Native artifact

            
                                     This native pouch came with the building. If you know what tribe
                                     it might have belonged to let us know. It could be Sioux.

April updates

Our annual meeting will be held Thursday, May 15 at 7:30 pm in the museum. Refreshments will be served. It's a good time to pay dues. You don't have to be a member to attend so come and look around and see what we are all about.

We are thinking of holding a genealogy day some Sunday this summer when we're open. If you're interested in learning how to research your family tree or if you're an expert and want to come and talk genealogy with others, we have research materials and forms and charts. You can also come any Sunday afternoon in the summer or make arrangements to come at other times.

We have had a donation of a scale and planter from the Leo Goubeaux estate. They and some other tools in our collection will be displayed this summer.

The phone has been fixed. Our number is 937-295-3855. If no answer wait for the beep and leave a message.

Fort Recovery State Museum will be holding a huge artifact show on May 4th from 12 to 4 including prehistoric and battlefield artifacts and rifles. Over 20 collectors from 5 Archaological Society of Ohio organizations will set up on the lawn.  There will also be a video of the late Hal Sherman's paintings 2 of which we have in our museum. 419-375-4649. Organized by Ken Sowards of Fort Loramie.

Threshing

We don't seem to have an original copy of this photo. The caption is in German but it says
 they were threshing wheat (weizen dreschen) in Sept. 1918. The names of some of the people in the picture are:

Louis Hoelscher
John Sturwold
Joseph Schulze
Frank Schroeder
Frank Broering
Henry Borchers
Anton Hilgefort
John Bender
Martin Larger

I leave it to the reader to pick them out or anybody else known.

The notice at the bottom says, "John Sturwold ist mein vater. (John Sturwold is my father)

The Fort Loramie Community Fire Department

The Fort Loramie Community Fire Company Inc. was formed in the year 1883 when Rev. William Bigot was instrumental in the purchase of a hand-operated pump just after the newly built Raterman sawmill burned to the ground.  A gasoline pump was acquired in 1910.  Both pumps were mounted on horse-drawn wagons but since the fire department had no horses they borrowed the Danzig Funeral Home horses that were stabled next door.  The first motorized pumper was acquired in 1928.  Equipment has been upgraded many times over the years.

The Fort Loramie Community Fire Company covers approximately 90 square miles in Shelby County including  Cynthian, McLean and Turtle Creek Townships along with the Village of Fort Loramie.

There have been only 8 fire chiefs:

Stephen Kirner  1883 - 1894
J.C. Quatman  1894 - 19017
John Raterman  1901 - 1932
August Gaier Sr.  1932 - 1961
Vernon Frey  1961 - 1973
Theodore Wendeln  1973 - 1985
Jerome Barhorst  1985 - 2009
Brad Schulze  2009 - present