Did You Know Ohio's First Female Sheriff Was a Galionite?

To properly tell this story, I need you to take a trip back in time with me to the early 1920's. Not actual time travel, of course, just an imaginary trip to help you envision the way the amazing and sad story of Ohio's first female sheriff - a Galion native - unfolded.

Ohio's First Woman Sheriff Was a Galionite image courtesy of Pixabay

1924: Galion Woman Becomes Sheriff

The year was 1924, and it was in the early days of a typical Ohio winter when this story begins. It was as common to see a horse and buggy on the road at this point in time as it was to see a car.

(Vinton County claims to have had the first woman sheriff in Ohio, but Frankie Freese took office in Crawford County, Ohio a full year before Maude Collins became sheriff in Vinton County, Ohio.)

Calvin Coolidge was President, and women had just earned the right to vote a few years before Frankie Freese took over as Crawford County Sheriff.

(Frankie was born in Galion, Ohio in 1885, and that's why her story is being featured here on Galionite today.)

Thrown 100 Feet from the Impact of the Train

On the cold winter day of January 5, 1924, forty-five-year-old Sheriff Ira Freese - a man noted for his sense of humor - was killed when a train hit the car he was riding in at the railroad crossing on Poplar Street in Bucyrus.

(He put a sign over the jail door that announced vacancies were available when no one was incarcerated.) 

When the Best Man for the Job Wasn't a Man...

After some discussion and debate with only one man dissenting, Crawford County Commissioners decided that the best "man" to take over the job of sheriff was a woman - Sheriff Freese's wife, Frankie.

(It should be noted that the lone dissenter still wanted to deputize her - just not make her sheriff.)

Stepping Up as the County's First Woman Sheriff

A mere 19 days after the death of her husband, the still-grieving widow accepted the position of Crawford County, Ohio sheriff.

Frankie Freese was described as tall, "well built and able to cope with any person she may be called upon to arrest."

Her first actions as sheriff were to deputize her husband's deputy, Joshua Myers and name her daughter, Mildred, the jail's matron.

Widow-Sheriff Freese's First Arrest

Sheriff Frankie Freese's first arrest proved difficult but ended successfully.

She physically fought with a bootlegger named Ray Holloway, who escaped after physically dragging her across the street, according to witnesses.

After being captured again, Holloway then escaped from the car when a deputy serving under Sheriff Freese, not the above-mentioned deputy, was getting out of the other car door.

In the end, Holloway was caught again and sentenced to two years at a work camp to pay off his debt to society.

To finish this story, I just want to add that the Widow-Sheriff Frankie Freese successfully served out her husband's term.

Thanks to my researcher who brought me this story - and thanks to you for reading!

In addition to the archived newspaper clippings linked in the article, there's a book at the Crestline Library called History of Crawford County: Horizons '76 that was published by the Crawford County Historical Foundation, Inc that briefly details Mrs. Freese's time as Crawford County Sheriff. 

I hope you enjoyed this amazing bit of Galion and Crawford County, Ohio history. Be sure to check back because we've found some other great info to share with you in the coming months.

By: Ré

Thank You for Visiting Galionite

I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has visited Galionite.com. Your visits have made the first month of the site being in existence feel like a success. I can't believe over 10,000 viewers have already been to the site to check out the articles and reviews featured here, and we're really excited to get some more things up for you to read and enjoy about our great little town!

Thanks for Visiting Galionite!

A quick look at the site's stats tells me the most popular page on the site is the Things to Do in Galion page, followed by the Places to Eat in Galion page so we'll be putting some extra focus there in the coming months. Plus, we're always on the lookout for interesting stories about Galion, so feel free to share your latest news any time.

So, thanks again for a great first month, feel free to leave a comment, email Galionite@workmail.com or visit the Galionite Facebook page to connect any time it's convenient for you.

By: Ré

A Bomb Threat at Galion Middle School?

