BY Cara Fitzgerald
The Sunday Creek Watershed Group, headed by coordinator Kaabe Shaw, is a non-profit organization that works with environmental agencies and communities members to improve water quality throughout Southeast Ohio. This is a series of photos taken at the group's headquarters in Glouster.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
A Tunnel Through Time
BY Jen Karpus
Haydenville, or the “Hocking furnace”, is located in the Southern Green Township in Hocking County.
The founder, Peter Hayden, an industrialist from Columbus, arrived in 1952 to start an iron business. In 1882, his company was renamed the Haydenville Mining and Manufacturing Company, which produced brick and ceramic tile.
In 1906 it was sold to the National Fireproofing Company (NATCO).
Then in 1964 the town transitioned from a company town to a community town. It’s long run as a company town earned Haydenville the reputation as the last company town in Ohio. Today the NATCO is now a lumber yard.
Haydenville is also known for it's structural significance because many of
the buildings were created with the clay and tile products produced in the town.
The town itself is a showcase of the work done there. Most notably is the
Round House, which is a rounded house made of different sorts of bricks located
on Haydenville Road and is now a small family home.
Haydenville is famous for the Haydenville Tunnel. The century old tunnel transported manufactured materials, coal and clay from nearby mines. It was abandoned in the 1950s.
One tunnel entrance is behind the Haydenville Cemetery, which encourages ghost theorists who believe the tunnel is haunted by workers who died during its construction and possibly a young girl. According to the Ohio Exploration Society and the Central Ohio Paranormal Society, paranormal bites have been recorded.
Haydenville, or the “Hocking furnace”, is located in the Southern Green Township in Hocking County.
The founder, Peter Hayden, an industrialist from Columbus, arrived in 1952 to start an iron business. In 1882, his company was renamed the Haydenville Mining and Manufacturing Company, which produced brick and ceramic tile.
In 1906 it was sold to the National Fireproofing Company (NATCO).
Then in 1964 the town transitioned from a company town to a community town. It’s long run as a company town earned Haydenville the reputation as the last company town in Ohio. Today the NATCO is now a lumber yard.
Haydenville is also known for it's structural significance because many of
the buildings were created with the clay and tile products produced in the town.
The town itself is a showcase of the work done there. Most notably is the
Round House, which is a rounded house made of different sorts of bricks located
on Haydenville Road and is now a small family home.
Haydenville is famous for the Haydenville Tunnel. The century old tunnel transported manufactured materials, coal and clay from nearby mines. It was abandoned in the 1950s.
One tunnel entrance is behind the Haydenville Cemetery, which encourages ghost theorists who believe the tunnel is haunted by workers who died during its construction and possibly a young girl. According to the Ohio Exploration Society and the Central Ohio Paranormal Society, paranormal bites have been recorded.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Back Porch Swinging
BY Jackie Zimmermann
Composed entirely of musicians from southeast Ohio, the five-member Back Porch Swing Band plays a mix of jazz, country, swing and bluegrass. Even though the group plays close to 100 shows a year, and has been around for 15 years, it has never once held a practice. The following is a photo slide show of the most recent musicians in the group accompanied by the song "Shimmy like my Sister Kate" from their first CD.
Composed entirely of musicians from southeast Ohio, the five-member Back Porch Swing Band plays a mix of jazz, country, swing and bluegrass. Even though the group plays close to 100 shows a year, and has been around for 15 years, it has never once held a practice. The following is a photo slide show of the most recent musicians in the group accompanied by the song "Shimmy like my Sister Kate" from their first CD.
Free to See: A Selection of Sites in Adams County
BY Melanie Barnes
While driving on the Appalachian Highway, toward the Ohio-Kentucky border, you may find yourself passing through Adams County. Resting 45 miles east of Cincinnati and 90 miles south of Columbus, Adams County offers attractions that could enhance your travel experience, or provide some afternoon entertainment. Here is a sampling of the site’s Adam county has to offer.
Clothesline of Quilts
Along the road, there is a patchwork of barns adorned with quilt square murals. The murals, known as the Clothesline of Quilts, were originally created by Donna Sue Groves in 2001 and dedicated to her mother. The murals multiplied and today there are 21 quilt squares across Adams County.
Serpent Mound
Spanning 1,370 feet and standing three feet high is the largest effigy in the world: Serpent Mound. The Serpent Mound is recognized for is its association with the summer and winter solstice. The head of the serpent is aligned to the sunset of the summer solstice, and the coils of the tail align with the winter sunset. Visitors are encouraged to walk the footpath along the serpent and visit the museum created by the Ohio Historical Society.
William Lafferty Memorial Funeral and Carriage Collection
Of course, every area has its quirky treasures, and Adams County is no exception. The William Lafferty Memorial Funeral and Carriage Collection is a museum of mortuary items housed in Ohio's longest-running funeral home. The funeral home has been in business since 1848, and today’s collection features items from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In the museum visitors can see horse-drawn and motorized hearses, caskets through the ages and tools of the mortuary trade. Many of the items were used for the Lafferty’s funeral home business.
