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Feature Stories SEASONAL
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By Vicki Hunker
Bluebirders interested in learning more about their hobby can plan to attend an Ohio Bluebird Society day-long program March 17 or the North American Bluebird Society's annual convention in Columbus June 21-24.
OBS will host "The Basics of Bluebirding" March 17 at Big Walnut High School, Sunbury, in Delaware County.The one-day course is designed to help those who are new to bluebirding, want to improve their skills or are planning the development of a bluebird trail for the first time.
Membership in the Ohio Bluebird Society is not required. Preregistration is necessary to reserve a box lunch, which is included in the $5 fee. Walk-in registrants will be accepted.
For more information, e-mail Mary Ellen Bolt at mellen@sssnet.com or call (330) 262-0448.
When Ohio hosts "NABS 2001: A Bluebird Odyssey," Julie Zickefoose will be the featured speaker.
Zickefoose of Whipple, Ohio, is a naturalist, writer and artist who will be talking about "Personal Habitat: Creating a Haven for Wildlife" at the NABS annual banquet and awards program on June 23. She is a contributing editor to Birdwatcher's Digest magazine and her artwork has appeared in many magazines and books relating to birds and natural history.
On June 21, the convention will begin with a day of classes aimed at assisting local affiliates communicate with their members. Classes will be about "newsletters," "the county coordinator system" and "growing an affiliate organization."
The following day will be devoted to field trips to The Wilds, Dawes Arboretum and a trip about urban cavity nesters and the weekend will conclude with a guided field trip to Columbus Greenlawn Cemetery.
For more information, e-mail Doug LeVasseur at emdlev@clover.net or call (740) 685-5220; Darlene Sillick at azuretrails@columbus.rr.com or call (614) 761-3696; or Dean Sheldon at dsheldonjr@hotmail.com or call (419) 752-1451. People interested in participating also may call the Greater Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 345-4386 or call (800) BUCKEYE.
Buckeye
Hall of Fame Cafe
By Jan Hoffbauer
Dining at the Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe is more than just enjoying a meal. It's an entertaining outing -- no matter if you're visiting in conjunction with a game, a family gathering or a special day.
The cafe, at 1421 Olentangy River Road in Columbus, is in the former Jai Lai Cafe building.
"The Jai Lai Cafe was here for more than 35 years. They did extremely well with their prime rib, but on any given day patrons could find Woody Hayes there doing his work," said Jeffrey Jump, general manager since 1998.
In January 1997, the Jai Lai Cafe closed when the SR 315 ramp off US 23 closed. The following October, the Buckeye Cafe opened.
The $7 million renovation was the brainchild of Jon Self, who is also one-third owner of Damon's.
"Self envisioned the cafe as a place for sports fans, and also for restaurant diners," Jump said. "We feature some of the best food in Columbus."
A Sunday brunch is available 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For $12.95 adults can enjoy traditional buffet items, plus eggs benedict, beef tips, chicken, made-to-order omelets and a dessert bar. The children's price is $5.95.
At other times, the cafe offers seafood, steak and pasta dinners.
The cafe will accept reservations, which is one feature that some restaurants don't offer.
However, customers who arrive without reservations when no table is ready usually don't mind. There's so much to entertain people while they're waiting that they might increase their appetite, but they won't be checking their watches.
In the front lobby is a Heisman Trophy display area, which includes one of Archie Griffin's trophies. The display changes periodically.
Next, visitors can take a stroll down the Walk of Fame corridor. Tiles on the floor honor Ohio State University Hall of Fame coaches and athletes. In the corridor are showcases with OSU memorabilia from all sports and the band, including a pair of size 22 shoes.
"Dad, look at these." "This is awesome." "Wow, hockey items, too." These were some of the comments made by youngsters as they browsed with their parents.
When OSU football beats Michigan, customers receive a charm -- a pair of gold pants with the game score. There are 18 pairs of gold pants charms on display.
On the right is an OSU gift shop, with a large selection of clothes and other scarlet and gray items to purchase.
In addition to the main restaurant, there are three private banquet rooms -- the Jack Nicklaus room, the Fred Taylor room and the Woody Hayes room. They are available for banquets or for hourly billiards rental.
Another large room features four additional pool tables which are rented hourly. Coroporations sometimes rent parts or all of the building for outings.
"One-third of our business is banquets," Jump said. "We can accommodate from 10 to 600. This January we had an NFL Super Bowl party with about 600 people here. We had a 10-foot by 12-foot TV to watch the game. It was a fabulous time."
The restaurant will host one of 30 Oscar parties later this year.
At the end of the Hall of Fame walk is a game room with more than $1.5 million worth of video games. Instead of issuing tokens, customers receive a type of credit card for the amount of their purchase.
"We have old games, like Pac Man and skee ball," Jump said. "But also interactive games, cyclone and wave runners."
If game-players travel the Super GT, their race car moves sideways as they make the curves, hoping to avoid crashing into bridges or other cars. The Wave Runners, motorcycles and skiing games also make users part of the action.
"The games, the games, the games," were the favorites of people young and old. One youngster said his favorite game was the Fire Rescue where players hold onto a hose and try to put out fires.
Within the game room area is the Jai Lai Cafe that features pizza, appetizers and sandwiches. Starting in April, the smaller cafe will again be offering the prime rib special on Monday evenings.
On Wednesday evenings, guests can enjoy a hysterical mystery dinner theater for $34.95, which includes a choice of prime rib or chicken florentine.
Patrons can join the karaoke crowd for laughter and on Friday evenings can enjoy live entertainment for dancing or listening.
"One problem we had in the past was parking for our guests, but we just purchased a 600-spot parking lot around the block," Jump said.
A trip to the Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe will be a memorable trip when visitors walk down the scarlet-and-gray memory lane.
"On a sentimental note -- one day I saw a lady standing in front of a 4-foot panoramic picture of the old stadium. She was crying," Jump said. "I asked if I could help her. The one person who was facing the camera happened to be her husband who had died two years ago. We took down the picture and had a copy made for her."
The servers are trained of offer the same kind of caring to make customers want to return again and again, Jump said.
The cafe is open 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays, 11 a.m.-midnight Mondays-Thursdays and 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Call for reservations at 614-291-CAFE or visit the Web site at www.BuckeyeHallofFame.com.
There's an affection in his voice when he speaks of his herd at Lake Erie Buffalo Ranch near Belin Heights -- almost like they're his friends. He has a repoire with the animals that comes from growing up with them, but he would never trust them very far.
"They are a very peaceful animal," John said. "I'll sit and watch them. I just enjoy spending time with them. I go out in the spring and listen to them talk at night."
The 38-year-old, who has lived on the ranch all his life, said he can often understand the communication they have among themselves.
However, he knows first-hand that the normally docile creatures can be dangerous.
Two years ago he was gored three times by a cow he dubbed "Killer." He still watches her closely.
"She almost killed me," he said. "She'd been after me for four years and she finally got me two summers ago."
John got another demonstration of the power of a bison when a bull named "Stumpy" was 14 years old. He picked up a 1,000-pound cow and threw her through the air. He then picked up a 1,000-pound bale of hay and did the same thing.
John knew it was time to put him down.
"Bison are very aggressive. You can't trust them as a pet. You just can't," he said. "I was caught in a stampede one time and it was pretty amazing."
John noted that there are still reports of two or three human deaths a year from bison attacks.
"I've seen bulls kill bulls and cows kill cows," he said.
Animals in the herd that are sick or weak are often forced out the herd and killed by the others. That's the way of nature.
Teaching people about the majestic animals that once roamed the United States by the millions is John's purpose in raising them.
The education factor evolved from his grandfather's original mission of helping to save the American bison.
"I want to educate the American people," John said. "A lot of people don't know anything about bison."
Lake Erie Buffalo Ranch opened in 1965 when John's grandfather, Ed Otto, traveled out west to pick up six bison. He picked up two more in Cincinnati on his way back.
"My grandfather had to wait two years to get his buffalo," John said. The animals were far less plentiful than they are today.
At the turn of the 20th century, John said there were only about 600 bison left and by 1965 the number had grown to only 22,000. By 1989, John said there were 225,000-250,000.
Today, they are no longer endangered. There are herds roaming out west in national parks and many are raised in herds.
Although the proper term for the animal is the American bison, John said more people know them as "buffalo."
In the 1700s, he said French explorers compared the animals to the water buffalo that they were familiar with from their homeland.
"They couldn't say 'bison,' but they could say 'buffalo,' he said. And the name stuck.
John raises about 140 head of buffalo on 168 acres. There's an 8-foot fence around the perimeter set in place with railroad ties.
"That fence won't keep them in," he said. "They could go right through it if they wanted to."
They've ended up in the neighbor's orchard quite a few times.
In the wild, bulls would be the protectors of the herd and, of course, the breeders. But there are no predators on the farm, so the bulls are there solely for breeding purposes. Each bull can breed15-25 females.
Breeding season takes place in July and August.
"They'll start calving the middle of April," he said. "I've seen as many as 11 calves born in one day."
He expects about 40-50 calves each spring because they breed only once every two years. Calves weigh 35-45 pounds at birth.
"A calf depends on mother's milk for the first six months of life," John said. And it isn't unusual for a calf to stay with its mother for a whole year.
Even later, the family unit remains strong, he said.
"Actually, everybody in the herd is related to each other," he said.
And, generally, one family of mother and daughters tends to run the herd.
Although there's no danger from outside, herd members sometimes fight among themselves. If a bison breaks off a horn during a fight, he or she doesn't grow another, John said. So he can tell the more aggressive animals by the length of their horns.
Buffalo make a growling sound when they're in fighting mood.
"The bulls will roar like a lion," he said. "They have a very deep roar."
When they set their minds to it, buffalo can get all that bulk moving at up to 40 mile per hour.
The average life span of a bison is 15-25 years, but John said they've been known to live up to 40 years in zoos.
They take five to seven years to mature to reproductive age.
Females usually weigh between 800 and 1,200 pounds, while males can reach weights of 1,600 pounds to more than a ton.
The 140 head of bison he's raising right now eat about 2 1/2 tons of hay and 2 tons of silage every two days. Each animal eats about 150 pounds a day.
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Painted buffalo skull.
PHOTO BY JIM SHOBE |
Jaw bones of buffalo hanging up to dry. |
These are some of the facts that John shares with people who tour his farm.
He's been offering public tours since 1998.
"But I've been doing this since I was a kid," he said. When out-of-town family and friends would visit, it would be his job to take them out and show them the buffalo.
"I didn't say much then," he said. "Now I do an educational talk."
Instead of offering tours to people who come in randomly off the street, this year John is concentrating his efforts on tour groups and parties.
