Garnet C. Brown

After living in the Dayton area for over a year and a half, I was not surprised to find a collection about another person who was an engineer for planes and automobiles. Garnet C. Brown, a Springfield native, is credited with helping create the Army’s first electric bomb rack and designed the motor for synchronized firing through propeller blades. Without attending college, Brown acquired his engineering skills by working in a machine shop. Brown went on to work for well-known manufacturing companies such as Dayton Electrical, Packard Motor Car, Willys-Overland Company, and Bohn Aluminum and Brass Corp to name a few. Born in 1881, Brown had the advantage of being around for the creation of not just airplanes, but cars as well, making a perfect playground for an engineering mind!

            Flipping through his collection in the archives, it’s clear his passion extended to other things such as firearms, and military artillery. Correspondence between fellow firearm aficionados shows great interest in adding to his collection of rare rifles and shotguns. Along with being a pioneering engineer, Brown is also considered an inventor. Helping to develop the widely used Twin-Six engine in 1915, electric bomb rack in 1918, and upgraded wheels and fluid pumps for aircrafts.

            Between a few letters and blueprints, was a short story of sorts which discussed the issues with the first automobiles. Brown addresses many insights which I’m sure many would never consider. For one, with cars came mechanics. An entirely new trade and he mentions that people in the early years of cars were going to their own mechanic to find a cheaper solution to their issues. Not much has changed in roughly 100 years. Whether or not this short informative story was intended to be published in a book or pamphlet was unclear. But it does point out the slightly comical issues car owners had during their time. Breaks used to be made by using leather, and with time that leather began to erode as vehicles became faster and faster. Believe it or not, since these breaks were not foolproof, it was likely that your car would roll away from you. Yet, if you were using the newest and state of the art hand breaks, not only would your car stay in place, but it would also tear up the road!

            This first-hand account of car troubles from the first years of the 1900s is an excellent view of the issues of new inventions. Most of us probably look at old Model T cars and never really think about the problems they had, or what crazy ideas people had to fix them. Using leather in breaks?! It might sound crazy today, but probably not that crazy compared to a gas-powered vehicle still in its infancy. Many of us take for granted the hard work and engineering which has gone into our current day cars, and documents such as this allow us to take a step back and realize that our car troubles are not so severe.

Erix Infante

Sources:

MS – 82: Garnet C. Brown Papers
Box 3 File 1 & 2

Argonne Forest

While going on a fall hike, my friends and I decided to meet up somewhere new. We had never been to Possum Creek Metropark, a Five Rivers Metropark a few miles southwest of Dayton. When we arrived we decided to take the purple trail, and we began our hike. About halfway down the trail we started noticing rusty pieces of metal everywhere that looked like tracks and pieces of old cars. Curious, we started to explore the mysterious heaps of metal, where we met some other adventurous hikers who told us we were walking through the remains of an abandoned amusement park. It turns out part of the current Possum Creek Metropark used to be home to the now abandoned Argonne Forest Amusement Park.

Remains of the Argonne Forest Amusement Park

Argonne Forest Amusement Park was founded in 1920's by Null Hodapp, and reached it's popularity during that time. Daytonians could visit the park to go swimming, go kart racing, or see the carnival. The park also had a dance hall and baseball diamond. Park goers could even rent canoes and ponys to ride around. Hodapp also bought four retired streetcars from the city of Dayton and placed them around Argonne Forest, and rented them out as campsites for $12 a month.

Argonne Forest swimming pool and baseball field during the 1920's
Photo courtesy of the Dayton Daily News

When the Great Depression hit, the park suffered and business began to slow. The park was able to pull through the tough financial times though, and continued operation into the 1940's, when the wartime demands of WWII eventually forced its closure and abandonment. When Five Rivers Metroparks acquired the property they decided to leave the abandoned rides and structures to show how land was used before modern conservation efforts.

- Krista Dunkman

Sources:

http://www.mydaytondailynews.com/news/amusement-parks-that-fell-the-wayside-nostalgic-sites-southwest-ohio/1EnJWHISOIP7f9lXuGJC3I/

http://www.mydaytondailynews.com/news/dayton-summer-thrills-amusement-parks-where-the-city-went-for-adventure/R2KDtwRtloEkNrh5yJPXTK/

https://www.metroparks.org/places-to-go/possum-creek/

Dayton Was Not Impressed

When my dad was growing up in Northridge, OH in the 1970's, he was a huge Doobie Brothers fan. He always tells the story about the time he went to go see them in concert and the crowd booed the opening band off stage, which just so happened to be Journey. I always thought this just proved how old my dad was that he couldn't appreciate Journey, but it turns out music fans in Dayton have a history of being unimpressed with famous musicians. Only a decade earlier, the Rolling Stones came to Hara Arena to play their first show in Dayton in  November of 1964. The famous band that would eventually  transform the cultural and musical landscape of the entire world was just starting to make a name for themselves in the U.S. in late 1964, and the country was showering them with television appearances and critical acclaim. It seemed like the Rolling Stones were quickly becoming the most popular band everywhere they went. Everywhere except for Dayton. Although an intense marketing package heralded the Stones as the best band since the Beatles, they sold less than 1,000 of the available 6,000 tickets to their Dayton show, and not even all those who bought tickets bothered to show up.

