Sylvania Historical Society Sponsors "Sylvania Pickers"!

Board members Mimi Malcolm & Bob Smith in historic dress.
Also pictured: Gaye Gindy, with her  new book,& Liz Stover,
Tedd Long, Sandy Gratop,  Sylvania "pickers,"  parade floats & cars. www.sylvaniahistory.org for more information.

The Sylvania Area Historical Society and Museum (SAHS) participated in the annual Sylvania Fall Festival on Sunday, 21 October 2012.  It was a perfectly beautiful day, blue sky, sunshine, and still lots of fall color.

I’m the newcomer and novice on the board, but I thought the entire day was fun.  The Historical Society held a “Sylvania Pickers” game (based on the History Channel’s  “American Pickers” show) for people to chose the top five historic items of most monetary value from the collections of the Museum and the Historical Village.  Board member Tedd Long got us started. He organized the event, got a donation from Sautter’s market to use as the top prize, designed a poster, and did a press release and PR. The dedicated president of the board, Bob Smith, looking dapper in his top hat, put together an impressive list of 30 historical items.  He and board member Mimi Malcolm, local historian and genealogical researcher, dressed up in historical dress to greet visitors on the lawn of the House museum. Sandy Gratop was tops in advertising the event, bringing participants to the game and encouraging new memberships.  The Sylvania Advantage newspaper included the poster in its current issue, thanks to Sandy.  Other board members (Polly, Pam, Liz) and friends greeted visitors inside the museum house.  Sylvania historian Gaye Gindy sat on the porch watching the crowds go by and selling her newest book, Sylvania, Lucas County, Ohio: From Footpaths to Expressways and Beyond, the first of a multi-volume series.   

We all got to watch the parade down Main Street as we reached out to people to let them know about the Historical Society and the Pickers game.  It was a way to increase awareness of what the SAHS does and to make new friends.  The crowd was one of the largest ever we were told, and there was lots to do along Main street, with a variety of vendors, sales items, art and food galore.  Good music, too. SAHS’s "Sylvania Pickers" game added to the festivities.

Sylvania is a great community.  It has what Floridians were always looking for when I lived there before joining the Peace Corps: "a sense of place."  There were so many newcomers in Florida who called OTHER places home.  Not so in Sylvania!  The Historical Society contributes to this "sense of place" by preserving its history and looking toward the future.   

That's why we think becoming a member of the Historical Society is such a good investment! For more information, see our website, designed by Tedd Long, at www.sylvaniahistory.org, and look for us on facebook.  Become a friend!