World War II

03 19, 2024

Veteran Shares Memories of WWII

By |2024-03-12T15:15:39-04:00March 19, 2024|

You have a rare and remarkable opportunity to explore one of history’s crucial moments with its witness! World War II veteran Bob Zonneville will discuss his experiences during the war at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 1, at our Main Branch.

Zonneville received two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star for his service. He’ll talk about fighting in the Battle of the Hürtgen Forest and the liberation of a concentration camp.

Zonneville will be joined by our own Dr. John Foster and local author/historian Tom Matowitz to discuss the history of the battle and the lives of other Mentor residents who fought in the war.

This special program is free to attend. Due to limited space, registration is required. Sign up online or call us at 440-255-8811 ext. 1.

For more from Zonneville:

10 16, 2020

The Connection between President Eisenhower & Gettysburg

By |2020-10-16T10:00:42-04:00October 16, 2020|

President Eisenhower had a special relationship with the town and famous battlefield of Gettysburg, going back to his days in Camp Colt. Learn about it here from Todd Arrington, the site directory for the James A. Garfield National Historic Site. (You can also learn about Arrington’s connection to both Gettysburg and Eisenhower.)

Our monthly Civil War series with James A. Garfield National Historic Site continues at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 18. The topic will be President Lincoln’s contentious and close reelection campaign of 1864. The talk will be hosted via Zoom. Registration is required. You can sign up online or call us at (440) 255-8811 ext. 247.

In the meantime, you can visit our YouTube channel for more programs on our nation’s history. We have lectures on both President Eisenhower and the Battle of Gettysburg that you can watch at your convenience.

07 8, 2020

Mentor Library’s Cold War series explores the crises of 1956

By |2020-07-08T06:00:18-04:00July 8, 2020|

Discover how the Cold War nearly came to a boiling point in 1956 during a special online program from Mentor Public Library.

Discover how the Cold War nearly came to a boiling point in 1956 during a special online program from Mentor Public Library.

Our resident historian Dr. John Foster will continue his series on the history of the Cold War during a special online program at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 23.

He’ll discuss a series of crises that all contributed to rising tensions globally, including the crushing of democracy in Hungary, the Suez Crisis, turbulence in Poland, and even the Montgomery bus boycott.

This program is free and open to all. It will be broadcast online using Zoom. Those who wish to watch can register on our online event calendar. This program will also be recorded and available for viewing at a future date on the our website, Facebook, and YouTube page.

This special program is the second in a 4-part series about the history of the Cold War. The first talk focused on the years after World War II and the rising tension that led to the Berlin Blockade. This talk can be viewed in its entirety on our website.

In addition to being a reference librarian, Foster has a doctorate degree in history. He has taught history at both high school and college levels. Previously, he has led series on the Battles of World War II, the American Revolution and US Presidents of the 20th Century at the library.

02 23, 2020

Revisit the Battle of Midway

By |2020-02-23T06:00:56-05:00February 23, 2020|

In four minutes, the trajectory of World War II and the fate of the Pacific changed during the Battle of Midway.

Our resident historian, Dr. John Foster, tells the story of the battle and of the incredible heroism of the sailors and naval aviators who achieved victory that day.

In addition to being a reference librarian, Foster has a doctorate degree in history. He has taught history at both high school and college levels. Previously, he has led series on the Battles of World War II, US Presidents of the 20th Century, and the Revolutionary War at our library.

07 1, 2019

The Untold Stories of Mentor, Ohio, with Thomas Matowitz

By |2019-07-01T06:00:03-04:00July 1, 2019|

Thomas Matowitz, the author and local historian who literally wrote the book one Mentor, Ohio, returned to the library to share some of his best stories.

Matowitz is the perfect person to discuss prominent Mentor families like the Garfields, landmarks like the Wildwood Estate, and more. But he also has a mindful of spectacular Mentor stories that nearly nobody else knows, including:

  • Mentor’s only Congressional Medal of Honor recipient
  • the most fatal day in Mentor’s history
  • the tale of the WWII pilot from Mentor who is buried in Normandy.

For more from Matowitz:

Speaking of history, you can also join us for our 200th anniversary party at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 12, on our Main Branch lawn. Help make a community mosaic of Mentor with Gail Christofferson of Animal House Glass.

Also, Tom Todd, the Amazing One Man Band, will perform from 6 to 7 pm. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets, sit back and enjoy  a little bit of Jimmy Buffett. We will also have cake and contests. All are welcome and no registration is required for our party.

 

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