Hara Arena on Nov. 14th, 1964, the night of the Rolling Stones concert
Photo courtesy of the Dayton Daily News

The crowd look more like the size of the audience at a high school band concert than that of a rock concert, however the lack in turnout could have been made up for by an amazing show. Unfortunately, the consensus among the concert goers was the the Rolling Stones concert was a dud. They only stayed on stage for about 30 minutes, and performed a mere 8 songs. 

Absolutely no one paying attention to
the Rolling Stones concert at Hara Arena in 1964
Photo Courtesy of the Dayton Daily News

The review in the Dayton Daily News the next day, written by Gee Mitchell, was absolutely brutal. Mitchell used quotes when referring to Mick Jagger as a "vocalist", suggested that the band looked like homeless men who were picked up on the way to the concert, and questioned England's taste if they truly believed the Rolling Stones were second only to the Beatles. Perhaps the audience that night really did experience a terrible concert, but it has since turned into a somewhat prideful narrative about how the people of Dayton are unimpressed with the rich and famous.

- Krista Dunkman

Sources:

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/the-night-the-rolling-stones-bombed-dayton/mWFqXkoT2YFk8R7F1o6niO/

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/when-the-rolling-stones-bombed-dayton/8S9ELVAz47XGi1d1jrDUnL/

So Easy A Child Could Be Seriously Injured While Doing It

All Harry Frahn and Morris Rice wanted to do was make things easier for the citizens of Osborn, and make money while doing it. They had the perfect plan. If Osborn had to move to make way for the new dam, why not buy all the property, move it themselves, and then resell it? The residents of Osborn wouldn’t have to worry about moving their property, they would be so thankful! Frahn and Rice gathered seven other Osborn businessmen and set to work as the Osborn Removal Company in March of 1920. Moving an entire city couldn’t be that hard, right? Surely not everyone in Osborn would actually want to keep the same house they owned before. Only a handful would, and Frahn and Rice could then profit from the resell of the other houses. Their plan was foolproof!

But then almost everyone in Osborn wanted to stay. Frahn and Rice could still make this work. So they had to resell most of the properties to their original owners and couldn’t make as large of a profit had they been able to solicit outside buyers, big deal. They could still solicit outside buyers for a few of the properties, new businesses would be dying to come to a place as fine as Osborn. Well, maybe not dying, but why were these potential owners being so needy? WM. Snyder expressed interest in moving his hardware store to Osborn from Cleveland, but then he had the gall to suggest that his “first class” reputation might be sullied if the citizens of Osborn couldn’t meet his high standards. As if Cleveland is the pinnacle of high society! Why did Snyder and the others need so much convincing? 

Greeting card featuring the beautiful landscape of Osborn

Even the citizens of Osborn were creating a fuss. Didn’t they realize that Frahn and Rice were trying to help them? Of course they were going to have to pay a little extra money when they rebought their own homes, entire houses were being dismantled and moved miles away! Obviously the company couldn’t guarantee the houses would be undamaged when they arrived at their new location, it’s not like they were a professional moving company. Well, technically yes, they were but they had never done this before, why couldn’t anyone cut them some slack?

And then there was that awful business with Henry Seifer. The Osborn Removal Company was providing work for hundreds of locals, all they had to do was tear down the houses and rebuild them, it’s not like that took any special skill set. Why couldn’t 17 year old Seifer do the job correctly? He said he passed 9^th grade, he should have been completely qualified to demolish a house and rebuild it without supervision. Was the Osborn Removal Company actually expected to train him to tear down a 30 ft. high brick wall? All the other workers could do it just fine, Seifer must just have been a little dim. When he saw the wall start to fall why couldn’t he have just moved? And then he had the nerve to sue! The kid was making more money than he had in his life, why couldn’t he have been happy with that and moved on after the injury? He somehow convinced the judge the Osborn Removal Company was at fault, and they had to pay him $280 per week for the next six months. So what if Henry Seifer couldn’t use his left arm and leg, what’s truly shocking is that no one seemed to appreciate the hard work of the Osborn Removal Company.

- Krista Dunkman

Sources:

[Creation of Osborn Removal Company, 1920-1921, Box #7, Folder #19], MS-77, Osborn Removal Company Records, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.

[Letter from WM. J. Snyder to the Osborn Removal Company, March 26^th, 1920, Box #9, Folder #8], MS-77, Osborn Removal Company Records, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.

[Henry Seifer Injury Case: Case Documents, 1925-1926, Box #9, Folder #1], MS-77, Osborn Removal Company Records, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.

Before Opening Night

The lights dim. The lingering bits of chatter fade away. The curtain looms ahead. We sit silently with growing anticipation, waiting for the curtain to reveal the glorious spectacle. Backstage, the dancers breathe slowly to calm their nerves. They feel that great feeling of both fear and excitement. The orchestra sits patiently in the pit, their instruments at the ready. Everyone in the theater waits. Tension builds and will only be released by removing the velvet wall that separates reality from fantasy. Sitting in the audience before the show begins, I think about what led to this moment. Fortunately, one of the dancers, Josephine Schwarz, answered my query.

The year is 1934. It is still warm outside as summer forges ahead into August. Boston welcomes the School of American Ballet who traveled from New York to perform. It appears they brought the whole school with them. Besides the dancers there are musicians, designers, and costumers getting everything ready for the show. Even more file into the theatre including, a shoe man, wig man, and hat lady. All these people make the show possible, but sometimes the audience forgets those who are not seen on stage.

