Ohio History Journal

634       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

The custodian reports that during the year twenty-two thou-

sand visitors to the park have registered; and he estimates that

fully as many more did not register, making at least forty-four

thousand people who visited the park during the year. This is

the largest number of visitors in a single year in the history of

the park. This may be due, in part, to the improved road from

Hillsboro to Peebles, which passes by the park.

(Signed) W. H. COLE,

WM. C. MILLS.

Committee.

President Johnson: The President made an ex-

periment in the appointment of Committees last year.

It seemed the Preble County Historical Society wished

to act, as an organization, as the Committee on Fort St.

Clair, our good friend Mr. McPherson conveying the re-

quest. The President acted accordingly, and would like

to hear from Mr. McPherson on Fort St. Clair, and the

manner in which the plan worked out.

Mr. McPherson stated that he had no report on that

phase of activities at Fort St. Clair. He then read the

Report of the Committee on Fort St. Clair, as follows:

 

FORT ST. CLAIR

Since January 1, 1926, the Preble County Historical Society

has been the committee in charge of Fort St. Clair Park. As

chairman of that organization I have this opportunity to present

a report as follows:

As a matter of information I shall present a few details

which should prove of interest to many of our members. Fort

St. Clair is located about one mile southwest of Eaton, Preble

county, and borders upon State Route No. 122. It was there that

Kentucky riflemen, forming a portion of St. Clair's army, fought

an engagement on November 6, 1792, with Indians under direct

leadership of the famous Little Turtle. A captain, sergeant, and

four privates fell in this engagement and lie buried in properly

marked graves adjoining the site of the stockade. A monument

erected to their memory by Major W. H. Ortt, of our Society,

was dedicated, with fitting ceremony, on November 6, 1922. Mr.

• 1
 

Forty-First Annual Meeting             635

 

C. B. Galbreath, Secretary of this Society, was present and de-

livered the dedicatory address.

In the fall of 1921, the Preble County Historical Society

was organized and this small group of individuals set about to

induce the state to purchase the site of Fort St. Clair and im-

prove it into a park worthy of consideration. After an intensive

campaign, this aim was successfully achieved and the Legislature,

in the late winter of 1922-1923, appropriated $15,000.00 for that

purpose. Seventy-six acres were purchased at a cost of $10,-

ooo.oo, and $5,000.00 additional was appropriated for buildings

and roadways. Title to this tract of land was vested in the State

of Ohio in the fall of 1923 and placed under the control of the

Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society.

Since that time buildings have been erected, driveways con-

structed, and the grounds fenced, improved and beautified in

numerous ways. Eleven acres were planted to trees in the spring

of 1925 by the State Forestry Department. This field of trees

is growing rapidly and is intended to stand as a model of forest

propagation in that section. The highway leading to the park

entrance from State Route No. 122 was improved a year ago,

jointly by the State and County. It is now regularly maintained

by the county system.

On March 15, 1926, Mr. and Mrs. Homer Charles were em-

ployed as park custodians and we feel that we have been most

fortunate in our choice. Mr. and Mrs. Charles have been diligent

in their efforts to please the public during this season, and it is

certain that the popularity of the park has been increased by

their zeal.

During the present season many improvements have been

made at the park. A considerable stretch of roadways has been

graveled and some regraveled. A fine group of playground ap-

paratus and swings were recently installed--the gift of our gen-

erous Major Ortt. Many tables and benches were placed in the

park this summer as gifts from various organizations of the

county. Four horse-shoe courts were also built and equipped.

Two one-inch field pieces, or light artillery, were recently secured

for us through our Congressman, Hon. Roy G. Fitzgerald, and

now stand at the park entrance. A contingent of small World

War trophies, recently awarded to Preble county, has been re-

ceived and will be placed in our museum. We understand more

will come soon.

Early last spring we secured the services of Miss Elusina

Lazenby, of the Ohio State University, a landscape expert, and

we began a landscaping program to embrace the park entrance

and the proximity of the newly-erected residence buildings. Con-

• 2
 

636       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

siderable planting was done in the spring and the program will be

renewed next spring. We have had the entire park placed to blue-

print and the landscaping program will be continued under Miss

Lazenby's direction.

Two small bridges will soon be built in the park from an

appropriation of $300 from the last Biennial Assembly.

We have been planning recently for the erection of a shelter

house in the park. The public demand for such a building has

been so insistent recently that we are anxious to provide for this

near necessity. A committee has been working on the matter,

which is now in the hands of our architect, Mr. Hiestand, of

Eaton. When his estimate for our building is complete, we hope

to have it embodied in our next budget request. We are planning

to erect a building which will be adequate for future needs, as

well as a credit to the park.

Since last spring the Preble County Historical Society has

completed a number of improvements at the park and paid for

them from its own funds. Chief among these were: cement-

block poultry house, $170; cement open-top rear porch and side-

walks, $35; shrubbery for landscaping, $20; clover and timothy

seed for sowing fourteen acres, $35; spouting, ditching and

piping, $17. In addition to this we have paid freight charges on

fifteen hundred forest trees for replanting our project, freight

on two pieces of artillery and the war trophies. We have also

been paying, monthly a portion of the custodian's salary. In

order to provide funds for these things, we gave benefit picture

shows and an ice cream social, which latter effort netted us about

$120. We also prevailed upon more than fifty representative

citizens of our county to pledge $5.00 annually for three years

for improvements at the park. This was easily accomplished and

these donors thereby feel a keener interest in the park.

Probably the most pleasing and reassuring feature of this

report comes now when we report the interest manifested by the

general public in the park. Considering the fact that this has

been the first full season during which the park has been open,

and then not to its fullest extent, the public response has been be-

yond our highest hopes.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles report, through conservative estimate,

that 15,000 persons have visited the park during the season --

thus far -- from April 1 to September 15. They report twenty-

seven reunions, thirty-five picnics, one hundred small group

picnics, and one convention session -- that of the State Conven-

tion of Universalist Churches, in June. They state that not

less than fourteen thousand automobiles have driven through

the park this summer. On different Sundays, group gatherings

• 3
 

Forty-First Annual Meeting             637

 

have brought more than one hundred persons to the park on

a single day. Three thousand three hundred and thirty-six names

have been secured on a register which has been offered to the

public at such times as the custodians could carry it to them.

When the shelter house is completed, the register will be available

permanently.

Our custodians report no complaints or criticisms; that the

public is delighted; and practically every reunion voted to return

next season. We can safely predict that this park will be even

more popular next summer. To prove this, recent reunions and

gatherings have taken up collections totalling more than one hun-

dred dollars, which has been presented to us for the purpose of

equipping the shelter house and museum.

The committee feels elated at the early success of your park

Fort St. Clair, and most cordially invites you to visit it and en-

joy its natural beauty.

(Signed)  H. R. MCPHERSON.

Mr. Wood stated that it is very unusual for a com-

mittee in charge of a property of the Society to pay out

money, and secure money for the property from others;

that he believed the Society should tender a vote of

thanks to the Preble County Historical Society. He

moved:

That this Society extend a vote of thanks to the Preble

County Historical Society as a mark of appreciation of the un-

selfish work of that Society in caring for Fort St. Clair, and that

the Secretary be directed to notify the proper officials of the

Preble County Historical Society of this action by our Society.

Mrs. Dryer seconded the motion. Carried.

Mr. H. R. McPherson next read the Report of the

Committee on

 

HISTORICAL SOCIETIES

as follows:

As Chairman of the Historical Society Committee, I am,

indeed, sorry to report little progress on behalf of this committee

during the past year. Such a state of inactivity, on the part of

• 4