The Early Founder's Days

In 1964 a meeting was called by Mayor Richard Farnsworth and the manager of the Waterville Bank, Alvin Sieczkowski for the possible founding of a historical society. They had heard people were interested in preserving Waterville history. Al was elected President of the newly formed Waterville Historical Society and James Baldwin Vice President, Sec’y, Mrs. R.M. Memmer and Mrs. Carl Conrad, Treasurer. Mrs. Howard Krause was elected scrapbook custodian. The directors were John Amstutz, Mrs. Robert Lowrie, Mrs. Charles Swope, Mrs. Harry Witte and Charles Weaver.

One year later they held their first Founder’s Day to honor John Pray who laid out the village with the first 50 lots in 1831. Movies and exhibits of early Waterville were shown in the Waterville school gymnasium. Walking tours around town were conducted at 2, 3 and 4 p.m. and there were historic home tours. They also had a tea at the Columbian House. Then after the home tours they had a buffet supper at Zion Lutheran Church with Dr. Randolf Downs, professor of history at T.U as speaker. The first year of the Founder’s Day was just a one day affair but the 2nd year they held it for two days on May 14 and 15.

The aim of the society was the preservation of the history of Waterville. Founder’s Day was a way of calling the past to the attention of our citizens in hopes that everyone will give to or aid the society in preserving as much as possible the treasures for the future. It was hoped it would be a yearly trek back into the history of Waterville. In 1965 fifteen hundred people attended. In 1966 Founder’s Day was two days, both Saturday and Sunday, ending with a costume ball held at the Waterville School and the banquet held at the Zion Lutheran Church. WHS produced a Founder’s Day booklet and a Junior Historical Society was organized in Waterville.

The public responded and soon the historical society started looking for a place to put their collection of historic artifacts of interest to the area. In 1967 Mr. and Mrs. Charles Swope gave permission to use the upstairs apartment they owned at 19 ½ Third Street. In August of that year they opened that space to the public as a way to preserve and display these items of historical interest.

In 1968 they made Apple Butter and sold it to raise funds and in 1969 they had more house tours, showing six homes and WHS planned to make this an annual event. The organization was also having families research the history of their homes and WHS gave the first historic home plaque to Mrs. and Mrs. Earl Potter for the Oliver Pray House at 144 N. River Road, built in 1837. The purpose of this was to identify and encourage restoration and preservation of homes that were built prior to 1900.

In 1980 they acquired the Robbins House at 114 South River Road and began remodeling it into a museum. This enabled them to participate in the Roche de Boeuf festival with bake sales, antique and collectible sales, demonstrations of pioneer arts and crafts, as well as tours of the museum where all their exhibits had been moved. Founder’s Day dinners continued to be held in the spring at the Columbian House, the Toledo Club and other locations.

With the acquisition of the Sargent House Museum at 118 South River Road, which opened to the public on Founder’s Day, 1992 and Wakeman Hall in 1999, much time and effort was required toward fund-raising and restoration of these properties. Founder’s Day was neglected until renewed with a celebration of Waterville heritage, a day when small town values and civic pride are emphasized. In 2001 the village of Waterville had been in existence for 170 years and at that time the Waterville Historical Society, possibly along with the Chamber of Commerce, organized the Founder’s Day Festival. It was stated that it was the Third Annual Founder’s Day. In 2004 they had the sixth annual festival as an outdoor activity in Conrad Park.

On May 18, 2003 an Ohio Bicentennial Marker obtained by the Waterville Historical Society, honoring “John Pray Founder of Waterville” was dedicated at Pray Park. It was attended by 35 of his descendants from throughout the United States.