"We have school groups, birthday parties, family reunions ... anything where people have a reason to get together," he said.
And plenty of people form a group simply to tour the farm.
He can accommodate groups of 20-120 people. For $85 per wagonload (about 20 people), they get a hayride through the farm and a stop at the picnic area.
In addition, people can request a campfire where they can cook hot dogs or roast marshmallows. They can take a picnic lunch.
The campfire/picnic area features a 5-acre pond where visitors can try their luck at catch-and-release fishing. This season, he plans to have poles and tackle available for rent.
"Or they can bring their own," he said.
And visitors are likely to see their share of wildlife.
Although the buffalo aren't wild, the wooded areas where they roam attract plenty of wildlife, John said. He regularly sees bald eagles from a nearby nest on Old Woman Creek, red-tailed hawks, foxes and the more common sights like rabbits and squirrels.
"With all the building going on in the surrounding area we have a lot ot wildlife back here," he said.
John will be opening the tour season April 15-May 30, mainly for school field trips.
He'll be taking reservations six days a week for other groups between June 1 and Labor Day and then on weekends through the end of October.
Last season, John estimated that 3,000-5,000 people toured the farm.
"Some of the people came back two or three times," he said.
Along with tours, John is working this spring to enhance his trading post where he sells buffalo-related items. He's working to build a corral in part of the old greenhouse where he can display a buffalo. He's turning the area into a barn-like setting with barn siding.
He also sells buffalo meat.
For meat, John kills young bulls, but he can take only 25-30 animals each year to maintain the herd.
For John, it's all part of the job he chosen -- to preserve the American bison and to educate people about them.
By Jan Hoffbauer
An old German immigrant candymaker who did not speak English started Joseph A. Coons stirring a kettle of his famous ingredients to make Old English Toffee in 1917.
In exchange for room and board, this man showed Joseph and his son Charles M. how to make candy. During the process he learned English.
A few months later, he left with new language skills and the Coons had learned a new trade and were on their way to becoming famous candymakers.
Another son was born and Joseph E. grew up and started making candy. One of his sons, Charles W., learned the trade as he grew up.
The generations of candymakers became -- Joe, Charles, Joe, Charles.
Since 1984, Charles W. "Charlie" and his spouse Kathy have been owners. They moved from New Carlisle, back to Charlie's hometown of Nevada, Ohio.
"I lived in Nevada during all of the 1950s. I helped Dad and Grandpa and worked around these tables all my life," said Charlie.
In 1989 they moved the business to a rural area south of Upper Sandusky off US 23. Five years ago, they purchased the Millroad Market a short distance from them and opened a retail outlet.
"It's a family operation. My daughter Dani and her husband Jim manage the market. That frees me and my daughter Raechelle to run this place," Charlie said.
Another person Charlie depends upon each day is Jesus. He has a picture of Him with a "Chairman of the Board" sign.
"I see the picture every morning when I walk in the door and say, 'help, Jesus, I need your help today,' " said Charlie.
Because the candymaking business is seasonal, Charlie depends on additional help from August to Christmas. His third daughter Staci assists when extra help is needed. Dani has been working on a regular basis since 1990 and Rae since 1995. Both say they grew up learning the business.
"As little girls we always wanted to come where Mom and Dad were, and so we were always put to work when they were busy," said Dani.
"Busy" in the fall means making between 600 and 800 pounds of toffee each day. The old-fashioned English Toffee is Coons No. 1 seller.
In addition, the comapny makes 20 different flavors of fudge, white and milk chocolate clusters, and caramels. The family sells more than 300 different kinds of candy, including 60 different sugar-free varieties.
The retail operation employs bakers, who make pies daily -- apple, peach, blueberry, pecan, raspberry, cherry, rhubarb, three berry, mincemeat, rhubarb/cherry, plus several sugar-free varieties. The store also has a variety of cheese, snacks and gift items. A sign in the store reads: "A balanced diet is a piece of Coons Candy in both hands."
They agreed being around the candy every day has not diminished their taste for chocolate.
"I never get tired of eating candy. Sometimes it is better to wait until the afternoon, because if you start eating in the morning, you are eating candy all day," admitted Dani.
Their mail-order business started in the 1950s and has grown each year. The family ships confections all over the world. The secret to success say the Coons is using the same original old-world recipe, including using all butter, no margarine.
"That is one secret I don't mind telling," said Charlie. Another secret is freshness. The toffee is made as it's needed to insure fresher candy.
The process for making the toffee is timed. Three 50-pound kettles of the bubbling concoction are made allowing 5 minutes between batches for pouring, stretching, cutting and spreading out to cool.
"Space is at a premium; so is our time. The toffee comes out at 300 degrees. In 10-15 minutes it is at room temperature," Charlie said. "We use marble tables, where the heat goes into the table instead of into the air. The first table we heat with hot water and gas to 150 degrees. This keeps (the candy) from cooling too fast, or it would be impossible to handle. The hot table gives us a little more time to handle the mixture, to make sure it is the right thickness and to cut it into strips."
To prevent burning their hands when pouring the bubbly, enticing mixture, Charlie and Rae wear insulated gloves and wrap them with towels. After the toffee has been covered with chocolate, sprinkled with coconut, and allowed to set, it is broken into 50-cent size pieces.
"We do everything by hand," Charlie said. "We shrink-wrap it to keep it fresh and pack the candy into boxes."
On the mail-order form Charlie again gives God credit. He is the Senior Partner and Heavenly Father.
Just as the Heavenly Father passes down blessings upon each generation of His children, so has the Joseph Coons family passed down a delicious blessing. Since Charlie had daughters and no Joseph to pass the business to, the fifth generation will not carry on their family name, but it will carry on the family tradition.
Coons Candies is located at 16451 CHH 113, Harpster, OH 43323. Phone 740-496-4141. The store is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. From May until the end of December it's are open 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Browse their web site at: www.coonscandy.com.
Lake Erie Wing
Watch Weekend
By Vicki Hunker
Bird watchers from throughout Ohio and from surrounding states will be converging on Northern Ohio April 6-8 to take part in Lake Erie Wing Watch Weekend.
Douglas Wood will be the featured speaker for the eighth annual event at Lorain County Joint Vocational School, Oberlin.
"This was a cooperative initiative with Erie and Ottawa counties," said Pat Cano, executive director of the Lorain County Visitors Bureau.
Personnel from convention and visitors bureaus, metroparks, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife and other nature-related organizations have been instrumental in making the weekend as popular as it has become, she said.
"They had all the expertise in the birding activities," she said. "And we're promoting their parks and facilities."
"When we were researching some target markets for our soft seasons -- spring and fall -- the birding was one of the activities that we had a very plentifyful supply of places," Cano said. "This is one activity that would address the time of the year before our tradiitonal vacation season starts."
While the nature-related personnel were working to provide the best birding workshops and opportunities, the visitors bureaus began working with hotels to offer discount rates for people staying the weekend.
"The circle widens and there's more and more people involved in this initiative," Cano said.
She said the weekend drew only local people the first few years, but has grown to attract people from Pennsylvania, Indiana and throughout Ohio.
"It's not just a local initiative," she said. "It's not confined to just Lorain, Erie, Ottawa and the surrounding areas."
This year's event is designed to be the biggest one yet.
Friday evening will feature an evening reception, a lecture and an auction from 6:30-9 p.m. There is a $7 admission fee for the reception and speaker.
Douglas Wood of Minnesota is an author, artist, musician, naturalist and wilderness guide.
His most recent books include "Grandads' Prayers of the Earth" (1999) for children of all ages; "What Dads Can't Do" (2000), a New York Times best seller with humor for children and dads; "Fawn Island" (2001), adult non-fiction with original art by the author; "What Moms Can't Do" (2001), humor for children and moms.
Among his honors and awards have been the Christopher Medal, ABBY Award, International Reading Association Book of the Year, Minnesota Book Award, Midwest Publishers Association Book of the Year, Parent's Choice Award, Barnes and Noble Star of the North and the Story Telling Award.
As a musician, his most recent recording is "Deep Woods, Deep Waters," which features performances on 6 and 12-string guitars, piano, fiddle, synthesizer and banjo, blended with the natural sounds of the "North Woods."
Participants will be invited Saturday to attend educational programs and exhibits 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
There will be four classes offered in each 45-minute segment. Classes range from "Intro to Birding" to more specific information on various types of birds such as shorebird, waterfowl, warblers, raptors, rails and bitterns, peregrine falcons, hummingbirds, woodpeckers and owls. Other classes will talk about attracting birds to backyard feeders, finding birding hotspots and butterflies and dragonflies.
On Sunday, participants may choose among several morning bird hikes at sites throughout Erie, Lorain, and Ottawa counties. Trips will be offered to the Adam Joseph Lewis Center, Oberlin; Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor; Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve, Sandusky; and Sandy Ridge Metropark, North Ridgeville.
For more information, e-mail the Lorain County Visitors Bureau at visitors@cvb.org or call 440-245-5282 or 800-334-1673.
Bicyclists invited to Logan County
Bicycle enthusistas are invited to mark their calendars for April 28 for the "Peak of Ohio" tour challenge.
The tour begins and ends on the shortest street in the world. In between, riders will ride on the first concrete street, across the highest point in Ohio, and take in spectacular scenery and heritage on the moderately difficult 43-mile trip. Riders will see castles, caverns and more as they tour Logan County's countryside.
Registration is $15. Bicyclists registered by April 18 will receive a free T-shirt. To register or more information, call 888-LOGANCO.
Buckeye North vacation planner available
SANDUSKY -- About 6 million people vacation along Ohio's central Lake Erie shoreline each year, making it one of America's most popular tourist destinations. To make it easier for visitors to plan their excursions, the Sandusky/Erie County Visitors & Convention Bureau offers its 2001 visitors guide, Buckeye North.
The guide showcases the Erie County area, which includes Cedar Point and the Lake Erie Islands. The 96 full-color pages are packed with attractions, shopping, dining and lodging possibilities that have made Ohio's North Coast a prime playground for visitors since the 1800s. Information about museums, historical sites, wineries, cruises and ferryboats, beaches and parks, fishing, birdwatching and entertainment are included with 67 coupons. New this year are sections about Lake Erie shipwrecks and wintertime fun.
To obtain a copy, call (800) 255 ERIE (3743) or request one onlone at www.buckeyenorth.com.
New Camping Facility
Hide Away Haven Recreation Park has opened in Logan County. The new camping facility offers guests year-round camping, the ability to camp primitively, rent a tent or camp in luxury in one the it furnished cabins.
