Who Do I Contact Regarding Special Events?

Kelli Kling Marketing, PR, & Special Events Wood County Historical Center & Museum 13660 County Home Road Bowling Green, OH 43402 419-352-0967 museum@woodcountyhistory.org

Lyle Fletcher, 1901 - 2001, was lively, intelligent, and passionate. He took on many roles in Wood County including reporter, editor, meteorologist, author, professor, and historian. His prolific career included saving the old Wood County Infirmary from demolition. The Infirmary closed in 1971 as the last of the residents moved into the newly built Wood County Nursing Home. The large, inefficient building was slated for distruction like most infirmary buildings in the 1960s and 1970s. Fletcher, then secretary of the Park Commission and editor and archivist of the Wood County Historical Society, organized a movement to save the building. He saw the value in preserving Wood County's history and had a vision for how to successfully maintain such an important, and beautiful, part of history for future generations. His efforts proved successful, as seen today in the Wood County Historical Center & Museum.

On the grounds of the Center are many trees and shrubs that were planted by Lyle Fletcher. Each tree is numbered and guides are available on the Museum's front porch. The guides outline the tree's scientific name, common name, and comments about identifying features and uses.

"CRICKETS CHIRP FASTER ON WARM NIGHTS, BUT SLOWER ON COOL NIGHTS."
Fletcher also published a book "A Century Or So Of Wood County Weather: 1787-1991." The book covers a variety of weather-related topics ranging from a very detailed comparison of precipation and temperature between Wood County and the rest of the world, to unusual weather predictions based on watching ants, flies, and crickets.

Available for the first time is a DVD documentary of Fletcher, which chronicles Infirmary history and the early days of the HIstorical Museum. Over 120 minutes of footage was shot in March of 1992 on site at the Wood County Historical Center & Museum. Interview by Dorsey Sergent. Video by Bob Byler.