The excitement is already building as the students prepare for opening night. Being in a different city and on a different stage requires hours upon hours of work, with only two days to rehearse here in Shubert Theatre. Shortly after arriving they were in rehearsal for three and a half hours, took a short hour and half break, and then back in the theatre for another two and a half hours. That night one of the dancers did not go to bed until one o’clock in the morning. It seems as if those dancers live in that theater; they spend fifteen hours a day there.

Josephine Schwarz 1938

Waiting in the audience, we do not see the sweat, pain, and work that go into a rehearsal. We only see the finished product. It always seems so effortless on stage, and frankly, we do not want to know that yesterday’s rehearsal was a disaster. It is probably better if the audience remains ignorant of such things. Well, it would be disconcerting to hear one of the ballerinas say that they were not ready for the performance, and everything was a complete mess. It is understandable when they have not even practiced in their new costumes yet with the performance less than seventy-two hours away.

Rehearsing is all they do in order to give their best performance. But sometimes it can be a struggle. With the small stage, bothersome wigs, and posts and pillars in odd places, who wouldn’t be worried about opening night? The show is expected to be brilliant and have a long run, but one student has her doubts. She is even hoping for an act from God such as a tidal wave, hurricane, or earthquake to prevent the curtain from opening. No matter how chaotic the rehearsals, the show will go on.

Opening night is the most exciting of all performances. Unfortunately, one dancer confided in me that, “things seem to be getting worse as far as our numbers are concerned & we wonder why in God’s name we ever opened or why we ever wanted to be in the show any way.” As a spectator, I cannot imagine the pain of feeling this way. After all their hard work and hours of rehearsal, it must be difficult to give a performance that they deem unacceptable. But how can the dancers do their best when changes are constantly being made? The pillars have changed position, and two of the numbers have been taken out and then put back in again. After so many changes, anyone would have a difficult time trying to remember them all.

Miss Schwarz and the rest of the crew stayed in Boston for three weeks before returning to New York. After spending most of her time at the theatre and the Charlotte Cushman Club, where she stayed, Miss Schwarz regretted not being able to see more of Boston. But it was a relief to be back in the Big Apple, where she continued her lessons. The moment before a show is thrilling, and everything before it can be just as exciting, although sometimes, it can also be messy.

By Julie Hale

Sources:

Josephine Schwarz, letter, July 31, 1934, MS-218, Josephine Schwarz Papers, Special
       Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.
Josephine Schwarz, letter, August 4, 1934, MS-218, Josephine Schwarz Papers, Special
       Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.
Josephine Schwarz to Family, August 7, 1934, MS-218, Josephine Schwarz Papers, Special
       Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.
Josephine Schwarz to Hermene and Hannah Schwarz and Claudia, August 10, 1934, MS-218,
Josephine Schwarz Papers, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State
       University, Dayton, Ohio.
Josephine Schwarz, letter, August 1934, MS-218, Josephine Schwarz Papers, Special Collections
       and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.

Photo: MS-218, Josephine Schwarz Papers, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries,
       Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.

A Look Into The Past

Last weekend I interviewed my grandmother to investigate what her life was like during World War II. She was excited to share stories of her early childhood and what it was like living in a house of seven people during a time when the United States when families survived on rations. My grandmother, born Lillian Botma, was seven years old when the US entered WWII. She lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan with her parents, two older sisters and her paternal parents from the Netherlands. In the back of their small house was a garden and a flock of pet ducks. Lillian's maternal grandparents from Holland lived in the house right behind theirs. Despite both sets of grandparents being Dutch, the grandparents found they had a language barrier and were unable to clearly communicate. In order to get by, they spoke broken English. The families took care of each other's well being, making sure all of their needs were met.

Lillian remembers eating fresh vegetables from their garden. She says meals always consisted of a meat source, mashed potatoes, and a vegetable. Most of the food was provided from what they could grow in their garden and what items could be obtained with rations. Meals were often cooked by her grandmother. The family of seven never seemed to go without when so many families struggled to feed mouths. She thinks the family did so well during the war due to her grandparents helping out with meals and supplying extra income for the household. Despite stories I have heard about the hardships many families faced during this time, my grandmother's interview is a reminder that not all families' diets were affected or drastically changed by the war. 

Source:

Lillian Curtis interviewed by Emily Reth, South Bend, IN, November 25, 2017

Emily Reth

New Meaning for the East Race

The St. Joseph River runs through the city of South Bend, Indiana.The river provided power to companies such as the Studebaker and Oliver Chilled Plow factories, whose industries were vital to the prosperity of South Bend.  The flowing water also provided power to saw mills near the downtown area. The river was crucial to keep production running.

What was once a means to increase industry, now serves as a means of recreation. In a post- industrial era, the city has used parts of the river to bring in tourism and commerce. During the Civil War, channels of the river were filled in to allow land to level. Soil was removed in 1973 to create the East Race was renovating the once prized channel along the east banks.

The 2,000 feet of raceway was made possible through tax payer funds. Today the raceway serves as a place for locals to kayak down the river, but also serves as a training course for Olympic whitewater kayakers. Since the opening of the East Race in 1984, shops, restaurants, and apartments have been built around the East Race due to the many visitors that walk along river pathways.

