Visitor

Kathy Gehring Stickel and her husband visited us on Sept. 4, 2010.
She is the granddaughter of Al Gehring who owned the museum at
one time. She lives in Cincinnati.

Besides owning a restaurant he was an antique dealer. The painting in the dining room upstairs was done by John Clark Gehring, Al Gehring's son and Kathy's father who was a commercial artist. Kathy told us many interesting things about the building and sent us this email after she returned home:

"I came away from Ft. Loramie on Saturday with so much more
than I ever expected, thanks to the kind people I met there. The
two of you especially, (Karen and Catherine) gave me so much time and information.
It is volunteers like you, informed and involved, that make things
work in this world. I was very lucky to have you available and
willing to drop everything just so I could revisit memories. I will be
forever grateful.

As I told you, we went on our little day-trip without expectation
of finding much left from the 1940's. To see the town still so
picturesque, and that the old 'Gehring Tavern' building is on the
corner and well-tended was great. I was further thrilled to find
that it has become the Ft. Loramie Historical Museum. I know
my grandfather would be pleased and proud. I didn't have a
hope of getting inside, but fortune smiled when Maryann, at
the Lake, started making phone calls to find someone who could
do that.

We were amazed at the artifacts your group has collected, the time
and hours spent in the necessary care and fund raising, and the
interest and enthusiasm you both have for the history of the area. Seeing the inside
of the museum/tavern has sent me down memory lane and thoughts
of many good weekends spent in your town and at the lake in my
childhood. Thank you so much for making it all possible."

Kathy