A Walk Through History: Learn about the history of Westerville, Ohio. This newsletter was created by the Westerville Library’s Local History Center.

1. THE WESTERVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
LOCAL HISTORY RESOURCE CENTER NEWSLETTER
September 2011
The Westerville Public Library Local History Center collection focuses on all aspects
of Westerville. There are files on people, places and events in our community from the earli-
est pioneer history to today. Where do all these bits of Westerville information and items come
from? This question is frequently asked when we provide a classroom program or welcome
field trip groups into the library. We depend on the generosity and awareness of the public who
find items and bring them to the center where they will be cared for and shared. This newsletter
features some of the ways we gather information and obtain items.
A Walk Through History
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Donations to the Local History Center
A group of slides
was donated that
contain images
of the construc-
tion of the Kyoto
Shinto Shrine
on the proper-
ty across from
the library. The
shrine is in stor-
age now and the
property is for
sale.
Celebration at the Kyoto
Tea House
John E. Rowland
Prisoner of War
A binder with photographs
and memorabilia from
the WWII experiences of
lifelong Westerville resi-
dent John Rowland. He
was captured by Japanese
troops in the Philippines,
was marched with other
captured soldiers on the
Bataan Death March and
ended up a prisoner in
Manchuria until the war
ended.Replica of a Railroad Car
A wooden model that was on display
for many years at Cockrell’s Restaurant
(where Graeter’s is today) honoring the
history of the railroad that came through
town.

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Donations:
the Georgia Park letters
Several years ago a box filled with letters and photographs arrived in Westerville. The
note that was mailed with the box explained that the box had been found in a house for rent
in Cleveland. The envelopes in the box were all addressed to Georgia Park, 31 W. Plum St.,
Westerville, Ohio. These letters were mailed from family in Iowa and California as well as
Ohio. The person who found the material realized that it had value, but mainly to people in
Westerville, so made sure that it ended up in the Westerville Public Library Local History
Center.
This box is an excellent example of the way items become part of the local history
collection. Most items in our collection are donated by people who want to make sure that
they find a good home. We are so pleased that the Georgia Park letters found a home with the
library and not in a trash bin. Below and on page three are samples.
Aug 24, 1931 letter from Anna and the boys to
Georgia – “We all enjoyed your good letter and
all join in thanking you for the check. The boys
will be starting to school in about two weeks,
and the check will come in might good in buy-
ing books and necessary supplies. We have all
worked this summer. Francis helping my fa-
ther on the farm and Albert and Clarence have
had quite a bit of work with the Graham Nut
Co…. We have a garden and are having nice
sweet corn and tomatoes, peppers and cucum-
bers. My beans did not do any good as rabbits
ate them off when up about six inches… I
think I will have quite a lot of tomatoes to
can. A garden means a lot of hard work, but I
do like to have the fresh vegetables. I am trying
to can all I possibly can, as it is such a help in
the winter and at best we have to figure for the
winter months.”
31 W. Park Street

3. 3
Georgia Park lived with her mother and her aunt at 31 W. Plum until they both died,
and then she lived in the home by herself. She was a descendant of Peter Westervelt, one of
the founders of the community. Georgia graduated from Otterbein in 1907 and for a while she
worked for the Anti-Saloon League. She wrote many letters to family members and was gen-
erous with money. Her half brother died at a young age leaving three young sons with his wife
Anna. They lived in Hilliard and then Columbus, but the family did not visit much. Instead
they kept in touch through correspondence. Many of the letters were written by the children
and their mother thanking “Aunt Georgia” for gifts.
These letters were written during the Depression when most families had a garden of
some sort to provide food. Another letter provides us with information about Georgia’s neph-
ew Albert and the work he did at college to pay his way. Albert was not able to go to school
full time because of the many hours he worked.
December 4, 1933 letter from Albert to Georgia written at Em-
manuel Missionary College in Berrien Springs, Michigan – “I
rise at five in the morning and study until breakfast which is at
six forty five and last until seven fifteen. Physical Education
is from 7:40 to 8:00. Chapel from 8:30 to 9:00. Classes start at
nine and last until noon for me as I have a morning program
for work from one to six o’clock every day; six days a week…. I
like it up here very much although the subjects are much hard-
er than high schools’.I have to put about three hours of study
on just French alone, and the rest accordingly. I work in the
school’s furniture factory where we make thousands of chairs
and many other small pieces of furniture. I also do cleaning in
Maple Hall every day plus the time I work in the factory.”
Donations:
the Georgia Park letters (Cont.)

