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March 2008 Edition


OHIO'S #1 MAGAZINE AND #2 TOURISM SOURCE ONLINE*

    
SPOT-THE-ROCK HAS WRIGHT STUFF
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Ohio's most unique tour guide, Spot-the-Rock, kicked off the 2008 tourism season with a visit to Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center at The Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. Click here to learn more about the Spot-the-Rock program.

This amazing complex honors three iconic American figures whose lives intersected on the streets of Dayton, Ohio – Wilbur Wright, Orville Wright and Paul Lawrence Dunbar. The Wright Brothers are famed aviation pioneers and first to fly a powered, heavier than air machine. Paul Lawrence Dunbar became an internationally acclaimed African American poet.

Dunbar and Orville Wright went to Dayton Central High School together and after graduation, Orville used his print shop to print Dunbar’s Dayton Tattler, an African-American newspaper. The Wright Brothers even printed some of Dunbar’s early poetry.

The Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center is an incredible attraction with much to offer and is located adjacent to one of the old Wright Brothers bicycle shops, which is open for tours. The neighborhood’s architecture is largely intact showcasing two and three story brick buildings built between 1885 and 1924. Today, it is a historic district that is known as The Wright Dunbar Business Village or the West Third Street Historic District.

Exhibits at the Center demonstrate how the lives of these three legends weaved a unique, and unlikely, portrait of American history. Approximately 5,000 square feet walk visitors through the lives of all three men and their contributions to society setting the stage for the turn of the 20th Century. The exhibits include one-of-a-kind originals, interactive displays, incredible stories, audio programs, and even a recreation of the 1900 Hale’s Grocery Store in the exact same place it originally stood setting the period in grand fashion. Much like their lives, the Center intersects the lives of these three men. Rooms are sparred no detail in recreating the times in which these legends walked West Third Street.

Next door to the Interpretive Center is the only original Wright Brothers shop still standing at its original location. They had five different bicycle shops, this being the fourth. Now restored, the building was home to the Wright’s bicycle business from 1895 – 1897. It is where they were when they became obsessed with flying. And from there, these men, self-trained in the science of aviation, went on to build the world’s first power-driven, heavier than air machine capable of free, controlled and sustained flight.

Paul Laurence Dunbar’s parents were illiterate yet he became the first African-American to gain international acclaim as a poet. He was president of the literary society at Dayton Central High School and the editor of the school paper. His life’s work includes novels, plays, short stories, lyrics, and more than 400 poems.

The Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center is part of Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park. It contains four separate sites. In addition to The Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center and Wright Cycle Company, there’s Huffman Prairie Flying Field, Carillon Park, and the Paul Laurence Dunbar State Memorial.

Huffman Prairie Flying Field & Interpretive Center is located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and is where many of the Wright Brothers test flights occurred. Carillon Historical Park is a unique combination of museum, park and natural area featuring about 25 exhibit buildings and structures on 65-acres that celebrate the history of Dayton. The Paul Laurence Dunbar State Memorial is an Italianate turn-of-the-century structure and Dunbar’s final home. It exhibits his literary treasures and personal items.

All of these attractions along the Dayton Aviation Heritage Trail offer free admission! To plan your visit to any or all of these historic sites, visit www.nps.gov/daav/planyourvisit/facilitysites.htm. For additional information about Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park, visit  www.nps.gov/daav.

Written by Frank R. Satullo,
The OhioTraveler

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STAN HYWET HALL AND GARDENS

Stan Hywet stands as a monument to a man, his philosophy, and the industry that made it all possible.  It’s a seventy-acre oasis of manicured gardens and nature preserve surrounded by commerce. The centerpiece, a three-story 64,500 square foot, eighteen-bedroom edifice is representative of an era when a few men made enormous fortunes on the backs of the disenfranchised.  

It’s true that Franklin Augustus “F.A.” Seiberling was a baron of the Industrial Revolution often associated with greed and exploitation. However, the period in which a man lives is not always a depiction of his character. 

Seiberling’s social conscience is literally set in stone above the main entry of his mansion. It reads “Not For Us Alone.” Before entering, one gets the feeling that there is more to this home than the artistry and wealth that created the brick, stone and mortar icon. 

Stan Hywet, meaning “hewn stone” in old English is celebrated today as Seiberling intended. It’s an artifact and symbol of enterprise – a National Historic Landmark with a standing invitation to the public, prompting us to remember the people and opportunities afforded them that made this country great. 

