History of Pioneer Village
Columbiana County has long been known for its large collection of log structures. As the years went by a great number of them have been dismantled, moved elsewhere or destroyed. In the 1960’s and 70’s several log structures were doomed. The Hale Farm and Village saved two for their restoration program near Bath, Ohio.
St. Phillip Neri church, in Dungannon, Ohio restored the Daniel McAllister log cabin that was site of the first mass. Its history dates back to the year 1817, when the Rev. Edward Fenwick, a Dominican Father, known as “The Apostle of Ohio,” paid his first visit to the Catholic settlers in Columbiana County.
William Vodrey hired Robert Kelm, of Salem, to move a beautiful log cabin from New Franklin, Ohio, to old Fredricktown, Ohio. Then Mr. Kelm designed and did some of the construction on Lower Cabin and chapel log structures in Pioneer Village.
Several log structures were offered to the Columbiana County Forests and Parks Council as a gift. The Council decided with the cooperation of the Columbiana County Historical Society and the Ohio Division of Parks to build a typical log school and a pioneer’s log cabin near Gaston’s Mill in conjunction with the covered bridge and the canal locks and thus to restore the surroundings to correspond with the structures contemporary to the mill of the 1840’s when the Sandy and Beaver Canal was in full swing.
Pioneer Village’s log cabin structures were built with logs and building materials donated from nine different old buildings in the county. They were completed about 1971. Most of the furnishings were donated.
Founders
The Friends of Beaver Creek State Park volunteers honor the many dedicated individuals who came before us. We respect and admire their energy and foresight to rescue Gaston’s Mill and Canal Lock No. 36 and erect the Pioneer Village.
Mission statement
Although our name has changed to Friends of Beaver Creek State Park, along with faces over these many years, the organization’s core ambition has remained unchanged and is echoed in our mission statement:
“The association is devoted to the development, growth and preservation of the Pioneer Village. Our mission is to educate the public and develop a base of appreciation for local history while providing opportunity for recreation and family enjoyment.”
Club History
The Friends of Beaver Creek State Park are carrying on a long tradition of preserving the Pioneer Village that started back in 1960s with the formation of The Columbiana County Forrest and Parks Council, a group of dedicated community volunteers that formed the roots of our present day organization.
The Columbiana County Forests and Parks Council formed as a citizen’s non-profit 501(c)(4) corporation consisting of about 100 members. It worked with the Columbiana County Historical Association and Sandy & Beaver Canal Association to restore Gaston’s Mill, Sandy & Beaver canal lock no. 36 and construction of the Pioneer Village.
Over the years the group has under gone a continuing and complete transition from old to new volunteers. In 2008, the group agreed to change the name to better reflect the current mission. The Friends of Beaver Creek State Park is a diverse group of citizen volunteers dedicated to preserving Pioneer Village and demonstrating pioneer life.
In August, 2009, The Friends of Beaver Creek State Park was granted 501(c)(3) status by the IRS. Our only source of funding to operate and maintain Pioneer Village is through public donations and the various fund raising events conducted by our organization.