While driving on the Appalachian Highway, toward the Ohio-Kentucky border, you may find yourself passing through Adams County. Resting 45 miles east of Cincinnati and 90 miles south of Columbus, Adams County offers attractions that could enhance your travel experience, or provide some afternoon entertainment. Here is a sampling of the site’s Adam county has to offer.
Clothesline of Quilts
Along the road, there is a patchwork of barns adorned with quilt square murals. The murals, known as the Clothesline of Quilts, were originally created by Donna Sue Groves in 2001 and dedicated to her mother. The murals multiplied and today there are 21 quilt squares across Adams County.
Serpent Mound
Spanning 1,370 feet and standing three feet high is the largest effigy in the world: Serpent Mound. The Serpent Mound is recognized for is its association with the summer and winter solstice. The head of the serpent is aligned to the sunset of the summer solstice, and the coils of the tail align with the winter sunset. Visitors are encouraged to walk the footpath along the serpent and visit the museum created by the Ohio Historical Society.
William Lafferty Memorial Funeral and Carriage Collection
Of course, every area has its quirky treasures, and Adams County is no exception. The William Lafferty Memorial Funeral and Carriage Collection is a museum of mortuary items housed in Ohio's longest-running funeral home. The funeral home has been in business since 1848, and today’s collection features items from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In the museum visitors can see horse-drawn and motorized hearses, caskets through the ages and tools of the mortuary trade. Many of the items were used for the Lafferty’s funeral home business.
Sistersville Ferry Shuttles On...
BY Kristen Rapin
The historical Sistersville Ferry shuttles users across a scenic stretch of the Ohio River.
The Sistersville Ferry has been continuously carrying passengers between Fly, OH, and Sistersville, W.V. since 1815, making it the longest operating mode of transportation for Monroe County. The ferry crosses at the apex of the 20-mile “Long Reach,” which is the longest stretch of the Ohio River.
The oldest of four ferries located on the Ohio River, the Sistersville Ferry is also the only ferry that operates along the 277-mile border between Ohio and West Virginia.
The ferry is not only an attraction for tourist but serves locals as well. The Sistersville Ferry daily charters almost 100 cars across the Ohio River. Most passengers are locals commuting between Ohio and West Virginia. Without the use of the ferry many people would have to travel out of their way to work since the nearest bridge, St. Mary’s Bridge, 20 minutes away.
Ferry passengers bypass the bridge, and opt for a leisurely five-minute commute to the opposite bank. This slower mode of transportation allows passengers time to observe the river and its surroundings.
In 1999 the first new boat and barge were put into operation doubling the ferry’s capacity to a tractor-trailer or 8 cars. Prior to 1999 the boat and barge were always used.
The Ohio River creates such openness that on clear day you can see Beaverton, OH, seven miles south, and Sardis, OH, five miles to the north.
Since its founding, the ferry has only officially been closed twice for reasons other then weather -during the Civil War and from 1987-1989. In 1980 the City of Sistersville purchased the ferry, which had been privately owned.
Normal business hours are 6 a.m to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Each car cost $3 to cross the river. Currently the ferry is not operating due to winter weather but will resume normal hours at the end of March or early April.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Touring the Trans Allegheny
BY Caroline Melia
PHOTOS BY Andrew Spear
The Trans Allegheny Bookstore of Parkersburg, West Virginia, is well known for its historical structure and for its wide variety of used books. The building was originally built in 1905 as the Parkersburg Carnegie Public Library with a grant from Andrew Carnegie. Customers come to the store for the historical atmosphere. The photographs featured below are a glimpse of the beauty and antiquity of the century-old halls.
PHOTOS BY Andrew Spear
The Trans Allegheny Bookstore of Parkersburg, West Virginia, is well known for its historical structure and for its wide variety of used books. The building was originally built in 1905 as the Parkersburg Carnegie Public Library with a grant from Andrew Carnegie. Customers come to the store for the historical atmosphere. The photographs featured below are a glimpse of the beauty and antiquity of the century-old halls.
Club Dave
BY Brittany Timmons
David Hostetler, 83, combines his passion for art and music at his home outside of Athens. Once a week friends gather at Club Dave, a lounge connected to his workshop where he plays drums in his band. Friends and visitors mingle and sip wine while listening to the music and discussing David’s art. Walk into Club Dave and you are transported from rural Ohio to a swanky New York City jazz club hidden among the Appalachian hills.
David Hostetler, 83, combines his passion for art and music at his home outside of Athens. Once a week friends gather at Club Dave, a lounge connected to his workshop where he plays drums in his band. Friends and visitors mingle and sip wine while listening to the music and discussing David’s art. Walk into Club Dave and you are transported from rural Ohio to a swanky New York City jazz club hidden among the Appalachian hills.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Then and Now: Shawnee, a Preserved "Black Diamond"
BY: Danielle Nowicki
MULTIMEDIA BY: Robert Bundy
Shawnee, nestled precariously beside a hill in southern Perry County, is barely visible from state Route 93. A product of the Industrial Revolution’s coal mining boom and decline, it rests preserved in its original state. It’s a residential museum where, if only the walls could talk, visitors can hear the stories of struggling migrants and coal mining moguls. It was a town built on the hope and the promising future of “black diamonds.”Now it is a town struggling to survive and tell its story to the passerby. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Hocking Valley was booming with migrants looking for work in coal mines. The Industrial Revolution was in full-swing and coal was in demand. Shawnee was among the dozens of mining towns to spring up in this time period. Unlike most coal boom towns of the period, Shawnee has remained a well-preserved semi-ghost town.