F.A. Seiberling was born in 1859 in nearby Norton, Ohio, attended formal schooling in Akron, and was acquainted with the business world from an early age. He studied at Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio, but true to an entrepreneurial spirit that demanded   accomplishment in the real world, dropped out after two years. He joined the Empire Mower Works, a manufacturer of agricultural machinery founded by his father. 

In the waning years of the century his primary involvement was in rail transportation, with interests in streetcar companies in Akron, Canton, Zanesville, McIntire, and Lakeside. In addition he ventured into business with a crayon company, a textile company, and mining exploration in the American West. 

But the coup d’etat was the early recognition of the motorcar and the indispensable pneumatic tire. In 1898 F.A. Seiberling with his brother C.W., founded the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company that would symbolize the city of Akron. 

By 1912 Goodyear had rolled into a secure position with the nation’s greatest industry, making Seiberling a wealthy man whose sights were set on posterity. He hired Cleveland architect Charles Sumner Schneider who would design one of the finest examples of Tudor Revival architecture in America.  

Seiberling and his wife Gertrude, together with Schneider, sailed for Great Britain where they spent months studying 16th and 17th century examples for inspiration.  

To complete the designing team, Seiberling brought in New York interior decorator Hugo F. Huber and Boston landscape architect Warren H. Manning who laid out a thousand acres of gardens among the three thousand virgin acres of the original estate. 

Schneider worked closely with Manning to assure the design and location of the house provided several different views of a valley, lagoon, and nature preserve. The three hundred foot, sixty-five-room mansion with a full basement was constructed of brick and the highest quality Euclid bluestone and Ohio sandstone available. A massive quantity of materials and equipment required a railroad spur be extended onto the property. The finest artisans and craftsmen existing labored four years, completing the mansion in 1915.  

Huber purchased most of the art and furnishings in New York and England, providing Seiberling with the best that money could buy.  The interior is especially known for its intricate wood paneling of black walnut, sandalwood, teak, and rosewood. It also contained rare innovations of the day such as a built-in vacuum system, and a telephone/intercom arrangement with thirty-seven stations all concealed behind panels lest the unsightly devices foul the ambiance that Huber so meticulously planned. 

Due to the success of tire manufacturing, by 1920 Akron had tripled in population, making quality housing scarce. Seiberling developed a community known as Goodyear Heights with up-to-date housing and amenities such as parks and athletic fields for his workers. He donated a library to Buchtel College (University of Akron), a sizable gift to Peoples Hospital (Akron General Medical Center), and several land donations to initiate the Metropolitan Parks System. He served as president of the Akron Chamber of Commerce, and regional director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce during World War I. 

After the war, the Roaring Twenties had been predicted, but there was a short recession at the beginning of the decade.  The Goodyear Company like most, had borrowed heavily for raw materials in anticipation of expansion and was caught in a temporary bind. Uncommon but not unprecedented, impatient Wall Street bankers ousted F.A. and took control of the corporation. 

Undaunted, at the age of 62, F.A. started a new company in Barberton, Ohio.  The Seiberling Rubber Company never rivaled Goodyear with its long head start and enormous momentum, but was successful in its own right as a tire manufacturer.  

Nothing however, deterred activity at Stan Hywet. Seiberling had intended his home be a gracious and hospitable setting to entertain business associates and friends as well as family, and saw that objective to fruition.   After retirement in the ‘30’s and ‘40’s, the grounds bustled with grandchildren to the delight of F.A. and Gertrude. At the same time strict maintenance of the property preserved it as scrupulously as it had been created. Today it exists the way it was left by F.A. when he died at the age of ninety-five in the mid ‘50’s. Even the crayon-scrawled insult of Adolph Hitler, left by a grandson on the wall above his bed is there to be viewed. 

Only the delicate glass structure of the conservatory did not survive. Schneider, also the architect of the greenhouse, designed it with 4,322 panes of laminated glass curved at the eaves in Gothic style. In 2005 an exact replication of the original was completed that houses flowers in defiance of northern Ohio’s winters and displays a 400-specie, free-flying butterfly exhibit.  

The grounds include an English garden, a wildflower meadow, and a manicured Japanese garden. Staggered propagation insures that there are always blooming flowers.  

Nature lovers can spend hours roaming the gardens, and aficionados of art, architecture, and furnishings will be enthralled with the craftsmanship and originality displayed in the self-guided or organized tours of the manor house. 

Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens is an outstanding example of an extraordinary period in American history. In this region there is nothing comparable. 