I just saw an article on Crawford Source about the Galion Middle School being evacuated today for a bomb threat. I wanted to share the info here, but be sure to visit Crawford Source to check out the original story for more details.

Galion Middle School image by User:OHWiki (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons 

Safety First

According to the article, the Superintendent of Galion Schools, Mr. Grubbs, notified parents that the students and staff members from the Middle School are all safe at the High School.

Don't Go Get in the Way

Everyone is asked to stay away while the police investigate the threat, and updates will be sent out to families as soon as information is available.

Bomb Threats Seem to Come in Waves

Have you ever noticed how when one school gets a bomb threat, it seems like schools all over the state get them shortly afterwards?

I wanted to put together a brief summary of the Department of Homeland Security's advice on what to do if you receive a bomb threat because, it's always good to have a refresher on what to do.

What to Do if You Receive a Bomb Threat

• Stay Calm - freaking out may feel like the natural thing to do, but it isn't going to help anyone and could even put people in more danger.
• Call 911 or notify your supervisor - the DHS actually put notify your supervisor above calling 911, but decide based on your organization's policy, I guess.
• On the Phone: If the threat is called in, keep the line open - even if the caller hangs up, don't hang up your end of the call.
• Keep the person talking as long as possible.
• Pass a note to a colleague or use a cell phone to dial 911 while the person is still on the line. 
• Write down any details you can about what the caller making the threat says and details about their voice.
• If possible, record the call. If your organization's phone system doesn't make recordings, you may be able to capture the caller's voice in your cell phone by holding it close to the earpiece of a landline phone.
• Other things to note, if possible, are caller ID numbers and background noises coming through the line.

Above all: stay calm, get help, and get yourself and everyone else out of the danger zone as quickly and peacefully as possible.

By: Ré

Updated at 12:07PM to add that an all-clear message went out.

Taylor's in Galion Is Closing: The End of an Era

I've been putting off writing about Taylor's closing because it kind of feels like part of my history is passing with the closing of its doors. But, I've been following a thread on Facebook that says this iconic Galion restaurant will be gone before the end of the month - that new owners have bought the building and Taylor's has to be out before the first. So, I want to share this now, so anyone who doesn't already know has one last chance to go grab their favorite food from Taylor's.

Taylor's in Galion Is Closing

Taylor's in Galion

Galion has a lot of wonderful places to eat, but none, for me, are packed with the happy memories of stopping at Taylor's for a chilly, sweet treat.

It never mattered if it was hotter than blazes and sunny outside or the middle of a frigid, icy winter evening.

If Taylor's was open, it was warm and sunny inside.

It was just a place that made you feel good, and it will be missed by so many Galion residents.

My Favorite Memory of Taylor's

It's hard for me to pick a favorite memory of Taylor's.

So many happy moments in my life include a stop for ice cream at this Galion venue.

I can't say I've ever had a bad experience or meal at this restaurant, (best chef's salad I've ever had anywhere) and I'll always have fond memories of the banana sundaes they served back in the 1970's.

(Am I the only one who remembers those? I was so bummed when that was removed from the menu - they made the banana topping themselves and when topped off with salty pecans, it was pretty much unbeatable!) 

Even more than the food, though, my favorite thing about Taylor's has been the owner.

Even when he's busy, he stops to chat and greet his customers - real conversations, too, where you feel you've been heard and walk away smiling after a chat with a good friend - and that's a pretty special thing in a world where everyone is rushing and putting tasks above human interaction.

So, enjoy your retirement Mr. Taylor, and I'll be anxiously watching to see what comes in to take the place of Taylor's after February.

(Whatever's coming to the Taylor's location sure has some big shoes to fill...)

So, what are your favorite memories of Taylor's in Galion?

Thinking About Warmer Days in Galion

I'm sitting here in my office, in the middle of a winter storm that's hitting Galion and North Central Ohio today, thinking about things I want to do when warmer weather gets here.

