Belmont-Monroe County
Reunion
Site
of the Reunion has always been Peterman’s Grove near Jerusalem and the
Belmont-Monroe Reunion is often called the Jerusalem Picnic. The number of cars in the parking lot
increased during the early evening hours as the picnic continues through the
evening.
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1951
Belmont-Monroe County Reunion
It looked like a county fair but that was because it
was one of the biggest reunions of all ………
Mrs. Carrie Peterman Voorhees of Fowler, Calif.,
perhaps traveled the farthest to attend the reunion. She would feel a deep
attachment for these trees and open spaces since it was her father, the late
Frank Peterman, who owned the picnic land known as Peterman’s Grove.
The Belmont-Monroe reunion, last of its kind in the
Ohio Valley, has grown in fame and popularity through the years. It has outlasted all other county and
community get-togethers, once popular in this section of the country.
The two-county gatherings began in 1894 and many
old-timers were there last Tuesday for the 57th time. During the early years of the reunion one of
the main sources of transportation to the Grove was the narrow-gauge railroad
which linked Bellaire and Woodsfield.
Under stately oak, elm and poplar trees concession
stands of all kinds were set up until the Grove resembled a midway. Outside the trees carnival type rides had
been set up for the children, Picnic lunches were spread out in the large grass
field adjoining the grounds.
Main speakers at the reunion wee Eastern Ohio’s two
congressmen, Wayne L. Hayes and Robert T. Secrest. The Beallsville high school band joined hillbilly acts in
furnishing the afternoon and evening’s entertainment from the bandstand. They were introduced by Col. W.H. Steward,
who presided.
In one corner of the reunion grounds a barker
challenged potential he-men to “ring the bell and win a cigar” as they stepped
up to the strength tester and sent the iron disk winging toward the gong with
an out-sized mallet.
But for the most part the people just stood around
and talked with old friends they hadn’t seen since the reunion last year. Most of the old-timers sat on weather-beaten
benches or tree stumps scattered throughout the grounds and talked politics,
the rain-starved corn and old-time memories of mutual friends who had
long-since died.
Lewis Claus, who now owns the ground on which
Peterman’s Grove stands, heads the reunion.
He’s already planning a bigger and better reunion for next year, the
biggest reunion of all.
For more pictures of the 1941
& 1951 Belmont-Monroe Reunions click on one of the following:
Parking
Lot at Peterman’s Grove 1951
Crowd in Peterman’s Grove 1951
Mr. and Mrs. H.E. Brown at 1951 Reunion
Congressman Robert T. Secrest at 1951 Reunion
Old-Timer sharing wisdom at 1951 Reunion
Old-Timer enjoying at the 1951 Reunion
Provided by Shirley
Neiswonger