Located at 714 North Portage Path it can be visited between April 1 and December 30, 2008. For more information such as various admissions for tours, call 330-836-5533 or visit www.stanhywet.org. 

By Robert Carpenter
Robert Carpenter was born and raised in the New Philadelphia, Ohio area. He's a freelance writer presently living in Florida.

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ECOTOURIST STOPS
A Sightseers Paradise

Ohio’s Historic West is blessed with gorgeous rolling hills, fertile farmland, lovely nature preserves, mysterious caverns and scenic lakes.  Is it any wonder it’s called the “Heartland?” Four Ohio State Scenic Byways crisscross the region to give travelers something special to see along the journey. 

Grand Lake St. Mary’s, located in Mercer County, is approximately 9 miles long and 3 miles wide with three lighthouses gracing its shores.  Grand Lake St. Mary's was originally constructed as a feeder reservoir for the Miami-Erie Canal and was recognized as the largest man-made reservoir in the world for many years.  This large lake is the gateway to swimming, boating, camping and fishing in one of Ohio's oldest state parks. Information is available from the Auglaize/Mercer CVB at 800-860-4726, www.Seemore.org. 

Ohio Caverns is the largest and most beautiful of any cave in a multi-state region.  The diversity of the crystal-white stalactite and stalagmite formations and unexcelled coloring are unique because they are still developing.  In addition to the education and fun found in the Ohio Caverns, visitors will also find a 35-acre park with shelter house and picnic tables; a souvenir/gift shop and a friendly staff in the pleasant surroundings. Information is available at www.ohiocaverns.com or from the Logan County Convention & Tourist’s Bureau, 888-564-2626 or www.logancountyohio.com.   

Bordering the scenic Stillwater River and fen wetland, Brukner Nature Center is situated on 165 acres of rolling hills, deep ravines and thick forests.  The center has been educating the community on animal rehabilitation and nature for more than 27 years and contains a complete rehabilitation center, treating more than 1,600 wild animals each year.  With a restored 1804 log house, herb gardens, animal and wildlife displays, hiking trails and a bird vista situated three stories above the ground and in the trees, visitors to Brukner have endless options for learning about nature and enjoying its many gifts. Information is available at www.bruknernaturecenter.com or from the Miami County Visitors Bureau 800-348-8993, www.visitmiamicounty.org. 

Cedar Bog is the First Nature Preserve in Ohio, established by the state more than 60 years ago. Every season features a different type of natural beauty.  There is a carpet of wildflowers in spring, April to mid May.  Late May, early June brings the largest orchid in the state into bloom right beside the trail. July has the prairie flowers, with the heat and mosquitoes. August-September brings more asters into bloom than the wildflowers of spring.  Information is available at www.cedarbog.org or from the Champaign County Visitors Bureau 877-873-5764, www.champaignohio.com.  

Miami-Erie Canal Corridor was recognized as the largest man-made reservoir in the world for many years.  In 1825, the Ohio Legislature approved funding to construct an Ohio Canal system.  Completed in 1845, the Miami-Erie Canal utilized 105 locks to raise and lower the canal boats along the 250-mile waterway. Today, there are three state parks, numerous local parks, state historical markers and community trails along the Miami-Erie Canal Portions of the Miami-Erie Canal towpath are currently part of the Buckeye Trail and North Country Trail. Information is available at from the Auglaize/Mercer CVB at 800-860-4726, www.Seemore.org.  

Shawnee Prairie Preserve was once known as Prophetstown, the village founded by The Prophet (Tecumseh's brother), formed to rally thirteen woodland Indian Nations to gather and demonstrate their living and hunting rights under the 1795 Treaty of Greene Ville. Not only rich in historical diversity, this 120-acre area is also rich in natural diversity. Shawnee features wetlands, restored prairies, streams, wet woods, swamp forest, a succession area and 2 1/2 miles of trails with benches and observation towers. Information is available at www.darkecountyparks.org or from the Darke County Visitors Bureau 800-504-2995, www.discoverourlegends.com. 

Linear Park is more than 11 miles of paved pathway through the city of Piqua. The paved asphalt trail runs east/west on an abandoned railroad bed bisecting the city.  Significant features of the trail include a tunnel under Sunset Avenue, a bike bridge spanning College Street, and updates to the steel girder train bridge across the Great Miami River. The trail runs along the Great Miami River and also follows the former Miami-Erie Canal in some places. The entire trail is open to walkers, joggers, bikers, and rollerbladers.  Information is available at www.piquaoh.org or from the Miami County Visitors Bureau 800-348-8993, www.visitmiamicounty.org. 

