LOCAL HISTORY LESSON … Mr. Blake Burkholder’s 4th-grade classes took a walking field trip to the Stryker Depot to learn early local history. (PHOTOS BY AMY WENDT / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
By: Amy Wendt
Stryker Local School’s 4th-Grade Class traveled on foot to the historical Depot to hear a local history lesson by the Stryker Area Heritage Council on May 17.
The presentation “ties in directly to what we learn about Ohio statehood, early settlement, transportation systems, productive resources, and entrepreneurship,” commented Stryker 4th-grade Math and Social Studies teacher Blake Burkholder.
Susan Buehrer and Fred Grisier, members of the Stryker Area Heritage Council (SAHC) were on hand to share a little Stryker history.
The SAHC was formed in 2006 and has occupied the Stryker Depot building since approximately 2009.
The historic building, filled entirely with artifacts directly related to Stryker, Lockport, and Evansport, provided the perfect backdrop outside of school to learn about Stryker’s roots.
As the students gathered in the former Men’s Waiting Room of the depot, Buehrer gave the kids a quick opportunity to check out the old baggage room before settling in to listen to the presentation.
“History is more than just what you read in your history books at school,” Buehrer began.
Buehrer shared that in 1820 when Williams County was founded, the entire county was covered in a dense forest similar to what Goll’s Woods is like today.
The introduction of railroads had a transformative impact on Northwest Ohio. Stryker was founded in 1853 following attorney and railroad executive, John Stryker’s survey along the proposed Northern Indiana railroad. A year later, The Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana Railroad reached the town.
“If the railroad had never come through this area, there would be no town of Stryker,” Buehrer shared with the students.
According to Buehrer, Native Americans did originally live on the land, however, before the 1850’s they had begun to move to the unpopulated western states, and by the time Stryker was founded, there were no Native American settlements.
Grisier then spoke to the students about the first Stryker settlers who came from France. He noted that many were from the same communities in their native land so often they knew one another in the new country.
America was attractive to many settlers because of the prospect of plentiful farmland, a commodity that was of limited supply in their native country.
The new settlers frequently sent letters back home to their families, sharing their positive experiences in America and encouraging them to consider relocating to Stryker as well.
Many of the original families are still in the area today and include the surnames of Julliard, Peugeot, Grisier, and Planson to name a few.
It was explained that because the area was heavily wooded, the timber needed to be cleared for the new landowners to farm.
Because the town was situated next to the railroad, it created the perfect opportunity to transport the lumber down the rail where it could be used by someone else.
“The railroad has been central and very important to the growth of Stryker,” commented Buehrer.
The first businesses in town were a sawmill, a grist mill, a tannery, and a harness manufacturer.
With all of the readily available lumber, Stryker became the home of the Stryker Boat Oar & Lumber Company, one of the largest oar manufacturers of its time. The factory supplied boat oars to the U.S. and British Navies.
The students also heard a bit of history about the school that they attend. They learned that children living in the country went to small country schools and often didn’t go past the eighth grade since they were expected to work on the family farm or help keep the home.
The school building in town has always sat on the same property on South Defiance Street where it’s currently located. However, over the years, it has caught on fire and had to be rebuilt on more than one occasion.
As Northwest Ohio grew, the Toledo Indiana Interurban electric trolley system enabled residents to travel from town to town along the line which spanned from Toledo westward to Bryan.
Because not many had cars and roads were generally in poor condition, the T&I offered a convenient and inexpensive travel option.
In 1905 a T&I generating station was constructed on the west edge of town and also supplied electricity for some homes in the area.
By the 1930s, as more people obtained vehicles and road conditions improved, the demand for the trolley service declined.
The group of students then moved into what the SAHC called the military room which was the former ticket office when the depot was in operation.
“Stryker has some claim to fame in some of the different wars,” began Buehrer. The Military Room featured artifacts about William Knight, a Union soldier who won the Congressional of Honor.
Knight along with other Union soldiers participated in the Andrews’ Raid by stealing a locomotive from the Confederate Army.
Heading north, the group cut wires and destroyed the track as they went so they could not be apprehended.
However, despite their efforts, the group was captured and those who were not immediately hung, were taken to prison, including Knight.
The adventure continues when the remaining “Andrews’ Raiders” escape the Confederate prison and head back north.
Upon conclusion of the war, the surviving men were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Lincoln for their part in helping the Union win the Civil War.
Knight spent his remaining years in the Stryker area and is buried at the Oakwood Cemetery.
On the last leg of the history tour, the students moved to the largest room in the depot which was formerly the Women & Children’s Waiting Room.
The kids took particular interest in a large display of Stryker School memorabilia as well as a large antique camera.
The room also contained artifacts from two other famous Stryker natives.
A Lone Ranger display, upon closer inspection, features a typewriter that once belonged to Ralph Goll, Author. Goll is best known for his work writing various episodes for the Lone Ranger TV series.
Another display featured paintings, sketches, and sculptures created by Artist Harry Wickey, a man who was born and raised in Stryker and later moved to Detroit and New York.
Throughout the entire presentation, the students were engaged and were not afraid to ask questions.
Nearing the end of the tour, one student pointed to a photo of Erie Sauder hanging on the wall and asked who he was.
Buehrer told the students that Sauder, a man who valued the importance of history and founded Sauder Village, purchased the Stryker Depot building because of its historical significance and handed the keys over to the Village of Stryker so that it could be preserved for years to come.
Amy can be reached at amy@thevillagereporter.com
