RECENT NEWS
Heritage Happenings
Thanks to the generosity of Barbara Gray Hermann, the Society’s office has a new showcase, a former gun case owned by her father, Sylvan Gray. Presently it displays toys from the collection. Thank you, Barb.
The Society is still in need of sturdy storage shelving for its collection, or the funds to purchase it. We also need a small stepladder to access higher shelves in our storage area. If you have any of these items, please give us a call at 330.494.4791.
Two scanning projects are continuing at the Society – one to document the over 750 negatives received of the Hoover Company when it closed in 2007. These photos, showing all aspects of the Hoover factory and surrounding properties from its beginnings to the 1970s, will be on a searchable database.
All of the Society’s photo collection is now searchable – so if you are looking for a place, a person or a time, we can now find the photo (if we have one, of course) much more easily. We sell the scans or prints of the photos in our collection to the public. Call us, or stop by some morning, if you are interested in locating a special photo. The Society is always interested in acquiring more photographs for its collection, so if you have any of interest, please think of us.
The second project is more long-term, that of scanning the Newsy News/Hoover News. Scanning is being done in conjunction with the Hoover Historical Center and the North Canton Public Library and will allow the newsletters, which detail not only the doings of the Hoover Company, but of the entire town, to be searched for names, dates and places.
Third-graders from Clearmount Elementary School visited the Heritage Society in late May to learn more about the British Evacuees housed here by the Hoover Company. Led by teacher Judy McLaughlin, who received a grant from the North Canton Educational Foundation for the unit, the students viewed materials on the British students, including a vintage scrapbook kept by one of the Evacuees, Madge Tunnicliffe. At school, the students learned more about North Canton in World War II, and even planted a Victory Garden.
Playing Cards Ready
Thanks to the generosity of many North Canton businesses and individuals, sponsorships of the historic deck of playing cards were all sold by July, and the cards are now ready. Each card features different historic scenes of North Canton and on the back is a full-color photo of the Hoover Company and its distinctive smokestack.
The decks sell for $10. You can either pick the decks up at the Society office, or we will, for a small fee, mail them to you. By purchasing these cards, you are helping to support the history of New Berlin/North Canton. Thank you!
Buy a Brick for a Vet
The North Canton Veterans Memorial in Bitzer Park is raising funds for its second phase by selling bricks honoring veterans of all wars. The memorial’s first phase has been funded, and construction is planned to begin as soon as details between the city and IRG, new owners of the Hoover Company property, have been worked out. This first phase will feature the bronze plaque, now restored, formerly located at the Hoover Company entrance. The second phase will add wings commemorating the other wars in which North Canton citizens have fought, from the Civil War to the present conflicts in the Middle East. Check out the enclosed brochure for more details.