Summary: A Grand Parade, tractor pull, vintage car show and watermelon eating contest were all part of the fun at the 31st annual Marshallville Historical Days celebration August 26 and 27. The event is organized by the Marshallville Historical Society.
Marshallville Celebrates Historical Days
Baton twirling, tractor pulling and watermelon seed spitting were all part of the fun at the Marshallville Historical Days celebration August 26 and 27. This year marked the 31st anniversary for the annual event, which featured a 1950s theme.
The Marshallville Historical Society has been organizing Historical Days since its inception. Were small, but we try to do what we can with what weve got, said Tim Twinem, who has been president of the historical society for the past several years. For the limited number of volunteers we have, I think we do a pretty good job.
Marshallville was founded in 1817, and is the third oldest village in Wayne County, Twinem said. In its heyday it was a stop-off for travelers en route to Canal Fulton, with a three-story hotel downtown. This town is very rich in historyand we do our best to keep this part of it alive, Twinem said. All these small towns around here are a treasure trove.
The tractor pull, pie contest and car show raise funds for the historical society, and many different businesses and organizations pitch in to help with other parts of the weekend event. All the organizations in town are involved, said Twinem.
This years Historical Days festivities began Friday evening with a bean supper, Little Miss & Master Contest, Kids Bike Decorating Contest and Bike Parade, Crowded Closet Sale and Caricature Artist Phil Evans.
Saturdays jam-packed lineup started with a Grand Parade down Market Street with Nancys Draperies as Grand Marshall. The Smithville High School marching band kept everyone in step with upbeat marching tunes and many area businesses and organizations tossed out candy to eager children on the sidelines as they passed. A stream of vintage tractors and finally the Ohio Wagon Train, complete with covered wagons, oxen and horses, followed.
When young Caleb Holden and his brother Aiden of Marshallville were asked what they thought of the parade, both gave an enthusiastic thumbs up. Caleb Holden said the best part was getting lots of candy, especially the Gobstoppers.
An antique motorcycle show was added to the lineup this year along with the traditional vintage car show. Twinem estimated there were 250-300 cars on display this year. One car show participant, John Fisher of Canal Fulton, brought his 1934 three-window coupe. Historical Days is really nice and well organized, said Fisher. Theres a lot to see and a lot of friendly people here. And the weather has been perfect.
Meanwhile at the park, antique tractors roared down the dirt track, their front wheels sometimes lifting off the ground as they strained to pull the heavy sled at Saturday afternoons vintage tractor pull. Also in the park were a horse pull, 1950s games and a concert by the Rogues Hollow Blues Band of Doylestown. A watermelon-eating contest was followed by a seed-spitting contest. An evening sock hop and pie contest rounded out Saturdays entertainment.
Throughout the weekend, the museum was open to visitors and Abe Lincoln twice made an appearance at the 1847 cabin. In the blacksmith shop, Larry Jackson of North Lawrence cranked the bellows and expertly hammered out sample pieces of iron. Jackson said he never had formal training in blacksmithing but picked it up from his father on the farm, where the family kept a small forge to fix tools and machinery.
Sponsors of this years Marshallville Historical Days included the Marshallville Packing Company, Marshallville Volunteer Fire Department, American Legion Post 718, Grace Jackson, Phil Evans, Marshallville Garden Club, Marshallville United Methodist Church, Larry Stoll, Farmers State Bank and The Village of Marshallville.
