The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Maple Museum set to open at Century Village
Geauga County maple sugar and syrup reaches back to time of Native Americans
A plain, single-story structure housing the new Maple Museum of Geauga County in Burton Village provides no indication of the plethora of historical treasures presented within.
Visitors to the museum, a new addition to the Geauga County Historical Society at 14653 E. Park St., will find photos, artifacts, accounts of the history of maple syrup and much more. Displayed in an organized and attractive manner, individuals may “travel” from the early start of maple sugaring in the 1500s to present day operations.
The grand opening is set for noon to 4 p.m., June 23, and the public is invited to the free event.
The museum had its start from a grant given by the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission in 2010. An old-fashioned, oneday “frolic” held by Geauga’s Amish community resulted in the initial raising and construction of the shell of the building, according to the Historical Society.
A second grant in 2015 allowed for the completion of a working sugar house on the eastern third of the building.
In 2016, the Burton-Middlefield Rotary gave additional money to complete
"Once you’re done with your work then you party.” — Louise Jackson, chairperson of the Collection Committee
the interior of the western two-thirds of the building.
“We waited for more funding, and finally, eight years later all is completed,” said Louise Jackson, chairperson of the Collection Committee.
She recently conducted a tour of the new facility for The News-Herald.
With displays presented in an organized and attractive manner, visitors will first come across a display of “All Things Maple” focusing on facts related to maple trees.
Next is an exhibit of Native American maple sugaring based on information from an account written in 1557 by a French explorer.
Jackson noted that a logical explanation of how Native Americans learned of the benefits of the syrup
was by observing animals chewing twigs from maple trees searching for the sap. The natives then adapted a method of their own by slashing notches into trees and inserting curved sticks at the bottom of the cuts, catching dripping sap in makuks, or birchbark containers.
Jackson explained that long-lasting maple sugar often was the last subsistence for Native Americans after other foods had been depleted throughout winter.
Among other exhibits are a process area where several wooden and metal spiles and spouts are shown, a gathering area which depicts in part how settlers in the 1700s used hand sleds to transport the valuable liquid and a boiling section containing kettles and a large, flat pan evaporator.
Historically, celebrations occurred once maple syrup producers finished for the
season. Another display illustrates some of the events.
“Once you’re done with your work then you party,” Jackson said. “The old photos are Geauga County people. We tried really hard to ensure that all our photographs were representative of Geauga County.”
What some may find particularly surprising is an exhibit of a 1923 kitchen in which an array of table syrups with brands such as Hungry Jack, Mrs. Butterworth and Log Cabin are shown. Studies have proven that not a single bit of pure maple syrup is used in the
products, Jackson said.
Building a replica of a Hoosier Cupboard used to help authenticate the vintage kitchen were Historical Society volunteers Chuck Fath of Burton and Marvin Lough of Chardon.
Modern technology steps in to the museum via a theater which will run a variety of maple-related videos for guests.
More than 90 percent of the articles in the museum are original and collected from Geauga County, Jackson said.
Museum creators included interactive elements hoping to increase interest during tours. For example, challenges such as discovering how many gallons of sap are needed to make a single gallon of maple syrup and finding images of raccoons discreetly placed in exhibits are presented. A children’s area with puzzles, games, crafts and books offers the opportunity
for youngsters to become more involved.
Bill Jackson, Louise’ husband and a member of the core team responsible for the making of the museum, noted that collecting and displaying artifacts will be an ongoing process, and added that he’s hoping once the museum officially opens visitors will be inspired to “fill in the gaps” by offering more information and elements they may have on hand.
Louise noted that along with herself and Bill of Chardon, Chuck Hendricks of Claridon Township and Dick Kane of Thompson Township are others who played a strong part in the museum’s showcasing of the history of the syrup for which Geauga County is widely known.