OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN

Local historian highlights lives of ship captains

Lorain’s rich history was the topic of discussion Sept. 28 at the Lorain Public Library System’s Main Branch, 351 W. Sixth St., as a local historian shared information about the ship captains who helped build the city during the 1800s.

Renee Dore, Lorain historian and co-chair of the Charleston Village Society, led the presentation and discussed the lives of several vessel captains and ship builders who were well-known in the Lorain area.

Dore also discussed where many of the ship captains lived and shared where some of the structures are still standing today in Lorain.

One of the captains Dore shared information about was Capt. Thomas Wilford.

“I think they deserve a little more notoriety.”

— Renee Dore, Lorain historian

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She referred to him as the “steamboat master” and explained how he saved his family from a ship wreck on Lake Superior.

Dore said she learned about Wilford 10 years ago, and is in part how she became interested in the history of the Black River and those who helped establish Lorain, formerly known as Charleston Village.

Through her research, Dore learned that Wilford lived on Washington Avenue north of West Erie Avenue

and that she, at one time, lived in Wilford’s rental property also located on Washington Avenue.

“Knowing that this gentleman lived on my street, I just think that’s amazing,” she said.

Some of the homes the ship captains lived in have since been torn down, Dore said, but several remain standing and are still in use today.

For example, Capt. Robert J. Cowley lived on Ninth Street between Washington and Oberlin avenues. The house, which is known for its angled porch, is still being used today.

Dore said she hopes to one day have historical markers placed on the locations that were once the homes of the historic ship captains.

“I think they deserve a little more notoriety,” she said. “I think they need to be remembered for what they did.”

Linda DelMonico, of Lorain, is a self-proclaimed history buff who said she

enjoyed the program, found the subject matter interesting.

DelMonico said she’d also like to see historic markers go up at some of the ship captains’ old homes.

“It would be nice to have the community come together to commemorate the men who did so much to build the city of Lorain,” she said.

KELSEY LEYVA — THE MORNING JOURNAL This home located on West Ninth Street between Washington and Oberlin avenues in Lorain was once occupied by ship Capt. Robert J. Cowley in the 1800s.

KELSEY LEYVA — THE MORNING JOURNAL Renee Dore, Lorain historian and co-chair of the Charleston Village Society, presents information about historic ship captains from the 1800s on Sept. 28 at the Lorain Public Library System’s Main Branch, 351 W. Sixth St. in Lorain.