Fred Moss

We here at CLAHS are saying goodbye to a great friend and most devoted historian, Fred Moss. Fred was a charter member of the historical society and well respected by those who knew him. We would like to offer our condolences to his family and friends.

Video Programs

We now are recording our programs at our monthly meetings and the DVD recording will be available to view. Our last month's speaker was Jonathan Helmreich, who gave a wonderful presentation of a Letter from a Civil War Soldier. It told about an Allegheny College graduate's service to our country during that period. It included phrases from letters he had written to his sweetheart. As usual, Jonathan did an excellent job of presenting the story in an informative, yet very entertaining, manner.

 
Although we weren't able to record our January program, Cecil Stevenson also presented a great program about the Igloos in the former Keystone Ordinance Works in Greenwood Township. We have received a lot of newspaper articles from the Greenville Historical Society about the KOW, which is available to study at the museum. It was an interesting place that was for certain.

 
 
Speakers' Forum

Ever since we organized, we have had a speakers forum where members of the society will speak about historical information for any type of group. If you are interested in having a speaker, contact Bobbie Moyers at 382-7033. We will attempt to present the program on whatever Conneaut Lake history topic you desire. Much of the history is available and it's just a matter of compiling it for a program.
In addition to educating the public about our history, it also gives us a chance to allow others to learn what all we have in our museum and what is available for the public.

Some of the past programs have included histories of Conneaut Lake Park, Hotel Conneaut, the Ice House industry in Conneaut Lake and others.

 
Memorial Gifts

We continue to accept memorial gifts for plaques on our memorial wall. While it is labeled a memorial wall, it is much more. We have plaques in three categories: Memory, Honor and Sponsor. Memorials are for those who have died and we include the name, birth date and death date of the person.

Those wishing to honor a person, we will list the name of the honoree and any other information desired.

Sponsors are usually businesses or corporations in the area - a listing that will allow future generations to see who may have been in business in Conneaut Lake.

A donation of $25 will add the name to the wall.
This project was started by our member Kate Hilton.
More information: Contact Jane Smith at 814-337-6377 or send a check to Conneaut Lake Area Historical Society, PO Box 424, Conneaut Lake, Pa., l6316, with the information.

 
W also have a memorial fund that we accept donations for and use that fund for special projects in memory of those specified.

We are a 501-c organization so all donations are tax-deductible.

 

Liberty Book to be Published

In observance of the 25th anniversary of the raising of the Liberty the Second boat from the bottom of Conneaut Lake, we will publish a commemorative book  to mark the occasion. It will include much of the original dedication book of 1987 (when the boat was restored and put back on the lake) and then tell the history of what has happened to the boat since 1985.

The book will be 8 1/2 by 11 inches in size and will include 59 pages of text and pictures and hopefully about 20 pages of ads. Revenue from the ads will help offset the printing costs of the book so we can offer it for only $10. We have kept our advertising rates low to allow anyone wishing to be included in the historic book the opportunity. Rates are $12.50 for  quarter of a page; $25 for a half page; and $50 for a full page. If you wish to reserve space, please call Glendora Adsit at 814-382-3872. Names of those wishing to support the project may do so by paying $5 and be listed as a patron.

Although the main purpose of the advertising is to help offset printing costs, it also will help to record names of businesses and persons in the area in 2010.

This will be a limited edition of only 500 books to be printed.

Plans are to introduce the book during Memorial Day weekend when we begin our "Year of the Liberty the Second" observance with a special program at the museum following the Memorial Day service in downtown Conneaut Lake.

More information: Call Jane Smith at 814-337-6377 or email at grandmagjane@zoominternet.net.

 
 
Adopt a Brick Campaign Update

In September, we announced a major fundraiser to finish painting the rest of our museum (the former Conneaut Lake Community Hall) to match the new paint on the front of the museum. We need approximately $11,000 to paint the other three sides and to give the front side another coat.

To date, we have raised $1,74.07 or 15.95% of the total.

The adopt a brick campaign is fairly simply. We need to paint about 5,500 bricks. You can "adopt" a brick for $2 each by sending check to us at Conneaut Lake Area Historical Society, PO Box 425, Conneaut Lake, Pa., l6316. You can adopt one, 10, 50, 100...well you get the idea.

The nice part is you can adopt one without having to feed the brick, give it a home or babysit it. In fact, you don't even have to paint it. We hire a professional contractor for that work!

If you would like to participate in this project to beautify the building, please don't hestitate to send us a check and mark it Adopt a Brick or Painting Project.

See our donation schedule f(on another page on our Web site) for the names of people who have contributed to date. Your name will be published on our Web site, our newsletter and at the museum. However, we won't publish the amount of the donation.

Plans are to begin the painting as soon we have enough money to do so. Dave Lynch, chairman, said it is possible one side may be done first and then as funds come in, the second side will be done.

We also plan other improvements, including painting the inside of the garage to have our nautical display, featuring the Liberty the Second. We also plan to change the garage window and replace it with cement block with a row of glass block on the top to allow more lighting in the garage.

 
 
"Year of Liberty the Second"

As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the raising of the Liberty the Second in 2010, we will have a special program on Memorial Day and introduce the new nautical display. In addition to the previously discussed Commemorative Book, we will have a special panel discussion at the July meeting, reviewing the history of the raising, the legal battles, reconstruction and future plans. Panel members will include the two divers, Bill Hougthon and Brian Simpson; Gary Worthington, mechanic who did a lot of the work on the reconstruction; Ted Watts, attorney; and Alan Moss, discussing the future.

 
Lakeland Museum Closed

Since we now have moved Liberty the Second to our new museum, we have officially closed Lakeland Museum underneath Dockside at Conneaut Lake Park. It was no longer feasible to have the boat there and without the boat, it wasn't feasible to keep that museum open.

While we have closed the musuem, we have carried the history with us to the new museum.

 
 
Other "Special Events" for the Year

In addition to celebrating the Liberty the Second anniversary and our regular monthly programs, other events for this year are our annual Conneaut Lake Cuisine, a garage sale in conjunction with Conneaut Lake Area Business Association, our "Woolly Mammoth" European 5K Race on July 17; an auction, horseshoe tournament on Sept. 25; and of course, Pumpkin Fest in October.

So mark your calendars and join us at one or all of the above events!