Niederhofer, former Board Member. Various Christmas parties in 1871. Lecture at the Opera House. Erie County, Slavery, & those who made a difference, Part 3. 1888 Common Pleas cases – Anna Ash, and Henry Eberle and Dan Ryan charged with assault and battery. 1894 nitroglycerine and dynamite found on Market St.
2021 Spring – Tour update, queries we answered, happy 203rd birthday to Sandusky, and some interesting court cases from 1888. Meet new Board Members Jade Castile and Jim Jackson and bid farewell to retiring Board Member Randy Koch. The renovation of the Rush R. Sloane House and find out what happened to those lions that were on the front steps. WWII ends and Sandusky celebrates. Our business Members: The 1870 Publishing Group (Cedar Point-Rolling Through the Years) and Harbortown Fine Arts Center in Vermilion. Read history related news from the newspapers. June 1902 – Invasion of Canadian Soldiers (Mayflies) and how the installation of electric lights improved Cedar Point. Great article from the Register about Juneteenth and some of the Leaders of Liberation from Erie County. How Erie County honored our historic health care workers. 1905 Providence Hospital holds an open house. 1880 – An accident in Perkins.
2020 Fall – All events cancelled due to COVID-19. Our annual meeting changes direction. We are fast approaching 600 followers on our Facebook page. Our business members: The Goodtime I and the 1870 Publishing Group. Celebrating Erie County’s Black history we share info on some of the people who made a difference; Anti-Slavery meeting-1844, Sophronia Jefferson-former slave, Joseph M. Root-Anti-Slavery Activist, George J. Reynolds-URR conductor, Rush Sloan’s address on the URR in the Firelands, and the Liberty Party. Check out our walking tours online (because you couldn’t do them in person this year). Read the incredible collection of questions we answered. Celebrate the holidays in style – November 30, 1869.
2020 Spring – Covid-19 cancelled all our tours and a little more about Pastor Ohly. See where our Board Members have appeared. There is a recap of some of the important ‘historic’ building articles. Suffrage – photos and posters. A great article about the Historic Marker honoring the First Female Jury in Erie County. Did you know that Marie Caroline Brehm of Sandusky was the first female candidate to run for the vice-presidency of the United States after women were allowed to vote in national elections? A new historic marker was dedicated for the Cooke-Dorn House. We recognize the Sandusky Library (yet again) for their incredible contribution to Erie County’s history through its collection and its History Blog. And finally, a big thank you to our business members: The Goodtime I and the 1870 Publishing Group.
2019 October – Retiring board members Jim Semon, Kathy Muelhauser and Judy Pflieger. Our new Mission Statement was adopted. Our by-laws were updated and new membership categories added. A whole long list of questions that we answered. It’s 1953 and we reflect on plans for a new museum and recognize our original Board members. List of our Board Member’s presentations and honors. Cooke–Dorn House historic Marker dedicated on September 2019. Photos and recap of our 2019 tours.
2019 May – Sandusky Walking tours upgraded on website with more pictures, links, history and some old stories and advertisements. Fort Firelands marker to be moved. Annual Meeting: Jarel Scott presented Sandusky Coal Docks and Doreen Paul of the Sandusky Library was honored. Upcoming events include: E & K Winery tour, Wayne St tour, Underground Railroad tour, and our first Walk in the Water tour of Sandusky’s lakefront. Annual Meeting –Leslie Korenko will present a program on the history of Kelleys Island. Ernst Niebergall book completed and the Sandusky Postcard Club donates to ECHS. Article from May 2, 1868 – The great Wolf Hunt in Castalia.
2018 November – A recap of our 2018 activities. The first 25 questions on our History Quiz appeared on our website. More changes appeared on our website this summer including these new pages: News, Erie County & The Civil War, Remember When (some pretty historic photos), and an improved Sandusky Historic Walking Tour. A record crowd of 65 people showed up for Randy Koch’s presentation as the Confederate soldier Charlie Pierce at our Annual Member meeting. It was with a sad heart that we mourned the passing of Board Member John Schaeffer who left us in April. We tell the story of the grand opening of Hudson’s Store – A Palatial Establishment in the Schmidt Block from the Sandusky Register, March 28, 1894.
2018 May – Our accomplishments for the past year, update on Historic Markers, our walking tours, Report on our 2017 Annual Meeting, our involvement in the Underground Railroad, and our new improved website.
