July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Weiler exhibit planned (5/9/05)
Part of historic preservation week
By By Barbara Wilkinson-
A local exhibit is celebrating the rich history of the Weiler Building and encouraging area residents to embrace plans for the structure’s future.
Headwaters Heritage Inc., Jay County Historical Society, Jay County Genealogy Society and the Museum of the Soldier are coordinating their efforts to highlight their individual preservation efforts.
Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier recently proclaimed May 9-15 as Jay County Historic Preservation Week. The National Trust for Historic Preservation also designated May as National Historic Preservation Month.
The display, which is now open at the Jay County Public Library, features a sampling of memorabilia loaned by the historical society and local residents, including:
•Newspaper ads for the store from The Commercial Review from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
•A money carrier from the store’s unique check out system.
•A Portland Fire Department record book which has three pages detailing the events of the Dec. 22, 1925 fire which leveled the Bimel Block including the old Weiler Store. This item is displayed in the foyer case so that it can be read.
“What was exciting for me was to see some of the original blueprints (done by architect Walter Scholer, who was a Jay County native.) We have those in the locked cases. We borrowed them from The Portland Foundation,” Headwaters Heritage past president and director of archives Heather Steed said recently.
“We chose to feature the Weiler Building this year to help the John Jay Center for Learning educate the public about the amazing history of the Weiler Building and the store,” Steed said.
Current plans call for the downtown Portland landmark to be renovated as the permanent home for the JJCL. Although the structure has sustained some deterioration, “The superstructure is very strong. It was built to last, even though the superficial skin is damaged,” Steed said.
As part of the effort to draw attention to the renovation plans, Headwaters Heritage again sponsored its “Draw Your Favorite Historic Building” contest. Coordinated with the Jay School Corporation, the contest was open to all third and fourth graders who were asked to draw a Jay County building constructed before 1950.
“We average about 50 drawings,” Steed said of the contest now in its ninth year. She encouraged area residents to visit the library and cast their ballots in the people’s choice vote which will determine the first, second and third place winners for each school.
Students also were asked to interview family members about “their Weiler memories. They’ll be part of the exhibit,” Steed said.
The exhibit can be viewed during the library’s regular hours — Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit runs through May 27 and was funded by Headwaters Heritage membership dues and donations.
“We’ve done a more extensive public awareness effort to help JJCL as a pre-funding campaign,” Steed said.
“The cooperation and participation (in the exhibit) with JJCL and Rob Weaver has been wonderful, as has the help from The Portland Foundation and Doug Inman.”
Inman, who is the foundation executive director, said last week it will cost approximately $1.1 million for the exterior and roof work. A community campaign to raise about $2 million is planned to cover the cost of the interior renovations, he added.
Other events scheduled during this celebration include:
•Open house hours at the historical society museum at 903 E. Main St. in Portland. The museum will be open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m., county historian Jane Spencer said.
Local resident Ralph May also will display his collection of historical memorabilia beginning May 15, when the museum will be open from 1 to 4 p.m.
School tours for third grade and middle school students also will be given. Other school tours may be scheduled by calling (260) 726-7168, Spencer said.
•Open house hours at the genealogy society office at 109 S. Commerce St. in Portland for those looking for information on Jay County families. The office will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
•An open house at the Museum of the Soldier, 510 E. Arch St. in Portland, May 13-15 from noon to 5 p.m. to honor the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces of the United States from 1775 to the present. Other events also will be scheduled, museum board of directors member Jim Waechter said.[[In-content Ad]]One hundred forty years and one day after he was the last soldier killed in the Civil War, a ceremony will be held dedicating a new marker at the final resting place of a Jay County native.
Saturday’s ceremony will be held at a small cemetery on the grounds of the Jay County Retirement Center to honor John Jefferson Williams, who was killed May 13, 1865 in south Texas — after the Civil War had officially ended.
The event, which is being timed to coincide with both the anniversary of Williams’ death and National Historic Preservation Week, will begin at 2 p.m.
A variety of participants, including a color guard of Civil War re-enactors and officers of state chapters of Sons of Union Veterans and Daughters of Union Veterans, are expected.
Jim Waechter, executive director of the local Museum of the Soldier, said that based on feedback he’s gotten, he expects several hundred participants and spectators.
“It’s gonna be really neat. (Local resident) Mike McBride has really done a lot to put this thing together,” Waechter said this morning. “We’ve got people coming from all over.”
Following Saturday’s ceremony, an open house will be held at the Museum of the Soldier, 510 E. Arch St., Portland.
Williams, a member of Company B, 34th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, was killed at Palmito Ranch, Texas, while fighting against the Giddings Regiment, a Confederate Calvary unit.
Although the story of Williams’ notoriety in death has been known locally for years, the fact he is buried locally was recently discovered through research by McBride, a local Civil War historian and re-enactor who is also a board member of the Museum of the Soldier.
The currently unmarked grave site is located in a pasture west of the retirement center.
The new marker, which will mark Williams’ status as the last soldier killed in the Civil War, was provided by federal officials.
McBride’s son, Nathan McBride, plans to do a restoration of the cemetery on the grounds of the retirement center as an Eagle Scout project.
Boy Scout Troop 205 and troop leader Gary Gibson are preparing the grounds for the ceremony, including mowing and painting a fence.
