Community Update

                Holding on to a town’s culture and roots can be
difficult to achieve. With the dedication of the Stow Historical Society, a
two-day event filled with artisan crafts, musical entertainment, historical reenactments
and old-time foods can reassure Stow residents of their city’s history.

                On Oct. 5 and 6, the SHS held the 35th annual Stow
Harvest Festival at the Heritage Reserve Park, located in Silver Springs Park.
From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., guests had the opportunity to experience an
old-fashioned way of life.

                Community members had the chance to tour the three
fully-furnished historic homes on the property. The Heritage House Museum was
moved to the park in 1972 and renovated by volunteers of the SHS. The original
building was created around 1849 and served as a stage coach stop and private
residence. The Darrow House and the Mary Starr House are the other two building
that were donated to the SHS.  Vendor
coordinator and SHS member Beth Daughtery said her favorite part of the event
is the opportunity to visit the three historic houses.   

                Along with the house tours, visitors get to watch
others partake in old-time arts including blacksmiths, chair caners, weavers
and more. A prominent event many families enjoy is the apple butter stirring. Guests
help SHS members stir the apple butter in the large kettle over an open fire.
The apple butter was sold for $5 a pint.

                “I would be [interested in attending the festival]. I
do like to look at and listen to old things,” senior Joe Newton said. “I find
it refreshing to get to know how we have changed… I would call myself an old
soul [because] I enjoy… vintage-type stuff.”

                The main attraction of the event was the abundance of
craft vendors.

                “There are over 20 vendors selling anything from
dried floral arrangements to beach glass jewelry, metal arts, fiber arts,
homemade soaps and lotions and antique caned chairs,” Daughtery said.

The
vendors were located in a large tent and inside the Heritage Barn.

The
event also had activities directed toward children. A small petting zoo with
farm animals was set up for children and Stow Parks and Recreation provided
pumpkins for the children to decorate and take home.

Local
history author, Fred Long, was in attendance to sell and sign copies of his
books.

Raffle
tickets were also sold for items donated by vendors. SHS volunteers sold
refreshments inside the Heritage barn as well, including sandwiches, side
dishes, deserts, coffee and hot cider.

Throughout
the day, visitors could hear the sounds of folk music playing at the festival.
On Saturday, five-piece band String Fantasy performed traditional American,
German and Celtic folk music from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.. According to
stohistory.org, band members are from Massillon, Canton and Akron.

On
Sunday, folk band Sona played.  The band
performed new songs and some vocals of historical songs from the 1800s.

The
festival also welcomed new activities this year. A standout being the Ohio
Living History Society.

“OLHS
is a group of comprised of historical interpreters who aim to bring local
history back to life,” Daughtery said. 
“Through extensive research and combination of authentic manners of
dress, social customs and period appropriate settings, the public [experienced]
firsthand the life of Stow’s early settlers.”

Additionally,
local 4H groups, Equestrian Challenge and JZ’s Wildbunch are new to the event.

“Equestrian
Challenge is a small group of dedicated 4H members who mentor special needs
children with their horses,” Daughtery said. “JZ’s Wildbunch show their small
animals, as well as work on non-animal projects like cooking, sewing and
woodworking. Many of the 4H members are Pet Pals certified to take their
animals on visits to nursing homes, MRDD and festivals.”

Admission
to the festival and parking is free. The Historical society collects revenue
from the sale of vendor booth space and the sale of food at their concession
stand. Daughtery said all proceeds are used toward maintaining the Society’s
three historic buildings and archival collection.

The
first Stow Harvest Festival was held in Nov. 1978.

The
SHS was founded by a group of people interested in preserving the history of
Stow Township. According to stowhistory.org, their first meeting was held Jan.
30, 1950 with 30 charter members.

The
organization continues to preserve the history of the city through its historic
home tours and collection of local artifacts. According to stowhistory.org, the
objective of the society is to gather and record all historical data pertaining
to the development of Stow Township.

Along
with the festival, members also hold annual tours for school children at the
Heritage House. The society’s next project is Save Our School, a fundraising
campaign to relocate the Stewart’s Corners one-room schoolhouse to Heritage
Reserve Park.

“Through
the SOS fundraising campaign, the moving of the schoolhouse will become a
reality on Oct. 16, 2013,” Daughtery said.

Community
members can call the SHS if they wish to get a team together to help volunteer
for the big project.

“History
on a city is always good to learn about,” senior Clay Bovard said. “You wanna
know about who walked and built the city you live in because there could be
crazy facts that you never knew about.”