The new facility offers a private 13-acre fishing pond stocked with more than 1,400 pounds of large fish. Visitors can enjoy swimming with plenty of sand beaches, a floating dock, slide and diving board.
For more information, call 937-355-7407.
Easter Seals Lighthouse Medallion
Lighthouses have long been a colorful part of the maritime history on the Great Lakes and in Ohio. Easter Seals is offering a medallion featuring a lone full soaring over the Marblehead Lighthouse, the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes.
The medallion celebrates the history of the lighthouse, which was built in 1821 to guide ships through the dangerous water of Sandusky Bay.
The solid pewter oranment features the work of renowned artist Ben Richmond. Each one if engraved with Richmond's signature and comes in a purple drawstring bag with a numbered insert card.
Ornaments are $17 each and may be purchased by calling Easter Seals at 419-332-5921 or 419-447-9815. A limited number other other ornaments are available featuring Toledo Harbor Lighthouse, Sandusky Bay Lighthouse and Lorain Lighthouse. Proceeds benefit children and adults with disabilities and special needs in Northwest Ohio.
On-Site Keeper's House at Marblehead Lighthouse now Open to the Public
COLUMBUS -- The on-site lighthouse keeper's home at Marblehead Lighthouse State Park on Lake Erie is opened to public tours now through Sept. 1, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
"Now visitors to Ohio's newest state park can see not only the Great Lakes' oldest lighthouse in continuous operation, but also the nearby dwelling which was home to most of those who kept its beacon burning bright," said Dan West, chief of Ohio State Parks.
Fourteen people served as Marblehead Lighthouse keepers between 1822, when the lighthouse was built, and 1946, when the last civilian keeper resigned. The private home of Benajah Wolcott, the first lighthouse keeper, still stands on the Sandusky Bay side of Marblehead Peninsula. It remains under the care of the Ottawa County Historical Society.
The most recent on-site keeper's house, built in 1880, is located just a few yards from the lighthouse. Until recently, it served as a residence for state park staff. Last year, it was renovated into a museum to showcase the history of the lighthouse, the Great Lakes shipping industry and the Marblehead-Catawba area. Various volunteers, members of the Marblehead Lighthouse Historical Society, the Ohio Lake Erie Commission and Ohio State Parks contributed to the displays.
Currently, the on-site keeper's house also features a display about the Johnson Island Civil War Prison Camp. That exhibit is on loan from the Johnson Island Historical Society. Johnson Island is located a few miles south of the lighthouse in Sandusky Bay.
Park officials plan to enlarge the museum's displays as additional items of interest come available. Donations to the on-site keeper's house displays can be arranged through the Marblehead Lighthouse Historical Society. Information on society membership is available from the park's naturalist at (419) 734-4424.
ODNR assumed ownership of the lighthouse and surrounding property from the U.S. Coast Guard in 1998, naming it as Ohio's 73rd state park. About 200 visitors climb the 87 steps to the top of the lighthouse every summer weekday afternoons. The lighthouse is open to the public 1-4:45 p.m. weekdays until Sept. 1. Volunteers from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary also conduct tours every second Saturday, June 1-Sept. 3. At night, the U.S. Coast Guard continues to operate the lighthouse beacon for the safety of Lake Erie boat traffic.
Built in 1822, the lighthouse is on the Naitonal Register of Historic Places and is one of Ohio's most-photographed landmarks. Its familiar silhouette has appeared on a U.S. postage stamp and continues to grace the state's Lake Erie protection license plates. From the top of the 65-foot tower, visitors can view an expanse of Sandusky Bay, Kelleys Island and South Bass Island.
History of the lighthouse is long and colorful. From post-Revolutionary War days when its candlepower came from 13 whale-oil lamps, to modern times when its green beacon was electrified and automated, Marblehead's signal has protected boaters from some of Lake Erie's most unpredictable waters. Although no figures are documented, historians believe Marblehead Lighthouse has saved more lives than any other lighthouse on the Great Lakes.
Lake Erie vacation planner available
A free Lake Erie Islands travel planner is available by calling 800-441-1271.
A Great Lake Adventure, a visitors guide produced by the Ottawa County Visitors Bureau, includes information about restaurants, attractions and lodging in Put-in-Bay, Marblehead, Port Clinton, Lakeside and other locations along the Lake Erie shoreline.
About 6 million visitors go to the Lake Erie Islands region each year. Ohio's islands include Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island, Middle Bass Island and Kelleys Island. Other nearby attractions highlighted in the guide include Cedar Point amusement/theme park, the Marblehead Lighthouse State Park, fishing charters, Magee Marsh Bird Trail and Schedel Arboretum.
Free copies of A Great Lake Adventure also may be ordered by by visiting www.lake-erie.com.
The 21st annual Logan Hills Festival will be May 26-28
Visitors will have the feeling they have stepped back in time when they walk into the festival. With participants in period costume and shelters similar to the ones used during the Fur Trade Era of the 1800s there will be a feeling a days gone by. Craft, antique and collectible vendors will offer a variety of items and something to delight everyone's interest. Demonstrations from the era will add to the ambiance of the weekend.
Food is abundant at the Logan Hills Festival -- from chicken barbecue to beef and noodles to pancakes and sausage. There also will be pizza and pie-eating contests for hearty eaters.
The highlight of the weekend will be the Taloga Outdoor Drama, which depicts a portion of Logan County history each year. This year, the drama is "Calling of Zanetown," which features the wedding of Isaac Zane and Princess Myeerah, and the founding of Zanetown, which is now Zanesfield. The drama will be presented 2 p.m. May 26, 6 p.m. May 27 and 3 p.m. May 28. Lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged because there is limited bleacher seating available.
Festival hours are 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday. For more information, call 888-LOGANCO.
OSU-Lima hosting Ohio Chautauqua 2001
"Buckeyes in the Civil War" will be the theme of Ohio Chautauqua 2001 July 12-15 at Ohio State University's Lima campus.
Scholar/presenters will explore the lives and legacies of important Ohioans who participated in and influenced the Civil War.
Characters to be portrayed are cavalry leader George Armstrong Custar at 7:45 p.m. July 12, Union military commander William Tecumseh Sherman at 7:45 p.m. July 13, female soldier and spy Sarah Emma Edmonds at 4 p.m. July 14, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at 7:45 p.m. July 14 and former slave and abolitionist Sojourner Truth at 7:45 p.m. July 15.
At 2 p.m. July 15, there will be a vintage base ball game at Faurot Park.
In addition to the main attractions, there are four days full of youth and adult workshops, an ice cream social and other events related to Chautauqua taking place at Lima Public Library, Memorial Hall, ArtSpace/Lima, Bradfield Center, MacDonnell House and elsewhere in Lima.
Lima is one of six Ohio communities to host Chautauqua this summer. The living history performances will take place beneath an old-fashioned Chautauqua tent.
For more information, call 419-995-8284.
Tiffin-Seneca
Heritage Festival
By Vicki Hunker
The Living History Village at Tiffin-Seneca Heritage Festival will be changing location for the festival's 23rd year. This year's festival theme is "Change in Time for 2001."
One of the largest Living History Villages in Ohio, this year's event will be at Tiffin's Hedges-Boyer Park.
David Shelton, who's in charge of festival publicity, said the larger area will allow the village to expand. Prior to the last few festivals, he said the village had to turn people away from participating because of limited space.
"It'll allow the village to be a little bit more spread out," Shelton said. "Tiffin Developmental Center was a great place to have it, but there just wasn't enough space anymore.
"It'll have the same rustic-type outdoor atmosphere," he said. "They are still going to have the crafters, the cannon firing and demonstrations."
Working craftsmen in authentic period dress will demonstrate Early American skills. Visitors can catch a glimpse of life in the early 1800s by visiting tips, wall tents and other authentic homes.
The smell of food cooked over an open fire will fill the air and visitors may experience the flavor of eating the way their forefathers did.
In the children's area, youngsters are encouraged to experience hands-on activities related to American heritage.
On Saturday evening at dusk, visitors are encouraged to join a lantern walk through the village and a Civil War cotillion.
At the downtown portion of the festival, which takes place along the Sandusky River, a parade will kick off events on Saturday morning.
Arts and crafts will be on display, along with ethnic food wagons for dining.
Musical groups will perform continuously throughout the area.
There will be amusement rides for all ages -- moved to a new location this year.
In addition, there will be water events, children's and adult contests, an antique farm machinery show, a bike tour, a three-on-three basketball tournament and a classic car show to keep visitors busy.
For more information, call 419-447-9538 for questions about downtown and 419-448-5408 about downtown.
The Inland Seas Maritime Museum
Story by Vicki Hunker
Photos by Jim Shobe
The Inland Seas Maritime Museum in Vermilion is newly renovated and ready to provide a hands-on, interactive experience to people interested in learning about the Great Lakes.
"Our goal with the renovations is to bring more people in," said museum Director Christopher Gilcrist. "We're trying to be hands-on. We want to be the museum for people who know the Great Lakes, and we want to be the museum for people who don't know much about the Great Lakes.
"We want to make it easier for people to understand if they aren't maritime people," he added. "We want to make this a cultural asset of North C entral Ohio."
Gilcrist said the museum began receiving money for the project two years ago and has been planning the changes. Most of the work and renovations have been done by volunteers.
He said children and young adults have grown up in an interactive world. They are no longer content to look at artifacts and paintings on the wall.
"Our aim has been to add the new technology that's become available," Gilcrist said. "We want to be a living, breating asset to the community."
In one display, visitors can see what a shipwreck looks like up close.
"The 'Titanic' movie has really increased interest in the shipwreck genre," Gilcrist said. "It's something we're promoting because we have a lot of artifacts from a lot of shipwrecks."
The same artist, Alexander B. Cook, who painted a mural on one wall in 1969 has just completed one depicting a storm on another wall of the museum.
Another exhibit called "Marine Vessels of the Great Lakes" shows ships that traveled the lakes as one-eighth-scale models so visitors can get an idea of ship sizes and purposes.
A display has been added about recreational boats and another on luxury liners.
"We try to cover a lot of different aspects," he said. "And for kids, we have an exhibit on 'Why does a boat float?"
An exhibit about "Navigating the Great Lakes" offers a video tour and a video game in which visitors can "navigate" up the Cuyahoga River without hitting rocks.
A new exhibit shows people the history and modern methods of recreational scuba diving, which has grown in popularity, Gilcrist said.
Another new exhibit features the Inter Lake Yachting Association, and another features "Thelma," in which visitors can hear the first radio ship-to-shore radio transmission from Put-in-Bay to Toledo on July 18, 1907.
