Local News
Heritage center should be finished by 2015
05/30/08 — The Northwestern Pennsylvania Railroad and Tooling Heritage Center will be developed in three phases, according to Mary Ann Martin, volunteer finance director.
The first phase will be to complete the outdoor location of the planned museum, bring the Erie Railroad locomotive Engine 518 to Meadville, and move the complete Foriska Machine Shop from its current East College Street location to the museum site.
The second phase will be to construct a 50-by-100-foot building.
The final phase will be site development and construction of the museum building — estimated to be completed in 2013 to 2015.
The 12,000-square-foot museum will include an outdoor display of equipment, displays providing information on railroad history in the French Creek Valley, with artifacts and interactive exhibits, an operating model railroad depicting the Meadville rail facilities circa 1945 to 1955, a theater, a gift shop, and an archives/research area.
While negotiations are continuing for receipt of two engines and a railroad car, the tooling and machining artifacts are already secured. The Foriska family has already committed to moving the building and all the equipment to the site.
It’s the former Davenport Manufacturing Co. that began operations in the early 1900s. Entering the shop is like taking a step deep into manufacturing history — and it’s still fully operational. The Foriska family has preserved everything.
Frank Foriska began working at the shop in 1926 and took ownership in 1962. The line shaft operation ran from a single motor and had a system of line shafts, pulleys, belts and clutches that operated numerous machines.
Foriska’s son, Albert, who also worked in the shop, has been instrumental in preserving the machines in good working condition and was recently featured on an Armstrong cable television special to show off the vintage operation.
Line shaft was a power transmission system at the heart of the Industrial Revolution. Prior to the widespread use of electric motors, line shafting was used to distribute power throughout factories or mills.
In addition to the tool shop, there will be many other tooling and machining artifacts, including a training suit worn by astronaut John Glenn as he was preparing for his historic space flight. The zippers in that suit were made by Talon, the company which brought about the beginning of the tooling and machining industry in Meadville.
Other items will include a Talon zipper machine, six display cases with artifacts and gaging (tool and die) tools, six machine tools, a Talon apprentice bench and tools and draft table used from the 1940s through the 1960s.
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Park's recover may take longer than thought
It may take Pymatuning State Park longer than expected to recover from budget cuts that have forced the closure of the park’s 198-site Tuttle Point campground, along with its beach and boat launch.
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Senior citizens may be charged game admission
Senior citizens may no longer get a free ride when it comes to admission to Conneaut School District athletic events, but that was about the only concrete suggestion that came out of a special Tuesday-night Conneaut School Board work session focusing on the district’s athletic program. Even that isn’t a done deal; the board is expected to take a look at the possibility of instituting a $1 gate fee for seniors at some future date.
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Hotel makes major comeback under new owner
In many ways, the Hotel Conneaut is a business that’s as much about history as hospitality.
And as far as Greg Sutterlin is concerned, it’s all the subtle, behind-the-scenes work — upgrades to things like its water system, roofing and other structural elements — that will ensure the history-rich hotel retains that character as it’s again proving itself a viable part of the region’s tourism attractions. -
Maple syrup producers all tapped out
A week before the annual Maple Taste & Tour Weekend, while the rest of the 75 or so area maple producers were out trying to squeeze out every last ounce of sap from their maple trees, longtime producer Janet Woods was out in her back yard scheming.
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Flood watches and warnings lifted
All flood watches and warnings for Crawford County have been lifted by the National Weather Service in Cleveland.
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Big glasses, big hats, big parade
Shiny big glasses and extravagant hats stole away much of the attention at Saturday afternoon’s 23rd annual Jack Curtin St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Celebration in downtown Meadville. And the stranger, the better.
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SUNDAY ISSUE: Obama more popular than Congress
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans have come to detest Congress ever more deeply as it nears the end of a nasty fight over health care. But more than half still back President Barack Obama, a bright spot for a Democratic Party counting on its leader to help stave off expected losses in elections this fall.
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Greenville soldier lives 'The Hurt Locker'
GREENVILLE, Mercer County — He’s frosty.
Calm, cool, collected: Spc. Chris Marks, 21, of Greenville, is one of the soldiers who served in the U.S. Army’s 767th Explosive Ordnance Division. They’re the brave soldiers who risk life and limb regularly to disarm and dispose of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that have been a signature of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Roads closed due to flooding; French Creek expected to reach flood stage by midnight
Area roads already closed with French Creek still rising; expected to reach flood stage by midnight.
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Park's recover may take longer than thought