Brownella Cottage Causeway image

by Jacob Butterfield (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Historical Society Tours

Aside from just wanting to take a walk through town and window shop at the stores on Harding Way on a warm sunny afternoon, I'm looking forward to spending some time at the parks and taking a tour of Brownella Cottage. 

Summer Festivals

I'm not really a fan of the festivals - not a fan of the noise and crowds - but I go anyways, because I do love grabbing a funnel cake from the hospice's stand or a gyro from Mo's stand when it's up there.

 Visiting the Parks

While Heise Park is always a great place to stop and enjoy a picnic lunch in summer, I also love visiting the quiet little park on Boston Street to relax. For hiking, I like heading out to Lowe-Volk Park. (I know it's outside of town, but the Chamber of Commerce included it in the community guide, so I am, too.) They keep the trails well maintained and it's just an exceptionally beautiful park.

These are just a few of the things I miss most on cold, snowy days like this - and just thinking about them brightens my mood.

How about you? What warm weather Galion activities do you look forward to the most?

By: Ré

Galion Weekend Weather Update for January 12 Through January 14

There's another storm headed for Galion and North Central Ohio, according to NOAA, but NOAA's current predictions as of 1/11/18 aren't as exciting as the first ones released.

Galion Weekend Weather Update image courtesy of Pixabay

A couple days ago, the forecast was that Galion would be getting two to twenty-four inches of snow. As of today, January 11, 2018, those numbers are a bit lower -- but you'll want to watch out for the ice and sleet on Friday afternoon and overnight.

Friday January 12, 2018 Weather for Galion

For Friday January 12, 2018, the current prediction is for morning rain, a rain-sleet mix until about 3:00PM, lower temperatures are expected to turn it all into a wintry mix by 5:00PM, with ice accumulations up to 1/10 of an inch and sleet accumulations of one to two inches.

Saturday January 13, 2018 Galion Weather

It's supposed to turn to snow overnight, with 100% chance of precipitation leaving locals shoveling 2-4 inches of snow on Saturday morning.

Current predictions include blustery winds and less than an inch of snow during the day Saturday and less than half an inch of snow overnight Saturday night and into Sunday.

Galion Weather for Sunday January 14, 2018

The snow is supposed to be done by 8:00AM Sunday morning, the high temperature is expected to be around 16 degrees, and the chance of precipitation is fairly low for Sunday, only around 30%.

By: Ré

3 Free and Unique Events at the Citadel in Galion

Before I proceed, I want to be clear that I've never been to the Citadel in Galion, but I have been planning to stop in because it sounds great! I found these three events that are going to be held at the Citadel - they were listed in Facebook posts, and since not everyone has Facebook, I was excited to share the posted info about the events here.

The Citadel RPG and Gaming in Galion, Ohio

Live long and prosper image c

courtesy of Pixabay

The Citadel RPG and Gaming is located at 343 Harding Way East in Galion, Ohio. It's been in business for about a year, and by all reports, it's a great venue for teens and anyone who just wants something fun to do in Galion.

Star Trek Adventures RPG

Starting January 20, 2018, every other Saturday at 7:00PM, the Citadel is the place for Trekkies who enjoy RPG to meet up. These events are free, but space is limited for this one, so you need to make a reservation to be sure you get to enjoy boldly going where no one has gone before in this gaming event.

Pokémon Go image courtesy of Pixabay

Pokémon Go Meetups 

This event meets every Monday evening from 5:00PM until 8:00PM, free popcorn is included and the event is free, too. (The price IS right!) I was especially excited to see this one because I was planning to write up a fitness walking route that includes Pokémon Go stops in Galion to go along with my review of the YMCA (for anyone trying to get in shape.)

Geeky coloring image courtesy of Pixabay

Geeky Coloring Night

This one doesn't start until February and it looks like a blast! The second Monday of each month, stop by the Citadel in Galion for "Geeky" coloring. The Citadel is providing free coloring pages and popcorn, so just bring your creativity and unwind over some good old fashioned coloring!


