LUCAS — The 48th annual Ohio Heritage Days at Malabar Farm, 4050 Bromfield Road, kicked off Saturday and continues Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The free event invites the community to celebrate with crafts, primitives, antiques, horse-drawn wagons, antique tractors, food, live music and living history camps spanning the Civil War to World War II.
Mergel brings history alive with his Roosevelt portrayal
Robert J. Mergel, a Theodore Roosevelt impressionist, brings the 26th president’s story to life.
Mergel was scheduled to appear two years ago but an accident kept him away. Last year, he missed the festival again when a hurricane knocked out power at home.
“We were running on a generator and I wasn’t going to leave my wife to tend to that,” Mergel said.
This year, he made it to Malabar Farm at last.
Mergel’s journey to portraying Roosevelt began during Civil War reenactments at Ohio Village, and when the site shifted to an 1890 setting to include electricity, he adapted with it.
Every February, he attended Night at the Museum events. Children flocked to him and called him “Theodore Roosevelt” because of his resemblance.
“After four years I decided it was a lot easier to write T.R. in their books than the name I was using before,” Mergel said.
Soon, events asked him to appear in Roosevelt’s uniform. He dove deeper into the role, finding himself fascinated by Roosevelt’s life and eventually turning the passion into paying work.
Mergel joked that Ohio Heritage Days is his “freebie” gig.
He credits research with sparking his obsession and admiration for Roosevelt’s energy and involvement in so many causes.
One of his favorite stories connects Roosevelt to children. At events, he always places a teddy bear on display.
Mergel explained that in 1902 Roosevelt joined a bear hunt. After three days without luck, the men chained an old bear to a tree and told him to shoot it. Roosevelt refused, due to it being bad sportsmanship.
“Someone decided this sounds like a really good story,” Mergel said. “But instead of a toothless old bear, he shows a cute little teddy bear. Which led to the name ‘teddy bear.’”
Fitch Pharm Farm blends tradition, teaching and maple syrup
Along with newcomers, Ohio Heritage Days also draws longtime participants who have made the festival part of their lives.
Doug and Beth Fitch of Fitch Pharm Farm have set up at the event for nearly 35 years.
“We make it and sell it,” Doug said. “There are a few things we don’t do, another maple producer does it for us, but other than that we do about 95% of it.”
Doug said his favorite part of Ohio Heritage Days is that it remains completely free.
“Those who come here just need to see something or do something,” he said. “It’s just fun.”
The couple has watched the festival change over the decades, but Doug said the beauty of the setting never fades.
“You can’t get a better setting,” he said. “It’s not too deep in the woods and facilities are where you need them.”
At their booth, Doug and Beth focus on connecting with families and teaching visitors about their craft.
Their son, Mark, adds a kid-friendly twist with miniature bales that let children join in.
“They just have a ball,” Doug said. “Mark will cheer the kids on as they help make the miniature bale and then we put it in a bag and they just gleam with pride.”
“That bale costs me $6 to $8 and I just give it away,” he said. “This is an affordable event and this gives the kids something they can have at no cost.”
The Fitches also show families how grain becomes flour, then bread or pancakes, and finally pairs with their maple syrup.
Doug and Beth keep their booth fun, educational and affordable for every family that comes through Ohio Heritage Days.
Retired history teacher keeps his passion alive with reenactments
Mark Cory said he loves being able to continue teaching history for fun after retirement. He originally taught at Colonel Crawford and now brings history to life at events throughout the year.
Cory and his wife, Tami, portray William and Hannah Crawford, who the school is named after.
They narrate stories of the couple while showing visitors the tools and items people used in their time.
Cory became involved in World War reenactment in 1988. His principal, who became his superintendent at Colonel Crawford was also into reenactment.
“He encouraged me to get into this hobby,” Cory said.
His family would make multiple trips to the New England states when he was a child. He said this is part of what sparked his love for the Revolutionary War.
After doing research he joined the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment, Fort Laurens. Cory said his involvement became personal when around 10 years ago he discovered that he has an ancestor in the militia that helped build Fort Laurens.
One item Cory highlighted was a set of playing cards.
“What’s different about these cards?” he asked.
Cory explained the cards from that era had no numbers or designs. The government imposed a stamp tax, and the more you printed or painted on paper, the higher the tax.
To avoid extra cost, people printed only the symbols on the cards.
“You just needed to be able to count to 10,” he said.
His passion for history has followed him through the years.
“If it is boring, it is the teacher’s fault,” he said. “You have to make it interesting.”
(More pictures from the 48th annual Ohio Heritage Days. Picture credit: Hannah Martin)
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