A History Lesson

Today my assignment was to get to know the Ashtabula Harbor area.  At first this seemed silly because I visit the harbor more than once a week.  But, with some creative thinking I decided how I could “get to know” the harbor in a new light. 

I realized that my memories of the harbor do not go back very far.  My first memory of the area is when my project mentor and his wife opened their store.  I was in second grade and was best friends with their children.  So, today I decided to learn about the harbor’s history to see what it was like before my memories.  I learned many interesting things, a few of which I will share here. 

In the late 1800’s Ashtabula Harbor was one of the busiest ports not only on the great lakes but, also in the world.  It is fifty miles west to Cleveland and East to Erie Pennsylvania.  The harbor’s advantageous location was a direct link from the steal mills along the Lake Erie, on to Pittsburgh’s steal industry via train.  At the time, it would take about 150 men one week to unload a ship of iron ore.  As a result, many immigrants traveled to Ashtabula to work allowing for prospering economic times.  The harbor boom lasted from the 1870’s until just after 1900.  In 1898 The Hulett Automatic Ore Unloader, invented by George H. Hulett was first used at the Conneaut Harbor, not far from Ashtabula.  The Hulett unloader increased efficiency and assisted in unloading iron ore faster.  The machine replaced all manual labor and could unload a ship in only a half day.  Unfortunately, this new technology caused the Ashtabula Harbor great economic distress.  By the 1920’s most of the harbor stores closed or moved to Main Avenue, leaving the harbor in despair for most of the 1900’s.  The harbor began moving out of decline in the late 1970’s when recreational boating became more important than the shipping industry.  Today, it still suffers, but groups like the Lift Bridge Community Association (the group I am helping and which my project advisor belongs to) is helping to once again make the harbor a successful regional draw. 

Other activities of today included: photographing the harbor area for future presentations, researching specifics for the Lift Bridge Community Association grant, exploring harbor retail shops.