Tom Vince Will Describe How Luck and Destiny Led to City’s Founding at October HHA Meeting

September 22, 2015 — Noted historian Tom Vince will describe how an early land lottery held in 1798 led to the founding of Hudson and its establishment as one of the earliest pioneer settlements in the Western Reserve when he speaks to Hudson Heritage Association on Thursday, October 8. The meeting, which is free and open to the public, will be held at Barlow Community Center. The presentation will begin at 7:30 p.m., followed by refreshments.

Vince will provide background on the exploration of the Western Reserve of Connecticut – part of the western lands originally deeded to the Colony of Connecticut by King Charles II. In 1796, the land consisting of the Western Reserve of Connecticut was sold to the Connecticut Land Company, which financed a surveying party to explore the territory, led by Moses Cleaveland. That group’s work opened the territory to settlement and the arrival of David Hudson.

Known for his vast and detailed knowledge of Western Reserve history, Vince speaks often about Hudson’s past, the individuals who shaped its early days and the events that influenced its development. He has served as Archivist and Historian at Western Reserve Academy since 1966 and earlier headed the Hudson Library and Historical Society.  He is a past president of Hudson Heritage Association, the Rotary Club of Hudson and the Cuyahoga Valley Civil War Round Table. He was named Citizen of the Year by the Hudson Chamber of Commerce in 2009. He has done segments devoted to local history on Hudson Cable television for the past 18 years and received an award from the David Hudson Chapter DAR for his work.

Founded in 1962, Hudson Heritage Association works to protect historic buildings, the village streetscape, and the city’s Western Reserve architectural aesthetic. It encourages the preservation of historic buildings by providing research, resources and education to homeowners who wish to maintain their historic homes and co-sponsors the city’s work with the Cleveland Restoration Society. HHA also works with building owners to help them meet historic marker requirements and identifies those buildings with the HHA historic marker. The association shares and celebrates the history of Northeastern Ohio by publishing books and newsletters, conducting workshops and field trips, and hosting monthly meetings that feature local preservationists, historians and craftsmen. For more information, visit hudsonheritage.org