Sources:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/east-race-waterway
https://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/keynews/localeconomy/east-race-waterway-celebrates-years/article_553a15b8-f0b4-11e2-a654-001a4bcf6878.html
https://visitsouthbend.com/white-water-rafting-in-downtown-south-bend/

Emily Reth

The Barker Mansion

After I graduated college, I worked at a house museum in Michigan City, Indiana. This house museum was nothing like I had ever seen before. The mansion had a story to tell and I had the opportunity of uncovering it with interns and other staff members. The house was built by industrialist John Barker in 1857. As an entrepreneur, Barker sought several new industries, but the one that became the most successful was the car company. 

The company Haskell & Barker really took off making freight cars that carried supplies during the Civil War. The company was left to his son, John H. Barker,who really expanded and invest in what his father started. Barker envisioned his home town to reach the economic prosperity of Chicago.  Employing most of the cities new Polish and German immigrants, the factory was a key part in putting Michigan City on the map.

 

 As the company becomes more successful, Barker builds a 17-room addition to his father's house which was completed in 1905. Designed by Fredrick Perkins, the mansion including the addition now encompassed 38 rooms, 10 bathrooms, 7 fire places, Italian style gardens, state of the art in house vacuum system, and intercoms. 

John Barker died in 1910, his only daughter was 14 at the time. The car company was purchased by Pullman Standard in the 1920's and later burned during 1973.

Today the staff tell the mansion's many stories and how they relate to the car factory through specialty tours, scout sleep overs, and lectures. If you are in the neighborhood an are curious about the factory or perhaps about what the Barkers' home life was like, take a tour and explore the rich history found in Michigan City.

Sources:

http://www.barkermansion.com/mansion/history

http://www.indianaeconomicdigest.net/main.asp?SectionID=31&SubSectionID=62&ArticleID=32934 

Emily Reth

Old Factory, New Beginning

Looking for new office space with a historic feel? When renovations are complete, look no further than the old Studebaker factory! Designer Adrian Smith has a goal of encompassing the city's past as he looks to the future enterprise and economy the city will bring in.

The Studebaker company was one of the only firms to successfully make the transition from wagon production to automobiles. Production empowered the local economy and employed people from nearby cities. 

The Studebaker factory was not bailed out by the government and consequently shut down production in 1963. The factory lay vacant for a number of years and had extensive damage until it served as a storage warehouse for large boats. Renovation of the factory has been a bumpy road  

The city of South Bend is contributing around $7.9 million towards the renovation project which is estimated to exceed $17.5 million. The new office space will include condos, a green roof patio, and an early childhood center. In an effort to save a part of the city's history, the old factory will give fulfill a new purpose in developing the city's future.

Sources:

https://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/renovation-of-old-studebaker-plant-under-way-in-south-bend/article_e494617a-6017-54de-91bb-862e8f7c3fd4.html

Emily Reth

A Fancy Stay

One of the lead industries in the South Bend area was the plow business. JD Oliver created a company selling farming equipment throughout the United States and quickly exported their goods to Europe. The Oliver factory provided jobs to families throughout the city, but also brought in international business guests inquiring about the revolutionary plows.

Seeing the need to accommodate the growing number of visitors, Oliver invested in building a lavish hotel on Washington and Main Streets.Design firm Shepley, Rutan,& Coolidge designed the interior in an Italian Renaissance style and was decorated by the Marshall Field & Co from Chicago. The grand opening of South Bend's first luxury hotel was December 20, 1899. The extravagant feel and elegant dining made the Oliver Hotel one of the fanciest places to stay in Indiana.


                    

The former hotel and restaurant was demolished in 1967 and in it's place stands the Chase Tower building. The Oliver Hotel was a faint reminder of what industrialization brought to the city and how South Bend continued to make room for new growth.

Sources:

https://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/history/throwback-thursday-looking-back-at-the-oliver-hotel/article_3297ff10-c9ed-11e5-b661-83c3231ccbbd.html

http://historymuseumsb.org/oliver-building-projects-2/

Emily Reth

The Mysterious Case of Ron Tammen

Ron Tammen was a normal college sophomore in the spring of 1953. He was on the Miami University wresting team, played in the campus jazz band, was in ROTC, and was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He was popular, attractive, and very involved with campus life. He was all of those things until April 19th, 1953, when he vanished into the unusually cold spring night. Ron Tammen was studying in his dorm room in Fisher Hall around 8:30 that evening when he went to see the dorm mother to get new sheets, due to a fellow resident placing a fish in his bed. She saw him return to his room, however when his roommate, Dayton native Charles Findlay, returned later that night Tammen wasn't there. Charles walked in the room to find the radio and lights were on, Tammen's psychology book was open, and his keys and wallet were on his bed. It was if Tammen had stepped out for a moment and would return shortly. Ron Tammen, however, was never seen again.

