The Auglaize County Historical Society with the conjunction of the St. Marys Theater will honor our veterans of World War II in place of our Historical Society meeting for the month of June.
The St. Marys Theater has the ability to take a live broadcast and project it onto their huge screen in the theater and you will feel like you are actually attending the dedication.
The local event will be on Saturday may 29, 2004. It starts at 1:00 p.m. and will show the dedication in Washington, D.C. starting at 2:00 p.m. All historical members, and area veterans along with their family and friends are invited to attend.
In order to help defray expenses, the tickets will cost only $5.00 each and will be given on a first come, first serve basis. Due to the sitting requirement of 300 at the theater, tickets will be limited to that amount. to order tickets or more information call [numbers withheld online].
Event Committee: William Huber, Ruth Eshleman, Katy Gilbert, and Dr. Todd Spieles.
40th Anniversary of Auglaize County Historical Society
Auglaize County Historical Society Markers Data taken from 1979 Atlas by George Neargarder
Wapaghonetta Reservation Marker
Wapaghonetta Reservation: By the treaties of the Maumee Rapids in 1817 and 1818 at St. Marys, the Shawnee Indians were given a reservation of 10 miles by 12 miles, this being the Eastern boundary line.
Indian towns within this area were Blackhoof's, now St. Johns; Wapaghonetta, now Wapakoneta, where the Council House once stood; and White Feather's town, now Buckland.
In 1832 the Shawnees were removed to the Indian Territory in Kansas. This bronze marker mounted on a stone from the old Blackhoof Street bridge in Wapakoneta is located east of St. Johns, on U.S. 33, on the corner of S.R. 65 and Boundary Road. Erected April 25, 1975.
Fort St. Marys Marker
Fort St. Marys: Erected here in 1795 by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne, probably after the signing of the Greenville Treaty, on land ceded by the Indians. This area was also the site of the signing of the Treaty of St. Marys in 1818, the Indian campsites being to the south and west of this spot.
Located here prior to, and a little south of the Fort, was the dugout and cabin of James Girty of the notorious Girty Brothers, giving rise to the area's original name, "Girty's Town." Erected in Old Lutheran Cemetery, South Main Street in St. Marys, April 1975.
The ACHS members that helped to erect these two markers were Jim Wycuff, George Fisher, and Lawrence Dietz.
Murray Cemetery Marker
Murray Cemetery: The first civilian cemetery in the area, established after the Treaty of St. Marys in 1817 and 1818 by Charlie Murray.
Murray, one of the first white Indian traders, acquired his trading post a short distance south of this point, and after the Treaty of Greenville, from James Girty.
Murray is said to have purchased his goods in Detroit, transporting them by packhorses. In 1823 he helped lay out the town of St. Marys, traveling to Greenville to record it.
Prior to being known as Girty's Town, St. Marys was "Kettle Town," an old Indian village. Murray died in 1827 and was buried here.
This stone was placed in the new K.C. Geiger Park, St. Marys. The stone was donated by St. Marys Marble & Granite, with the ACHS financing the engraving. The cemetery was renovated by Memorial High School F.F.A. class.
A ceremony dedicating the stone was held Sunday, July 24, 1977, with approximately 35 people present. Participating in the ceremony were Pastor Ark Noel, Jr. of the First Nazarene Church in St. Marys; Dennis Sudman representing the F.F.A.; Ken Hegemann, City Services Director of St. Marys; and George Fisher, President of the ACHS.
The reverse side of this marker lists all the known burials in this cemetery. The list was compiled by Ed Meckstroth in the 1950s.
General Anthony Wayne has to get credit for recording the fact that before present St. Marys was known as Girty's Town, it was Kettle town. After reading many, many of his letters, we found this mentioned. Erected July 1977.
Plank Road Marker
Plank Road: Marker is located in Moulton at the site of St. Marys-Wapakoneta Plank Road.
Built 1850-1852 of burr and white oak timber 3 to 5 feet in diameter cut and milled at Moulton.
Financed by Wapakoneta-St. Marys businessmen who charged toll for profit and maintenance.
1-horse, 4-wheel wagon
2-horse, 4-wheel wagon
1-horse sled
2-horse sled
Each horse or mule
Each head cattle
Each head sheep
2-horse stage coach
In this 1977 photo left to right: George Fisher, ACHS President; Elmer and Emma Stroh, land owners; and Hugh Veley, ACHS Trustee.
This marker was placed at Moulton in May 1977. Located near CR 33A on land owned by Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Stroh.
Before 33A (old US 33) was plank road, it was corduroy road. After it was planked in 1850, it was replaced by a gravel pike. After gravel it was brick, after brick it was concrete, now it has an asphalt topping.