Also relating to communicatiion, an exhibit contains a foghorn and an air whistle visitors can try out.
There is a radar screen in the same area where people can see ships that are actually traveling Lake Erie. The radar operates for a half-hour three times a day because of the cost of operation.
Another new display shows the role the federal government has taken in Great Lakes. It features U.S. Coast Guard history and changes through the years in the U.S. Weather Bureau.
Visitors can log on to a computer and real-time weather sattelite images at several points on the Great Lakes.
For more traditional visitors, the maritime art gallery is still in place which features paintings of maritime scenes.
The steam engine room features varous types of engines used to power ships through the years.
Visitors can walk through the pilot house of the 1925 steamship "The Canopus," which was added to the museum in 1992, for a panoramic view of Lake Erie.
By dialing a telephone, they can hear ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore communication as it would have sounded while The Canopus was sailing the lakes.
Before the addition of the pilot house, a new wing was added to the museum in 1967. The original house portion opened in 1954.
"This is all in an effort to make it a hands-on experience, not just a seeing experience," Gilcrist said. "Families are our most important audience. They're are target."
However, he said the museum also tries to appeal to the traveling crowd ages 45-65, which has the most money to spend.
Gilcrist said there were 13,000 paid visitors to the museum last year and 18,000 total. Visitors came from 47 states and 17 countries. About 70 percent are from Ohio.
The museum and gift shop are open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. seven days a week. Gilcrist suggested visitors leave at least an hour and 15 minutes to tour the musuem.
"Some take two hours if they're very interested," he said.
Admission is $5 for adults and $4 for ages 7-16 and senior citizens. Ages 5 and younger are free. For families, there is a $12 maximum admission charge and discount coupons are available at many locations throughout the community.
For more information, visit its website at www.inlandseas.org. To get there, take SR 2 to Vermilion and turn on Main Street toward Lake Erie.
Restoration slated for Overland Inn
By Carol Bogart
Keeping out raccoons and squirrels has been a growing problem for Anna Heilman, co-curator of McCutchenville's Overland Inn. The one-time stage coach stop needs a new roof, a jacked up foundation and renovated log walls.
Opened in 1829 by Joseph McCutchen, who attained the rank of colonel during the Civil War, the inn was once a rest stop for such luminaries as William Henry Harrison, Charles Dickens, Henry Clay and others.
Boarders stopped at various inns as they traveled by coach along the plank road stretching from Columbus to Lake Erie. A full list of the inn's long-ago occupants was lost with the disappearance of an original guest register, missing since at least the 1960s.
Heilman describes the plank road as "large timbers and they were sawed and they were laid across. You paid a fee, just like a toll road, to travel on that. The stage inns were built along the way."
According to published reports at the time, "Soon after the close of the War of 1812 by a treaty stipulation with the Wyandot Indians, a state road was marked out leading from Delaware to Upper Sandusky through Tiffin and Fremont and on to Lake Erie. This road, known in later years as "the Plank Road" followed a well-defined and authenticated Indian trail from the headwaters of the Scioto River to Sandusky Bay.
"It was on the left side of this road the village of Tymochtee was platted and settled," the report said.
McCutchenville was settled soon after.
Prior to the plank road, the Indian trail became known as the Harrison Trail during the War of 1812 and was once the main artery for the movement of troops and artillery led by Gen. William Henry Harrison.
An authentic piece of the one-time plank road is on display in a former store behind the Overland Inn.
The inn is on the south edge of McCutchenville on the east side of now-SR 53.
Built after the war, what started out as a log structure eventually was expanded to include a dining area and a ballroom. Boarders paid 12 1/2 cents for a meal. If they had supper, spent the night and ate breakfast, the total bill was 37 1/2 cents.
For a period -- 1918 to the mid-1950s -- the inn was converted to apartments. In 1964, it was purchased by the Wyandot County Historical Society and restoration was completed by 1967.
Local people donated furniture, tools, utensils and other artifacts consistent with the period. Today, the inn is an authentic step back in time to a much simpler era.
The present renovation needed will mean taking down at least three of the original inn's four walls, one of which is already braced to keep it from buckling more than it already has.
The foundation has shifted so much floors have dropped and are pulling loose from baseboards. The roof, restored to the original wood shingles over a replacement standing seam roof, needs to be replaced again.
"They're going to work on the foundation first. What they'll have to replace, they're going to have to dig down and put it below frost level (36 inches), said Heilman
"Then the log portion needs a lot of attention. And the roof," she added.
Total cost is projected to be about $190,000. Local businesses have already pledged money toward the project. The Wyandot County Historical Society and grants from national historical groups will help pay the balance.
In February, Sen. Larry Mumper announced that $50,000 in state funding has been released for the restoration. The inn is accepting contributions from individuals.
Among the inn's most unique features are six original fireplaces. Heilman has been a curator at the inn for almost 33 years.
"You can come in here and see what life would have been like in the early pioneer days," Heilman said. "Just the uniqueness of it."
Heilman, who gives tours of the inn to schoolchildren and relates area its history, as well as history of the area, said that's her favorite part of her job.
"Telling the history of the inn and bringing it alive to people. Seeing their enjoyment of the inn," she said. "Especially the schoolchildren."
Overland Inn is open 1-4:30 p.m. Thursday-Sunday June-October.
In May, the inn is open by appointment. It's also open to groups by appointment. For more information, call 419-981-2052.
To get there, take SR 53 to McCutchenville.
By Jan Hoffbauer
The Maria Stein Center in Mercer County includes the National Marian Shrine of the Holy Relics and the Maria Stein Heritage Museum.
In 1979 they were among more than 64 buildings in the West Central Ohio historic region to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Organizers trying to preserve the buildings built between 1869 and 1915 invite visitors to tour not only the Maria Stein Center, but also the Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches.
"When Father Brunner came here, he wanted churches with-in walking distance," said Sister Carmen Voisard. "This is a holy place. Wherever God is, our saints are. We call this God's country."
There are more than 30 churches and buildings with cloud-piercing spires standing in the middle of farm fields.
"We have the second-largest collection of relics in the United States, including the original collection of 175 relics of saints brought from Europe to the USA in 1875," said Sister Barbara Ann Hoying, C.PP.S., director of the center.
"I still remember when we had the Bishop of Ukraine visiting. He couldn't understand English. But I watched him stand in awe of the relic of St. Martin of Tours," Sister Hoying said.
The shrine has more than 1,000 relics in the chapel, which was built in 1892. Relics are pieces of bones from saints. They are enclosed in small cases the size of a broach. Most of the relics are from saints who lived during the years 300 to 1,500, when those persecuted for their faith were revered.
Hoying said they are trying to obtain relics from saints who have been canonized -- received the distinction of being called a saint -- from Pope John Paul within the last five years.
If they would receive modern-day relics, they would be something the saint had worn or owned, and likely not a fragment of bone.
"The relics were brought here because they were entrusted to Father J.M. Gartner against the desecration of bandits," Sister Hoying said. "At first he traveled with them but, eventually, it was decided to keep them in one place."
The Sisters of the Precious Blood order was started in Mariastein, Switzerland, by Maria Anna Brunner. Brunner is the mother of Father Francis Brunner who established the Sorrowful Mother Shrine in Marywood.
Sister Voisard told that one of the earlier sisters descended from royal blood. She did not want to be a teacher, but agreed to take care of the pigs on the convent farm. During her contacts with her family in Europe she told them she was feeding more than 100 mouths a day, but did not tell them that it was pigs she was feeding.
The Maria Stein Heritage Museum opened in 1982 and the displays reflect the way people of German descent and Roman Catholic faith lived in the mid to late 19th century.
Included in the museum is a replica of the first log convent Motherhouse built in New Riegel in 1844-1846. The model is made from wood from the original building.
The National Marian Shrine of the Holy Relics is open 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. The museum and the Pilgrim Gift Shop are open noon-4 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday.
Outdoor stations of the cross and grottoes to the Sacred Heart and Our Lady of Lourdes, along with other outside statues are on the grounds for pilgrim reflection. The shelter house or courtyard are available for picnics or snacks.
The center is at 2291 St. Johns Road, Maria Stein, Ohio 45860. To get there, take Interstate 75 to the SR 119 exit.
For more information, call 419-925-4532 or visit online at www.marioncommunity.com.
By Jan Hoffbauer
The Rev. Joseph Gloden, ordained in Luxembourg, made a promise while
he was still a seminarian that the first church he built would be dedicated to Our Lady Of Consolation.
After his ordination he came to the United States, and in 1870, became pastor of St. Nicholas Church, Frenchtown, in Seneca County.
At the same time, another priest had begun construction of a small white chapel in Carey dedicated to Saint Edward.
In June 1873, the Rev. Gloden was asked to take over the Carey mission. He encountered 13 discouraged families and an unfinished church. With the Rev. Gloden's encouragement and support the church was completed.
And the name was changed to the Church of Our Lady of Consolation.
At the direction of the Rev. Gloden, a Frenchtown parishioner brought back from Luxembourg a statue which was a close replica of the ancient image of Our Lady in the cathedral where the. Rev. Gloden had studied.
The Frenchtown people requested they walk the 7-mile route to Carey with the statue of Our Lady. On the evening before the chosen date, May 24, 1875, a torrential thunderstorm swept the country. The rain continued the next day, but as the statue was taken out of St. Nicholas Church the sun pierced the clouds and shone on those in the procession all the way to Carey. Thunder and lightning continued on both sides.
After the statue entered the church, a cloudburst occurred and none of the people escaped the rain.
Hundreds of pilgrims traveled to the church after this event. Since then, Our Lady of Consolation church has been the site for thousands of pilgrimages each year.
Trains and buses were used to transport people in the early 1900s.
The Conventual Franciscan Friars arrived in 1912 and the Sisters of St. Francis of Tiffin agreed to build a pilgrim house in 1917.
There have been documented miracles at Our Lady of Consolation.
In 1916, a Lima man was cured of his blindness when he was carried into the church. He was cured of paralysis a year later. Archives at the shrine give testimony to countless cures reported and recorded.
"There is a large collection of items that people have left behind after experiencing healing at the Shrine -- from crutches to casts, to bottles and cigarettes," said Peter Damian Massengill, OFM Conv., rector.
On Aug. 14, 1921, the Upper Church was completed and, by 1929, the current church was completed.
On Aug. 15, 1937, more than 50,000 pilgrims celebrated the feast of Assumption of Mary there.
Thirty acres of land was purchased to provide an outdoor devotional park to provide a place for pilgrims to march. On July 7, 1939, the Shrine Park was dedicated. The altar was dedicated in 1957.
