Browse Interviews

Chuck Stokes is the son of Senator Louis Stokes. In both oral histories, he shares family memories and lessons learned from both Carl Stokes and Louis Stokes. Topics include childhood hobbies and outdoor activities. He also speaks about his career in journalism in Detroit, Michigan, where he works for WXYZ-TV / Channel 7. This oral history was conducted in two sessions on July 12 and July 27, 2021.

Frank Wetmore is a descendant of one of the original European settlers of the Cuyahoga Valley area. The Wetmore family was funded by the United States government to settle in the Conneticut Western Reserve and open a business. Frank Wetmore grew up visiting his grandparents in the summer, who remained in the Cuyahoga Valley (Not the original settlers). In this oral history, Wetmore recalls memories of his childhood, his time as a National Park Service Ranger for Glacier National Park and the…

Demetrius Falconer is presently the chief of community engagement at Summit Metroparks. In her oral history, Demetrius discusses childhood memories of visiting parks, education and her families history. Demetrius also discusses her time working for the National Park Service. The interview concludes with reflections on the Summit Lake Nature Center, which under her leadership is in competition for the Ohio Governor's Award.

Vince, Gloria and Richard are siblings from the Delgado family, a Mexican-American family that lived on near Rockside Road and the Willow Station. Their father, Edward (Erasto) Delgado and Epimenia (Anna) Delgado were there parents. Their family fled the Mexican Revolution and settled in the Cuyahoga Valley in the early 1900s. Vince worked on the railroad with his father Edward in high school during World War II. In this oral history, the siblings discuss their childhoods in the Cuyahoga Valley,…

Diane Seskes is the leader of Riverlight Gallery in Peninsula and has been involved in other Peninsula art projects and festivals since 1999. She has organized Ramp Up Peninsula, Harry Potter Festivals and worked in collaboration with the Peninsula Foundation.

Diane Silver was active in the early years of the Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center. She created education curriculum with Deb Yandala and helped integrate an emphasis in art and music into science based education.

David Kopchak details the early years of the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area, focusing on resource management activities in the 1980s. Kopchak discusses various restoration projects involving disturbed sites, land acquisition, wildlife management (particularly beaver populations), water quality monitoring, and interactions with local farmers. Key topics include removing debris from former industrial and residential sites, managing riverbank erosion, conducting wildlife surveys, and the…

Jennifer Daring is the co-founder of Green Recreation Organization, women and BIPOC centered outdoor adventure group. In this oral history, Jennifer discusses her career path, hobbies and the creation of Green Recreation Organization.

Peg Bobel has been an advocate for Cuyahoga Valley National Park for half a century. She played a role in park establishment by gathering signatures of support in the early 1970s. From 1989-2001, she served as the executive director of the Cuyahoga Valley Association (CVA), the park friends' group (now called the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park). Under her leadership, the organization saw membership growth, helped create Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center, and funded…

Elaine Marsh is presently the Conservation Director for Friends of the Crooked River. She was a community activist who advocated for the creation of the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation area in the 1960s and 1970s. She worked to bring focus to the environmental restoration of the Cuyahoga River. In this oral history, Marsh discusses early activism and her professional relationships with Cuyahoga Valley Association Director Peg Bobel and Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area superintendent…

Kathy Sansone is a co-founder of the Cycling School volunteer program in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The Cycling School is a volunteer-run program designed to provide biking programs for inner city school children. In this oral history, Kathy describes the origins of the Cycling School, operations and her passion for volunteer work.

Lisa Cellura was a longtime volunteer for the Cleveland Sight Center, a Cleveland based organization for the visually challenged. Their mission is "To provide individualized support and tools to navigate the visual world". In this oral history, Lisa discusses the Cleveland Sight Center, her volunteer work for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the importance of accessibility.

Jacki Zevenbergen currently works in education for the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. In this oral history, Jacki discusses working for the National Park Service, American Conservation Experience and her career in water quality.

Ann Erickson and Adam Fleder are daughter and son of Peninsula historic preservationist Lily Fleder. Lily Fleder moved to Peninsula Ohio in 1957 and was active in early Peninsula Historic Preservation efforts. In this oral history, Ann and Adam discuss their mother's career, personality and historic preservation success, including the Riverlight Gallery and Bronson Church.

Robert Bard is a lifelong Cuyahoga Valley resident and former Cuyahoga Valley National Park maintenance worker. Bard shared memories of growing up in Cuyahoga Falls and memories of the creation of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Content covered includes Robert Hunker, John Seiberling, African American businesses in the Cuyahoga Valley, Terry Lumber, volunteering for the Peninsula Fire Department, SCVNP Superintendent John Debo, CVNP Superintendent William Birdsell.