Ron Tammen,, Jr.
Photo courtesy of the Ohio Attorney General

Theories abound concerning Ron Tammen's mysterious disappearance, however there are three main ideas about what happened to him. Some believe he suffered a spontaneous bout of amnesia and simply forgot who and where he was and just walked away. Others think he met with foul play. The fish in his bed was most likely a fraternity prank, and some of the former residents of Fisher Hall believe his fraternity was somehow involved. An extensive search of the woods around Oxford revealed nothing though, and there were no signs of a struggle. The most plausible theory centers around the military. The draft for the Korean War was still ongoing, and Tammen could have planned to run away to avoid getting drafted, although this us unlikely considering he was part of the ROTC program. Tammen could also have disappeared because he joined the military. Two weeks before he disappeared, Tammen went to the Butler County Coroner's office to get a blood test. The FBI and CIA were actively recruiting on college campuses during this time, and Tammen came from an extremely wealthy and patriotic family, which may have given him a leg up for a job. The police and Tammen's family members believe that whatever happened to him, he planned to leave that night, and they also believe he is still alive.

Fisher Hall, courtesy of  Miami University

Despite their belief in his survival and no proof of his actual death, Ron Tammen has become the most well known ghost story at Miami University. Although Fisher Hall was torn down a short time after Tammen's disappearance, The Marcum Conference Center stands in its place and is supposedly haunted by his ghost. As an undergrad at Miami, we were warned not to walk around Marcum alone at night, not for the practical dangers of walking in the dark woods alone, but because we might disappear into the woods as Ron Tammen did. His story remains alive through creative classroom lectures and occasional appearances on the front page of the student newspaper. In the case of Ron Tammen, his history is interesting not because of what we know, but because of what we don't. The lack of definitive truth is the very thing that makes us want to keep digging into his story, which has caused Ron Tammen to be remembered far longer than if we had all the pieces to his tale.

- Krista Dunkman

Sources:

http://miamistudent.net/trail-to-the-truth-the-ron-tammen-mystery-58-years-later/

https://www.miamialum.org/s/916/16/interior.aspx?sid=916&gid=1&pgid=417

http://miamistudent.net/cold-case-miami-alumna-resurrects-mystery-man/

The West Side Market

Have you ever had a craving for freshly made apple fritters and authentic perogies? But, what if you also needed to pick up some oxtail for the stew you were making later that night? Well, you’re in luck; the West Side Market is your one-stop shop!

Built-in 1912, located in the neighborhood of Ohio City Cleveland, the West Side Market has been the number one stop for tourists and locals for their fresh food needs. With over one hundred vendors, most of whom have been selling food in the same location since its inception, it’s close to impossible to walk out of there and not find the food or ingredient you were looking for.

The building was built in the neo-classical/Byzantine architecture style by local architects W. Dominick Benes and Benjamin Hubbell and can be seen from miles away. Inside the market, you can find original tiles depicting animals and vegetables within the 44-foot-high vaulted ceilings.

Not only is this market a well-known attraction for visitors of northeast Ohio, but The Travel Channel and Food Network have filmed a few episodes inside showing the sheer number of vendors. If you take a quick walk outside into an adjacent building, more stalls are selling fresh fruit, vegetables, and flowers. All of which is brought in daily in the early hours of the morning. Another perk of shopping at the market is that most of their produce and meat are sold at drastically lower prices compared to grocery stores.

On December 18, 1973, the West Side Market was added to the National Register of Historic Places, along with being voted “Americas Best Food Lovers’ Market” by Food Network Magazine in 2010. Thankfully, restorations during the 1980s, and the early 2000s helped make sure the West Side Market would continue to feed northeast Ohio for years to come.

Erix Infante

Sources:

 http://westsidemarket.org/about/market-history/

https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/67

The Sandstone Center of the World!

For most Lorain County natives, you see it everywhere. It’s in the sidewalks, the old buildings uptown Amherst, and occasionally outside of people’s homes. If you still don’t notice it after taking a stroll through any neighborhood in Amherst, you certainly can’t miss the massive sandstone grindstone with a plaque stating “Amherst – the sandstone center of the world.”

Sandstone, the natural rock formation which put Amherst on the map. Back in 1811, Jacob Shupe built a log cabin in what is now Amherst, Ohio and began cutting down timber and establishing quarries. Much of Amherst and South Amherst’s economic success during the 19^th and 20^th century was due to the large deposits of sandstone under the city. It was not until 1847 that quarrying became the largest employer in the area. Due to this economic boom, the population of Amherst grew from 552 in 1830 to 2,482 by 1870. In 1924 the Cleveland Quarries Company bought out much of the smaller competition and continued to own much of the quarries to this day.

Even though you may not have a connection to Amherst, it's possible you have a product of it in your home. By the 1950s the local sandstone was being used in lining steel furnaces, and the Cleveland Quarries Company provided three-fourths of the nations steel manufacturers with their sandstone.

Today, the locals of Amherst use the quarries in a completely different way. Over the years of inactive use, the quarries have filled with water and have provided many with a summer swimming location. Not only do locals use them for a summer fun, but the county uses them for training police officers in scuba diving. Being located so close to Lake Erie, the quarries make for the safe training ground.

Whether you are a police officer, a young child, or still around from working in the quarries, everyone knows that Amherst is where the world purchased their sandstone.

Erix Infante

Sources:

https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/258

http://www.amhersthistoricalsociety.org/

Mirror Lake

Tucked between a few buildings on the South Oval of Ohio State’s campus, is a lake (pond) which turns into a wonderful event every year around the Ohio State vs. Michigan game. Mirror Lake Jump!

