Gill's goal to complete husband's museum plan

CLYDE - After her husband died in 2013, longtime Clyde Heritage League volunteer Judy Gill stepped up to help the group continue a project her husband, Ernie, had helped to launch. Ernie Gill had been instrumental in the early efforts to build an addition onto the Clyde Historical Museum and upon his death Judy took over his position as league trustee.

Museum trustees had been hoping to expand the small museum for years. Clyde has a rich local and even international history. The many artifacts tied to its past are crammed inside a former small church on West Buckeye Street which now houses the league's collection. When property next door to the museum came up for sale, Ernie worked hard to help the league to acquire it.

"Ernie talked to the owner. She wanted to sell us the house too, but we didn't need it. He was pushing for the property," Judy said. "It took a while, but it's now ours. It belongs to the Clyde Heritage League."

Plans for the addition were unveiled on April 16 during a Founders Day event celebrating the 40th anniversary of the league. The approximately 30- by- 40-foot museum addition will include multi-use space, a gift shop, exhibit space, a meeting room, and office space. Daniel Frederick Architects, LLC, of Milan were hired for the project.

"Anybody that's been in the museum can see things are pretty crowded in there," said Clyde Heritage League President Sharon Kinnear. "We'll be able to spread out what we have and will gain space for pieces that will come in through the years."

Kinnear said Ernie was very instrumental in ensuring funds were available for the project. He had previously served as league president and was the group's treasurer when he died.

"Our major funding comes from two sources: The Hurd Trust and a June Smila Greene Rosenthal donation," Kinnear said. "Really, it was because of Ernie Gill that the money was invested. We weren't used to having big funds to deal with."

And after Ernie Gill's death, Judy worked to finish the project. She was already a long-time volunteer at the museum, helping with children's programs, group tours and special events. She also provided refreshments for activities, helped with the league's membership program and served on the Sherwood Anderson Committee.

As a trustee, she became the league's vice president, giving an added voice to the group's many projects, including the re-bricking of Heritage Hall, restoration efforts at the McPherson home (a second museum), and the new addition, which will continue the league's legacy of preserving Clyde history.

"There is just so much history here in Clyde. Not being from Clyde originally, I'm amazed that, when the railroad came through, there was a big hotel and an opera house. It was a booming town," Judy said. "Brenda (Stultz, the museum curator) does such an excellent job getting displays up and organizing information. It's important for little towns like Clyde to preserve their history."

Judy is a retired junior high math teacher, who is very involved in the Clyde community. She is a member of the town's book club and Knifty Knitters, and she volunteers at St. Mary's bingo. She will be stepping down from her position as Heritage League trustee this week. Still she will continue on the building committee, helping to make the decisions ahead as the project progresses.

Kinnear added that the league hopes to have a groundbreaking ceremony soon, and she expects construction to begin this summer.

Although the league usually meets at Clyde Public Library, the April 16 Founders Day event was held at the museum. "We've been meeting at the library, but we held it at the museum so we could think about the 40 years the league's been in existence and about where we will be next year," Kinnear said. "We're remembering the past and building for the future."