Hale Logging Shanty

The Hale Logging Shanty dates from the late 1800's when timber was still a booming industry in Northwest Ohio. The Hale family would pull this shanty out into the woods in the winter months and spend their day felling trees and sleeping in the shanty at night. Winter was the best time to fell trees as the Great Black Swamp was frozen in those months making transportation possible. Timbers were either burned to produce the comodity Pot Ash or moved to the canal and transported to Toledo, then Canada, then on to Eastern markets or even England.

William Hale was born near Ayersville in 1876 and had four sons Orville, Luther , Lawrence and LeRoy. They also did custom threshing and all lines of mechanical work. LeRoy grew up to become a machinist and worked at the Lectrolite Company, later SK Wayne. He also invented the Hale light that was so popular in the 60's and 70's with Coon Hunters. See that display in the Natural Science Building.