Before the creation of Ohio State University, a spring fed pond provided William Neil, a well-known Columbus entrepreneur, with fresh drinking water. The land was later purchased by Ohio State, but the spring, unfortunately, dried up during when construction in the area blocked the source of water. The school then created a pond in the same vicinity as the original, and Mirror Lake has been around ever since.

As tradition goes, every Tuesday before the OSU vs. Mich game, students will run over to the lake and jump in. Since 1918, the two teams have played each other at the end of November, making for some chilly water at Mirror Lake. Now, you might be asking yourself why do students jump into the freezing water by choice? It has been said that if students jump into Mirror Lake before the great rivalry, the spirit of Woody Hayes will help the Buckeyes to beat the Wolverines.

Rumors around campus will tell you that students have been jumping into the lake since the mid-60s, many years before the death of the great OSU football coach Woody Hayes. Leading most to agree that students jumping into the lake will find any reason to do so. The most commonly known and accepted starting year for the jump was 1990 when the athletic director, Jim Jones led a group of students down to the lake.

                                       

Thousands of students show up to the lake, jump in the frigid water, get lost from their friends, slip and fall in the mud, and run back home to their home to take a warm shower. All for good luck that upcoming Saturday. Whether or not the myth holds true, Mirror Lake night has typically been away for Ohio State students to show their school spirit.

Go Buckeyes!

Erix Infante

Sources: 

http://www.univdistcol.com/VVMirrorLake.html

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/10/ohio_state_ending_mirror_lake.html

The Newport

If you were to walk down High St. in Columbus, Ohio, it’s hard not to bump into one of the thousands of college students making their way to class or back to their apartments. Mixed in between the coffee shops, bars, and restaurants lies a hidden gem to most people from out of town. Tucked between a Chipotle and a college bar stands one of the oldest performance halls in the United States – The Newport Music Hall.

Boasting a title of “America’s Longest Continually Running Rock Club” the theater opened in 1923 as a movie theater. For a brief period, the theater was called the State Theater. It wasn’t until 1970 when a concert hall owner named Henry LoConti turned the movie theater into one of two Agora Ballrooms. One of which is in Cleveland, Ohio. Not until 1984 was the theater called the now renowned name “The Newport.”

Hosting more than 100 shows a year, this is a popular venue for up and coming bands to the music scene. Famous bands such as Neil Young, Pearl Jam, AC/DC, and Joe Walsh have all once played within the historic building. Aside from changing the entrance of the building, much of the music hall remains the same as it did with its first show in the early 70s. The atmosphere of the hall is electric and provides both the singers and fans with an incredibly personal experience. In March of 1994 Hootie and the Blowfish was booked before they became a household name, only selling 700 tickets. Six months later, they came back to Columbus to play at the now-closed Polaris Amphitheater, selling out the venue of over 18,000 people.

For new concertgoers, or seasoned veterans, the Newport Music Hall offers the city of Columbus some of the best up and coming musicians, with the occasional big-ticket names.

Erix Infante

Sources:

https://www.thelantern.com/2008/04/history-of-newport-music-hall/

Great Lakes Brewing Company

With the holidays around the corner, people across Ohio will be venturing to see family members, most likely with a gift of alcohol in hand. For residents of Northeast Ohio, it’s very likely that the alcohol will be from Great Lakes Brewing Company.

Created in 1988 by two brothers, Patrick and Daniel Conway set out on building a microbrewery which was in the heart of the Ohio City neighborhood in Cleveland. Starting from very modest beginnings, the company is now the 28^th largest brewery in the United States. 

Upon visiting the microbrewery, one can find the obvious which is in every brewery, the brewing vats, beer taps, and stools. If you look closer, you notice the history of the building. Surrounded by mahogany wood, the visitor is transcended back to the 1860s when the bar was created. Walking downstairs to their cellar bar will solidify the old world feel of the early years of Cleveland.

Ironically, the Chief Investigator of the Prohibition Bureau for Chicago, Eliot Ness, was a frequenter of the same bar during his time as the Director of Public Safety for Cleveland. There are multiple visible bullet holes in the bar from when mobsters tried to kill Mr. Ness. It’s even believed that John D. Rockefeller worked in the same building during the founding of Standard Oil. 

Since the early 2000s when the company began to pick up a steady following of customers, it began to team up with locals in the area to spread the word of sustainability, and to be a steward for the Cleveland community. In 2007 GLBC teamed up with Hale Farm & Village to create Pint Size Farms, which produces vegetables, herbs, and flowers to be used in their restaurant. A few years later, teaming up with Ohio City Farm, to help create one of the largest urban farms in the country.

As GLBC continues to grow, their founders make sure they follow their “Triple bottom line: environmental, social and economic prosperity.”  

Cheers!

Erix Infante

Sources:

https://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/our-history

The Great Train Wreck of 1916

If one were to visit the city of Amherst, Ohio, they would probably overlook the train tracks which blend into the city’s landscape. Unlike many other towns in the area, Amherst is lucky enough to have a raised railroad which travels directly through the center of town. Since I was a child, I could remember walking to the depot to check out the trains, but hardly ever do I remember seeing a train during the day. Back in the early 1900s, Amherst was a significant stop for passengers traveling to Chicago and Cleveland.

