by Tami Wenger, Gloryland Ministries
Today, getting into a vehicle, plane, boat, motorcycle and many others, we don't think twice about. They get us where we need to go without taking very long. Back in early history the choices were very different. People in West Liberty could walk, maybe ride a bicycle, take a canoe down the Mad River, hop on their horse or hitch it up to a buggy for the family or to pick up supplies when you went to town. These were all normal at the time it but took much longer to get where you were going. They didn't have roads like we do today but followed the old Indian trails. Sometimes in a low or swampy area they would lay down a corduroy road. These were made by placing sand covered logs perpendicular to the direction you were traveling. Hulls Trace was a well known trail that General Hull's Army used to marched to Detroit, Michigan in 1812. This is now West Liberty's main street called Detroit Street. The largest carriage maker in town was Simeon Atha. He had a wheel plant called The West Liberty Wheel Company that made 30 sets of wheels each day. The West Liberty Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad came through town in the late 1800's. The first station was built by the M.R. & L.E. but exact location was not mentioned. The second train station was located at Baird and Miller Streets. Later, the Big 4 had a cut off at West Liberty in 1926 and the station was by the track. This is the Depot station that was later moved to Marie's Candies, and is in use once again, just a bit differently. There was also a depot station by King's Feed but it burned down. Mention was made of a depot station on Twp Rd 193 at Runkle Avenue. All prior stations were located on the old main line on Baird Street. Margery Headings remembers taking the Trolley to Bellefontaine and back again when she was a teenager. The Trolley was part of an Interurban Electric Railway formed in 1907, consolidating with 14 smaller railways. It connected Toledo, Lima, Dayton, Columbus, Cincinnati and smaller towns in between. At one time it had 617 miles of track, but went bankrupt in 1921. It's because of our ancestors who kept trying to improve on modes of transportation that we can get around much easier today. Sources: The Heritage Collection History and Biography, Historic West Liberty, Ohio, and Wikipedia. by Tami Wenger, Gloryland Ministries
On Tuesday, March 25, 1913, the Miami Valley received 8 inches of rain in 48 hours, causing the Mad River to overflow its banks and cause the “Great Flood” in West Liberty and surrounding area. In my grandfather Lee Roy Birt Sr.'s memoirs, he mentions the flood at a time when he was a lad of 9 years old. “My father gave up working for the canning company and took a job on a large farm north of Urbana. The river runs north and south in Champaign County. They raised all the crops that you raised on an ordinary farm. We also tried onions, beets, turnips, fattened up a lot of cattle and sheep. It was here I met a young lady about 13 years old that was to later become my wife but I didn't know it at that time. This was back in 1913 when they had the big flood all up and down the river valley. There seemed to be water everywhere up around our house just ready to come in on the floor. The owner of the farm had cut a lot of wood and had it all corded up ready to haul out. The water took this wood to the fence rows and pulled the fences up, posts and all; and it took out many bridges, filled the old channels of Mad River in many places. They had to re-dredge old Mad River. I can remember that old dredge work for many cubic yards.” If the flood wasn't already tragic enough, the rail road bridge south of West Liberty was weakened by the flood waters, collapsed under the weight of a Penn Locomotive as well as a Pullman sleeper and fell into to the raging waters at 1:00 am. The Penn Passenger Train #3 was headed west from Columbus to Chicago via Urbana. It was stopped because of washouts in Piqua. Plans were to detour to Bellefontaine then west being pulled backward to Bellefontaine from Urbana; then west to Indianapolis Division Big Four to Union City then rejoin the Penn System. The train's passengers were safe with only 7 injured. James Woods, Engineer and C. E. Tilton, Fireman, of Columbus sustained slight injuries and were found that day. The Conductor, Phil Henn, was rescued after 12 hours of water exposure. The only life lost because of the train accident was that of the Elwood Howell of Columbus, the Brakeman. His body was found 24 hours later lodged against a farm fence near