Laid out and plated in Salt Lick Township by T.J. Davis of Newark in 1872. With only 156 lots and less than 1,500 people at its beginning, Shawnee’s population grew to nearly 3,000 in the early 1900s.
Three railroads ran through Shawnee: Newark, Somerset and New Straitsville line, later named the B&O Railroad. (Yes, the same from Monopoly.) Four brick plants were erected due to the abundance of clay in the region, in addition to the coal. However, like many small industrial towns, the area was eventually depleted of its resources, and its economic stability was wiped out. With the work gone, so went the labor force. Shawnee has since been in a state of purgatory; unable to regain momentum yet refusing to turn to dust. The town now has 608 residents, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.
The Shawnee branch of the Perry County Public Library is located on the first floor of one of the town’s original opera houses. The building was in bad shape but has been saved due to the efforts of the community.
Main Street, which was placed on the National Historic Register in 1976, is characterized by its numerous awnings and balconies that line the road. Another historic opera house is still there. Built in 1881 as a meeting hall for the Knights of Labor Union, later the Knights of Pythias Hall, it is also one of the tallest buildings in Perry County.
A Shawnee Coal Mine Museum was recently opened by Jack Shuttleworth. Shuttleworth is willing to demonstrate and explain mining techniques and discuss the region’s history.
Another component essential to the preservation of historic Shawnee is the Hannah family. The Hannah Brothers Furniture and Appliance Store opened in 1928. As properties surrounding the store on East Main Street became vacant. The Hannahs bought them to expand their store. Because of their continued interest in Shawnee, the family has saved numerous buildings.
Other signs of life are apparent in the post office, restaurant and bar that continue to operate in town. With the help of people like Geoff Schenkel, who worked with kids in the community to paint a mural, and the“Little Cities of Black Diamonds”, who work to promote the history of the region and revitalize the towns, Shawnee is sure to stay on the map.
MULTIMEDIA BY: Robert Bundy
Shawnee, nestled precariously beside a hill in southern Perry County, is barely visible from state Route 93. A product of the Industrial Revolution’s coal mining boom and decline, it rests preserved in its original state. It’s a residential museum where, if only the walls could talk, visitors can hear the stories of struggling migrants and coal mining moguls. It was a town built on the hope and the promising future of “black diamonds.”Now it is a town struggling to survive and tell its story to the passerby. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Hocking Valley was booming with migrants looking for work in coal mines. The Industrial Revolution was in full-swing and coal was in demand. Shawnee was among the dozens of mining towns to spring up in this time period. Unlike most coal boom towns of the period, Shawnee has remained a well-preserved semi-ghost town.
Laid out and plated in Salt Lick Township by T.J. Davis of Newark in 1872. With only 156 lots and less than 1,500 people at its beginning, Shawnee’s population grew to nearly 3,000 in the early 1900s.
Three railroads ran through Shawnee: Newark, Somerset and New Straitsville line, later named the B&O Railroad. (Yes, the same from Monopoly.) Four brick plants were erected due to the abundance of clay in the region, in addition to the coal. However, like many small industrial towns, the area was eventually depleted of its resources, and its economic stability was wiped out. With the work gone, so went the labor force. Shawnee has since been in a state of purgatory; unable to regain momentum yet refusing to turn to dust. The town now has 608 residents, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.
The Shawnee branch of the Perry County Public Library is located on the first floor of one of the town’s original opera houses. The building was in bad shape but has been saved due to the efforts of the community.
Main Street, which was placed on the National Historic Register in 1976, is characterized by its numerous awnings and balconies that line the road. Another historic opera house is still there. Built in 1881 as a meeting hall for the Knights of Labor Union, later the Knights of Pythias Hall, it is also one of the tallest buildings in Perry County.
A Shawnee Coal Mine Museum was recently opened by Jack Shuttleworth. Shuttleworth is willing to demonstrate and explain mining techniques and discuss the region’s history.
Another component essential to the preservation of historic Shawnee is the Hannah family. The Hannah Brothers Furniture and Appliance Store opened in 1928. As properties surrounding the store on East Main Street became vacant. The Hannahs bought them to expand their store. Because of their continued interest in Shawnee, the family has saved numerous buildings.
Other signs of life are apparent in the post office, restaurant and bar that continue to operate in town. With the help of people like Geoff Schenkel, who worked with kids in the community to paint a mural, and the“Little Cities of Black Diamonds”, who work to promote the history of the region and revitalize the towns, Shawnee is sure to stay on the map.
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