Ever wonder what it’s like from a turtle’s point of view, or just how busy a bee really is?  A visit to the Camp Clay Rotary Nature Center offers numerous opportunities to learn about wildlife and the environment around us with a bird feeding garden with microphones so you can hear outside, inside; a live observation honey bee hive; a collection of various mammal and bird mounts; life reptile, fish, and amphibian exhibits; and a self-guided tree tour.  Around the nature center is a 5-acre lake in the shape of Ohio where fishing, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboats are available.  Once a part of the Great Black Swamp, the 4-acre woods offer a variety of education and leisure activities.  You can walk the ¾ mile Black Swamp Trail in search of the many native plant and animal species the wetlands has to offer.  Information is available from the Van Wert Convention & Visitors Bureau 877-989-2282, www.visitvanwert.org. 

Further information on these and other places of historic significance can be found at the Ohio’s Historic West website at www.ohioshistoricwest.com. 

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COMIC RELIEF MAKES HISTORY

Milton Caniff, who was born and raised in Ohio and spent his early career years in Columbus, was a seminal cartoonist of the 20th century best known for Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon, popular comic strips from the mid-1930s through the late 1950s. Visitors to the Ohio Historical Center in Columbus can now get to know the man behind the cartoons with Spotlight on Milton Caniff, an exhibit which highlights the cartoonist’s life during what would have been his centennial year, from Oct. 25 through March 2.

On display will be artifacts of his childhood and artist's studio from the Ohio Historical Society’s and The Ohio State University Cartoon Research Library’s collections, including photographs, toys, furniture, an extensive weapons collection, and art supplies. Visitors also can watch Caniff tell his life story through his art as frames from an auto-biographical cartoon are shown on video.

Caniff, known as the “Rembrandt of the Comic Strip,” is remembered for his accurate background research, excellent writing, attention to detail and his innovative use of graphic techniques, according to Cheryl Straker, curator of the exhibit.

“Milton Caniff is one of the most honored cartoonists in history,” Straker said. “His comic strips Terry and the Pirates, Male Call, and Steve Canyon were immensely popular. By 1947, Steve Canyon had estimated daily readership of 30 million people worldwide. However, Caniff was caught in the Generation Gap of the 1960s and lost audience, largely because his cartoons reflected militarism, sexism, violence, and racism.”

Although he moved to New York early in his career, Caniff always stayed true to his Ohio roots. In 1954, Ohio awarded him a Career Medal as a “distinguished son of Ohio.”

The Ohio Historical Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays, and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. The museum is closed on Mondays. Admission to the Ohio Historical Center is $7/adults, $3/students and free for OHS members and children under 5 years of age. For more information, visit www.ohiohistory.org or call 614.297.2300 or 800.686.6124.

The Ohio Historical Center is located on I-71 and 17th Avenue. It is one of 60 historic museums and sites operated by the Ohio Historical Society, a nonprofit organization that serves as the state’s partner in preserving and interpreting Ohio’s history, archaeology and natural history.

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EXPERIENTIAL TOURISM

Travelers who visit Columbus now have unprecedented opportunities to tap into their inner artist through hands-on experiences in everything from fashion design to glass blowing. Columbus is rapidly gaining a reputation for arts, culinary and garden scenes that are ranked among the nation’s best. The city’s creative vibe has given rise to a new crop of entrepreneurs who offer visitors unique opportunities to become involved in the creative process. Participants will not only craft extraordinary memories; they also will leave with one-of-a-kind artistic reminders of their trip.

Blow Glass: Glass Axis offers Columbus visitors an unusual opportunity to do much more than just observe the spectacular process of glassblowing. The non-profit organization’s “First Experience Workshops” allow even those with no experience to design and create their own unique piece of art. Gifted glass artists guide participants through the fascinating process of making everything from intricate ornaments to stunning vases and dazzling sculptures. Classes in hot, warm and cold glass processes are offered most Saturdays and should be scheduled at least one week in advance. Costs vary, depending on the project, but range from $25 to $125. Visitors can register by calling 614-291-4250. Class schedules are found at www.glassaxis.org.  