Pimtown Road. Crews were sent to recover the train cars from the muddy waters. This was not an easy task because when they put a pile trestle in place of the bridge, they drove piling through the trailer and ash pan of the engine. This made it impossible to raise the engine until the pilling could be removed. After reconstructing the trestle in part, it wasn't until August 12 that the first attempt was made to raise the engine. However the bed of one of the derricks (wreckers) broke a king-pin under the load and another derrick was called to the scene. The following day the engine and bridge spans were lifted. In spite of being under water for four and a half months the locomotive was found to be in good enough shape to repair and put back into service. Photos used by permission of Bob McClure #1- Looking south at the train in the flood waters. #2- Rescue of the train Conductor Henn. #3- Raising of the engine being pulled from the flood waters in August of 1913. by Tami Wenger, Gloryland Ministries John Enoch (pictured left) spent eighteen years prospecting for gold before heading to the Miami Valley in the year 1815. It isn't known if he was hoping to strike gold but apparently what he did discover was well worth the trip. He was one of the early pioneers to settle in the valley, building a home then a gristmill which was powered by the Mad River and the Mac-O-Chee Creek. The settlement was known as Enoch's Mill until being founded in 1817, then it was named West Liberty. In 1834 West Liberty was incorporated and vying for the main town in Logan County. Bellefontaine was more centrally located so they won the county seat. In the late 1880's Enoch's Mill (pictured below), owned by Jacob Anstine, provided additional service by providing electricity when a dynamo was connected to the water wheel. Since there were no meters at each home users were trusted to use no more than five bulbs at once. The mill had a long history until it burned in a fire in 1962. Since it was not cost effective to rebuild, the mill was torn down. In the Memoirs of the Miami Valley, published in 1920, it states, “West Liberty is a pretty town and shines where it stands against the background of it's green hill, with the waters of the Mad River and the “babbling Mac-O-Chee” silvering the plain at it's edge.” Ask anyone today why West Liberty is special to them you will get a myriad of answers. James Fraley, “Getting a nickel from Ross McIlvain for being a good boy and sitting still for your haircut, and got a nickel form Doc. Mikesell for not crying when I got a shot.” Nina May says, “Because Michael's Pizza has the absolute best Taco Pizza!” “Large enough to enjoy a variety of activity and people, small enough to care for one another,” says Ellen Vitt. Joyce Hilyer, formally of West Liberty says, “West Liberty is in my heart to stay.” So it's the size, people, memories, favorite restaurant, home town, birth place for some, heart, spirit and more, all rolled into a great place to live. John Enoch must have agreed since he lived the remainder of his life in West Liberty. He may not have struck gold but he did hit the mother lode when he found such a beautiful valley in which to call home. Sources- Memoirs of the Miami Valley Historic West Liberty Ohio Sesquicentennial Booklet Picture - John Enoch, West Liberty Founder used by permission of Bob McClure Picture two - The Old Enoch Mill used by permission of Bob McClure by Tami Wenger, Gloryland Ministries
In order for a new town to grow, businesses must prosper. John Enoch settled in the valley in 1815, opening a gristmill and people traveled miles to get their grinding done. Here are more "firsts" in West Liberty business history. Enoch's sawmill was powered by the Mad River and Mac-O-Chee Creek. A distillery was opened by Thomas Baird on Muddy Run. Hiram White had the first store, tavern and post office on the corner of Baird and Detroit Streets. Dr. John Ordway was the first doctor and lived on Ordway Hill. The first landlord was John Newland, who owned a hotel called "The Buckeye House." West Liberty grew as more people arrived in town and businesses were opened. In 1828, the following businesses were available. Dr. John Ordway and H. M. White were still in town. John Vaughn was a farmer and Baptist Preacher with William Vaughn being a tailor and Baptist Preacher. John Williams was the local blacksmith and Methodist Preacher and Benjamin Ginn also a tailor. Robert Crockett and Tillman Longfellow were apprentice with John Vaughn a tanner. The wheel right/ painter was William Moore and William