Newsletter Archive 2010-2015

2010
2010 Spring – Read what the Island was like in 1865, continue Webb’s story.

2010 Summer – Our new museum will be opening soon, but the 2010 tour of homes was cancelled. Webb continues writing about his troop of Island men in a letter dated July 9, 1864. Jake and Jessie Martin donated a collection of beautiful photos to the museum. Anne Sennish remembers when Ned Haig got stuck on the new Inscription Rock sign. Island school students help move the museum out of the church and into the new building. Sharon Brunell McIntire is recognized for her nearly 24/7 dedication to getting the new museum up and running.

2010 Fall – The new museum opens at last, Webb letters continue and we publish a recipe for Kelleys Island Cake.

2010 Winter – Winter Baseball, c1911 and Webb letters

2011
2011 Winter – British Car Rally, William S. Webb’s Civil War letters from July 1964.

2011 Spring – A history of the Francis Metallic Life Boat, Webb’s letters continue, Leslie Korenko releases her second Kelleys Island history book and an Interview with Sabra Hamilton from June 1921.

2011 Summer – The new museum hosts an open house. Catherine Christie endows the museum with a gift and Webb’s letters of July 12, 13, 14, 1864 appear. The piano donated by Nancy Kelley is restored by Bob Siegfried and Pat Hayes (it was built around 1914). Randy Koch came to the art show in Civil War garb to promote his book Eyes Toward the South.

2011 Fall – Webb’s Civil war letters continue.

2012
2012 Spring-Summer – Kastning family reunion, Webb’s letters, band uniform history, Sturgeon in Lake Erie

2012 Winter – Meet our new President, Chuck Herndon, Webb letters, Wm. McKillips aviator suit, goggles and hat.

2013
2013 Winter – The Appledore IV (one of the tall ships) comes to the Island. Claudia Brown writes about lake Sturgeon. The Oral History project takes off with interviews with Mary Wilke Bauman, Sis McKillips, Paul Brown and Fritz Ziegler.

2013 April – Celebrate the Battle of Lake Erie. Rob Watkins donated a flag from the Perry Centennial (1813-1823), there are photos of winter volunteers. We remember Sis McKillips. Geraldine Betzenheimer donated an essay her mother Iva Riedy Erne wrote in 1981 about her younger years (part of our Oral History project). Read a review of John Ray Lange’s book My Memoirs. Roger Williams tells a story of a flight on the Tin Goose in February 1944.

2013 Summer – Roger Williams retires from the KIHA Board. One time President, John Seaman, passes away. He and his wife once owned the Beatty House on the Island’s east side. A little history about the Battle of Lake Erie. The Picciano family donates a large 1910 wine press.

2013 December – A new furnace and air conditioning are installed in the Stone Church. The Tall Ships plaque, honoring those involved in the 2013 Tall Ships celebration is placed in the museum. There is a list of members.

2014
2014 March – The winter the pipes froze and photographs of the damage. The Stone Church is repaired and painted and the floors cleaned and polished. Francis (Frannie) Minshall is remembered. There is a little on the Ford Tri-Motor and a short item about crows as pets.

2014 June – The History of the German Reformed Church and Parsonage

2014 September – Annual meeting and photos from the Arts & Craft Show

2014 December – Grant awards for drainage around the Church and Parsonage, our new website and Facebook page, additions to our collection, some news from the past and a few interesting queries from people searching for their Island roots.

2015
2015 April  – The exhibit this year is Sport Fishing on Lake Erie. Rev. C. E. Haley, St. Michael’s Church, wants to organize a group called the Kelleyites (for seasonal residents) and wants an annual Homecoming. January 1885-an Ice Fishing story. We received a grant for an Historic Marker for the church and parsonage. We locate a box of cookbooks-Cookin’ Up a Storm, containing some of the best recipes on the island. There is a little history on tapping trees for Maple syrup, old pictures of Ice Fishermen (and women) and Doug Muranyi makes lures.

2015 July – Shirley Selig takes over the Gift Shop. Teri Betzehneimer/Behrends landscapes around the church. We introduce Andrew Muskara, our new board member. 1878-The Himmelein House opens to bass season. 1864-The big debate on how to correctly spell Kelley’s Island (Kelley, Kelleys, Kelleys’, Kelley’s or Kelly Island). This year’s quilt is green in memory of Florence McKillips.

2015 October – We dedicate the Island’s first Historic Marker celebrating the history of the German Reformed Church and its parsonage. There is a report on the Arts & Crafts Show. For the first time people could ring the church bell. The President’s notes from the Annual meeting. Sponsor a window in the church and the history of those beautiful quilts that Terri makes.