"The park is for physical and spiritual exercise. At Christmas, it is lit with religious scenes, no secular displays," Massengill said.
In 1991, the church experienced the loss of the original jewels on the statue of Our Lady. It is open 24 hours a day for pilgrims to pray and reflect.
On the grounds of the shrine are a renewal center and pilgrim house for individual and group gatherings.
"The Shrine Gift Shop is the largest religious gift shop in Northwest Ohio. The cafeteria is open on Sunday during the summer and is available for groups," added Massengill.
In November 1971, the shrine received a Papal document, raising the shrine to the rank of a Minor Basilica. The name was changed to the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation.
Special events and liturgies are available all year. Weekday Masses are at 7 and 11 a.m. and Saturday evening Mass is at 5:30 p.m. Sunday Masses are 9 and 11 a.m. Nov. 1 to Palm Sunday and 8 and 10 a.m. and noon Easter Sunday to Oct. 31.
The basilica is at 315 Clay St., Carey. To get there, take US 23 to the Carey exit and follow the signs.
For more information on programs, call 419-396-7107 or 419-396-3355 or visit www.olcshrine.com.Sorrowful Mother Shrine
By Jan Hoffbauer
Pilgrims can walk the Stations of the Cross through the woods at the Sorrowful Mother Shrine in rural Bellevue.
This 120 acres of woodland provides a peaceful and serene atmosphere for people of all ages to walk and reflect upon the beauty of nature.
Numerous statues are placed between the stations, the most famous being the replica of the Lourdes Grotto.
This setting is in honor of Mary, the Immaculate Conception, when she appeared to St. Bernadette in 1854.
In another special location the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine commemorates the appearance of Mary in Mexico in the 16th century. She is the patroness of all the Americas.
The shrine was established in 1850 by the Rev. Francis Brunner, C.PP.S., as a place for pilgrims to experience a spiritual awakening with the Sorrowful Mother and a deeper devotion to the Blood of Jesus.
A selection from a diary kept by the Rev. Brunner on a European trip tells about receiving the representation for the shrine.
"On Thursday, November 15 (1849), I was back in Hinterzarten ... there was given to me an old image of the Mother of God, who holds the Lord on her lap."
One of the missionaries, along with seven Sisters of the Precious Blood brought the statue of the Virgin Mary to Northern Ohio in 1850. That fall the shrine was built in Thompson Township and it was called Maria Stein.
In 1870, a second and larger church was built to accommodate the increasing crowd of pilgrims. By 1911, one-day train pilgrimages from Cleveland were common.
On Assumption Day 1912, the shrine chapel burned with the statue of the Sorrowful Mother holding her Son. Within two years the present chapel was built.
In 1923, one of the first individual shrines was erected by a grateful soldier, Max Gabel from Fremont, who had returned safely from World War I. Since that time numerous statues and cement blocks adorn the pathways with remembrances of loved ones.
"The missionaries of the Precious Blood came from Switzerland and followed along the Ohio River," said the Rev. James McCabe, C.PP.S., interim director of the shrine. "They came to St. Alphonsus at Peru, Ohio, to take care of the German immigrant farmers. From this area they went to Putnam County and then to Mercer County.
"Maria Stein was one of nine mission houses they established. Just a few miles from Maria Stein is St. Charles Seminary," added the Rev. McCabe.
St. Charles seminary closed in 1969 because of the decline in priests. It has been used as a retirement center, but that also has proved too large. Soon the seminary will be converted into independent living open to lay people and retired priests.
Precious Blood priests have served at the shrine since Brunner established Maria Stein. Bishop Karl Alter of Toledo suggested the name change to Sorrowful Mother Shrine, Marywood, in 1938.
"We have a lot of buses and pilgrims come here. Most are older people, but on Sunday we have a younger crowd. The outdoor chapel is attractive to the younger people," the Rev. McCabe said.
The outdoor "Pieta" chapel was dedicated in 1968.
In addition, the shrine attracts school retreats, nursing home residents and organizations. These people and other churches plan special events there. More than 100,000 pilgrims visit the shrine each year.
"We have a sister coming in the fall who has an earth science degree, so we will add new programs to tie in with the environment," the Rev. McCabe said.
Special Masses are planned throughout the year for black Catholic, Irish, Philippine, Hispanic, Polish, Italian and Slovenian pilgrims. A religious gift shop is open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m, except Dec. 25-Jan. 2, Easter Sunday and Monday, and Thanksgiving.
The Mass schedule includes weekday Masses at 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Saturday evening at 4:30 p.m. and Sundays at 9 and 11 a.m.
For more information, call the Sorrowful Mother Shrine at 419-483-3435, e-mail sorrowful@cros.net or visit www.sanduskyohio.com/funspots.
The shrine's address is 4106 SR 269, Bellevue. To get there from the north, take US 20 to SR 269 South. From the south, take SR 4 to SR 269 North.
35th annual National Tractor Pulling Championships
By Greta Hale
Semi trucks and a kick-off concert are new this year at the 35th annual National Tractor Pulling Championships in Bowling Green Aug. 17 -19.
For the first time, semi trucks will be competing in their own category. Last year, one semi truck gave a demonstration that the crowds loved, said Betty Honingfort, manager of the Northwest Ohio Tractor Puller's office in Bowling Green. People enjoyed the lights and smoke.
"They really put on a show," she said.
This year on Aug. 16 before the tractor pull starts, there will be a "pizza pull-off" and the Homewreckers will play at 6 p.m.
During the "pizza pull-off," people can sample pizza from different shops and vote on which one tastes the best. Organizers are hoping six to seven pizza shops are represented. The event is intended to get the Bowling Green community involved in the tractor pull.
"You've heard of the rib-off, this is a pizza-off, but we're calling it a pizza pull-off because of the tractor pull," Honingfort said.
The Homewreckers are a popular band in the Toledo area, she added. The band has a classic rock sound like the band Chicago, but doesn't like that stereotype, she said.
One word describes the tractor-pulling championships themselves -- big. More people show up than live in the entire city of Bowling Green. Last year, 65,000 people went through the gatesand Bowling Green's population is only 29,636, according to Census 2000. About 35,000 people attended one session last year.
The tractor pull provides 1,300 campsites for visitors.
With all of those people, law enforcement could be a problem, but deputy sheriffs patrol the grounds. Honingfort said the biggest problem is women flashing their breasts when there is a "full pull," which means a tractor pulls weight the entire 300 feet of the competition track. Anyone caught flashing this year will be asked to leave, she said.
"A pullers dream is to win at Bowling Green," Honingfort said. "They think their career has hit a high point if they win at Bowling Green."
She has always loved the tractor pull.
"Once you get bit by the tractor-pulling bug, you have it for the rest of your life," she said.
Honingfort wants people to understand the complexity of the tractor pull, she said. One tractor is powered by four jet engines.
"Think about the engineering to keep those running for the full pull," she said.
There are 11 different categories of tractors that compete. Some of them include: minis, which may have evolved from lawn mowers; super modified trucks, which have large powerful engines that stick out of the tops of the trucks; and superstocks, which must look like a tractor but have larger engines.
Some of the tractors at the event look nothing like tractors people see plowing fields, Honingfort said.
Tractor pulling originally started in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan back in the days when horses were used to work the fields. It began because people would brag that their horses were stronger than other peoples' horses. The tradition continued when tractors became predominant.
The tractor pull welcomes fans from 45 states and several countries, including the Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and Scotland.
Tractor pulling is also popular in Europe, including Germany, France and Australia, Honingfort said.
Prizes include championship rings and $200,000, which is divided among 11 classes.
Fans get so excited about the tractor pull that they start marking their seats during the night of the demolition derby, Honingfort said, which occurs the last night of the Wood County Fair. They use blue tarps, bungee chords and duct tape.
In May 2000, USA Today listed the National Tractor Pulling Championships as one of the top 10 places to take a family for motor sports.
Hancock Museum celebrates expansion
The Hancock Historical Museum celebrated the grand re-opening of its newly expanded and restored museum complex at 422 W. Sandusky St., Findlay, in June.
Nearly 800 people toured the new facilities that weekend and visitation has been steady since then.
Hull/Flater House, a Victorian-era home, has been restored on the first floor, including the entry foyer, formal and informal parlors, library, dining room and kitchen.
The second floor of the house, closed to the public for more than 15 years, also has been renovated and furnished. A child's bedroom and master bedroom are on the second floor, as well as rooms devoted to toys and dolls, furniture and textiles, including quilts, coverlets and clothing.
The Exhibit Center includes an exhibit area with a timeline of displays on Hancock County history, a special exhibit room, a public meeting room and a gift shop on the first floor. On the second floor are expanded archives, a collections storage area, a conference room and a Congressional study room.
The barn across the alley from the Exhibit Center now houses a classroom/meeting room. The new, large addition to the barn houses an Agriculture and Innovations Gallery and a Transportation Gallery.
Between the Crawford Log House and the barn is a new raised-bed pioneer garden.
Renovations also included site improvements with landscaping around Hull/Flater House, the Exhibit Center and the parking lots. Additional parking is available at the back of the complex with access from Putnam Street.
The museum has not charged admission in the past. However, with the cost of expansion, the board of trustees has determined that increased operating expenses will necessitate fees for adults.
Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for senior citizens. Museum of members and children ages 15 and younger are free. Hours are 1-4 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. For more information, call 419-423-4433.
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By Vicki Hunker The sixth annual Autumn Lighthouse Festival on Marblehead Peninsula will take place Oct. 13. Not only are the lighthouse and grounds a highlight of the event, but the entire Marblehead Peninsula takes part. During the festival, there are free lighthouse tours at Marblehead Lighthouse State Park, free Keepers House museum tours, free tours of Wolcott House, the home of the first lighthouse keeper, as well as special events at a variety of peninsula businesses. The festival celebrates the history of Marblehead Lighthouse, the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes. In addition, the Wolcott House is possibly the oldest building in Northwest Ohio, dating back to the 1820s. The house has been purchased by the Ottawa County Historical Society which is restoring it and has opened it as a local historic site. The house has been nominated for the National Register of Historic Places. Benajah Wolcott, a Revolutionary War veteran and surveyor from Connecticut, was the first keeper of Marblehead Lighthouse after construction was completed in 1822. |
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Wolcott was one of many pioneers who came from the Eastern states to establish their homes and communities in the Firelands Western Reserve area of Ohio. Like many New Englanders in the post-war era, he headed west to the American frontier to obtain land available to people whose homes had been destroyed during the war.
Wolcott had been hired in the early 1800s by the first owner of Johnson's Island to survey the land in and around the peninsula.
It was Wolcott and his family, the first white settlers on the peninsula, who first built a log house near the lighthouse and later built the stone house.