Clara Zelinski Muldowney, born in Boston Mills on February 5, 1923, shares her memories of growing up in the Cuyahoga Valley. Her parents, Chester and Julia Zelinski, moved to Boston Mills in 1918 to run the company store for the Cleveland Akron Bag Co. The store sold a wide variety of goods, including groceries, fabric, household items, and meat. Clara describes a close-knit community where neighbors helped each other, with a particular emphasis on the inclusive and accepting environment of the…

Cordell Stokes is the son of influential politician and Cleveland mayor Carl Stokes. Carl was the first Black mayor of a major American city and practitioner of what now could be considered Environmental Justice. While Stokes was a leader in the cleanup of the Cuyahoga River, he also acted against urban environmental problems. In this oral history, Cordell discusses his father's legacy on the environmental movement and shares family stories growing up. He also discussed lessons imparted by…

Sean Veney is a volunteer engineer for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad and physics professor from Kent State University. He discusses his train hobby, volunteer work and reflections on race and representation.

Kim Woodford is the leader and founder of Journey on Yonder and former Outdoor Afro representative. Journey on Yonder is a northeast Ohio based inclusive outdoor group whose mission is "to inspire Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) to have enjoyable and healthy connections with nature that will lead to increased health outcomes and stronger environmental stewardship through mindful, cultural, educational, and social outdoor experiences." This interview was conducted in two sessions on 27…

Whitnye Long Jones is the Founder and Executive Director of Organic Connects. Organic Connects is a youth environmental program that supports high school graduates interested in the environmental field. They provide pathways to work in both the environmental and outdoor field. In this oral history, Whitnye describes her past and present work as a northeast Ohio environmental leader.

Deb Yandala is the CEO of the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park. She was instrumental in the development of the Environmental Education Center. Under her leadership, the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park has funded restoration and land acquisition projects for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. In this oral history, Deb discusses her career path, colleagues, challenges and success stories.

Jean Call traces several generations of her family's life in the Cuyahoga Valley. She recalls her mother Metta Roberts Point's years teaching at the one-room Ira School, her grandfather Nathaniel Point's career as a clarinetist who taught Benny Goodman and played for silent films and at the Palace and Loew's theaters, and her husband Charles Call's work as Chief of the Ohio Division of Reclamation and locally well-known square-dance caller in Everett. Call describes many of the people, farms,…

Josephine (Delgado) Moss, born in Mexico, describes her family's immigration to the United States, where her father worked for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The family lived in a remodeled boxcar near the railroad tracks in Independence, Ohio, during the Depression era. Moss grew up with seven siblings and lived in various locations, including Cleveland and Independence. She became a nurse during World War II, working at several hospitals and later starting a home health agency in Arizona.…

This oral history interview with Steven Moss documents his childhood and lifelong experiences in Independence, Ohio, and the surrounding Cuyahoga Valley, with particular attention to environmental change and outdoor recreation. Moss describes growing up in a semi-rural suburban setting in the 1950s–1970s, emphasizing family life, neighborhood activities, and frequent engagement with local woods, streams, and wildlife. He recounts early experiences hunting, fishing, and exploring nearby…

Dan Betts was a MWRO Realty Specialist, MWRO Deputy Realty Officer (The lead for the National Park Service Midwest Region). He was involved with land acquisition within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in the 1980s. In this oral history, he discusses the early years of acquisition, the leading staff, and the relationship between the NPS and surrounding communities and land owners. He also discusses his career path and how he became a Realty Specialist, challenges, successes and managing his…

Sharon and Roger Judson are a married couple who have been involved in the Cuyahoga Valley since the 1980s. Roger was one of the earliest volunteers for the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation and Sharon co-pioneered the Cuyahoga Valley's modern volunteer programs, including Trail Blazers and Adopt a Trail. In this oral history, Roger discusses volunteers organizing the 1980s folk festivals, visitor center volunteering in the 1970s, working with Gayle Hazlewood and the Environmental Education…

Kim Michalec and David Brewer are relatives of the Tonkin Family. The Tonkins lived in the area that are now Howe Meadow and owned parts of the Beaver Marsh in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Burl Tonkin owned an autoshop and salvage yard specializing in Volkswagens in the Beaver Marsh area. In this oral history, they discuss the layout of their family houses, Burl's business, and the park's process of reallocating their family members.