Harold Ranly
Interviewed By: Joscie & Stefanie
Date of Interview: September 7, 1999
Harold Ranly is 70 years old. He was born in 1929 and is a lifetime resident of Fort Recovery, Ohio. We walked to his house to interview him.
Harold's family had some businessmen in it. His dad owned a big business in Fort Recovery called "The New 20th Century Buggy Factory" that was located where the current "Fashionette Beauty Shop" is. It was built in 1916. Fourteen men could make seven buggies in one week. His uncle owned a blacksmith shop in town. Harold upholstered car seats and furniture all his life.
Harold remembered about the lighting in town. Electric lights came into Fort Recovery in the early 1900's. People who couldn't afford them used natural gas lights from the gas wells. At 9 p.m.the electricity was shut off.
In 1906 there was an explosion in the hardware store. A man had bought a rifle and said it didn't work. He had brought the rifle back, and while the man was working on it, he accidentally shot the rifle. The shot hit some dynamite and killed 5 or 6 people. Harold wasn't alive when this happened, but people still talked a lot about it when he was growing up.
The Great Depression took place from 1929 to 1932. Harold was too young to remember much from that time, but he did remember the problem the town had with hoboes that stayed behind the old fire station. The biggest problem in the town was unemployment. A few of the stores that had the best employment at that time were: the mill, the creamery, and the stirrup factory.
Harold also remembered some prices from when he was younger. At one time three people could get their hair cut for $.25. A piece of candy cost about 10 cents. The candy was weighed on a scale, and some pieces were only 1/2 of a penny.
In 1951 Harold married MaryAnn. They bought a house in 1952 for $50.00. Harold and MaryAnn had three children. MaryAnn died a few years later, and Harold married Joanna. They had three more children.
Before people had automobiles they rode horses and buggies into town. There was a livery stable uptown where horses could be fed and kept cool while people shopped. There were many different shops in town.
Harold went to a Catholic school where the West Elementary School is now. When he was in ninth grade, he went to Fort Recovery High School. School started between 8 and 8:30 p.m. like it still does today. There were three grades in a classroom. In grade school Harold was in a class of only 8 students. In the 1950's and 1960's the school had very good basketball and track teams. There were no girls in sports.
When we asked Harold about where the teenager hangout was he said it was at a church. The WPA (Works Progess Administration) had made a place where kids could play basketball, skate, dance, play cards, and do many other things.
Harold said his favorite memories of Fort Recovery are when the town had its pageants, the Sesquicentennial in 1941, and the Bicenntennial in 1991. He was very proud of Fort Recovery when the schools consolidated. He was also always proud of how honest people in Fort Recovery were and how people did and still do take so much pride in the town.
We enjoyed our interview with Harold. He knew a lot about Fort Recovery and was excited to share his memories with us.