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The Kenneth Buckley home as it appeared in the early 1800's. It was
formerly the Humphrey's on the Gibson Tract and was remodeled in 1949.
The Thomas House on Railroad Street is now owned by Gary Pickett.
The Riverside Echo, Wakeman's first newspaper, was published in
1873 followed by The Wakeman Press, in 1875, edited by G. H. Mains.
The subscription rate was $1.00 a year. Average value of an acre of land in
Huron County was:

1826 - $ 2.08
1835 - $ 3.25
1841 - $ 3.24
1846 - $ 12.24
1853 - $ 21.22




The first railroad from Vermilion to Ashland was begun in 1837 and
never completed. Many settlers lost money when it failed. The building of
the first successful railroad brought the first Irish settlers to Wakeman.

The Early Irish Settlers

About the time many families were moving into Ohio from Pennsylvania,
Connecticut and other Eastern states, many Irish immigrants were landing
on the shores of the Eastern states and following along the building of the
railroad. They built cabins and settled along the railroad tracks, bringing
their families on return trips from the East. Many traveled on horse back or
in wooden wagons. Some followed along Lake Erie in the winter on hand
made sleds, coming here from Maine or New York State. Following so
many hazardous days and weeks on the ocean they were so happy to see
land they would come ashore and set up temporary homes until word of a
job in the new land would give them a fresh hope for the future.


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