SHELBY – Pending grants and renovations won’t stop the Shelby Cycle Historical Society from putting the city’s history at the forefront.
The 1872 historic engine house on Main Street, and future site of the society’s Steel & Wheel Museum, will open its doors Sept. 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. for a walk through Shelby’s history. The event is part of Ohio Open Doors, a project of the Ohio History Connection.
“They have this open house theme every other year, and it’s to get people to come in and see behind the scenes of what goes on in a museum or another locality that visitors might not normally see,” said Christina Yetzel Drain, president of the Shelby Cycle Historical Society.
“We thought that was a great opportunity for the engine house because the more people see it, the more people will be interested in tracking the progress of our restoration program.”
The engine house is still in the fundraising portion of its restoration. Drain told Richland Source that there is no set opening date for the Steel & Wheel Museum, though spring of 2027 is the current goal.
Many Shelby residents have fond memories of the engine house, Drain said. Classrooms and churches used to tour it frequently, but as of late, it’s been closed.
“There are a lot of fond memories with people in the community,” Drain said. “So, we wanted to be able to open it again so people can see what it looks like and what our restoration plans are going to be.
“We have a lot of ideas about what we want in the museum, but we want it to be something that’s going to show the social impact to Shelby and even beyond.
“We could talk about the seamless tube industry. We could talk about the bicycle industry. How did those two industries alone affect people in Shelby?”
After the engine house tour, the Shelby Cycle Historical Society will also celebrate its 10th anniversary with a heritage ride. The ride will kick off at 5:30 p.m. on bike, with riders encouraged to wear 30s to 50s clothes.
“It doesn’t matter what kind of bike you have,” Drain said. “A lot of people will ride their Shelby (model bikes), if they have them. I have an e-bike that I may be riding once I learn how to ride it.”
Carter Neff, a 2024 Shelby High School alumnus, pitched the heritage ride to Drain. Neff has previously led community rides in partnership with the Shelby Cycle Historical Society.
“I know for a lot of us (riders), the biggest goal is just creating more community involvement,” Neff said. “The guys and gals that are here are just the nicest people you’re going to meet.”
While the engine house awaits renovations, riders and those interested in Shelby history have something to look forward to.
