The Fall Back into Time event is now history with Ralph the Diver prevailing in the end. Readers from The Ripley Bee, The News Democrat, Peoples Defender and Maysville Ledger-Independent cast their votes for their favorite historic figure. Each vote cost $1 with all proceeds going toward the group sponsoring the historic figure.

In the end, 4,374 votes were cast, with a total of $4,155.30 being raised. Historical societies in Brown County received 2,210 votes. The Ohio Tobacco Museum came in second place with their candidate Captain Fredrick Kautz, raising $777.10 and Ripley Heritage came in third place with their candidates John and Jean Rankin, raising $728.65.

Clermont County Park District Chilo Park with Ralph the Diver received 1,136 votes and $1,079.20.

Candidates during the contest included Don and June Zipperian as John and Jean Rankin, representing Ripley Heritage; Reverend Jim Settles as John Parker, representing the John Parker Historical Society; singer and songwriter Steve Free as Cowboy Copas, representing the Adams County Historical Society; Bill and Mary Thompson as Captain John and Isabel McClain and Leaghann (Dyke) Jones as Jennie Wade representing Friends of the Jennie Wade; Robert Boyd as John D. White representing the Brown County Historical Society; Peter Chamness as Simon Kenton representing the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center; Mike Miller as U.S. Grant representing the U.S. Grant Homestead Association; Wayne McClain as Ralph the Diver representing the Clermont County Park District Chilo Lock 34 Museum and Visitors’ Center; Ernie Parnell as Captain Frederick Kautz representing the Ohio Tobacco Museum; and John Griswold as General George C. Marshall representing the Bracken County Historical Society.

Edie Fath with the Ohio Tobacco Museum said that the fundraiser was a great way to raise money for historical societies. The Tobacco Museum led the contest most of the way.

“We raised $777 in the contest, and that’s more than we’ve had in quite some time,” Fath said. “It was really a fun activity and fundraiser. We had a marvelous reenactor playing Frederick Kautz and he did a fantastic job for us. A couple of the organizations were closing in on us, and one finally overtook us at the end.”

Fath said that the money raised from the contest will go toward the upkeep of the Tobacco Museum, which may involve having the museum’s draperies cleaned.

According to Beverly McClain, Fall Back into Time chair and member of the Friends of Jenny Wade, the contest is currently planned as an annual event, and will return next year.

“The exciting part was that everyone worked together,” McClain said. “The newspapers helped and the organizations were all excited, and everyone benefited. I think that’s important in a fundraiser.”

Each organization had to pay a 5 percent webmaster fee to help pay for the cost of the Fall Back into Time website, www.fallbackintotime.com. The results of the contest include:

• First place: Clermont County Park District Chilo Park and Ralph the Diver, 1,136 votes cast, and $56.80 webmaster fees, $1,079.20 was raised total.

• Second place: Ohio Tobacco Museum and Capt. Fredrick Kautz, 818 votes, $40.90 webmaster fees and $777.10 earned.

• Third place: Ripley Heritage and John and Jean Rankin, 767 votes, $38.35 webmaster fees and $728.65 earned.

• Fourth place: Kentucky Gateway Museum Center and Simon Kenton, 376 votes, $18.80 webmaster fees and $357.20 earned.

• Fifth place: John Parker Historical Society and John Parker, 277 votes, $13.85 webmaster fees and $263.15 earned.

• Sixth place: Bracken County Historical Society and Gen. George C. Marshall. 255 votes, $12.75 webmaster fees and $224 earned.

• Seventh place: Friends of Jennie Wade and Jennie Wade, 217 votes, $10.85 webmaster fees and 206.15 earned.

• Eighth place: Brown County Historical Society and John D. White, 205 votes, $10.85 webmaster fees and $94.75 earned.

• Ninth place: U.S. Grant Homestead Association and U.S. Grant, 143 votes, $7.15 webmaster fees and $35.85 earned.

• Tenth place tie: Adams County Historical Society and Cowboy Copas, 90 votes, $4.50 webmaster fees and $85.50 earned.

• Tenth place tie: Friends of Jennie Wade and Capt. John and Isabella McClain, 90 votes, $4.50 webmaster fees and $85.50 earned.