On the early morning of March 29, 1916, the citizens of Amherst were awoken by the sounds of crashes and screams along the railroad tracks. That morning of the 29^th, a dense fog rolled in causing the eastbound train to come to a stop due to yellow flashing lights. Shortly after that, another eastbound train rain into the stopped train. Train cars were thrown on to the westbound tracks, and only a short time later did a train heading from Cleveland to Chicago run into the wreckage. 

By the morning there were 23 dead, and roughly 45 injured. The newly created Amherst hospital was still under construction, and the wounded had to travel to Elyria, 10 miles away.

Today, the land where the accident took place is owned by the Amherst Historical Society. The property has been turned into a historical village which replicates what the city looked like back in the early 1900s. Visitors to the site can tour a replica train car much like the one which was used during the crash. Inside are copies of newspapers and pictures of the fateful day. Aside from the plaque outside of the train, there is no reference to the collision throughout Amherst. Much like the train tracks, the history of the 1916 train crash is almost all but forgotten.

Erix Infante

Sources:

http://www.morningjournal.com/article/MJ/20160329/NEWS/160329523

https://sites.google.com/site/greattrainwreckof1916/home/aftermath

Belle of the Ball: The Rebirth of Dayton Distillation

In 2010, Don’s Pawn Shop at 107 E. Third St. was having some excavation done to their basement. Much to their surprise, the workers discovered a pile of broken bottles along with four intact empty bottles. One of the bottles is labeled “Belle of Dayton,” and another is labeled “Sour Mash.” Local historians were perplexed about the whiskey brand and had more questions than answers. Did a Dayton distillery mass produce these whiskey bottles, and if so, where was it located? After some local history research, it's deduced that a liquor store merchant Solomon Rauh and Sons sold whiskey from the same location. The Solomon Rauh and Sons building was destroyed during the 1913 flood and eventually went out of business during the prohibition. As for the distillery which produced the mysterious bottle of whiskey, the question is still unanswered.

Fast forward to 2014. Three Dayton natives saw these mysterious liquor bottles as a perfect way to start their distillery business. Brothers Murphy, Mike, and Tim LaSelle were enamored by the history of Dayton and wanted to incorporate it into their new business plan. With the help of the 2010 excavation, the Belle of Dayton Distillery was born. Located in the Oregon District, this relatively new business is offering its customers an opportunity to step back in time.

When I stepped into the distillery, I was surrounded by historical pictures of Dayton. The tasting room provides visitors with the historical context and feel of what it was like to be a distiller during the early 1900s.

Upon my first visit, Mike LaSelle spoke of the rich history he and his brothers wanted to evoke in their tasting room. LaSelle stated that Belle of Dayton pays homage to the once vibrant distilling industry in the Miami Valley, and hopes their new business will bring back a passion for artisan
spirits.

Erix Infante

Sources: http://www.belleofdayton.com/our-story

               http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/mystery-whiskey-bottle-belle-dayton-deepens- tale-downtown-dayton-secret-speakeasy-pawn-shop-workers-say/bqcAwXMndzZtu4ASYj62AK/

Sister- Nurses Sacrifice During the Civil War

During my visits to the St. Joseph Hospital, there is a silhouette of a wounded soldier being assisted by a nun. The silhouettes are life size, but The images are illuminated during the evening, creating an almost  The small site lies in between visitor parking lots,  but is rarely visited. The Sisters of the Holy Cross were instrumental in their efforts to provide healthcare to the citizens in South Bend, Indiana.

The Sisters aided the sick throughout the decades, founding the hospital today known as St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. Today the hospital has several locations, rehabilitation programs, and specialties serving people throughout the county. When the new hospital was built on Holy Cross Parkway, the historical marker commemorating the Sisters of the Holy Cross for their work during the Civil War.  The governor at at the time, Oliver Morton asked the congregation to send sisters to Kentucky to provide aid as nurses to the Union military.

Most of the women that answered the governor's call volunteered and were not trained as medical professionals, but spearheaded what would become the congregation's mission: providing healthcare services to the sick and ailing. This small marker pays tribute to the beginning of nursing programs around the country and a change in provided health care, all from 65 nuns responding to Governor Morton's request to serve.

Sources:

https://todayscatholic.org/historical-marker-honoring-civil-war-sister-nurses-rededicated/
https://www.in.gov/history/markers/images/7119651.jpg

Emily Reth

The Harding Museum

Driving into Franklin, OH from the west brings you down Park Avenue, a wide, grand street lined with large historic homes. All of the houses on that street are well kept private residences, except for one. Halfway down the street sits a sprawling yellow house, and if you look carefully you can see a small white sign that reads, "Harding Museum". 

That Harding Museum, photo courtesy of Jim Wise

The Colonial Revival house was originally built in 1901 by Clarence and Lilly Harding, a young, wealthy couple in Franklin. They had two sons, Forrest and Justin, before Clarence passed away. Lilly remained in the house after her husband's death to raise her sons, who both later attended West Point and served in World War II. Forrest became an army General, while Justin became an army Colonel and lawyer. Justin Harding was also a judge at the infamous Nuremberg Trials, and his bound copy of the trial transcripts is part of the museum's collection.

Justin Harding's copy of the Nuremberg Trial transcripts,
photo courtesy of Warren County

Aside from the trial transcripts, the house is also filled with General Forrest Harding's war memorabilia, as well as various Harding family antiques and artifacts from Franklin in general. The family donated the house to the Franklin Area Historical Society in 1970, and it opened as a house museum in 1972. Because the museum is only open on Saturdays on a seasonal basis, it remains one of Franklin's best kept secrets, as hardly anyone realizes it is there. Nevertheless, the museum reminds us that local history does not exist in a vacuum, but rather radiates outward to contextualize and humanize monumental global events. 