40th Anniversary of Auglaize County Historical Society
Bloody Bridge Marker
Bloody Bridge: "During the canal years of the 1850s a rivalry grew between Bill Jones and Jack Billings for the love of Minnie Warren. There became hatred by Bill because Minnie chose Jack. On a fall night in 1854, returning from a party, Minnie and Jack were surprised on the bridge by Bill, armed with an axe. With one swing, Bill severed Jack's head. Seeing this, Minnie screamed and fell into a watery grave. Bill disappeared, and when a skeleton was found years later in a nearby well, people asked was it suicide or justice."
This marker was placed along SR 66, five miles north of St. Marys, near the old Bloody Bridge which crosses the Miami Erie Canal. The existing bridge over the canal, although called the Bloody Bridge, is not the original. When the original was replaced, people for miles around took pieces of it as souvenirs. Erected May 1977.
Chief Blackhoof Marker
Blackhoof's Last Home: Believed born in 1720s Florida, arriving in this vicinity in 1783, Blackhoof (Quaskey) (Catehecassa) Principal Chief of the Shawnee Nation, in 1822 lived in a 2-story 18' x 24' log cabin built on this site. At his death, summer of 1831, his body lay in state here before being taken to a nearby ridge for burial; outside the cabin were placed many deer and wild game for the funeral feast. St. Johns was originally "Blackhoof's Town." This marker is located in the cemetery at St. Johns, Ohio erected in 1979.
Off-shore Oil Drilling Marker
Oil Wells - Grand Lake St. Marys: Originally Mercer County Reservoir was the world's largest man-made lake when constructed in 1837-1841.
Water supply for the Miami-Erie Canal from here to the Maumee River at Defiance, 17,603 acres -- in 1856, the lake level was lowered 5.4 feet to prevent flooding, reducing its area by 748 acres -- it cost $528,222.07 to construct.
World's first off-shore oil well drilling occured here in 1891. Piles were driven to support a platform for the derrick and drilling rig. Oil well derricks were as numerous in the lake as on the surrounding land area. The marker, located near the first shelter house in the East Bank Park near the lake west of SR 364, was erected in 1978.
This newsletter contains photos and the locations of the Historical site markers that were placed in Auglaize County by the Historical Society from 1975 to 1979, so others can enjoy our rich history.
Many good projects were completed, over the years, by our members. We are thankful to all of you for the great work and accomplishments through these 40 years.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE FOR 2004 Membership Meetings
May 29th W.W. II Monument dedication at the St. Marys Theatre. Event will be shown on the big screen live from Washington D. C. Event to honor local W. W. II veterans.
July 15th Stories and Memories of Neil Armstrong, Moon Landing etc.
September 2nd Preserving Archival Documents
November 4th Civil War Readings by Dr. Todd Spieles at Shinbone Church
Ask Your Friends To Join Auglaize County Historical Society
Adult Member $15.00
Family Member $25.00
Student Member $5.00
62 or older Sr. Adult Member $12.00
62 or older Sr. Family Member $20.00
Life Member $250.00
Make check payable to:Auglaize County Historical Society Mail to:Anna Mae Saum, 131 Bayshore Court, St. Marys, Ohio 45885
"We are Saving History Now for Future Generations."
40th Anniversary of Auglaize County Historical Society
Wapaghonetta Reservation: By the treaties of the Maumee Rapids in 1817 and 1818 at St. Marys, the Shawnee Indians were given a reservation of 10 miles by 12 miles, this being the Eastern boundary line.
Fort St. Marys: Erected here in 1795 by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne, probably after the signing of the Greenville Treaty, on land ceded by the Indians. This area was also the site of the signing of the Treaty of St. Marys in 1818, the Indian campsites being to the south and west of this spot.
Murray Cemetery: The first civilian cemetery in the area, established after the Treaty of St. Marys in 1817 and 1818 by Charlie Murray.
Plank Road: Marker is located in Moulton at the site of St. Marys-Wapakoneta Plank Road.
Blackhoof's Last Home: Believed born in 1720s Florida, arriving in this vicinity in 1783, Blackhoof (Quaskey) (Catehecassa) Principal Chief of the Shawnee Nation, in 1822 lived in a 2-story 18' x 24' log cabin built on this site. At his death, summer of 1831, his body lay in state here before being taken to a nearby ridge for burial; outside the cabin were placed many deer and wild game for the funeral feast. St. Johns was originally "Blackhoof's Town." This marker is located in the cemetery at St. Johns, Ohio erected in 1979.
Oil Wells - Grand Lake St. Marys: Originally Mercer County Reservoir was the world's largest man-made lake when constructed in 1837-1841.