2014-2017 – not sure if any newsletters were published.
2013 March– Idabelle Teasel passes. March program – Anthony Gibbs portrays John Parker. April program: History after hours at the Ohio Veterans Home Museum.
2012 – missing
2011 March – ECHS pledges $2000 to R. H. Hayes Presidential Center. Sandusky Maritime Museum display features ice harvesting in Sandusky Bay. We celebrate Janet A. Senne’s 7 years as President and her total of 40 years membership in our organization.
2010 March – Program: Louis Schultz – Mapping of Ohio, Western Reserve, & the Firelands, Erie County and Sandusky. May program: Diane Armstrong on when Johnson’s Island was a resort. Civil War Sesquicentennial planned. Chesapeake Parks, we plan an historical marker recognizing the Hinde & Dauch Corp.
2009 May – Celebrating the Firelands. New historic marker at the main entrance to the Firelands Regional Medical Center. May program: Bette Lou Higgins narrates a program “What happened on inland seas during Prohibition.”
2008 September – September program: Abigail Dobraw presents ‘Nothing Left Behind’ a documentary on Erie County Murders of April 1968. The 1953 time capsule to be given to the Follett House Museum. Contents were to do to the historical society after retrieval in 50 years. Previous plans were to rebury it. Historic marker for Village of Venice to be dedicated. A history of the Firelands. Annual meeting: Becky Hill, head librarian at the Hayes Center, presents ‘German Roots of Area Residents.”
2008 March – March speaker: Dale Hartlaub on the Ford Trimotor. In May we dedicate the Knut Rockne historical marker. Introducing the new Castalia Historical Society. New signs to be erected: ‘Entering the Firelands, established 1792.” ECHS helps sponsor.
2007 February – Helen Hansen, founding member of ECHS, dies at age 104. June Coughlin, our treasurer, passes away. Helen Seitz given an honorary membership. March program: Kathy Muehlhauser Moore presents Huron Before Urban Renewal. Black History Month: Frederick Douglass/Honest Abe program – ECHS donates $500 as a sponsor. May Program – John Schaefer and the history of the Lyme Historic Society and historic Lyme village.
2006 – no issue was published
2005 September (Edition 12, no. 1) – This year is the 150 anniversary of Sandusky School’s first graduating class, St. Mary’s Parish founding and Erie Co. Fair’s first fair. Names include: the first directors of public education in Sandusky (Eleutheros Cooke, Francis Parish and Samuel Caldwell). The first graduating class (Sara & Martha Root, Helen Norris and Emma Bouton). Nice history of various schools. Recap of the first fair, prizes and its original location. The Heritage Society of Erie Co (began in 1984) is mentioned. The display cases in the County building were the gift of the Great Lakes Historical Society. ECHS is working with WLEC to have the 1953 time capsule reburied.
2004 – missing
2003 – missing
2002 February – Bicentennial Bell for Erie Co. to be cast at the Erie County Fair. Jim Miller presents Sandusky Bay in the winter and the ice harvesting industry.”May meeting: John B. Silvis presents the history of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). Thomas Alva Edison and his phonograph honored for 125 years of recording and re-creating sound.
2001 June – Brig Niagara to visit Sandusky. Drive it yourself Barn Tour accompanies barn display. ECHS fields calls about Fort Sandusky, the first historic marker erected by ECHS (April 1964) and Venice resident presented a cannonball from the Fort for the ECHS museum. Schedule for the Ohio Chautauqua features “Buckeyes in the Civil War.”
2001 March – The Sandusky maritime Museum presents their history. Eleutherous Cooke House will feature a gallery of ever changing exhibits of Sandusky’s history in the basement. Ohio Bi-Centennial update. Traveling exhibit form the Smithsonian features 12 panels showing the history of various types of barns. The Heritage Society of Erie Co. features a display of Erie county barns. Tom Koba makes a video about the Marblehead Light House. Natalie DeMuth presents one room school houses.
1996-2000 – there were no newsletters published
1995 September – Glenn Kuebeler presents Brewmania at our September meeting. He has researched for 20 years the brewing industry in Sandusky and the Kuebeler family. Page 2 is missing.
