Our Old Bookcase
Sunday, Nov. 14, the Open House at the Mercer County Historical Museum, 130 East Market St., Celina, will feature the Historic Post Card Exhibit by Dale Poeppelman, and Unique Signatures of Historic Individuals by David Gray. Post cards of Grand Lake will also be displayed.
That old saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” clarifies how important these old post cards are, in the preservation of local history. Post cards are one of the most important displays of Mercer County scenes. Often, the main scene is important, but the background of the main scene is often a “one-of-a-kind” photograph of buildings which are no longer in existence. Where would this column, “Our Old Bookcase” be without the old post card photographs? Look at the local history books published by the Mercer County Historical Society, and you will see the importance of the old post card photographs in these books.
Last week, a couple from Sandusky, Ohio visited the Mercer County Historical Museum. They had flown into Lakefield Airport and asked about historic sites. Steve Shinabery, Lakefield Airport Manager, gave several suggestions and loaned them a “Courtesy Car.” At the Mercer County Historical Museum, they were very interested in our book, ”Oil & Gas Boom, Mercer County and Midwestern Ohio.” Thank you to Steve Shinabery for sharing our local history with Ohio’s tourists.
At this Open House on Sunday, Oct. 24, 1-4 p.m., the books, “Oil & Gas Boom,” $45, and “New Idea Company’s Uni-System” and “New Idea Hay Tools,” $25 each, will be available for your purchase.
Our museum guests, that Sunday afternoon, will receive a free copy of the book, “Mercer County Centennial Buildings,” from 1888 & 1900 “Mercer County Atlases.” The postcard photograph above of the Coldwater Elevator, has its site listed on the 1900 Map of Coldwater.
Mercer County Historical Society President Joyce Alig may be contacted at 3054 Burk-St. Henry Road, St. Henry, Ohio 45883. HistAlig@bright.net or through 419-852-0092 or 419763-5682.