SOMEGHOSTTOWNSONTHEWESTEND.docVIP

SOME GHOST TOWNS OF THE WEST END The ACY provided services to many small villages in Hancock County, many of which have been lost to the hands of time. by John Wheeler Above: While under the control of the LEW / Northern Ohio, this combination freight house and depot served well into the ACY era. Recycled from narrow gauge equipment, these structures were similar to several others on the railroad including at least two other West End stations. Note the Cowdry revolving disc train order signal. Bob Lucas Collection. T he organizers of the Cleveland, Delphos, and, St. Louis (C.D.St.L.) originally planned for their narrow gauge pike to extend eastward from Delphos to Cleveland by way of Findlay and Medina. When the three-foot gauge tracks reached Pendleton (now Pandora) on February 1, 1882, the developers found out that adequate financing and a right of way for an entrance into the city of Findlay could not be obtained. Findlay was in the midst of a natural gas boom and was eventually served by no less than five standard gauge railroads, and their own belt line railroad. The “Narrow Gauge Fever” that was so prevalent in the United States during this period never caught on in Findlay. One of the popular sayings in Findlay during this period was “Women Split No Wood in Findlay!” which was in reference to the abundant supply of natural gas that was available for heat and light at that time. With no entrance to Findlay available, the builders headed for Bluffton and thence across the southern part of Hancock County. This explains the abrupt curve to the southeast at Pandora that can be noted on any map of the ACY. The right of way entered Hancock County on the east side of Bluffton at AU Tower, which was located at the crossing with the LEW (Later NKP). It proceeded east across the southern tier of townships, including, from west to east, Orange, Van Buren, Madison, and Delaware. At Mt. Blanchard the right of way curved to the northeast pass