The next meeting of the Bicentennial Committee will be on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall. This will be the last meeting before the Festival on Aug. 28, 29, and 30.
On Friday evening, Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. we will have our opening ceremonies along with some local and state dignitaries. During this time we will provide a brief history of Winchester which will include some of our ancestors and the recognition of our veterans.
The 5-K Run/Walk is at 6:15 p.m. Friday evening begins with registration at 5:30 p.m. Information on the 5K, Basketball and Cornhole tournament is available by contacting Rob Davis at 937-217-0703.
On Saturday, Aug. 29, the Bicentennial Committee will host a quilt show and bicentennial display at the Methodist Church from 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Any items you would like to include should be brought to the church on Thursday evening (Aug. 27) from 5-7 p.m.. We ask that all loaned items be picked up at the church on Saturday evening at 6 p.m. We have had lots of interest so it looks like we will have plenty of quilts and memorabilia.
Also on Saturday evening we will have an Ancester Recognition at 7 p.m. at the main stage. Questions may be directed to Gayla Beth Shaw Fritzhand at 937-544-6735.
At 8 p.m. on Saturday night we will have our 8th annual Historical Ghost Ride through the cemetery. You will meet Richard Cross, who was a teacher in the original log school house. We will also have founding families, Civil War soldiers, a Postmaster, a physician, General Morgan and many other old-time representatives from our community. Some volunteers from our committee have been working diligently out at the cemetery trying to get some of the grave stones cleared in preparation for our cemetery walk earlier in the day and the ghost ride that night. (We actually found some stones that had been hidden in the overgrowth) If anyone would be able to help clear the weeds it would be greatly appreciated.
Winchester will be hosting a community-wide yard sale on Friday and Saturday the weekend of the festival.
The Winchester United Methodist Church will be having a Homecoming service at morning worship, Aug. 30 at 10:30 a.m. We are extending an invitation to everyone, but especially to those who may have attended the church at any time. If you are unable to attend, please send a note with anything you remember about the church, e.g. ministers, MYF, special services, etc. Notes or information can be sent to Bev Stephenson, 60 N. Hartford Ave., Winchester, Ohio 45697.
I unintentionally omitted our prayer request last week and I know we have several needs. Marjorie Brammer, Betty Wright, Elaina Groves, Dorothy Walls, Betty Crank, and I am sure many others. I know all these folks would appreciate your healing prayers. Sharon Gaffin-Foster has recently been in the hospital following a fall and and needs our prayers.
Gladys Huck, age 91 of Winchester, passed away Tuesday, Aug. 11 at Ohio Valley Manor. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph. She attended First Church of Christ in Winchester. She is survived by one son, Ralph Edward Huck of Winchester. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Hope, 215 Hughes Blvd. Mt. Orab, Ohio 45144.
John Layman, 82, passed away at his home in Oxford. His parents were Bob and Julia Layman and he was a 1951 graduate of Winchester High School. He is survived by his wife and two sons. Prayers are extended to both families.
A ball player with local ties to Winchester just got the most important promotion in his career, his promotion to the major leagues. Matt Marksberry, a graduate of Glen Este High School and whose parents are from Winchester, had his major league debut for the Atlanta Braves on July 31. Congratulations to Matt and his family.
We have more Bicentennial tee shirts and if you would like to purchase one let us know. They are $15 each.
Winchester’s Past (Florence Bryson): In last week’s paper I said that one business started in 1894 was still in business 117 years later but the name of the business was omitted. It is the Farmers Mutual Insurance Company. There are still several houses in town that date from the 1830s, one from 1829 and several from the 1840s. Several have been torn down in the last few years. Some of the houses will be on the Walking Historic Home Tour on Saturday and Sunday morning. Many of the oldest businesses on Main Street were destroyed by fires. They were heated by fireplaces that used wood or coal and the lights were candles or oil lamps. Winchester had no fire equipment until about 1885 when they got a horse drawn wagon with hand pumps. There was no alarm system either. One of the most disastrous fires was in December of 1917 when four businesses and two residences, some over a 100 years old, went up in flames. An accident to the fire engine rendered the pumps useless so a human chain of a bucket brigade managed to keep the fire confined to the section that was burning. The section was rebuilt by W.C. Neu and Mr. McKinney where The Hair Company and ABCAP are now located.
Remember that I depend on information from others which is due by Sunday evening and can be sent by calling 937-695-9977 (leave a message) or by email @ japorter45697@sbcglobal.net.