Design your own fashion T: Located in the Short North Arts District, the fashion-forward Columbus boutique, Substance, helps visitors put their own creative signature on a top-quality t-shirt. For just $29 per person, Substance offers monthly Design Lab Workshops, as well as custom sessions for any group of five or more – offering the perfect addition to any girlfriends’ getaway. Travelers select a t-shirt from the wide Substance collection and then either embellish or batik their own designs with the guidance of Substance fashion designers. Visitors can schedule their fashion workshop by calling 614-299-2910.

Make and label wine: Whether they’re into red wines or white, couples, groups of friends or even individuals can visit Camelot Cellars winery in the Short North to create their own wine reserve. Not only can visitors make several varieties of wine, but they can also design their very own wine label, featuring a favorite name, design, work of art or family photo. In addition, Camelot offers parties, wine tasting and retail sales of wine and wine related gifts and accessories. Details are available at 614-441-8860 or www.Camelotcellars.com.  

Create a container garden: The secret to a successful container garden is selecting the right collection of plants that not only look good together, but also will thrive together. The gardening specialists at Foertmeyer & Sons Greenhouse provide expert guidance while the visitor creates a garden container garden that is perfectly designed for the conditions of their home – inside or out-of-doors. Travelers can schedule a workshop by calling 740-881-4237.

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MARCH
Festivals & Events

Click here for more festivals and events throughout Ohio

Old Town Trade Fair
(Admission:  $3.00 Adults, Children Under 12 Free) 

  • When:  March 1 & 2 , 2008 (Saturday 9:00am, 5:00pm and Sunday  9:00am-3:00pm)

  • Location:  Greene County Fairgrounds in Xenia, OH

  • Phone: 937-857-9745 (On Days Of The Show  call 937-216-0274)

Enjoy the living history event with dealers and demonstrators, all in period clothing from the 1700's through 1890's, making and selling their wares. This two day event will demonstrate early American crafts such as blacksmithing, pottery, patterns, fabrics, finished clothing, silversmith, wooden products and leather. Some of the items the demonstrators will be making are baskets, brooms, rope and early flintlock engraving. Door prizes will be given away each hour with one grand prize awarded on Saturday and one on Sunday. Come see how our founding fathers lived in days gone by.

March Maple Madness Driving Tour
(Admission is Free)

  • When: 2008 dates - Saturday March 8, Sunday March 9 & Saturday March 15. 11am to 4pm – Please note Amish farms are NOT open on Sunday March 9.

  • 20 area Sugar Bushes to tour – route map available by calling 440-632-1538 or available at www.tourgeauga.com after Feb. 1.  

Did you know…Night time temperatures below freezing and sunny “warm” days (above freezing) is what it takes to get the maple sap flowing? That it takes approx. 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup?? A great way to experience Maple Sugaring first hand is to take part in the Maple Madness Driving Tour around Geauga County and surrounding areas, where approximately 20 Sugar Bushes are mapped out for your driving ease.

Visit Amish farms where sap is still collected by hand with a horse drawn sled pulled through the woods. Then learn about the more modern approach where gravity fed tubing runs from tree to tree, drawing sap to a central collection area. Watch as evaporators cook away the water that makeup the majority of the sap leaving only fresh pure syrup.

Enjoy sampling and the opportunity to purchase this fresh product to take home as a tasty reminder of this sweet day in the country.

Trash Or Cash? Antique Appraisal Clinic
(Verbal Appraisals are $15)

  • When: March 8, 2008 from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

  • Location: Wood County Historical Center & Museum at 13660 County Home Road, Bowling Green, Ohio

  • Phone: 419-352-0967

Dust off your antiques and collectibles and bring them to the museum for our 4th annual appraisal clinic. Professional appraisers will be on site to give you a verbal appraisal. General Public - $15, Limit 2 items per person Wood County Historical Society members - $10, Limit 2 items per person Free Parking. Self-guided museum tours. The Museum is conveniently located 1/2-mile from I-75, exit 179. Turn East on Rt. 6 towards Fremont, then right at County Home Road.

Chocolate Extravaganza

(Admission: $10)  

  • When: March 14, 2008

  • Location: Deluca's Place in the Park in Lorain, Ohio

  • Phone: 440-324-2929

Join hundreds of chocolate lovers for a day of fun including an Oreo stacking contest. Oh, and have some chocolate while you’re at it.

Dublin, Ohio St. Patrick’s Day Celebration! 
(Admission to most events is free)

  • When: Saturday, March 15, 2008

  • Location: Historic downtown Dublin, Ohio

  • Phone: 800-245-8387

Come celebrate St. Patty's Day in a city where Irish is an attitude!  Bring your clan for festivities that start with a miles-long parade. 