If you do have Facebook and want to connect with the Citadel RPG and Gaming in Galion that way, here is a link to the Citadel RPG and Gaming's page.

Prepared by: Ré

Galion Chamber of Commerce Community Guide Finds

Today, I want to share the Galion Chamber of Commerce Community Guide. It's a handy guide for finding things to do in Galion and in the neighboring town, Crestline.

Galion-Made Heavy Equipment image by By Dailynetworks at English Wikipedia [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

How to Use the Community Guide to Find Things to Do in Galion

The Galion Chamber of Commerce Community Guide is put out as a brief yearly directory of local services and things to do in Galion, Ohio.

The guide details a number of areas in the community:

• Annual Chamber Events are covered first. The Chamber organizes several events every year, and this section briefly introduces them.
• Parks and Recreation services are listed next. This is made up of three parts: Galion City parks, the Crawford Park District, and the two local golf courses.
• Info on Living in Galion follows. This section details the beauty of Galion's easy-going and friendly lifestyle.
• Galion Center YMCA is also included.
• Shopping and Dining in Galion is covered in the next section. (But seriously - not to be competitive or anything, but just visit the shopping and dining pages here on Galionite.)
• Industry in Galion is covered in the next section.
• City information is included in the guide.
• Info on the Galion School System is included.
• The Arts in Galion is another section of the guide. AS of 2017, this was comprised of three sections, Brush and Palette Club, the Galion Community Theater, and the Galion Contemporary Artspace.
• Faith and Worship have a guide section.
• Galion Festivals are covered. There are three festivals in Galion, Ohio each year, as of 2017. The festivals are the Pickle Run Festival, the Oktoberfest (held gloriously in September each year - because why would anyone want to hold an Oktoberfest in October?) and Come Home to Galion.
• Galion History is included. (How cool!)
• Galion by the Numbers includes numbers of city services and schools to make it easy for locals to reach someone regarding the parks, taxes, whatever you need, really.

In summary, the Community Guide provides a brief summary of each aspect of life in Galion, it provides contact info for various official city and local services. It also features ads from many of the local businesses, and the ads are actually nice because they give you a glimpse into places to go and to do things in the city and surrounding area.

Prepared by: Ré

Bundle Up: There's a Big Winter Storm on the Way as of January 7, 2018

It looks like the winter storm that's on the way is pretty much the biggest news of the day in Galion tonight. So, I'll give you a quick review of NOAA's predictions for the weather overnight tonight and into the early part of the day tomorrow.

Winter Storm image courtesy of Pixabay

NOAA: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOAA is the organization that uses science to predict the daily weather forecasts and to issue severe storm warnings. They also offer Weather Spotter training to teach residents about monitoring storms so they can call NOAA with accurate information about tornados and other severe weather events.

Weather Forecast From NOAA for Galion

The NOAA weather forecast for the approaching winter storm includes Crawford County, where Galion is located, and several neighboring counties as listed below.

•  Ashland
• Crawford
• Cuyahoga
• Erie
• Hancock
• Holmes
• Huron
• Knox
• Lorain
• Lucas
• Marion
• Medina
• Morrow
• Ottawa
• Richland
• Sandusky
• Seneca
• Stark
• Summit
• Wayne
• Wood
• Wyandot

What to Expect

Slippery roads... expect slippery roads.

Expect snow first - starting around midnight to one AM (1:00AM), that quickly turns into a mix of snow, freezing rain, and sleet. Also expect reduced visibility during this storm. After a few hours of the freezing rain, sleet and snow mix until around seven AM (7:00AM), expect it to go back to all snow which should, according to the NOAA report, continue until sometime around nine AM (9:00AM). 

Galion Weather Report By: Ré

Still Have Your Christmas Tree Up?

With the holiday season finished, the City of Galion is going to be collecting old Christmas trees through the first part of January, as noted by Richland Source. This is only for live trees - or - should I say - formerly live trees.