4. 4
MARY: If we got our work all done we got
to play and we got to pick our lunch,
which consisted of lettuce sandwiches and
a big jug of ice water and we’d go over
into the field and have a picnic. Just
all the neighbor kids. We’d go out to
the corner every evening, play hide and
go seek and the tree over here on our
side yard, is where ya hid and so on.
Interviewer: Is that all it had on it,
was lettuce?
MARY: Just lettuce and butter.
Interviewer: Butter and lettuce.
MARY: And we were just happy as any-
thing. (Smiles)
FLORENCE: We went to school in horse
drawn wagons. And then in the winter-
time, when we had big snows, we had a
bobsled.
Interviewer: So you didn’t have snow
days then.
FLORENCE: No, we went to school.
(Laughs.) He’d had straw in the wag-
ons, or in the sled. And I know my
grandparents had what we called “soap-
stone,” they were flat things. And
they’d get down and come along and put
it on your feet, and have a blanket
for you. And, oh that was great, when
we’d have to go to school in the bob-
sled.
TOM: On 3C highway, we’d go up to-
wards Galena and Sunbury and they
had free movies on the town square…
that was a real treat, because they
would have serial movies. You’d
have to go from one week to another
to keep up with it. They would pop
corn, and they would have ice cream
and everything there. So it was a
nice time.
BUD: Back then it was 20 cents for chil-
dren and 35 cents for adults. That’s when
we opened. And during the depression,
back in the early 30s, we went down to
11 cents for everybody, special prices,
you know. And then it stayed 25 cents
for adults and 10 cents for children for
many years after that... We started in
’33 selling popcorn. And it wasn’t until
fifteen years later that we went to candy
and pop, coke and soft drinks, you know.
But back then people didn’t eat when they
came to the theater. They didn’t think
about eating....It started in the early
50s but it didn’t really get too bad un-
til about 60s and then it just went down-
hill from there, as far as attendance.
One source of information for the Local History
Center is to speak to residents of the community. We
have over fifty oral history interviews recorded on
many different topics. Some of these can be viewed
online at westervillelibrary.org/local-history, key
word search “Oral History” in the “Search Local
History Photographs” bar. We have included some
excerpts from several interviews.
The movie theatre in Westerville which opened in
1927 – Bud Curfman, owner of the State Theater
in Uptown, was seven when his father opened the
business. He told us about prices, refreshments and
the impact that television had on his business which
closed in April 1975.
Tom Johnson told us about how his family
would drive to Galena to see free movies.
Mary Henry told us about what she and her
friends did for fun when they were young.
Florence Jaycox grew up in the community of
Africa, north of Westerville. She told us about
her transportation to school.
Oral History Interviews

5. Oral History Interview Activity
There is a treasure trove of information available to those who ask. Interviewing people is a great way to find
out things you may not learn otherwise. Try using some of the questions below on a family member or relative,
like a grandparent. You may be surprised at some of the answers you get.
Where and when were you born?
What are your parents’ names?
What activities did you like to do as a child?
What was school like? Who were your favorite teachers and why?
What did your house/houses look like when you were a kid? Did you share a bed-
room with anyone?
Did you have any chores around the house?
What did you do for fun?
Were there any major storms, tornadoes or floods that affected you?
What kinds of food did you eat growing up? Did you ever eat out?
What was your first job?
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Where did you go to college?
Did you get married?
Do you have children?
What are some of your favorite memories of your hometown?
Questions to Ask
For more question ideas or more information about interviews, check out these books at the library:
To Our Children’s Children, by Bob Greene and D. G. Fulford
Catching Stories, by Donna M. DeBlasio, Charles F. Ganzert, David H. Mould, Stephen H. Paschen and Howard
L. Sacks
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