By Joann M. Ringelstetter
In 1928 and 1929, identical monuments were installed in each of the 12 states crossed by the National Old Trails Road (Route 40), also known as the National Road, which started in Bethesda, Maryland, and extended to Upland, California. These statues were commissioned by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution to honor the courage, fortitude, and faith of the pioneer mothers on their journeys west.
The statues were created by sculptor August Leimbach and were made from a mixture of stone, marble, cement, lead ore, and a pinkish crushed granite from Missouri. With the large pedestal base, the monuments are 18 feet tall and weigh over 17 tons. The statues themselves are over 10 feet tall and they feature a pioneer mother holding a baby in one arm and a rifle in the other. A small boy stands at her side, clutching her skirt.
The front of each pedestal reads, “Madonna of the Trail, N.S.D.A.R. Memorial to the Pioneer Mothers of the Covered Wagon Days.” The back of each pedestal reads, “The National Old Trails Road.” The sides of the pedestals vary with inscriptions featuring national and regional history.
The National Road followed the route taken by the pioneers as they journeyed west in their covered wagons in search of a better life. The photo below is a small section of a large mural in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, created by artist Curtis Goldstein. It shows a covered wagon loaded with supplies and sitting next to a National Road mile marker.
Arlene B. Moss, chairwoman of the committee of the Daughters of the American Revolution, came up with the idea for these monuments. She said, “The statue is a fitting tribute to the brave pioneer mothers who aided so much in the progress of this country. These brave women backed their men folks through hardships, privations and during hard Indian battles. Without the pioneer women, there would have been no progress in this country.” The first statue was dedicated on July 4, 1928, in Springfield, Ohio.
At the dedication of this monument, Judge Harry S. Truman, President of the National Old Trails Road Association, and future president of the United States, spoke at the ceremony, saying, “They were just as brave or braver than their men because, in many cases, they went with sad hearts and trembling bodies. They went, however, and endured every hardship that befalls a pioneer.” One side of this monument has an inscription about local history. It says, "Three miles southwest of here General George Rogers Clark, commanding Kentucky frontiersmen, vanquished the Shawnee Confederacy, August 8, 1780, resulting in opening the Northwest Territory."
Three days later, on July 7, 1928, the second monument was dedicated in Wheeling, West Virginia. At the dedication, Arlene B. Moss said, "The monuments will serve as great national shrines. The beauty of these memorials will add to this country's natural scenic wonders and will remain as lasting memorials."
Frank Davis, Secretary of the National Old Trails Road Association, said, "While this is a memorial to the pioneer mothers, the project when completed in the 12 states, will also serve as a memorial to the present-day mother…”
On the side of this monument, it says, “To the Pioneer mothers of our mountain state, whose courage, optimism, love, and sacrifice made possible the National Highway that united the east and west.” The National Road, also called the Cumberland Road and the National Pike, had reached Wheeling, West Virginia by 1818. Today, the historic Wheeling Suspension Bridge, which opened in 1849, still carries the National Road across the Ohio River, where it continues to make its way westward.
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Shunpiking To Heaven Backroads Blog
Showing posts with label Ohio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ohio. Show all posts
Friday, May 15, 2020
Sunday, April 26, 2020
Annie Oakley - American Legend
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
In the spring of 2017, we returned to Ohio for our fifth 10-day photography trip in that beautiful and historical state. One of the subjects Ruth had researched was the history of Annie Oakley, so she had several locations marked having to do with this world famous sharpshooter. We spent the first two days photographing our way across Illinois and Indiana. On the third day, we crossed into Ohio and were soon in the Willowdell area, Annie's birthplace.
Annie Oakley was born Phoebe Ann Moses (or Mosey) on August 13, 1860. Her family called her Annie. According to the Annie Oakley Center Foundation, there has always been confusion over the family name. In fact, the historical sign at her birthplace said “Moses” and the one at her gravesite said “Mosey.”
Annie’s father Jacob fought at a very young age in the War of 1812. In 1848, at the age of 49, he married Susan Wise, who was 16 years old. Jacob and Susan were Quakers who came from Pennsylvania to settle on a farm in rural Darke County, Ohio, near the Indiana border. By 1865, they had nine children (two of whom died as infants). The photo below shows a simple memorial that marks the location where Annie was born.
Jacob and Susan worked hard to feed and clothe their family. They raised corn and wheat, which Jacob hauled 20 miles with a horse-drawn wagon to Bear’s Mill to be ground. Sometime during the winter of 1865, Jacob made this trip to purchase supplies and to have his grain ground. During the trip, a snowstorm blew in and Jacob struggled to get home. He fell ill with pneumonia from the overexposure to freezing temperatures and died on February 11, 1866 at the age of 66. When I discovered this fact about Bear’s Mill, I realized that we had visited the mill on a short 3-day trip to Ohio in 2004 on our way to see the Christmas lights at Clifton Mill.