 

Hinckley Buzzard Sunday

(Admission is Free)  

  • When: March 16, 2008

  • Location: Hinckley, OH near Hinckley Lake off of Bellus and State Roads

  • Phone: 330-278-2066

See buzzards (turkey vultures) come home to roost in the rock cliffs and ledges in Hinckley. This annual celebration dates back to 1957 when 9,000 visitors flocked the township to see the return of the buzzards from their winter hiatus. The event includes an early bird hike; skits, songs and stories performed in tents or in fields, displays, crafts, photos, contests and additional hikes. Don’t miss this right to spring and learn about the legend that surrounds Buzzard Day and why so many buzzards and people come out in March.  

Geauga County Maple Festival
(Admission is Free)

  • When: Thursday March 27 - Sunday March 30, 2008. Thurs. Noon to 10pm, Friday & Saturday 10am to 11pm, Sunday 11am to 7pm

  • Location: Historic Chardon Square (Rt. 6 & Rt. 44) in Geauga County

  • Web: www.maplefestival.com 

Join in the fun as Geauga County celebrates the coming of spring and the years' maple syrup crop. This festival takes place on Historic Chardon Square in the heart of Geauga County. For visitors looking for fun there are all the traditional things a festival offers; rides, games, food & great entertainment. What sets this event aside is all of the Maple related activities that take place over the weekend like the crowning of the Maple Queen, the "sap" run, bucket painting, Maple candy carving, Pancake Breakfasts (with pure maple Syrup), and pancake eating competitions.

Area sugar bushes also put their syrup to the test with syrup & maple candy judging. Winning syrups are also auctioned off as part of the weekend entertainment. Food choices include Maple candy, Maple corn, and the popular Maple stirs available at the Log cabin on the square. Grand parades take place on Saturday and Sunday and showcase a lot of the community businesses and events. Check back to the website www.maplefestival.com schedules are constantly being updated as the big event approaches. Don't miss the fun!

Exhibits Come to Life During “A Night at Heritage Hall”
(Admission: Advance tickets $7 per person. Tickets available at the door $8 per person)  

  • When: March 28, 2008 from 7 PM to 10 PM and March 29 from 7 PM to 10 PM

  • Location: Heritage Hall, 169 East Church Street, Marion OH 43302.

  • Phone: Marion County Historical Society at 740-387-4255.

Marion County Historical Society presents “A Night at Heritage Hall” a fun-filled evening of self guided flashlight tours throughout Heritage Hall, a historic 1910 Federal Post Office converted into a museum by the Marion County Historical Society. 

As visitors tour by flashlight, (provided) around every corner and in the most unusual places they meet historic personalities from many different eras and walks of life. Characters may be soldiers from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWI and WWII, Native Americans, early pioneers or even current celebrities.  If one is really fortunate, the world-famous horse, Prince Imperial (dead since 1890) will share some thoughts and tales of his life with them.  Don’t miss this opportunity to experience history as never before! 

Memories Scrapbooking Expo
(Admission: $10) 

Join thousands of scrapbooking, rubber stamping, card-making and paper-crafting enthusiasts for this public event.  Shopping, classes, crop parties, prizes and more!

Southern Ohio Music Festival
 (Admission to Southern Ohio Music Festival is adults $25-$60, and children
under 16 Free with adult purchase)

  • When: March 28 - 29, 2008

  • Location: Roberts Convention Centre, 123 Gano Rd. Wilmington Ohio 45177

  • Phone: 937-372-5804

Bluegrass and acoustic music have outsold and outgrown all other American music forms in the past decade and Ohio has always been a home to many great outdoor music vents.  However, this event is the area's only indoor Bluegrass festival.  The talent line-up features the IBBA (International Bluegrass Music Assoc.) best in awards.  This spring’s festival will feature: Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, a Country Gentlemen Reunion, Blue Ridge, Cherryholmes, the Grascals, David Parmley and Continental Divide, Eddie and Martha Adcock w/ Tom Gray and Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers.

Dresden Pajama Party 

  • March 29, 2008 from 9am – Noon

  • Location: Dresden, Ohio

  • Phone: 800-315-1809

Some people will do anything to save money! This wacky event offers steep discounts to those wearing pajamas or robes with slippers. In addition to discounts offered in the stores, alarm clocks will be hidden and when a clock rings, the first one to find it will win a door prize. The best-dressed contest is at 8:30 a.m. before the bizarre shopping begins.