Christmas Tree image courtesy of Pixabay

Time to Un-Deck the Halls

So, if your tree is still up and you want to get rid of it, pull off the ornaments and take it out of the tree stand. Then, put it out by the curb and the city will take care of it.

The City of Galion plans to be finished with this Christmas tree collection effort by the middle of January, but has noted that the collection period might be extended if necessary.

This is a convenient way to dispose of your old trees, and it's one of the handy things your Galion tax dollars pay for, so be sure to take advantage of this service if you need it.

By: Ré

Info About the Galion Ohio Housing Situation

I spent a lot of time thinking about the housing situation in Galion, Ohio last night after watching Mayor O'Leary's Facebook Live video. In the video footage, he mentioned the city has been struggling with a housing shortage, including a lack of places to rent and to buy. So, curiosity got to me, and I decided to approach my questions from the perspective of a person 'shopping' for an apartment to rent or house to buy in Galion, Ohio.

Unlocking the Housing Puzzle in Galion, Ohio

Apartments for Rent in Galion, Ohio

I found several apartment buildings advertising vacancies, but note that a couple were on different sites marked as full. These don't even touch on private landlord apartment listings in Galion:

• Cedargate Apartments
• Libby Lane
• Trachsel Place
• Buckeye Arms Apartments
• Moccasin Run 
• Galion East Apartments
• Hyatt Apartments

Houses for Rent in Galion, Ohio

A quick search online didn't yield as many results as the apartments search. This is most likely because apartment complexes list with websites to promote their facilities where a private landlord wouldn't do that. And, since I kept my research brief to provide a quick overview, I didn't browse through Facebook rental groups, newspaper websites, and online garage sales where rentals are typically listed. I DID find numerous rent-to-own houses in my quick search. 

Homes for Sale in Galion, Ohio

The first site that came up when I entered 'houses for sale in Galion, Ohio' in my search bar had 88 homes listed. Rather than going to more sites, I spent the rest of my ten minutes research time for this category going through prices and looking at pictures of the homes available. Prices are all over the place, with some as low as $12,160 and ranging up to well over $300,000 - which is great news for potential buyers because that means there are homes available in Galion to fit almost any budget - and that's just on one website - with no in-depth research required to find them.

I decided, before starting this research, to keep it basic, with ten minutes tops spent looking for each type of housing in Galion. This was because I feel ten minutes provides the kind of overview someone from outside of town might want if considering moving here for the first time. So, I would love to hear some feedback from you, if you feel like it, describing your experience with finding housing in Galion, Ohio. Have you found it hard to find a place or do you feel there are plenty of housing options available in Galion?

By: Ré

Summary of January 2, 2018 Facebook Live Session With Galion Ohio's Mayor O'Leary

Galion, Ohio's Mayor O'Leary answered questions and shared information about the city tonight, January 2, 2018, in a Facebook Live session. I wanted to summarize the topics covered and briefly detail his responses to questions here for my readers who don't "do" Facebook.

Galion Municipal Building image By Galionuser (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Topics Covered at January 2, 2018 Facebook Live Session With Galion Ohio's Mayor O'Leary

A lot of topics were packed into a brief presentation by the Mayor tonight. Topics (not in order)  include:

• Rental housing and real estate market in Galion
• Getting a stop light at Bryant (Brandt?) Road - (I think Bryant was a typo from the original poster - because the reply focused on the Brandt Road intersection of State Route 598)
• Getting a Cracker Barrel
• The City of Galion and its RITA Municipality
• Getting jobs in Galion
• Grocery stores in Galion
• Downtown revitalization in Galion
• Galion's road conditions - specifically Libby Lane

Summary of Mayor O'Leary's Responses on Facebook Live January 2, 2018

I replayed the video a couple times to make sure I accurately explain Mayor O'Leary's replies to questions. Read on to get the details.