At the time of Jacob’s death, Annie’s mother Susan was left with seven children, aged one to 14. Annie was only five years old. Susan moved the family to a smaller home and everyone pitched in to support the family. And then another tragedy hit. A mere 14 months after Jacob died, their oldest child, Mary Jane, died of tuberculosis 11 days before her 16th birthday. Susan didn’t have the money to pay Mary Jane’s doctor and funeral expenses, so she sold their pet milk cow.
Annie helped feed her family by trapping birds and small animals. Around age seven, she began using the muzzle-loading gun that had belonged to her father and discovered she had a natural talent for shooting. In fact, Annie was so good at shooting game that she was able to contribute financially to her family by selling it to the Katzenberger Brothers’ Grocery Store in Greenville. They distributed it to restaurants and hotels in Cincinnati. By the age of 15, Annie had paid off the mortgage on her family’s home.
On Thanksgiving Day, 1875, 15-year-old Annie was invited to participate in a shooting contest with champion marksman Frank E. Butler, who was in a traveling show in Cincinnati. Butler, in his mid-twenties, was astonished when Annie beat him by making 25 shots out of her 25 attempts, while he missed one of his 25 attempts. Not only did Annie win the shooting match, but she captured Frank’s heart. On August 23, 1876, they were married. Annie had just turned 16, the same age her mother was when she married Annie’s father.
In May 1882, Annie and Frank began performing together and Annie chose the stage name “Annie Oakley.” No one is sure about the origin of this name, but Oakley was a neighborhood in Cincinnati where she and Frank lived. For three years, either Frank received top billing or he and Annie shared it. In April 1885, Annie and Frank began performing in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. Annie quickly became the star, with posters advertising her as “Champion Markswoman.” Frank was proud of his wife and gladly stepped back to manage her career and assist with her shooting tricks.
From 75 feet away, Annie could hit the thin edge of a playing card. She could also shoot off the end of a cigarette that Frank held between his lips and hit distant targets by looking at them in a mirror. From 90 feet, she could shoot the cork out of a bottle or put out a candle flame. If Frank tossed playing cards into the air, Annie could shoot holes in them before they hit the ground. At only five feet tall, and because of her talent and confidence, Annie earned the name “Little Sure Shot,” which was given to her by Sitting Bull, the Sioux (Lakota) leader.
Annie and Frank performed in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show for 16 seasons. They left the show in 1901 after a serious train accident injured Annie’s back. The couple continued to perform on a less demanding schedule, retiring from show business in 1913. In retirement, Annie spent her time giving shooting lessons to women, performing at charity events, and hunting (which she had enjoyed since she was a small child). On November 3, 1926, Annie died of pernicious anemia at the age of 66 (the same age at which her father had died).
At the time of Annie’s death, she and Frank had been happily married for fifty years. Frank was heartbroken and just stopped eating. He died 18 days after Annie on November 21, 1926. They are both buried in the Moses family plot in beautiful Brock Cemetery, about 8 miles from where Annie was born.
At Annie Oakley Park in Greenville, Ohio, the following quote is attributed to Annie Oakley, a Legend in Her Own Time - "Aim at a high mark and you'll hit it. No, not the first time, nor the second time and maybe not the third, but keep on aiming and keep on shooting for only practice will make you perfect. Finally you'll hit the bull's eye of success."
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
In the spring of 2017, we returned to Ohio for our fifth 10-day photography trip in that beautiful and historical state. One of the subjects Ruth had researched was the history of Annie Oakley, so she had several locations marked having to do with this world famous sharpshooter. We spent the first two days photographing our way across Illinois and Indiana. On the third day, we crossed into Ohio and were soon in the Willowdell area, Annie's birthplace.
Annie Oakley was born Phoebe Ann Moses (or Mosey) on August 13, 1860. Her family called her Annie. According to the Annie Oakley Center Foundation, there has always been confusion over the family name. In fact, the historical sign at her birthplace said “Moses” and the one at her gravesite said “Mosey.”
Annie’s father Jacob fought at a very young age in the War of 1812. In 1848, at the age of 49, he married Susan Wise, who was 16 years old. Jacob and Susan were Quakers who came from Pennsylvania to settle on a farm in rural Darke County, Ohio, near the Indiana border. By 1865, they had nine children (two of whom died as infants). The photo below shows a simple memorial that marks the location where Annie was born.
Jacob and Susan worked hard to feed and clothe their family. They raised corn and wheat, which Jacob hauled 20 miles with a horse-drawn wagon to Bear’s Mill to be ground. Sometime during the winter of 1865, Jacob made this trip to purchase supplies and to have his grain ground. During the trip, a snowstorm blew in and Jacob struggled to get home. He fell ill with pneumonia from the overexposure to freezing temperatures and died on February 11, 1866 at the age of 66. When I discovered this fact about Bear’s Mill, I realized that we had visited the mill on a short 3-day trip to Ohio in 2004 on our way to see the Christmas lights at Clifton Mill.