Elvis Presley the "Original" American Idol and the Fabulous Fifties and Sixties exhibits (Admission is $3 adults, $2 seniors, $1 children 6 and up)

  • When: Saturdays and Sundays 1-4 PM,  November, December,  March and April and by appointment only in January and February

  • Location: Heritage Hall Museum, 169 East Church Street, Marion Ohio 43302

  • Phone: 740-387-4255

  • Web address: www.marionhistory.com  

Visit the Marion County Historical Society museum Heritage Hall and tour the  “Elvis – the Original American Idol” and “The Fabulous 50’s & 60’s” exhibits.  Featured is a large collection of Elvis memorabilia on loan to the Historical Society from the collection of Jon Daly a local collector and president of the Elvis Memories Loop Fan Club as well as a nostalgic trip down memory lane into the  world of soda pop, early TV, record albums, Howdy Doody and aluminum tumblers!    Tours of the Wyandot Popcorn Museum and the Marion County Historical Society's Warren G. Harding collection are also included with admission to Heritage Hall. 

 

Click here for additional festivals and events throughout Ohio

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Introducing
 SPOT-THE-ROCK

Also see "cover" story and video, "Spot Has The Wright Stuff"

Spot-the-Rock, Ohio's most unique tour guide, is traveling the state throughout 2008 in a wild game of hide-and-go-seek. ...But he needs your help!

Each adventure involves a little give and take. Spot-The-Rock leads you to a favorite Ohio attraction and in return, you give Spot-The-Rock a lift to his next Ohio attraction. Along the way, tell us about your journey, send pics or even video documenting the humor, etc.

If you are visiting a Spot-The-Rock site with the intent to move him, be sure to call the site to make sure he is still there, have them hold him until you arrive and e-mail us so we can post that he's in transit to the next attraction. When he arrives at the next attraction, notify us so we can publish an article about the site and post where to spot-the-rock now.  

Wherever you take or leave Spot-The-Rock, make sure it is with the knowledge and permission of the attraction's owner or management.  

Note: Spot has plenty of toys to give away for helping him. We just ask that if you take anything from Spot's suitcase, you also give something in return so that there's always a little something like fast-food kids' meal toys for everyone that participates. 

Click here for Spot's last known location and other details about the program. 

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March Events

A Taste of Our Favorite Ohio

Ecotourist Stops Are Paradise

African-American Quilts

Hidden Connections

Comic Relief Makes History

Experiential Tourism

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens

They'll Even Leave the Light On

Most Watched Videos

Spot-The-Rock Across Ohio

Main Travel Directory

Editor-In-Chief: Frank R. Satullo

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A Taste of Our
Favorite Ohio

Having explored Ohio for years covering the roads less traveled, I get hungry. Any road warrior knows that discovering something mm-mmm good is a big part of the tourism experience. In this space, each month, I'll add a taste of our favorite Ohio.

If you ever travel between Cincinnati and Dayton on I-75 or Columbus to Cincinnati on I-71, dart off the road on Route 63 and make a stop in Lebanon, Ohio for a bite at Village Ice Cream Parlor & Restaurant.

As you stroll into town, you’ll notice quaint antique shops, Ohio’s oldest continuous running inn – Golden Lamb, and a scenic railway among other treats. The downtown area is great to get out and walk around before or after your stop to eat. You can pull right up to the curb and park. The sidewalks are very wide stretch throughout downtown's main streets and side streets.

You won’t miss the entrance to Village Ice Cream Parlor & Restaurant. It is in the heart of the small-town downtown at 22 S. Broadway. The sidewalk is shadowed by the enormous red and white striped awning with blue trim and lettering above the old-time eatery. A grand picture window set in brick is next to the double doorway. Above the awning are a couple more windows with black shutters contrasted against white siding.

As you enter there are gumball machines and huge pictures of Hollywood Movies that were filmed there such as Harper Valley P.T.A. and Milk Money. One of the most famous natives of Lebanon was actor Woody Harrelson. The wall of fame also recognizes Woody's boyhood attempt to get to the center of a tootsie roll tootsie pop while living in this quiet Southwest Ohio town.

Inside the eatery are parlor tables and chairs, a long ice cream bar, and the charm that’ll knock you all the way to yesteryear. From the floor to the walls  to the décor, they nailed nostalgia down and it isn't going anywhere. Have a seat and bask in the eatery time forgot.

