Next Meeting:

"Railroad Comes to Conneaut Lake Park " is the topic of the August 16th meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Conneaut Lake Park Fire Hall, Station 5.

It will be a panel discussion about the equine history in Conneaut Lake, dating back to the early 1900s when there was a riding stable at Exposition Park to the present day horses of the pony track of Don Weyel and the world champion show horses owned by Mikey Frist Schell and her husband.

Please join us and tell us some of your stories of riding horses at Conneaut Lake.

The program is open to the public, free of charge. The hall is smoke free and handicapped accessible.

Light refreshments will be served.

 

Special Concert

Ireland's "Happy Man" Cahal Dunne will present a special concert Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. at Hotel Conneaut. He is a pianist, vocalist and comedian.

Tickets are limited to 250 and are going fast! Price is only $15. Social hour with cash bar and  light refreshments will be at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets are available by calling Gail Fales, 814-382-3892; Carol Herchenroether at 412-410-3763 (cell phone) or Jane Smith at 814-337-6377.

All proceeds benefit the historical society.
 
Start Your Engines

It's not NASCAR, but engines will be started in a special event at Ice House Park, downtown Conneaut Lake.

That's when the Liberty the Second boat will be featured in a special event Saturday, Sept. 4.

The Liberty the Second speedboat sank over Labor Day Weekend in Conneaut Lake in 1922 and remained on the bottom of the lake for 63 years - until it was brought up by local divers Bill Houghton and Brian Simpson.

The special  event will be the first time since the boat's engine has been started since 2003. It will be docked at Ice House Park and the engine started by Gary Worthington, who has been mechanic on the boat for 25 years. He will be assisted, as needed, by other members of the historical society.

The engine will be started at noon and again at 2 p.m.

In addition to starting of the engine, special music will be provided by Davd McMillin, who recorded the song, "The Ballad of the Liberty" back in 1985 when it was first brought up from the bottom of the lake. He will perform the song - as well as an updated version of the ballad - and other music during the festivities.

Houghton (and possibly Simpson) will be on hand to sign copies of the new Liberty the Second 25th commemorative book, compiled by the historical society. A limited edition of the book is available for $10 each and may be purchased that day or at the historical society museum, 150 N. Third St., Conneaut Lake.

Other Liberty the Second memorabalia also will be sold - including DVDs showing the running of the Liberty, sweatshirts, shot glasses, mugs and bumper stickers.

Historical society officials said the celebration is planned to recognize the importance of the Liberty the Second, not only as an historic boat, but also as a reminded of the community support which raised $80,000 to restore the boat 25 years ago.

The boat was owned by Harry Snaveley of Pittsburgh and was participating in trial runs for a race on Conneaut Lake when it flipped over and sank. Despite efforts to locate the boat at that time, divers were unsuccessful in their initial attempts.

In the early 1980s, Houghton and Simpson were diving in Conneaut Lake as a hobby and heard about the boat and decided to see if they could locate it. After a couple of years of research, they located it and in July of 1985 brought it up from the bottom.

The boat is unique because of its Liberty engine. It was one of only 15 prototype engines made for World War I aircraft. There are -only three of the engines - one is at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., one is at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio; and the third is on the Liberty the Second, housed at our historical society musuem,  150 N. Third St., Conneaut Lake. Ours is the only engine which still runs.

Worthington has worked on the motor since the boat was restored. He credits the help of many local businesses and individuals, who provided financing for the parts for the restoration of the boat.

The boat previously was housed at Lakeland Museum at Conneaut Lake Park. When Lakeland merged with the historical society, the society took over the boat and has been in charge of its since that time. A few years ago after an arsonist set fire to Dreamland Ballroom, the boat was moved to the downtown location.

This year the garage at the museum was transformed into a boat exhibit annex, which includes not only the Liberty the Second, but some of the original parts of the boat and pictures showing the raising of the boat. It also includes a Foust boat, donated to the museum by Bill Foust.

The anniversary celebration is open to the public free of charge.

It is the final event of the 25th anniversary celebration.

More information: Call 814-337-6377.