After Benajah's death in 1832, his wife Rachel Wolcott became the first woman lighthouse keeper on the Great Lakes until a successor was found for her husband.
Much history surrounds the lighthouse area.
For example, the area was settled following Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry's victory over the British Navy in 1813 at Put-in-Bay.
During the Civil War, nearby Johnson's Island was the site of a prison camp for Confederate soldiers. There was an attempt to free the soldiers only a few miles from the lighthouse.
As time went on, the Great Lakes became a center for shipping and commerce and the area became an important railroad center. Later, the peninsula became home to the world's largest limestone quarries.
Jared Keyes, one of the lighthouse keepers through the years, rescued survivors of a wrecked barge, the Empire, a few miles off Marblehead Point. Eventually, the Lighthouse Service joined with the Lifesaving Service. Those two then joined the Revenue Cutter Service to form the United States Coast Guard.
In June 1998, the Coast Guard gave the lighthouse to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and it became Ohio's 73rd state park.
For more information on Marblehead Peninsula, visit the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce's information center at 210 W. Main St. in downtown Marblehead, call 419-798-9777, e-mail info@marbleheadpeninsula.com or visit the Web site at www.marbleheadpeninsula.com.
For more information on the Keepers House, call the Ottawa County Visitors Bureau at 419-734-4386 or 800-441-1271.
In addition to the festival, lighthouse tours are conducted periodically June-October.
Also, Wolcott House tours take place during approximately the same hours. The historical society at times presents a "Living History Through Storytelling" program during which visitors can hear about family life on the Fireland Frontier -- such things as cohabitating with Indians, hiding from the British during the War of 1812, teenage dances and the cholera epidemic.
New Albany Horse and Family Day
Top professionals will compete 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sept. 23 at the New Albany Classic Invitational Grand Prix and Family Day, an American Horse Show Association sanctioned show-jumping event for a $50,000 prize.
The event will take place on the grounds of an estate owned by Limited founder, Leslie Wexner.
Fun acitivites include clowns, face painting, carriage and carnival rides, games, petting zoo, arts and crafts and a dog agility exhibition.
New this year is the Classic Stage featuring national and local entertainment. Performance throughout the day are scheduled by the Russian American Kids Circus, the Ohio State University mascot Brutus Buckeye, the OSU cheerleaders, Columbus Blue Jacket mascot Stinger, Columbus Zoo animals and others.
Advance tickets are required. Admission is $25 for adults 17 and older. Children 16 and younger are free when accompanied by an adult. All-day ride and game bracelets are $5. Proceeds benefit the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence.
For more information, call 614-889-6875.
Porkalean
By Greta Hale
Staff Writer
Porkalean.
The word may mean nothing in Seneca County, but to Wood County residents, it conjures up the images of a long line at the fair and the memory of a distinct sandwich.
The porkalean sandwich was invented in Bowling Green in the late 1970s, according to Mike Belleville of the Belleville Meat Market in Bowling Green.
The porkalean is a 100 percent whole-pork sausage. Three Wood County farmers, Dick Maidment, Paul Wolke and Mark Lang, wanted to promote pork at the fair so the Bellevilles worked with them and developed a pork patty. There was also a contest at the fair when the sandwich was introduced to name the it. The winning entry was "porkalean."
"We wanted to emphasize new generation pork that was lean," Belleville said. "Over a period of time, pork has been leaned up, making it a more healthy food than what it was back in the 50s and 60s."
Porkaleans are special because they're are made with all parts of the hog, including the loins and hams, which most pork patties don't include. They are about 20 percent fat.
In honor of the porkalean, the Wood County Historical Center is going to include a porkalean eating contest as part of Wood County Day, which will be at the Wood County Historical Museum on September 15.
The "porkalean-a-thon," similar to a walk-a-thon, will raise money for the center's museum educational programs. People will gather sponsors, who will pledge money for each porkalean a person consumes within 15 minutes. The educational program's coordinator was enthused about the porkalean-a-thon, even though he has just recently learned about porkaleans.
"I'm from New York, and so coming here I had never heard of a porkalean until about a year ago," said Brett Bossard. "I love them. I'm planning on taking part in the porkalean-a-thon."
Bossard said he thinks he could eat least a dozen porkaleans.
The Belleville Meat Market will process the pork for the sandwiches, and have been since their invention and debut at the Wood County Fair in the late 1970s.
This year, the market processed 17,000 porkaleans for the fair, or 17 big pigs worth.
The first year porkaleans were sold, the farmers and pork producers sold about 5,000. Porkaleans are $1 each at the Wood County fair and the Belleville Meat Market sells them at 20 for $8.50.
The market is one of the few markets that raises and processes its own beef. They feed out 180 head of cattle a year. They recently expanded their business to include processing of meat when they bought a packing plant in North Baltimore.
The porkalean is a popular item at their store. They sell almost as many porkalean patties as they do ground beef patties in the summer, Mike Belleville said. He also notices that after the fair, porkalean sales increase.
Four generations of Bellevilles have worked at the meat market. Brothers Jamie and Mike Belleville currently own the meat market, which was originally owned by their grandfather Archie Belleville, and his brother, Leo.
Jamie's twin children, Audrey and Bruce, work at the meat market in the summer. Mike's son, Ivan, also helps with the business.
What is Wood County Day?
"Wood county day is sort of a celebration of agriculture in Northwest Ohio," said Brett Bossard, the education coordinator at the Wood County Historical Center.
There will be farming and antique tractor demonstrations, living-history demonstrations, a petting zoo, reptiles and pig-themed crafts for kids to do. Bossard said the event educated people about Wood County history.
"Often people come out have never known we've been out here," Bossard said.
Sawmill
Creek Lodge and Resort
By Vicki Hunker
The autumn months are a peak time at Sawmill Creek Lodge and Resort, Huron.
Fall starts off with hayrides and ends with a light display preparing for Christmas, said Edwina Chamberlin, guest services coordinator for the resort.
Beginning Oct. 6, the resort just off Rye Beach Road near Huron will be offering 8 p.m. hayrides to a woods on the golf course. A guitarist sings around a bonfire and encourages participants to join in. Guests enjoy cider and doughnuts.
On the last weekend in October, Chamberlin said the hayride turns haunted and visitors can celebrate Halloween.
The hayrides are open to the public and discounts are available to church groups, Scout groups or other organizations. Registration is required. There are two wagons available.
After a special Thanksgiving Getaway weekend at the lodge, Chamberlin said the Firelands Festival of Lights will be kicking off the Christmas season Nov. 23 and will continue through Jan. 1, 2002.
She said this is the third year for the display and the number of organizations has grown from 17 the first year to 30 this year.
Each one selected a Christmas song on which to base its display in keeping with the theme, "The Music of Christmas."
"It's a fundraiser for them." she added. At the end, candy canes are distributed and donations are taken for the non-profit organizations.
Depending on the number of cars waiting to drive through, Chamberlin said it takes 15-20 minutes to see the light display.
"We even have bus tours already planned to come through," she said. "It's getting more widely known."
Chamberlin said Sawmill Creek's owner saw a similar display in another state and brought back the idea to Huron.
"He came up with the idea that nonprifit organizations might want to put up a display," she said. "There are light displays in a lot of different cities and our city really didn't have one, except downtown."
In addition to the display, Chamberlin said the lodge hosts breakfast with Santa on two Saturdays and choirs and music groups from area schools are invited to play on Fridays and Saturdays.
People who visit the display are welcome to visit the lodge for cocoa and cookies and listen to the music.
But fall isn't the only time its busy at Sawmill Creek.
Earlier in the year, the lodge hosts an annual Pioneer Days Rendezvous in July in which costumed reenactors set up a village from the early 1800s.
During the year, there are carriage rides, a summer lakefront concert, themed weekend packages, fishing excursions and scenic cruises of Lake Erie and the Huron River aboard the Sawmill Explorer.
"HIstory buffs will enjoy discovering the original farmhouse, granary and impressive barn constructed in 1887, which now houses the sales and convention staff, hospitality rooms and the exceptional Sawmill Creek Shops," Chamberlin said.
Throughout the year Indian Chief Soft Shell Turtle visits the lodge frequently for storytelling.
The resort has an entry into the 490-acre Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve to encourage guests to walk the woodland trails to the barrier beach on Lake Erie.
Sawmill Creek Resort was created by partners Greg Hill and Tom Bleile, who had a dream of recreating a Native American lodge.
"HIll and Bleile were determined to make Sawmill Creek Resort a one-of-a-kind, upscale, year-round destination appealing to both the conference and convention trade, as well as a getaway vacation for travelers," Chamberlin said.
The setting reflects the Woodland Indian heritage of the area.
The lodge has 240 guest rooms and can accommodate groups of up to 600. Open year-round, the resort features fireplace and whirlpool suites, a fitness room, indoor and outdoor pools, a championship Tom Fazio-designed golf course, a marina with direct access to Lake Erie and the islands.
"And, best of all, (the) resort in only 55 minutes from downtown Cleveland," Chamberlin said.
During renovation, she said Hill used his design background to forumlate the design concept. At the same time, he began an intensive search for artifacts and information concerning the property's history.
"Traces of the mound builders had been found just west of the Huron River," she said. "An old earthwork was once located at the mouth of the Sawmill Creek. This stream now meanders throughout the Fazio-designed golf course."
Hill enlisted the help of artisans Al Parkinson, an outdoorsman with a life-long love of history, and multi-talented Dennis Laughlin. They were commissioned to create paintings, etchings and original iron gates for Salmon Run Restaurant and Big Bear Saloon. Wall hangings and pictographs decorate the Big Sky Lounge where display cases for authentic artifacts were designed in a corridor visible to all lodge guests as they walk to their rooms from the main lobby.
The restaurant, lobby, conference rooms and corridors are connected by massive windows.
Guests rooms were renovated to continue to woodland theme by installing walls of logs that create interest behind whirlpool tubs and around fireplaces.
To get to Sawmill Creek Resort, take SR 2 east or west to Rye Beach Road. Turn north on Rye Beach Road and then left onto Cleveland Road. The entrance is about 500 feet from the corner.
For more information, call 800-SAWMILL, e-mail reservations@sawmillcreekresort.com or check out its Web site at www.sawmillcreek.com.
Taft announces launch of new tourism Web site
COLUMBUS -- Gov. Bob Taft has announced the launch of a redesigned Web site, www.OhioTourism.com, highlighting Ohio's unique and diverse tourism attractions.
The site, administered by the Ohio Department of Development's Travel and Tourism Division, offers new features and information. It also supports the new Ohio tourism marketing brand, "Ohio ... So much to Discover."