Kenton a tanner.. The carpenter was Thomas Hubbard and Abner Tharp was a wagon maker. The miller was Simon Robinson and Mrs. Polly McCullough and family were mentioned but not the business she had. Businesses at this time were mostly cabins. By 1880, West Liberty had many thriving businesses in the downtown area. In May of that year, a fire wiped out much of the business section on Detroit and West Baird Streets. The town could have died if the business owners had decided to cut their losses and move somewhere else, but they decided to rebuild and save the town. By this time several owners had a large building called a block, with not only their business but rented space to others for theirs. Mention was made of the businesses that were lost, but not those that were saved. Those lost included grocery stores, drug stores, stables, boot and shoe stores, notion stores, the post office, millinery, barbershop, billiard saloon, Odd Fellows Hall, dentistry rooms and a bank. The West Liberty Sesquicentennial Booklet has pictures of the following businesses in town in 1967: Esch's Meats, Liberty Oil & Gas Service, Humble Construction, West Liberty Lumber, Liberty Variety Store, Weymouth Sohio Service, Tastee Freez, The People's Savings and Loan Co., Liberty Machine Products, Inc., Chuck's TV, Craig's Coal Yard Elevator Grain Storage, Robert Brothers, Charles Sharp Realty, George R. (BUD) King Plumbing and Heating, Nationwide Insurance with Herman B. Lockwood, Yoder Electric, Black's Garage, Ross McIlvain Barber Shop and Max's Barber Shop. Also, Ohio Caverns, Piatt Castles, Thoman Bros. Supermarket, Holdren Brothers Inc., T .W. Swisher Realtor, Wilbert's Auction, Atha, Atha and Atha, C & F Apache Camping, Wilkins Funeral Home, Marie's Homemade Candies, Dajolee's Fine Foods, Nuehauser Division of IMCO Poultry, Inc., Farmers Supply, Figley's Drugs, Lenny's Graystone Restaurant, and the Hillside Greenhouse. S&S Tackle Co., Lester E. Wells Plumbing and Heating, King's Market, Nelson Insurance Agency, Saltz Men's & Boys Wear, Thompson's Shell Service, Joe S, Plank Firestone, Hostetter Monuments, Yoder Furniture, Geoff's Laundromat, Liberty Hardware Co., National Soft Water Service, and The Farmer Banking Co. In 2017, a new business opened, one moved to a new building, one is set to open in the Spring, and another business is closing for good. Three of the oldest businesses remaining in their original location include the Ohio Caverns, the Piatt Castles and the Hillside Greenhouse. Visit our Local Business Directory to check out all the businesses West Liberty has to offer! Sources: West Liberty Sesquicentennial Booklet, West Liberty Library, and History and Biography by Unigraphic Picture One- Ohio Caverns Entrance used by permission of Bob MeClure Picture Two- Mac-O-Chee Castle in 1910 permission of Tami Wenger Picture Three- Mac-A-Cheek Castle used by permission of Arnita Yoder Picture Four- Hillside Greenhouse by permission Tami Wenger
Their biggest venture is the 40 acre ball park that they maintain for all sorts of fun events. Family or other reunions, sports practices and games, midget quarter races, non-profit events, walk path and playgrounds for the children.
The Labor Day Festival is their biggest community 3-day event filled with all sorts of fun things to do, to see and delicious food to eat. This year they held their 51st festival and the parade was the big kickoff. If you had any doubt that West Liberty and surrounding area of being a farm community you wouldn't after seeing the “Tractor Parade.” Our farm families, several generations strong, proudly show off their tractors of all ages and colors and line the parade route interspersed with community floats, sports teams and our great WL-S High School Band. We are proud of our fire and police departments who led the way. Antique Equipment Show, gas engines, sawmill and tractors are displayed on the grounds. The children's tractor pull, bingo, antique tractor pull, duck races, softball games, lawn mower/go cart races and a favorite, Willie Yoder's tug of war over the Mad River. Church service, great entertainment, Chicken BBQ and other delicious food, flea market and craft vendors. Something for everyone and a good time was had by all! If you are interested in being a West Liberty Lions Club member call 937-465-4081 and leave a message. |
West Liberty History StoriesWest Liberty, Ohio was established in 1817. Read a sampling of our village's 200+ years of history or SUBMIT YOUR OWN STORY for all to enjoy! Archives
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