• Housing: The Mayor noted that housing is in short supply in Galion and that one of the city's longer term goals is making an effort to close the gap in housing and create new housing in the city. He noted that many people have bought or built outside the city because of the lack of housing in the city.
• (Not to be difficult or disagreeable, but I personally find this a little hard to believe and would like to see some numbers or some kind of factual backing on this particular claim - people generally move outside the city for quality of life reasons - PLUS - I drove through town just today and saw three houses for sale in one short stretch of road. 3 empty houses for sale in 1/4 of a city block is a lot! And, it's been like that all over town for a few years - empty houses everywhere. It's just a little hard to believe that anyone would move outside of town because they couldn't find a house  to buy or rent if they looked at all. That's just doesn't make sense... it's not... logical.)
• Cracker Barrel: Nope... There have been no inquiries from Cracker Barrel.
• (Darn... that would have been nice.) 
• Grocery Stores: Geyer's is staying and hoping to extend commitment. No other grocery stores have contacted the city. Grocery stores - independents and small chain grocers have been contacted, though larger stores like Giant Eagle are unlikely to consider a small community like Galion, according to the Mayor. He suggests supporting the local stores that sell groceries, like Geyer's, Save-a-Lot, and Dollar General.
• (I would add Drug Mart to that list. Their quality is top notch and their workers are friendly and helpful.)
• Update on stoplight at Brandt Road: A private developer acquired the old Peco building and wants annexation so the city can put in a traffic light. So, they're trying to annex half of the intersection into the city so they can put a light out there. This will create an area that opens room for three or four more industries at the old Peco site. 
• Downtown Revitalization: is underway, with applications coming in. Current focus is on funding code enforcement and aesthetic improvements.
• Getting Rid of RITA: Nope... it's staying.
• (I linked the RITA website above, so if you aren't familiar with it, you can check it out.) 
• Are Roads Going to Get Fixed - specifically Libby Lane? No. Libby Lane has private streets and it's the managements responsibility to fix it.
• (No response was offered by Mayor O'Leary in regards to fixing other streets in the city.)
• Being a Good Neighbor: Check on neighbors or call the city if you're concerned about not seeing neighbors, and look out for those around you who may be in need.

(Here's a link to the recorded Facebook video feed for anyone who missed the chance to watch this live, too - but it'll only play on Facebook - so I apologize in advance if it won't play for you if you aren't a Facebooker.)

By: Ré

Fun Benefits of the Galion Center YMCA

The Galion YMCA has been serving the Galion, Ohio community since it started in 1957, and the benefits of the facility have expanded over the years. So, there are a lot of things to do and enjoy at today's Galion Center YMCA.

Benefits of the Galion Center YMCA

Things to Do at the Galion Center YMCA

The Galion Community Center YMCA offers a variety of things for kids and adults to enjoy.

Adult offerings at the Center Y include Silver Sneakers programs, volleyball, basketball, and aquatics. Some options include taking classes, lifting weights, participating in walking programs, and spending time in the pool or Jacuzzi.

Youth offerings at the Galion YMCA include swimming, soccer, basketball, cross country tennis, and track & field.

Child care, before & after school care, and summer day camp are also part of the Community Center's offerings.

As a kid (more than a few years ago) I attended summer day camp at the Galion YMCA, and while I can't attest to what it's like for kids today - back then - it was a blast. 

Brief History of the Galion Center YMCA

The YMCA moved from its original location at the National Guard Armory to its Gill Avenue location in 1966. 

In the sixties, people working at local businesses like north Electric contributed to a fund to help build the Gill Avenue facility with the understanding that no child would ever be turned away from using the facility if they couldn't pay.

(Thanks to my mother and her friends for the local history lesson  - in stories shared with me over dinner.) 

The Gill Avenue facility of the YMCA was completed in 1966, according to the Center Y's website.

More renovations began in the seventies, and over the years several other additions have expanded the offerings of the Galion Community Center YMCA.

These additions increased the Y's ability to provide the youth and adults of Galion with things to do and ways to be healthier.

By: Ré