- Krista Dunkman

Sources:

http://franklinohmuseums.org/

http://www.ohioslargestplayground.com/explore/arts-culture/museums/history-museums/franklin-historical-society-harding-museum/218742

https://storiesfromtheplayground.wordpress.com/2016/06/09/a-history-of-franklin-ohio-the-city-of-murals/

The Kenley Players

If you are a Dayton area native like myself, you have probably been to Marion's Piazza once or twice (or a lot, because it's the best). While eating the most glorious pizza on the planet, you've most likely looked around and noticed the black and white photos of famous actors hanging on every wall. While it's not hard for me to imagine someone coming to Dayton just to eat Marion's, I've always wondered how the likes of Betty White, Sally Field, and Mickey Rooney came to hear of the pizza chain. It turns these stars traveled to Dayton for much more than pizza.

Photos of the famous in Marion's Piazza, courtesy of Dayton.com

When John Kenley produced his play "Worth a Million" in 1940, he intended it to go straight to Broadway. Unfortunately, the show didn't make it past the theatres of Baltimore. Unfazed by this setback, Kenley set up a summer theatre in Pennsylvania in 1947. Building on its success throughput the 1950's, The Kenley Players Theatre set up summer shows in different cities across Pennsylvania and Ohio, including Cleveland, Columbus, Akron, York, and Warren. The company eventually settled at Memorial Hall in Dayton in 1957, and became an instant hit with the local community. Kenley's method of success was cunning and simple. He would offer the leading roles in his plays to famous actors and actresses who had recently experienced slight setbacks, such as a TV show being cancelled or having a movie flop, as he rightly figured they would be more willing to accept a job in Ohio than other actors whose careers were on the upswing. He would tailor the shows to their talents, advertise their famous face all over town, and then sell tickets so that the average citizen could afford them. This creative method payed off, and Kenley sold out almost every show.

John Kenley, 1975, courtesy of W.J. Klosterman

Kenley Players Ad, courtesy of  Booksteve's Library

 























The Kenley Players Theatre remained in Dayton until 1983, where after every season the theatre would have its cast party at Marion's Piazza, the evidence of which is still on the walls of Marion's today. The Kenley Players left the city after the 1983 season due to dwindling sales to pursue success in other cities. The theatre troupe's final season was in 1995, and the Kenley Players returned to Dayton for their final production, "The Mitzi Gaynor Show". Although now long gone, the Kenley Players are often credited with the Dayton community's unusual appreciation for and production of theatre, even though few people today realize the connection. So the next time you sit down to eat the best pizza ever, consider how those black and white photos on the walls reveal more than just famous people eating pizza, but chronicle the community's journey as a hub for the theatrical arts.

- Krista Dunkman

Sources:

http://kenleyplayershistory.com/index.html

http://www.mydaytondailynews.com/business/dayton-pizza-businesses-going-strong-more-than-years-later/kXQYb9UtcwawICrGEyAGML/

One Old Mill

Clifton Mill is famous for its Christmas lights. Living down the road, I remember the traffic jams with cars lined up down every street, making it near impossible to get home. People come from out of town and even out of state to see the iconic scene, and to them it is just a tourist attraction that they came to see for a moment. Clifton Mill means something far different to the locals and is part of the town’s history.

Owen Davis built a grist mill alongside the Little Miami River the year before Ohio became a state. Several more mills emerged, and soon the village of Davis Mills reveled in prosperity. By the 1810s, Robert Patterson bought the grist mill from Davis and gave the village a new name, Cliff Town, possibly after the cliffs from the gorge. He transformed the village into a town where it grew exponentially with an increase in shops, churches, and artisans. Clifton provided support at times of war. Patterson’s woolen mill produced materials for soldiers during the War of 1812, and then fifty years later, Clifton Mill supplied cornmeal and flour to troops fighting in the Civil War. The grist mill burnt down twice and in 1869 the Armstrong Family built the building that stands today. Clifton Mill passed through the ownership of many more families and is the only mill left standing in town.

The mill is preserved and is still in operation today. The building includes a restaurant and a country store filled with antiques, while the landscape features a covered bridge and 1940s gas station. After Thanksgiving the mill is illuminated, and people come in droves to see the spectacle. Clifton Mill jump started the town and continues to be an important part of Clifton’s history. This building is special because of its past and present day contributions to the community.

By Julie Hale

Sources:

“Clifton Mill.” Accessed November 11, 2017. http://cliftonmill.com.

Krekeler, Brenda. “Clifton Mill.” Old Mills on the United States. Accessed November 11, 2017.
       http://www.oldmills.scificincinnati.com/ohio_mills_greene_clifton_page.html.

Village of Clifton. Accessed November 11, 2017. http://www.villageofclifton.com/.

Photos: “The Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill.” Clifton Mill. Accessed November 17, 2017.
       http://cliftonmill.com/christmas.htm.

Attoun, Marti. “Preserving Historic Gristmills.” American Profile. August 18, 2011.
       http://americanprofile.com/articles/preserving-historic-gristmills-video/.