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Markers denote historical homes
POLAND
It’s not unusual to see Ohio-shaped plaques adorning homes in Poland.
But now the club that originally installed the historical markers is looking to improve their appearance and include more homes.
The original wooden plaques serve as historical markers for structures built before 1900 and were installed by the Poland Village Gardeners Club in 1976 to commemorate the nation’s bicentennial. Each marker lists the year the house was built and the original owners or purpose of the building.
As the years have worn on, the wooden plaques have deteriorated, said Ginny Meloy, a member of the historical marker committee.
“With the new signs, you can read them from the sidewalk and car. The purists might wonder about an acrylic sign versus the wood, but the wood signs were easily damaged,” she said.
Meloy said the garden club is trying to complete the project, which was revived in 2004, by hanging an Ohio-shaped marker on every 19th-century structure in Poland. She estimates about 100 homes could qualify for the marker.
Club member Cathryn Jacobs said the project is important to preserve the history and quaintness of Poland.
“It’s easy to move into a development with all these amenities but this is how we want Poland to be. It takes people who care about their homes to preserve them and this marks their historical value,” said Jacobs, who with her husband, John Jacobs, has funded the start-up cost for the new plaques.
Applications for historical markers are available at Poland Village Hall, 308 S. Main St. In order to qualify for a marker, homeowners need to research and document the dates and original owners and pay a $40 fee to cover the cost of materials.
The Poland Village Gardeners Club was established in 1943 and functions to preserve the historical nature of Poland Township and village. It is headed by, Lorraine Santoro, president.
The club also maintains Centennial Garden located behind the village hall and sells personalized bricks as a fundraiser, said Barb Delisio.