By: John Paulding Historical Museum
40 Years Ago
From the Paulding Progress of July 18, 1984:
A bronze plaque will be placed on the Paulding County Carnegie Library building during ceremonies July 22 at the library. The plaque honors the placement of the building on the National Register of Historic Places as the first county library to be funded by Andrew Carnegie. A representative from the governor’s office will speak followed by a slide presentation and lecture by Dr. Joseph Arpad on the history of Paulding County. A reception and tea will conclude the dedication.
Tom Fisher, president of the Paulding County Fair Board, reported attendance this year topped last year’s numbers, despite rain. The Junior Fair livestock sale brought in $46,551.80 with 206 animals sold.
The top winner of the Miss Paulding County pageant is Janna Yoh, daughter of Richard and Dessie Yoh of Cloverdale.
The fair brings more than just fun and excitement, food and rides. It brings “Uncle Bill.” “Uncle Bill’s” is a midway show that has been coming to Paulding for years. The current owner Bill Washburn is the grandson of the original Uncle Bill. This Creston, Ohio, resident and his wife run the show and each year leave a supply of stuffed animals for the children at PARC Lane. This is also done at several other spots in Ohio by the couple.
The new John Paulding Historical Society Museum was open to the public all during the county fair and attendance was more than anyone expected. A steady flow of visitors was recorded, some repeaters, some new, all enthusiastic.
Harry Cluts of Payne was playing golf at Pleasant Valley Golf Course July 15 and got a hole-in-one on the par four, 315-yard number two hole.
75 Years Ago
From the Paulding Democrat of July 21, 1949:
Paulding Homecoming In Session: Rides and Concessions Fill Main Square in Paulding. The First Annual Homecoming is being staged in Paulding by the local Chamber of Commerce on July 21, 22, 23. In connection with the Homecoming, a street fair is being staged for the purpose of raising funds for civic improvements. As an added attraction, street dancing will be held each evening. Under the direction of Mrs. Frances Gillen, the Recreation Board is sponsoring round and square dancing under the stars. Hadleys Orchestra has been contracted to furnish the music for the round dancing with Amos Place of Melrose furnishing the music for the square dancing. Other activities will include an evening of Hawaiian music, Kiddie Pet and Hobby Parade, motor scooter rodeo, tractor pulling contest, amateur contest and merchandise prize drawings.
The Northwestern Ohio and Northeastern Indiana Church of God Camp Meeting will be held southwest of Payne on Route 500 from Saturday, July 23 to Sunday, July 31.
Thirty-one entries have been received for Paulding County’s Seventh Annual Beauty Contest to be held on Friday of the Paulding County Fair. The 1948 Beauty Queen was Betty Rose Wannemacher of Payne. Her four attendants were Leah Belle Flint of Latty, Roberta Street of Payne, Jane Trutwin of Antwerp and Geraldine Schaefer of Payne.
Short Way Lines are now operating the north-south bus line between Jackson, Mich., and Van Wert, via U.S. 127 through Paulding. The bus line is still operating during the same hours as the Jackson-Cincinnati line had been running. The bus line was established last year to follow the route of the Cincinnati Northern Railroad, which dropped its passenger train service a few years ago. It operated two buses each way daily. Southbound buses leave Paulding at 9:47 a.m. and 8:32 p.m. Northbound buses leave at 12:22 p.m. and 11:12 p.m.
This weekend, the Paulding Theatre is showing “Lil Abner” and the Western “Panhandle.” Starting Sunday is “Neptune’s Daughter” with Red Skelton, Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalban. “My Dear Secretary” with Kirk Douglas starts Wednesday.
125 Years Ago
From the Paulding County Republican of July 20, 1899:
Fire was discovered in the rear of M.C. Powell’s Department Store last Thursday evening at about nine o’clock but was extinguished before it had any headway. A timely discovery undoubtedly saved the frame row of buildings on the east side from destruction.
The cornerstone of the Brumback library building at Van Wert was laid with appropriate ceremonies under the auspices of the Masonic Lodge of that place.
The Paulding County Teachers’ Institute will convene in Gaut’s Opera House, Payne, July 31 and continue in session one week. The Examining Board will expect all teachers to be promptly and regularly present, and the Committee insists that the teachers of the county spend one week at least in professional review. Registration fee, 50 cents.
From the Payne Reflector, July 20, 1899:
Grover Hill has secured the money with which to improve the streets of that village. We congratulate them upon their enterprise and suggest that a movement be set on foot to secure sewers in Payne so that when we get time and money to pave our streets we will have the drainage problems settled.
Mayor Don C. Corbett, by request of a large number of business men of Payne, requests all who have any interest in a street fair for Payne this fall to meet at his office Tuesday evening.
Fouts & Paul are rebuilding their elevator at Batson, which was burned a short time ago. It will be larger and better than before.
A.W. Batson & Son just opened a new hardware store in the Harris Storeroom on Main Street in Payne.
John Anspach has put in a new hydraulic cider press at his tile factory on the Payne and Antwerp Road and is prepared to make your cider and boil it down to any thickness desired. He can also make your apple butter while you wait. He has the largest cider press in the county.
The publishers of the newspapers Antwerp Argus, Antwerp Bee, Grover Hill Times, Latty Herald and Payne Reflector met in Latty last Friday for the purpose of perfecting an organization to further the interests of the publishers of the county. W.A. Osborne, founder and father of Paulding County journalism, was selected chairman, G.S. Smith, secretary, and A.N. Smith, treasurer. It was agreed to meet again in two weeks at Grover Hill.
Explore more local history by visiting the John Paulding Historical Museum from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays or by appointment. For special events and announcements, see our Facebook page at facebook.com/jphsmuseum.