1995 January – WBGU-TV to do a documentary: Cedar Point Remembered, celebrating 125 years and is looking for interviews, movies, artifacts, etc. March Meeting: Helen Hanson presents the LEADS program. May meeting: Amanda Gerold and Beth Puchalski (St. Mary’s history students) present “The Underground Railroad: a geographical journey to freedom through Ohio.” Sari Bowers presented bound copies of Oxford Twp. Historic inventory to the Sandusky Library. ECHS sponsored the project.
1994 March – Spring meeting features Ken Hammontree as Johnny Appleseed. Helen Hanson, at age 91, is now a full-time author, New members Dr. E. J. Baxter. The marker for the concretion was knocked off its base by a snow plow and is temporary storage. New Members: Dr. E. J. Baxter, Jim & Pat Caldwell, Roger Dickman, Suzanne Dietrich, Ralph Henry, Vera Hill, Elaine Lawson, Pat Rose and Bill & Carol Steuk.
1993 May – Spring program – The building and re-building of the Niagara by Kenneth S. Atkins. This is the 40th anniversary of this society. 1953 was the sesquicentennial year of the State of Ohio, and the Ohio Sesquicentennial Committee encouraged all counties that did not have a county historical society to start one. Librarian Mary McCann was the one who was the most active in getting the meetings going. She served as president from 1957 to 1961. The first President was Paul Laning. The first Board Members were Mrs. Ed Gundlach, Mrs. Ed. Alstaetter, Ted Lauber, Dr. Norbert Lange, Lucille Hutson, Gorden Wendt, Kathryn Heiser and Judge E. H. Savord. The first Honorary Member was Mrs. George Doerzbach. There were 94 Charter Members.
1992 March – Boy with the Boot new bronze statue to be installed in the park. Old statue was vandalized. Katherine Wunderly to present program “Victims of the Cholera Epidemic of 1849.” Follet House exhibit features WW II memorabilia. New ECHS member Ann Gilcher. On May 10, 1792, the General Assembly of Connecticut released 500,000 acres at the west end of the Western Reserve to the residents of nine coastal towns who had losses by fire during the Revolution. This became the Firelands.
1991 May – New video – Cedar Point Then and Now (by John Hildebrandt). Rosino Fund to be used for bronze plaque set in stone base: Concretion in E. Washington Park. Follett House Museum-Wilber Schwer display of 70 wood planes made by the Sandusky Tool Co. The Cultural Center at Sandusky High School features Henry Keller’s summer school at Berlin Hts. Paintings by Kelley and four students done in the early 1900s. Firelands Council of Historical Societies tours Kelleys Island. Kevin Pape is the speaker. He is working on a historic district inventory of the Island.
1990 March – Freedom Train the musical at the State Theater. The story of Harriet Tubman. Spring program – the German Influence in Sandusky by Ellie Damm. Small Law Enforcement museum to be installed in new jail. May meeting-preview tour of the new Merry-go-Round Museum.
1990 May – $3600 to be spent from the Rosino Fund for an historic inventory of Perkins Township. New at the Follett house – Hats from the past 100 years and a life ring form the pilot house of the G. A. Boeckling. ECHS contributes to the Civil War reenactment day at the Lake Erie County Conservation League. Freedom Train a success.
1989 March – Second Edition – ECHS sponsors Artrain coming to Sandusky. Exhibit is Treasures of Childhood celebrating 150 years of American toys. Nearby will be toy exhibits and a marionette show. Speaker on Johnson’s Island-Roger Long. New members Linda Coughlin, Matilda Evans, Andy & Ellen Krause, Keith & Kim Kuhn, Hugh & Kathy Lange and Lois Skillman.
1988 March – First Edition – Dedicated to Lynn & Mae Rosino, members for 25 years. The Society remembers both of them, their contributions and their history. Three new members: Mary Lucal, Martha Flippen and Sophia Purcell. Grace Lottes passes. New book ‘Yanks from the South’ by Fritz Haselberger tells the story of the Rich Mountain Campaign in which local units fought. On March 16, 1838 Erie Co. separated from Huron Co; events planned. List of officers: Pres-Janet Senne; VP-Virginia Steinemann; Sec-June Coughlin; Treasurer-Helen Seitz. Trustees-Ellie Damm, Paul Laning, Lucille Martin, George Mylander, Helen Seitz. Bulletin Editors-Jane Lucal, Janet Senne.