The site includes a new "Discover Ohio" section, allowing visitors to search the state for their favorite activities using links such as "Ohio Getaways," "Ohio Family Fun," "Ohio Arts & Culture," "Heritage Ohio," "Sports Ohio" and "Outdoor Ohio."
This section also features an "Adventure Ohio" link, where visitors can explore such sports as canoeing, kayaking, biking, hiking, ballooning, birding or scuba diving. The "Golf Ohio" link provides visitors with a database of Ohio courses and information on annual tournaments throughout the state.
Additional features include: "Search Ohio," which is designed to find travel information quickly through a search engine to conduct keyword searches by metro area, region, county or date; "Visitor Information," which includes transportation, weather and lodging information; and "Kids' Stuff/GOAL," which highlights the Great Ohio Adventures in Learning program.
OhioTourism.com also features a monthly contest. Visitors can enter to win a variety of prizes, including weekend getaways to Ohio destinations.
Groves
Quality Collectibles
By Vicki Hunker
The largest teddy bear collectors' shop in Ohio -- and one of the largest in the United States -- can be found in Bluffton at Groves Quality Collectibles.
"We carry a large stock of the finest teddy bears," said Robin Wilch, who manages the store and co-owns it with her parents, Don and Sue Groves.
Although most of the bears are meant for collectors, she said the store also sells teddy bears that are safe for children to play with.
The 5,700-square-foot shop contains bears from wall to wall and floor to ceiling. A Teddy Bear Railroad travels back and forth across the top of display after display.
Groves carries almost every brand name of collectible bear that exists. Included on the list are Steiff, Hermann, Boyds, North American Bear Co., R.J. Wright, Cherished Teddies, Ty, Russ, Aurora, Gund, Lou Rankin, Raikes and several brands of miniatures, but that's not all of them.
In addition, the store carries collectible dolls, other stuffed animals, wildlife collectibles, figurines and Raggedy Ann and Andy. The store also has accessories available such as clothing, furniture and books.
As a service to its customers, co-owner Sue Groves said they'll look for specific bears for customers.
"Maybe they had a special teddy bear as a child or something," she said. "If it exists, we'll find it."
To attract new customers, the store advertises in national consumer publications and takes orders over the phone, by fax, through the mail or by e-mail.
"We've had a lot of repeat business over the years and we need that," Groves added.
"I think part of it is we have one of the largest displays in the country," she said. "We mail order every day all over the world."
The business has grown considerably from the time they opened the store in 1978 after discovering the popularity of teddy bears.
In the mid-1970s the Groves were antique dealers selling their wares at flea markets. They bought some antique teddy bears.
"And they were grabbed up so quickly that they looked into the business," Wilch said.
"And they just took over from there," said Sue Groves.
The Groves bought the house next door to theirs and opened a teddy bear business. They carried their wares to teddy bear collectors shows and sold by mail order.
"It was a big house," she said. "But we just really outgrew it and we bought the store."
While a trip to the store in a sight to see, many of Groves customers "visit" only via their Web site. They e-mail their orders, which are shipped. "The majority of our business is out of state," Wilch said.
To get to Groves Quality Collectibles, take exit 140 off Interstate 75 and to 204 N. Main St., Bluffton. Or to visit on the Internet, go to www.grovesbears.com.
Ohio's Lake Erie Heritage Area Program receives Lake Erie Protection Fund grant
Using a team effort, the tourism officials along Lake Erie are putting together a strategy for attracting the traveler interested in nature and history. Their efforts received a boost recently with the award of a grant to put this strategy into action.
The Ohio Lake Erie Commission awarded the seven visitors bureaus along Lake Erie, known collectively as the Lake Erie Circle Tour, a $275,000 Lake Erie Protection Fund grant for the implementation of a comprehensive plan to promote nature and historical tourism across the Lake Erie shoreline.
Recipients of the grant include the Greater Toledo Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Ottawa County Visitors Bureau, the Sandusky/Erie County Visitors and Convention Bureau, the Lorain County Visitors Bureau, the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland, the Lake County Visitors Bureau and the Ashtabula County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
These bureaus received an Ohio Heritage Area Program grant from the Ohio Department of Development last winter to conduct a resource inventory of the historical, cultural and natural resources of Lake Erie and to develop a management strategy for promoting these resources. Fermata Inc., an internationally recognized firm specializing in resource-based tourism, was selected as a consultant on the project and has been meeting since May with business owners and officials across the lakeshore.
"You have a world-class resource," said Ted Eubanks, Fermata president. "You should be selling it to the world."
The process being used to develop the strategy makes full use of today's technology. Findings are posted on the Fermata Web site, and the public is invited to share their observations and thoughts throughout the process. Meetings have taken place across the lakeshore to discuss the resources and strategy.
The preliminary report can be found at www.fermatainc.com.
"Keep in mind this is a preliminary report and that its purpose is to constantly change," said Melinda Huntley, executive director of the Ottawa County Visitors Bureau and project manager for the Ohio Lake Erie Heritage Area. "This process requires input in order to make it work. No one knows an area like those who enjoy it every day. We want to know what makes Lake Erie special. What natural and historic sites are your favorites and why?
"We're hoping to formulate an approach that separates the forest from the trees, but that recognizes it takes all these individual trees to make that forest so impressive."
The Lake Erie Protection Fund grant will be used to implement the strategy that is being developed by the Lake Erie Circle Tour group and a steering committee of natural, cultural and historical area experts. A key component will be the hiring of a full-time Ohio Lake Erie Heritage Area director to oversee the project.
Tourism within the Lake Erie coastal counties is big business, accounting for $7.4 billion in direct visitor spending, $266 million in state tax revenues, $265 million in local taxes and a $2.5 billion payroll supporting 177,000 jobs.
Nature-based and historical tourism is in demand, with nature-based tourism increasing at a rate of 10-30 percent each year. Top tourist activities include outdoor activities, visiting historical places and museums, visiting beaches, trips to national and state parks and attending cultural festivals and events.
The tourism bureaus see the Ohio Lake Heritage Area program as a way to develop a new tourism product to meet the growing demand of outdoor activities, a market that is of yet largely untapped.
Huntley says the natural resources of Ohio have not been fully appreciated or touted. A recent tourism image study, conducted by the Ohio Department of Development, Division of Travel and Tourism, identified weaknesses in the image of Ohio compared to other states when it comes to scenic beauty, wildlife-watching activities and historical attractions.
"We have a unique opportunity to fill a void in the basic supply and demand theory by developing an approach to market our resources," says Huntley, "And the Lake Erie shoreline has many natural and historical areas worth discovering.
Another goal of the project is to support the preservation of the resources by demonstrating their economic value to local and state decision-makers.
$500,000 Renovation Project To Begin At Marblehead Lighthouse State Park
COLUMBUS, OH -- Work is set to begin on a $500,000 renovation and restoration to the buildings and grounds of Marblehead Lighthouse State Park in Ottawa County, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). The three-acre facility has closed and will be inaccessible to the public for the duration of the construction project. It will reopen in time for next summer's touring season.
The proposed construction not only involves interior and exterior improvements to the 180-year-old lighthouse tower, but also to the on-site keepers' house and the park's access drive and parking lot. Additional upgrades will include removal of overhead electric lines and other site enhancements to improve the visual appeal of the entire area.
"We're excited this important renovation is underway at historic Marblehead Lighthouse, one of Ohio's most beloved state parks," said Dan West, chief of Ohio State Parks. "Our goal is to complete the renovations during the colder months when visitation to the lighthouse is down and so we can be ready for the visiting public next summer."
Marblehead Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse on the Great Lakes in continuous operation. ODNR has maintained the surrounding property since 1972 and accepted ownership of the actual lighthouse tower in 1998. The U.S. Coast Guard maintains the lighthouse beacon.
According to Ohio State Parks statistics, about 250,000 people visit Marblehead Lighthouse State Park annually - mostly during the summer months.
For Further Information Contact: Scott Doty, Lake Erie Islands State Park (419) 797-4530 -or- Jane Beathard, ODNR Media Relations (614) 265-6860.
Visitor
Center At Old Woman Creek Closed For Renovation
Trails and observation decks at the
preserve remain open
COLUMBUS, OH -- The visitor and research center at Old Woman Creek State Nature Preserve in Erie County has closed for remodeling and expansion, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). The preserve's trails and observation decks will remain open during most of the construction period that is scheduled to run through May 2002.
This six-month project will add 1,993 square feet to the preserve's existing visitor and research center, creating expanded exhibit areas and more parking for the nearly 40,000 people who now visit Old Woman Creek annually. It will also improve laboratory and office space for the staff. The facility is classified as a National Estuarine Research Reserve.
The remodeling project will utilize a variety of "green materials" - including low-voltage, high efficiency lighting; recycled materials; and environmentally friendly construction technology. The state's NatureWorks program and the federal National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are jointly funding the project at Old Woman Creek.
Access to the main parking lot will be limited during the construction period and two handicapped parking spaces will be relocated. It is possible that the entire preserve will be closed on occasion for brief periods during the heaviest construction. Such closures, which ODNR plans to keep at a minimum, will be announced in advance if possible.
Old Woman Creek State Nature Preserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve, located east of Huron on the Lake Erie shore, is managed by ODNR's Division of Natural Areas & Preserves. Its 571 acres contain a variety of natural habitats and are home to dozens of rare and endangered plant and animal species. For more information, contact the preserve at 419-433-4601.
For Further Information Contact:
Heidi Hetzel-Evans, Natural Areas & Preserves (614) 265-6520 -or- Jane Beathard, ODNR Media Relations (614) 265-6860.
Perkins
Observatory
By Vicki Hunker
Up-close looks at the planets, nebuals, star clusters and far-away glaxies await visitors to Perkins Observatory.
"Right now we're featuring the fabulous planet Saturn, rings no extra charge," said observatory Director Tom Burns. "If they come before the end of the year they can get a pretty good look at Saturn.
"I remember seeing Saturn through a telescope for the time," he said. "It was a life-changing experience for me."
Later in the winter, Burns said people can still see Saturn, but Jupiter will be the main attraction, including its moons and cloud band.
"And the Great Nebula in Orian will take center stage," he added.
"We're often surprised to see how many people come in the winter," Burns said. "It's cold up there. There's a hole in the roof so we can't really heat it."
On the other hand, "summer's very nice too," he said. "You can go up in your shirt sleeves."
Burns said light pollution is the enemy of an observatory, but there isn't too much of a problem at Perkins.
"It's been building up for decades," he said. "It's been building up for a 100 years basically. But we work with the neighbors to try to keep the light down."
