A Taste of History

BY Chris Kardish

When William McKell’s uncle decided to leave Ireland on a trans-Atlantic voyage in 1830, the 21-year-old tagged along. A no-nonsense man who was fed up with life in Derry Hall, he would do well in America. After gaining the trust of some brothers who sold window glass and fine china, William agreed to extend their business past the Ohio Canal. But the canal was frozen over in the winter of 1832 and he only got as far as Chillicothe. Deciding to set up shop in that fertile valley hedged between the Scioto River and Paint Creek, William never looked back. Four years later, he married Phebe Scott Cook, an independently minded woman with an equally strong character.

One-hundred and seventy three years later, the couple’s grandson contributed this story of a Chillicothe settler along with a recipe for apple cupcakes to Rich Traditions: a collection of family recipes and memories, a project of the Junior Civic League of Chillicothe

Although the cookbook was inspired by the work of the Junior Civic League of Canton, this collection focuses on what makes Chillicothe Chillicothe, says Kristyne Ramsey, a music therapist, who spearheaded the project. “This is just about families; it’s about the people,” she says. “When you think about it, that’s where history really comes from. It’s a way for people to talk about where they came from, talk about stories of their families that haven’t been written down.”

The recipes, interspersed with the stories dating back to the American Revolution, were taste tested and approved by the women of the Junior Civic League. But while Kristyne swears by every submission, she’s not totally sold on the pineapple casserole.

“You’ve got your pineapple, and sugar, flour, and all so far so good,” she says, rattling off the ingredients while preparing for the bombshell. “But all of a sudden: sharp cheddar cheese, grated? With pineapple and cracker crumbs? I thought, ‘that sounds disgusting!’ And I’ve had more people say that was awesome. I haven’t done it yet. I’m a little scared.” Smiling mischievously, she says she’s saving that recipe for a family reunion. “I’m going to say, ‘who made that?’”

One story that Krystine will never forget, though she can’t remember who told it to her, exemplifies the “accidents” that define our lives.

“A family was on a train going through Chillicothe, and they saw—I don’t think they could read very well—but they saw the ‘C-H-I’ and thought ‘Oh, we’re here! They got off thinking this was Chicago and they just lived here. I’ll never forget that. They just lived here all of their lives but they were going to Chicago, that was their goal.”

The 20-year resident of Chillicothe insists that her own story would fail to inspire. “I didn’t put my story in here, because I thought it was kind of boring, but people are like ‘how’d you come from Canton.’ Well, um, I got married, and the gentleman had a job down here, and that’s why I moved down here, but now we’re divorced. People ask ‘why didn’t you move back to Canton?’ Why? I already started my career here. And I loved the area and I thought ‘I don’t want to go back to Canton.’ I love it here, so I stayed…I guess I can blame one good thing on my ex-husband: a good town.”

Like the unknown family originally bound for Chicago or William mcKell, held up by the winter of 1832, Kristyne never looked back. Her story, along with pineapple casserole, are every bit a part of Chillicothe’s history.

Pineapple Casserole

1 (20 ounce) can pineapple (bits), reserve juice

½ cup sugar

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons pineapple juice from can

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 stick butter

½ cup round buttery cracker crumbs

A Century of Scoops: Michael's Ice Cream

BY Samantha Kinhan

Driving down Route 93 through Jackson, Ohio, strip malls and chain restaurants slowly give way to the historic, downtown center. Instead of a Wal-Mart, there is Lewis Drug Store, operating since 1891. And instead of a Dairy Queen or Wendy’s, there’s Michael’s Ice Cream.

Michael’s is one of the longest-standing staples in Jackson, currently enjoying its 100^th year as a family-owned business. Tom Michael is a third generation owner of the store. Today, his wife Joan, is manning the front counter. While she takes care of customers, I take a look around.

The interior decor modestly resembles a traditional ice cream parlor, complete with old-fashioned glassware. However, certain aspects such as the marble counter tops give the store a modern flair. Historic photographs of Jackson from the late 1800’s through the early 1900’s line the walls, almost as an ode to Michael’s longevity.

Michael’s history dates back to 1903, when 16-year-old Joe Michael came to the United States from Lebanon. For a time, he worked as a pack peddler, selling his wares throughout various counties in southeastern Ohio. When that fell through, he took a job building up car shops in Jackson, but he still had financial concerns. So, he began a second job working for his friend, Joe Abraham, who owned an ice cream store in Ironton. It was there that he learned the art of ice-cream making. Joe brought his skills back to Jackson, and opened Michael’s Ice Cream in 1909.

Joe eventually passed the business on to his two sons, Ed and Moses. The store continued to make its own ice cream until 1966, when the owners opted to buy from a local distributor. Michael’s currently sells 16 flavors of ice cream, accompanied by 14 homemade toppings including hot fudge, pineapple, black raspberry and peanut butter.

From its inception, Michael’s has been best known for two items: “the bubble” and home-roasted nuts. The bubble is a delicious concoction of French vanilla ice cream draped with hot chocolate sauce and marshmallow sauce, then generously topped with fresh roasted peanuts. After trying one for myself, I can see why it is the most popular item at Michael’s—the homemade sauces and crushed peanuts make the bubble completely authentic.

The home roasted peanuts have their own unique story. Originally, Joe ordered a popcorn-making machine for the store; instead, he received a peanut roaster. He decided to keep the roaster and Michael’s still roasts a variety of peanuts today, ranging from Spanish to redskin. In fact, former Ohio governor James Rhodes’ first job was at Michael’s working the hand-crank peanut roaster. As a tribute to his first employer, governor Rhodes gave Michael’s a framed photograph from his inauguration.

Two teenage boys sit down and order bubbles; one of them is definitely a first-timer. As they slurp down their treats, the bubble veteran says, “Now it’s your obligation to show another person.” With such dedicated patronage, it’s no wonder that Michael’s continues to operate as one of the most popular businesses in Jackson.

The Sunday Creek Watershed Group Works on Water

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.