Back in the 60s, a group of men reminisced about their teen years and the old soda fountains around town. Needing a place to meet and wanting an atmosphere to relax, they formed a business group to recapture their youth by recreating an old fashioned soda fountain and paying homage to the history of their beloved town. The Village Ice Cream Parlor was opened July 4, 1969. Ever since, it is not uncommon to see crowds of tourists, shoppers, locals and – every now and then –  even a celebrity waltz through the double doors off Broadway.

Although the parlor is known for many delicious dishes and of course their ice cream, I declare that they have the best darn tuna melt in Ohio! And it goes down easy with a Cherry-Coke, perhaps one of the best phosphates around.

The Village Ice Cream Parlor & Restaurant is located at 22 S. Broadway (SR-42) in Lebanon, Ohio. Phone: 513-932-6918. It is open from 11am – 8pm (7pm in Jan & Feb).

By the taste buds of Frank R. Satullo, the OhioTraveler

If you have a favorite eatery, please contact us so we can give it our taste test. 

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THEY’LL EVEN
LEAVE THE LIGHT
ON FOR YOU 

Now that we’re through most of winter and have experienced jaw-dropping electric bills, it may make sense to pay homage to the man responsible. 

What would we do without the light bulb? Worth the expense is a trip to Milan, Ohio to visit Thomas Edison’s birthplace. The historic home is now named Edison Birthplace Museum. One of the world’s greatest inventors was born in a three-story brick house in northern Ohio on February 11, 1847. Thomas Edison was the youngest of seven children. He went on to register 1,093 patents over the course of his lifetime.  

The house was built by Thomas Alva Edison’s father and is now restored and offering tours. Believe it or not, the tour guides at Edison’s Birthplace Museum are none other than his great-great-great grandnieces. Many of the homes furnishings are actual pieces from the Edison family.  

Display cases feature Edison inventions such as a phonograph, talking doll and stock ticker. There are also many family photographs. Other rare Edison items include documents and family mementos. 

Thomas Edison’s inventions began with the electrical vote recorder in 1868 and spanned about 60 years to the late 1920s when he tested plants for rubber content. Along the way he gained notoriety for producing the world’s first incandescent light, automatic telegraph system, electric pen, and electric safety miner’s lamp among many other inventions. Edison’s studio even produced the first western, The Great Train Robbery, in 1904, after he invented the motion picture camera.  

Edison’s great Grandfather, John Edison, settled in near West Orange, New Jersey during the Colonial Era of the 1730s. About 160 years later the inventor would own property and live in the area as well. John Edison remained loyal to the Crown and eventually had to flee to Canada to avoid imprisonment after the Revolutionary War. Thomas Edison’s grandfather, Captain Samuel Edison, served the British in the War of 1812.  

Thomas A. Edison’s father, named Samuel after his grandfather, married a school teacher named Nancy Elliott. Samuel Edison (the younger) was involved with the failed Papineau-MacKenzie Rebellion (Canada’s version of the American Revolution that was crushed) and was forced to flee from Canada to the United States until he settled in Milan, Ohio around 1840.  

Records indicate Thomas Edison’s mother, Nancy Elliott Edison, purchased the land where the current house is in 1841. Samuel began building the home that same year. Their seventh child, Thomas Alva Edison was born in that house on February 11, 1847. They lived there until 1854 when they moved to Port Huron, Michigan. It wasn’t until 1894 that the homeowners would again be named Edison. For that is when Thomas Edison’s sister, Marion Edison Page, became occupant and owner. And in 1906, Thomas A. Edison himself became owner of his birthplace.  

It is said that he last visited the home in 1923 and to his surprise, it was lit by candles! 

Thomas Edison’s wife, Mina Miller Edison, turned the home into a memorial and museum in tribute of her husband after he had passed in West Orange, New Jersey on October 18, 1931 when he was 84 years old and still working as an inventor.  

Today, the house is restored to its 19th Century appearance.  

Edison Birthplace Museum is open in March from 1pm – 4pm Wednesday through Sunday. Hours and days vary throughout the rest of the year. Admission is $6/adult, $5/senior, and $3 for kids 6-12 years old. The historic home and museum is located at 9 Edison Drive in Milan, Ohio (near Exit 118 of the Ohio Turnpike). To gain more information or to schedule a guided tour, call 419-499-2135.  

by Frank R. Satullo

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African-American Women
Quilt Exhibition
La