The observatory, four miles south of Delaware, has to contend with Delaware to the north and Columbus to the south.
"We can still get really, really good views to the east and west," he said.
Although the telescope is the main attraction at the observatory, Burns said there all kinds of programs to choose from.
"We do as many as 350 programs a year," he said.
More than 50,000 people attend special programs, slide shows and tours through public programs, school classes, clubs and organizations.
Public programs are scheduled on Friday and Saturday nights year round. Programs begin at 8 p.m. January through April and September through December. The time moved to 9 p.m. May through August. Programs are limited 90 people and tickets are required.
Programs vary from week to week, depending on weather conditions. They may include a planetarium demonstration in the Computer Theater, a slide show on beginning astronomy, a tour of the observatory and/or viewing the night sky through the 32-inch telescope, weather permitting.
Burns, who writes a weekly astronomy column in the Columbus Dispatch, is availalbe for day or evening programs at outside locations.
"A goodly number of programs we do are at schools," he said. "We take along telescopes.
"But we do everything from daycare to elementary to high school to women's clubs, you name it."
Groups also travel to the observatory.
"We do schools from all over the place. We get school groups from as far away as Michigan," Burns said.
Programs can be daytime or evening.
"We have some special telescopes that will allow us to observe the sun," he said.
In addition to one-time programs, the observatory offers a mini-course in astronomy in which Ohio State University astronomy instructors teach students about the latest discoveries by astronomers. Students observe a variety of objects using the 32-inch telescope. The class meets one Thursday each month.
Although the observatory has collaborated with Ohio State, it's owned by Ohio Wesleyan University. It was founded by a mathematics and astronomy professor.
Ground was broken for the observatory in spring 1923 by Professor Hiram Mills Perkins, who was 90 years old at the time. It was his donation of $200,000 to Ohio Wesleyan that made the observatory possible.
Perkins, a professor from 1857-1907, took a leave of absence from his teaching job to raise pigs for the Union army from 1857-1907.
The income he received from the pigs and wise investing after he returned to his teaching duties, provided the funds to build the observatory 60 years later.
When the Perkins Telescope was completed in 1931, it had a light-gathering power of 100,000 times the human eye, making it the third largest in the world.
In 1934, Ohio Wesleyan made an agreement for Ohio State University to use the observatory. In return, OSU took over many of the operating expenses. That agreement continued until 1998.
By 1961, the growth of outside lighting in central Ohio was interfering with the Perkins Telescope's vision. It was relocated to Lowell Observatory near Flagstaff, Ariz., where darkness and favorable weather make it available for research most nights of the year.
After the larger telescope was moved, Michael Schottland, a West Virginia amateur astronomer, donated a 32-inch mirror to replace it. The "Schottland," as it is known, is still the second-largest telescope in the state. It is used primarily for public stargazing.
In addition to the stargazing features, the building includes a 100-seat lecture hall, a library, a kitchen, a darkroom, office space that is being converted to a museum, and a bedroom where astronomers can sleep after spending the night studying the stars.
A large section of public computers demonstrate astronomical software, and there are many other exhibits, including a three-dimensional model of the Local Group of Galaxies.
Tickets are $5 per person for adults ages 17 and older, $3 for children ages 16 and younger and $3 for senior citizens ages 60 and older. Programs take place rain or shine. There are no ticket refunds.
Tickets may be purchased at the door for $1 more. However, the obeservatory cautions that potential participants should call first an hour or two before the program time because programs often are full and tickets are not available.
To request tickets, send a request to: Secretary, Perkins Observatory, P.O. Box 449, Delaware, OH 43015.
For more information about programming, to order tickets, to make a donation or to learn more about becoming a Friend of Perkins Observatory, call 740-363-1257 or visit the Web site www.perkins-observatory.org.
The observatory is off US 23 four miles south of Delaware and 12 miles north of the I-270 Columbus outerbelt.
Many volunteers who assist with programs are members of the Columbus Astronomical Society. Members are dedicated to helping beginning stargazers learn about the universe. The organization meets at 8 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month. Call 740-363-1257 for more information.
Program dates for the remainder of the year are: Nov. 16,17 and 30 and Dec. 1, 7, 14, 15, 21 and 22.
Rudolph,
Ohio
By Jan Hoffbauer
To add a little glow to your holiday greetings this year, package your cards and send them to the Rudolph, Ohio, post office for a special holiday cancellation.
If you want a special letter from Santa sent instead of just the cancellation from his top reindeer, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope addressed to your child.
The Rudolph community, a population of about 1,000, usually has box and rural route deliveries of 10,000 pieces a mail of week, but when December arrives all that changes.
"Last year we hand-canceled 135,000 pieces of mail," said Postmaster Marsha Deitemyer.
Although her appointment as postmaster is new this year, she was the officer in charge of the project last year, so she will be prepared for the onslaught of mail.
This venture was started by Joanne Patton, who was postmaster in 1991. It took a couple years before the Rudolph office could receive the approval from the United States Postal Service.
In 1996 employees hand canceled 70,000 pieces of mail. In 1999 it was up to 117,000. Deitmyer predicts they will hand cancel 140,000 this year.
"It is a lot of fun, but a lot of work," she said.
She stressed that all the envelopes sent to the Rudolph post office must be pre-stamped. They hand cancel the stamp with a special cancellation, but do not stamp the envelopes. Allow a couple extra days for your letters to be mailed.
For that Rudolph glow, gather your Christmas letters or cards in a large envelope and send to:
Rudolph Postmaster
4018 Mermill Road
P.O. Box 9998
Rudolph, OH 43462
Tucked away in a peaceful corner of Mohican-Memorial State Forest in Ashland County is a little-known place where families, friends and ordinary citizens can pause to reflect on Ohioans killed in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Persian Gulf War.
The Memorial Forest Shrine is the state's official monument to her nearly 20,000 sons and daughters who died in those conflicts.
As the United States again faces military action in a distant land, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources invites all Ohioans to rediscover the Memorial Forest Shrine and remember fellow citizens who sacrificed their lives for the nation's freedom.
A joint initiative of ODNR and the Ohio Federation of Women's Clubs, the Memorial Forest Shrine is maintained by the ODNR Division of Forestry, which also oversees the surrounding 270-acre Memorial Park and 4,525-acre state forest.
Over the years, state foresters have planted more than 310,000 trees in the area -- living memorials to the war dead honored within the shrine. The shrine is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day, except the week between Christmas and New Years; Martin Luther King Day and Presidents' Day.
The Ohio General Assembly authorized construction of the 32-foot by 24-foot sandstone chapel-like structure in 1945 as World War II drew to a close. The shrine's location, just off Route 97 and close to Route 3 (the old "3-C Highway"), was carefully selected for its easy access from all parts of the state and because of its proximity to Mohican State Forest, which was already under ODNR management.
More than 60,000 Women's Club members from all over the state worked two years to raise the construction funds. Legislation required that all materials and companies involved in the construction be native to Ohio.
Roof timbers were hewn from state forest trees. The native Ohio sandstone blocks came from a nearby quarry. Roof tiles were manufactured in New Lexington and floor tiles in Zanesville.
A Columbus art glass studio created the shrine's six stained-glass windows, which depict peace doves with olive branches, as well as red cardinals (the state bird) and buckeye trees (the state tree). Two massive wood-bound books containing the hand-lettered names of 20,000 Ohio war dead are preserved in a glass case within the shrine's grotto.
"Most folks just happen by and come in because they are curious," Smith said. "A few have heard of the shrine and come to see the names of friends and family members that are listed in the 'great books.' "
A set of eight binders located in the center of the room duplicate the "great book" listings by county and by war for the convenience of visitors seeking particular names.
Two thousand people made their way to southern Ashland County for the shrine's formal dedication on April 27, 1947.
Honored guests that day included some of Ohio's most decorated war heroes. As part of the ceremony, women's club leaders turned over the keys to ODNR, symbolizing the state's permanent guardianship of the facility. Every day since then, state forest staffers have raised the shrine's flags and tended the shrine's grounds, keeping in mind the sacred nature of their trust.
"People are humbled by the structure and surroundings," Smith said. "There's an aura of peace and tranquility about the shrine that has a profound effect on visitors."
Women's Clubs help maintain the shrine and keep its roll of honored dead updated. OFWC President Nancy Lombardo said members donate about $1,200 per year toward the effort.
"Our Memorial Forest Board of Trustees takes great pleasure and pride in maintaining the great books," Lombardo said. "Periodically, we receive letters from family members of someone inscribed in the books, commenting about the beauty of the shrine."
A NatureWorks grant provided needed repairs and updates in 1997 when the OFWC held a 50th anniversary rededication and ribbon cutting. Wheelchair ramps were added in 1991.
The Memorial Forest Shrine hosts two formal events each year. The Ohio Chapter of American Gold Star Mothers, an organization of women who have lost children in war, holds a pilgrimage to the shrine on the last Sunday of each September. The local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars also conducts an annual Memorial Day service.
Dorothy Lind of Columbus is the president of Ohio Gold Star Mothers. Her son, Ralph Richard Lind Jr., is listed among the honored dead from the Vietnam War.
"It's very comforting to the Gold Star Mothers to know there is one place in the state dedicated to these fallen heroes," she said.
Donations to aid with the shrine's upkeep may be made in care of The Ohio Federation of Women's Clubs, Mohican-Memorial State Forest, 3060 CR 939, Perrysville, OH 44846.
Ohio Joins National Vessel Safety Check Program
COLUMBUS, OH -- The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) recently joined a nationwide vessel safety check program that in the future will allow inspected boats to display an special decal that will be recognized throughout the country.
Ohio is the second state in the nation to join the program, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGA). When fully implemented, it will allow for a unified set of vessel safety check standards as well as national recognition for the new vessel safety check program decal.
Ohio's watercraft officers conduct as many as 13,000 vessel safety inspections annually. Beginning next year, they will use the program's new decal on Ohio boats.
The decal, which features the USCGA logo and the logos of other sponsoring agencies and organizations, will be recognized by each state as proof a watercraft has met USCGA's unified safety guidelines.
According to the USCGA, its long-term commitment to further improve boating safety will be enhanced as more states become aware and participate in the national Vessel Safety Check program.
Ohio is the first state to use its state watercraft officers in addition to local marine patrol units for vessel safety inspections. Additionally, trained volunteers with the U.S. Power Squadrons and other boating organizations conduct vessel safety checks for recreational boaters.
For Further Information Contact:
John Wisse, ODNR Division of Watercraft (614) 265-6695 -or- Andy Ware, ODNR Media Relations (614) 265-6882
