Years Ago in Paulding County
By: MELINDA KRICK
20 Years Ago
From the Paulding County Progress of Oct. 19, 2005:
All systems are “go” for the build of the Antwerp Friends of the Park and community to build their new playground. What started as a hope will become a reality on Oct. 24-26 when assembly will begin at Riverside Park. Time, effort, fundraising, work and support were the keys in raising the $79,000 needed.
The grand opening and dedication of the Mary (Sal) Hench Skatepark at LaFountain Park in Paulding will be Oct. 30.
The General Horatio N. Curtis Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, is observing its 30th anniversary.
Payne will celebrate its annual Fall Festival with a haunted cornfield, Texas Hold ‘Em tournament, food, beer tent and music by The Reunion Band, Brushfire and Mudbone.
60 Years Ago
From the Paulding Progress of Oct. 14, 1965:
Scenic parkway development, designed to increase park visitations along the Maumee and Auglaize rivers to five million annually by 1980, will be outlined in Defiance next Thursday. The information will be presented by the Ohio Natural Resources director when he speaks to representatives of county and city governments and local park districts. When combined with existing facilities, this program will satisfy a major portion of the non-urban, outdoor recreational needs of the Maumee Valley through the year 2000.
The plans start south of Melrose in Paulding County and extend through Defiance to Toledo. The summary includes acquiring several thousand acres along the Auglaize River, Little Auglaize River, Flat Rock Creek and Six Mile Creek for amenities including primitive camping, cabins, boat launches, riding stables, concessions, trailer camping, multi-use recreational facility, game preserve, fishing sites, picnicking and sightseeing.
85 Years Ago
From the Paulding Democrat of Oct. 17, 1940:
Lumber Company, C.N. Depot Razed by Fire Saturday:
The Paulding Lumber Company, owned by Robert and Richard Barnes, and the freight office and warehouse of the Cincinnati Northern Railroad line lie in smoldering ruins, the results of a fire of unknown origin that was discovered shortly after midnight, Saturday, by Carl Shipman, 16, of Paulding.
Young Shipman was working at the Gillen Oil Company when he saw a reflection of light in the south windows of the C.H. Bittner elevator. He discovered fire in the north end of the lumber yard, near the part in which the office was located. He immediately notified Fire Chief O.O. Shimp, who turned in the alarm.
The fire completely destroyed the office building, large storage sheds and the entire stock of the Paulding Lumber Co. and the Cincinnati Northern Railroad depot. Besides the frame depot, the railroad loss included contents of freight warehouse, valuable records, box car with partial load of shingles and part contents of a car of coal. Damages are estimated at up to $100,000.
Besides the Paulding fire department, Defiance brought over its No. 2 pumper. Firemen from Sherwood, Oakwood and Woodburn, with their equipment, performed valiant service at the fire. Several of the Paulding lads were on the job continuously for 15 hours before being relieved.
The lumber company will set up a temporary office at the site of the former office building. The lumber company will soon be ready to serve the public again. Rail cars will be used to temporarily house the office and freight room until the depot is replaced. New rails and ties will replace those damaged on the track west of the old station, known as the Long Siding. The heat was so intense that the rails curled in snake-like shapes.
110 Years Ago
From the Paulding County Republican of Oct. 14, 1915:
Lose to Cincinnati: Large Crowd Out to See Professionals Play Ball on the Local Diamond. The new park in Paulding was crowded to the gates Thursday of last week with real baseball enthusiasts who had gathered from far and near to see the home team, somewhat strengthened, battle with the Cincinnati Reds. Of course the Reds won, we all expected them to do that. They made 14 scores while our boys made two.
An estimated 1,000 baseball fans witnessed the exhibition game.
Paulding had an excellent line-up. Betts of the Texas league was catcher; Harrah, also of the Texas league, and Ostermeyer, of the Central league, were pitchers; Clark, of the Milwaukee team, was on third, Bashore on second, Hyman on first, McClellan on short; Brown in left field; Costello, who placed the season with Findlay, was in center; and Hillinger, who was with Fort Wayne in the Central league most of the season, was in right.
Forty-two years ago, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 1873, this section of the country was visited by a severe snow storm. For 14 days there was never a sight of the sun and the snow piled up four feet on the level. Never in the memory of the oldest settler had there been such a winter as in 1873, when the thermometer dropped to 40 degrees below zero and remained there for nearly six weeks. The snow that fell so early did not leave until April 18 of the following year.
