Couple helps preserve park memories

Their love of history and belief in its preservation sustains
the couple’s involvement.

By DENISE DICK

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

BOARDMAN — Pieces of the township’s history are housed in a 19th-century house tucked in the heart of Boardman Park.

The Oswald Detchon House, built between 1840 and 1870, moved to Boardman Park and became part of the Historical Village in 1985. Oswald Detchon was a descendant of one of the township’s early settlers.

It’s the large teal structure with beige trim that sits behind St. James Meeting House and it houses the Boardman Historical Society and its museum and library.

The house brims with many artifacts, depicting life in the township of old.

Don and Patsy Anne Zabel have been members of the society since shortly after the house moved to the park. They also were members years before.

A little bit of history

“We both like history,” Don Zabel said.

“We both like history and we think it’s important to preserve it,” Patsy Anne added.

She grew up in the township, while her husband is a native of Youngstown’s South Side.

Judge Edgar Diehm, for whom the historic village’s Beardsley-Walter-Diehm House is named, was Don Zabel’s teacher at South High School. The late county court judge, who held court on his front porch, also was a Brethren preacher.

The park, established in 1947, marks its 60th anniversary Saturday.

Some of the artifacts on display in the society’s museum and library, like a couch, Underwood manual typewriter and a wall tapestry, came from Patsy Anne’s mother’s house.

Old tools, photographs, Boardman High School yearbooks, clothing, furniture, documents, knickknacks and other items commonly used in the past fill glass cases and rooms at the Detchon House.

Collection of memorabilia

Patsy Anne says most of the items are from the township. People contact the society to donate their memorabilia, sometimes when a family member dies.

The Zabels credit the late Howard and Bernice Simon for procuring much of the society’s collection, as well as readying the house to display them.

Tours of the house may be arranged by calling the park office at (330) 726-8107.

The Detchon House moved to the park when the Ford Motor Company planned a dealership on the U.S. Route 224 spot where the house stood.

The company donated the house, with Boardman Rotary paying for the move.

“We’re very thankful to Boardman Park and Boardman Rotary,” Don Zabel said. “Without them, I don’t know where we’d have all of these displays.”

In the past

He remembers when Little League baseball teams played in the park, back in the 1970s. Patsy Anne used to come to the park as a leader of Camp Fire when the young girls enjoyed day camps there.

The historical society, which still hosts picnics in the park, used to conduct Boardman Pioneer events, gatherings for descendants of Boardman’s early residents.

Those gatherings ceased several years ago as attendance waned. Most known descendants have either died or moved away.

The historical society also led the charge to secure a historical marker from the Ohio Historical Society for St. James Meeting House. The large marker, placed in 2001, explains the history of the former church.

“That was a lot of work, a lot of paperwork, but it was worth it,” Patsy Anne said.