The Ravenna Railroad Historical Society was founded in late 1998 by 16 year-old Ryan Fitzpatrick. The society never touched off until Fitzpatrick met Dave Mangold, a Norfolk Southern (ex-Conrail) employee. From there the two established a press release to the Record-Courier, a Ravenna/Portage County newspaper and on February 27, 1999, the Ravenna Railroad Historical Society hosted their first organizational meeting.
Mangold, 32, first founded the Portage Country Railroad Historical Society, the RRRHS' predecessor, in early 1994. The society hosted and estimated two to three meetings and then the society just faded away.
Now, the Ravenna Railroad Historical Society is picking up where the Portage County Railroad Historical left off: saving the two interlocking towers in Ravenna (RAVE & RN). The RRRHS meets the fourth Saturday of every month at the Reed Memorial Library Jenkins Annex Building in Ravenna at 7:30 p.m.
Web design by R. Moskal