Ada's Pennsylvania Railroad caboose 477779 was re-dedicated on Sept. 17 during the Harvest and Herb Festival. Here are the remarks Dave Retterer, Ada mayor, made during the event.
By Ada Mayor Dave Retterer
Remarks at the dedication of the Ada Caboose Project, Sept. 17, 2016
The Ada Caboose project brought this caboose here in 1989. The scrapbooks that document the initial caboose project are available for your inspection. The caboose itself cost $2,000 in 1989 and much more time and money has been spent on restoring and maintaining it over the years. We are here today to mark the completion of the second restoration of this caboose.
In 2012, the 125th year of railroad history in the Village of Ada, Le Ann Pryor wrote in the Ada Herald:
ADA - Fortunate is the town in which a railroad runs through. Settlers in the 1830's found the rich land of the Hog Creek marsh profitable for farming and cultivating. But it wasn't until 1852, when S.M. Johnson set up a sawmill and contracted with Ohio & Indiana Railroad to provide oak "mudsills" from the plentiful wooded land, that the village of Johnstown/Ada flourished.
It is proper to remember our heritage as a railroad town and this caboose is a meaningful addition to what we have all come to call the Ada Railroad Park. The work people such as Betty Miller put into getting the Pennsylvania Railroad Depot on the National Register of Historic Places is enhanced by the presence of this caboose and by the willingness of the people of Ada to support the continued presence here of this caboose.
It is clear that if this caboose is to be here it should be presentable and this project has happened, in part, due to those who have reminded the village of that. So it is appropriate to thank a number of groups and individuals who participated in this project
• Monty Siekerman and the many employees of the Village of Ada for the work they do on the Ada Railroad Park.
• The members of the Council of the Village of Ada have budgeted money over that last several years for the purpose of funding this project which would not have been completed without that support.
• Jim Meyer who, for many years, helped maintain the caboose, kept an eye on its condition, and encouraged council to set money aside for its renovation.
• Jamie Hall who directed much of the current renovation, acting as the general contractor on this job.
• Charles van Dyne and others with the Ada Kiwanis Club, who participated in bringing this project to the front burner of the village.
• Prof. Tom Zechman, Assistant Dean of the Ohio Northern University College of Engineering, who led the Engineering Project in Community Service (EPICS) that investigated and recommended ways to approach portions of this project.
• The Junior Civic League of Ada for the initial donation to support the project.
• T&J Painting, 5-C Roofing, All Service Glass, Fultz Sign Company and Amburgey Construction for the services rendered toward the completion of this project.
We are happy to present the renovated 1941 Pennsylvania Caboose 477779 to its owners, the People of the Village of Ada, Ohio.
Thank you.