Williams’ family owned the land where the retirement center is located. His family sold the land to Jay County in 1864 for construction of a county infirmary.
Headwaters Heritage Inc., Jay County Historical Society, Jay County Genealogy Society and the Museum of the Soldier are coordinating their efforts to highlight their individual preservation efforts.
Portland Mayor Bruce Hosier recently proclaimed May 9-15 as Jay County Historic Preservation Week. The National Trust for Historic Preservation also designated May as National Historic Preservation Month.
The display, which is now open at the Jay County Public Library, features a sampling of memorabilia loaned by the historical society and local residents, including:
•Newspaper ads for the store from The Commercial Review from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
•A money carrier from the store’s unique check out system.
•A Portland Fire Department record book which has three pages detailing the events of the Dec. 22, 1925 fire which leveled the Bimel Block including the old Weiler Store. This item is displayed in the foyer case so that it can be read.
“What was exciting for me was to see some of the original blueprints (done by architect Walter Scholer, who was a Jay County native.) We have those in the locked cases. We borrowed them from The Portland Foundation,” Headwaters Heritage past president and director of archives Heather Steed said recently.
“We chose to feature the Weiler Building this year to help the John Jay Center for Learning educate the public about the amazing history of the Weiler Building and the store,” Steed said.
Current plans call for the downtown Portland landmark to be renovated as the permanent home for the JJCL. Although the structure has sustained some deterioration, “The superstructure is very strong. It was built to last, even though the superficial skin is damaged,” Steed said.
As part of the effort to draw attention to the renovation plans, Headwaters Heritage again sponsored its “Draw Your Favorite Historic Building” contest. Coordinated with the Jay School Corporation, the contest was open to all third and fourth graders who were asked to draw a Jay County building constructed before 1950.
“We average about 50 drawings,” Steed said of the contest now in its ninth year. She encouraged area residents to visit the library and cast their ballots in the people’s choice vote which will determine the first, second and third place winners for each school.
Students also were asked to interview family members about “their Weiler memories. They’ll be part of the exhibit,” Steed said.
The exhibit can be viewed during the library’s regular hours — Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit runs through May 27 and was funded by Headwaters Heritage membership dues and donations.
“We’ve done a more extensive public awareness effort to help JJCL as a pre-funding campaign,” Steed said.
“The cooperation and participation (in the exhibit) with JJCL and Rob Weaver has been wonderful, as has the help from The Portland Foundation and Doug Inman.”
Inman, who is the foundation executive director, said last week it will cost approximately $1.1 million for the exterior and roof work. A community campaign to raise about $2 million is planned to cover the cost of the interior renovations, he added.
Other events scheduled during this celebration include:
•Open house hours at the historical society museum at 903 E. Main St. in Portland. The museum will be open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m., county historian Jane Spencer said.
Local resident Ralph May also will display his collection of historical memorabilia beginning May 15, when the museum will be open from 1 to 4 p.m.
School tours for third grade and middle school students also will be given. Other school tours may be scheduled by calling (260) 726-7168, Spencer said.
•Open house hours at the genealogy society office at 109 S. Commerce St. in Portland for those looking for information on Jay County families. The office will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
•An open house at the Museum of the Soldier, 510 E. Arch St. in Portland, May 13-15 from noon to 5 p.m. to honor the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces of the United States from 1775 to the present. Other events also will be scheduled, museum board of directors member Jim Waechter said.[[In-content Ad]]One hundred forty years and one day after he was the last soldier killed in the Civil War, a ceremony will be held dedicating a new marker at the final resting place of a Jay County native.
Saturday’s ceremony will be held at a small cemetery on the grounds of the Jay County Retirement Center to honor John Jefferson Williams, who was killed May 13, 1865 in south Texas — after the Civil War had officially ended.
The event, which is being timed to coincide with both the anniversary of Williams’ death and National Historic Preservation Week, will begin at 2 p.m.
A variety of participants, including a color guard of Civil War re-enactors and officers of state chapters of Sons of Union Veterans and Daughters of Union Veterans, are expected.
Jim Waechter, executive director of the local Museum of the Soldier, said that based on feedback he’s gotten, he expects several hundred participants and spectators.
“It’s gonna be really neat. (Local resident) Mike McBride has really done a lot to put this thing together,” Waechter said this morning. “We’ve got people coming from all over.”
Following Saturday’s ceremony, an open house will be held at the Museum of the Soldier, 510 E. Arch St., Portland.
Williams, a member of Company B, 34th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, was killed at Palmito Ranch, Texas, while fighting against the Giddings Regiment, a Confederate Calvary unit.
Although the story of Williams’ notoriety in death has been known locally for years, the fact he is buried locally was recently discovered through research by McBride, a local Civil War historian and re-enactor who is also a board member of the Museum of the Soldier.
The currently unmarked grave site is located in a pasture west of the retirement center.
The new marker, which will mark Williams’ status as the last soldier killed in the Civil War, was provided by federal officials.
McBride’s son, Nathan McBride, plans to do a restoration of the cemetery on the grounds of the retirement center as an Eagle Scout project.
Boy Scout Troop 205 and troop leader Gary Gibson are preparing the grounds for the ceremony, including mowing and painting a fence.
Williams’ family owned the land where the retirement center is located. His family sold the land to Jay County in 1864 for construction of a county infirmary.
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