Portage Lakes Historical Society

08/24/2024

Today!
When we were still an active group, we co-sponsored this event, but they now carry on with a great show!!

08/10/2024

Today! A tribute to the top historian ever in the Portage Lakes and a celebration at his beloved Dusty’s Landing! The late R.C. Randy Norris gathered every shred of local history he heard about. He researched and documented so many tales. He loved this area.
Today his family and friends are paying him tribute and I’m reposting a screenshot of their post.
Over the years you could tell right away if RC was in the building! His booming lawyer voice could be heard instantly! He made sure the judge and jury and all in the room could hear him! I loved his stories and historical discoveries.
Posted is a photo from 2009 of the late Frank Weaver (in his cap) and R.C. on the front porch of Young’s on the day we tried our best to save the place.
Also posted are screenshots of a story from 2022 about R.C. from the Akron Beacon Journal.
I hope to see you at Dusty’s today!

07/24/2024

Looks like a GREAT time to see the ski show! Tonight, Wednesday at 7 pm!!! Grab a chair or blanket! Free! Food truck on site! Meet on the hill in just a few minutes!! Clark Mill Road in Norton. (Get off 224 on Barber Road) What fun on a summer evening! See you there!

12/24/2022

Not many people on this Earth get the chance to live a century! One of our local residents did just that, plus eight years. She did it with dignity and grace. She remembered her students from Coventry decades after they graduated. She was a real lady. We always treasured her input at our historical meetings through the years. We understood that she knew what she was talking about, as she had lived through it!
We shall miss you, Mrs. Mae Packan.

Mae (Hinman) Packan, 108, passed peacefully at home with loved ones by her side on Saturday, December 10, 2022. She was born April 16, 1914 in...

06/18/2022

Remember the "Midwest Speed Shop" in Coventry Plaza ?

I really miss walking into a local speed shop.

06/06/2022

We lost another of our long time supporters of this group, although he always said the past is history, live for today! And he did! He always enjoyed our monthly meetings over the years, back in the days when we used to have gatherings, and repeated tales he learned there from others. He was from West Virginia but came up here for a job and was offered another job back home, but he said he just loved these Portage Lakes and lived here longer than he ever lived anywhere else! A guy named Shirley Hensley, my husband for the last 38 years. He could give the best boat tours on Long Lake and tell you where the fish were hiding and things that “used to be”. We likely ate more fish out of that lake than any other family! Please take a minute to read his story. Thanks.
Debbie Hensley

Share memories & support the family

03/17/2022

A video of speedboats from another group was posted by Freddie from our group, so I thought I would follow up with an article about that type of race right here in the Portage Lakes years ago. This article was too large to scan in one piece, so there are extra pics to show the advertisements with it! Mr. Primm is in the boat, but his spray is in another picture, sorry. It is from the Akron Beacon Journal supplement from 1953! What excitement!

03/10/2022

03/07/2022

Another set of scans from the Akron Beacon Journal annual special section about the Portage Lakes from 1953. I added close up shots of the advertisements which make this so interesting! Who remembers these local businesses? Tell your stories!
Debbie

02/23/2022

An article from the Akron Beacon Journal’s Sunday magazine section about the Portage Lakes, dated May 24, 1953, shows Mr. And Mrs. Ralph Maglione and their sons Jimmy and Tommy in their home on Turkeyfoot Lake. The article explains how many of the summer cottages were converted to year round homes. Sadly, I cut off some of the explanation when I scanned these pages a decade ago. I am sure many of you remember this family! Let’s hear some nice stories to add to the post!

02/04/2022

For your review and perusal, I have borrowed from the pages of a booklet written by James S. Jackson and his column from the Akron Beacon Journal from 1983. Please enjoy his story and add your memories! Photo of the cover and two pages of his story about the Portage Lakes.
Debbie

01/25/2022

Looking through my notes from past Portage Lakes Historical Society meetings I found a note from 2000 announcing that a vintage boat from the Portage Lakes was on display at the Mariner’s Museum in Newport News, Virginia. When I visited there, sure enough, there she was, with a sign connecting her to our area.
So I grabbed several screenshots today to introduce her to you! This is Miss Belle Isle. The owner in the lakes was Mr. W R Jerrel, according to the clippings.
Other boat collectors mentioned at that meeting in 2000 were Ned Mohrman, Sonny Leighton, Ross Keiffer, Randy Norris, and Scott Shookman!
Debbie Gamauf Hensley