Erb's Coleman Museum is still burning strong

Andrew Dolph, The Times-Reporter
·2 min read
Ed Erb looks over one of his favorite acquisitions, an oil-powered projector that can accommodate multiple film sizes. He purchased the item in Rochester, New York. Erb runs Erb's Coleman Museum in Sugarcreek.
Ed Erb looks over one of his favorite acquisitions, an oil-powered projector that can accommodate multiple film sizes. He purchased the item in Rochester, New York. Erb runs Erb's Coleman Museum in Sugarcreek.
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SUGARCREEK – It goes without saying that museum visits can provide a glimpse back in time, and Erb’s Coleman Museum is illuminating.

Forty years ago, Ed Erb started selling gas-powered refrigerators and fixing Coleman lanterns for the Amish community — particularly the fisherman. Then those fishermen started bringing him the antique lanterns they found in the attics of their parents' homes.

With his passion for Coleman ignited, Erb co-founded the International Coleman Collectors Club with his friend Ernie Hyatt from Rochester, Indiana, about 30 years ago. Today, the group has more than 4,000 members from as far away as Germany, Holland, England, Thailand, Australia and Japan. The club will host its annual convention June 22-24 in Saskatoon, Canada.

The club pays homage to all Coleman products. William Coffin Coleman introduced the first outdoor, all-weather gasoline lantern in 1914. The Coleman company notes that those lanterns helped illuminate "the first evening football game west of the Mississippi. And in WWII, soldiers parachuted into Europe with our camping stoves in their backpacks."

An arc lamp on display at Erb's Coleman Museum in Sugarcreek.
An arc lamp on display at Erb's Coleman Museum in Sugarcreek.

Erb is proud of his well-kept museum at 149 Seldenright Road SW in Sugarcreek and outlet store that showcases more than 7,000 Coleman items. While exploring two floors of vintage Coleman products, visitors can discover lanterns from all over the world, in addition to vintage stoves, kerosene stoves, a Coleman mini-bike, snowmobile and nostalgic camping gear.

Ed Erb, owner of Erb's Coleman Museum in Sugarcreek, talks about a spirit lamp which he lights once a year in honor of people who have died.
Ed Erb, owner of Erb's Coleman Museum in Sugarcreek, talks about a spirit lamp which he lights once a year in honor of people who have died.

Among the most notable pieces in his collection is a “Spirit Lamp,” a kerosene Coleman lamp that Erb has lit every year for the past 29 years to honor people who have passed on. The lamp was produced for only two years in the 1940s.

Erb lives with his wife next door to the museum. They have two grown children. In addition to tending to the Coleman Museum and running the family farm, Erb also helps run Erb’s Stove Center in Millersburg.

Group and personal tours are available by appointment. To contact Erb, call 330-763-1549.

One of the more unusual items at Erb's Coleman Museum in Sugarcreek is a Coleman Model 400 snowmobile.
One of the more unusual items at Erb's Coleman Museum in Sugarcreek is a Coleman Model 400 snowmobile.
Ed Erb is the co-founder of Erb's Coleman Museum in Sugarcreek. The museum is dedicated to Coleman products.
Ed Erb is the co-founder of Erb's Coleman Museum in Sugarcreek. The museum is dedicated to Coleman products.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Erb's Coleman Museum is still burning strong