Public Asked to Share Photos, New and Old, With Bicentennial Committee

The Cuyahoga Falls Bicentennial Commemorative Book Committee is turning to the public with a request for photos representing the city’s culture, traditions, milestones and history over the past 200 years.

City resident Carol Morganti, chair of the seven-member book committee, is excited about the tome whose working title is Cuyahoga Falls Bicentennial 2012 – Celebrating Our Past, Our Present … and Our Future.

The targeted publication date of spring 2013 means the hardcover, coffee-table-style book will have been a two-year work in progress.

“We want to be sure to cover all the highlights from our entire Bicentennial year, which includes an event each month up through 12/12/12. That’s when a special Bicentennial Wedding Day and Vow Renewal ceremony will be held at the . It’s going to be a very fun-filled, exciting year for the Falls,” Morganti said.

What kind of photos is the committee seeking? Anything and everything depicting life in Cuyahoga Falls – including those taken during the past several decades, said Morganti.

“A lot of times people make the assumption it has to be historic, but that’s not the case. We would like ‘people photos’ – from the past 25 years in particular – because people don’t want to see just streets and buildings in a book. They want to see the styles of the current times depicted,” she explained.

So that awesome picture of your child playing in the water fountain at or your friend walking along the Cuyahoga River? The committee would love to consider them for inclusion in the book.

The committee is also anxious to learn what historic photos area residents have tucked away in drawers and attics that haven’t even been seen by members of the Cuyahoga Falls Historical Society or the website cuyahogafallshistory.com.

“We’re trying to make the book visually very strong. We have a number of striking photos, but we’d like many more,” Morganti said.

The photo-collection drive runs now through July 31. Electronic images and scanned photos – preferably 300 dpi – can be emailed to bicentennialpics@gmail.com.

Those who are unable to share their photos in digital format can contact the Cuyahoga Falls Service Director's Office at 330-971-8240 for assistance.

Morganti said details on how to pre-order the commemorative book will be available in the coming months.