The year was 1972 and there was a big fire in the little village of Schumm, Ohio.
Recently I wrote a couple blog posts about the Willshire Grain & Supply elevators that were located in Willshire, Wren, and Schumm for several decades, from the1940s to the early 1980s.
My mom worked as a bookkeeper at the elevator in Willshire for 33 years. The owner, Tom Burk, closed the Schumm elevator in the mid-late 1960s and sold the other two elevators in 1981. The Wren elevator closed not long after the sale and was eventually torn down.
The Willshire elevator is still standing but the one in Schumm was burned down in 1972.
It should come as no surprise that my parents were there that day, taking photos as they burned the Schumm elevator.
Here are some photos from that day:
The Schumm elevator was located near the railroad tracks that once ran east and west on the north edge of town. My mom said there was a railroad spur going to the elevator.
Does someone know if that is the Schumm sawmill off to the right, back a distance?
It was a controlled burn and practice for both the Willshire and Wren Fire Departments.
A crowd, young and old, gathered to watch the burning.
The railroad tracks are no longer there either.
These photos may bring back some memories of the Schumm elevator.
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Hi Karen
My husband Mike Riley said this is the Schumm Sawmill in the distance, the railroad spur also went back
to the sawmill. Really enjoy reading Karen’s Chatt.
Janet Riley
Author
Thank you for that information. I suspected it was the sawmill but was not sure. Thanks for writing!
I stumbled across your posts. Thank you for sharing your memories. I am Tom’s youngest grandchild so it is very neat to see your old pictures.
Author
Great to hear from you! I remember your grandfather well. Thanks for writing.