At the time of Jacob’s death, Annie’s mother Susan was left with seven children, aged one to 14. Annie was only five years old. Susan moved the family to a smaller home and everyone pitched in to support the family. And then another tragedy hit. A mere 14 months after Jacob died, their oldest child, Mary Jane, died of tuberculosis 11 days before her 16th birthday. Susan didn’t have the money to pay Mary Jane’s doctor and funeral expenses, so she sold their pet milk cow.
Annie helped feed her family by trapping birds and small animals. Around age seven, she began using the muzzle-loading gun that had belonged to her father and discovered she had a natural talent for shooting. In fact, Annie was so good at shooting game that she was able to contribute financially to her family by selling it to the Katzenberger Brothers’ Grocery Store in Greenville. They distributed it to restaurants and hotels in Cincinnati. By the age of 15, Annie had paid off the mortgage on her family’s home.
On Thanksgiving Day, 1875, 15-year-old Annie was invited to participate in a shooting contest with champion marksman Frank E. Butler, who was in a traveling show in Cincinnati. Butler, in his mid-twenties, was astonished when Annie beat him by making 25 shots out of her 25 attempts, while he missed one of his 25 attempts. Not only did Annie win the shooting match, but she captured Frank’s heart. On August 23, 1876, they were married. Annie had just turned 16, the same age her mother was when she married Annie’s father.
In May 1882, Annie and Frank began performing together and Annie chose the stage name “Annie Oakley.” No one is sure about the origin of this name, but Oakley was a neighborhood in Cincinnati where she and Frank lived. For three years, either Frank received top billing or he and Annie shared it. In April 1885, Annie and Frank began performing in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. Annie quickly became the star, with posters advertising her as “Champion Markswoman.” Frank was proud of his wife and gladly stepped back to manage her career and assist with her shooting tricks.
From 75 feet away, Annie could hit the thin edge of a playing card. She could also shoot off the end of a cigarette that Frank held between his lips and hit distant targets by looking at them in a mirror. From 90 feet, she could shoot the cork out of a bottle or put out a candle flame. If Frank tossed playing cards into the air, Annie could shoot holes in them before they hit the ground. At only five feet tall, and because of her talent and confidence, Annie earned the name “Little Sure Shot,” which was given to her by Sitting Bull, the Sioux (Lakota) leader.
Annie and Frank performed in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show for 16 seasons. They left the show in 1901 after a serious train accident injured Annie’s back. The couple continued to perform on a less demanding schedule, retiring from show business in 1913. In retirement, Annie spent her time giving shooting lessons to women, performing at charity events, and hunting (which she had enjoyed since she was a small child). On November 3, 1926, Annie died of pernicious anemia at the age of 66 (the same age at which her father had died).
At the time of Annie’s death, she and Frank had been happily married for fifty years. Frank was heartbroken and just stopped eating. He died 18 days after Annie on November 21, 1926. They are both buried in the Moses family plot in beautiful Brock Cemetery, about 8 miles from where Annie was born.
At Annie Oakley Park in Greenville, Ohio, the following quote is attributed to Annie Oakley, a Legend in Her Own Time - "Aim at a high mark and you'll hit it. No, not the first time, nor the second time and maybe not the third, but keep on aiming and keep on shooting for only practice will make you perfect. Finally you'll hit the bull's eye of success."
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Thursday, February 27, 2020
American Gothic Barn, Gomer, Ohio
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
In April 2017, after having taken four previous trips to the southern and central parts of Ohio, we decided to return with a focus on northern Ohio. On the afternoon of our first full day in that beautiful state, we traveled the Lincoln Highway to the small rural town of Gomer. In her research, Ruth had discovered a large American Gothic barn and we knew we had to go find it.
As we drove through the small residential section, we noticed the town hall for Sugar Creek Township. In front of this old-fashioned town hall building was a historical sign. It said, “1833, Gomer, Ohio, A Welsh Settlement. A village settled by the Watkins, Roberts, and Nicholas families, bringing with them their Welsh traditions and establishing a community in honor of their native land.”
Next to the town hall was a small commercial building, tucked tightly between the town hall and a large house. In front of this small building, between the sidewalk and the curb, was an old Coca Cola sign. We wondered if it had been a small grocery store. At the bottom of the Coca Cola sign was a hint, in very faded letters, of a later purpose: “Gomer Dad’s Club.”
We left these two interesting buildings and started looking for the barn we had come to see. But it was sitting a long distance back from the Lincoln Highway and we couldn’t really get a good look at it. So, we drove into a church parking lot hoping to find a good place to view the barn. The parking lot was lined with large evergreen trees, so it wasn’t looking good. I got out of the car and walked to the edge to peer between the trees. And there it was, a good view of the farm but, again, it was quite a distance away. In the photo below, you can see the view I had, with a pump house on the left, the barn in the center, and what I thought was probably a granary on the right.
I figured the only option I had was to use my biggest zoom lens and take just a couple of photos due to only one angle being available. But there was an angel on my shoulder, as there often is when I am photographing. As I stood there desiring to get closer to this gorgeous and historical barn, a lawn tractor came zooming across the lawn near the barn. I quickly walked towards it to see if I could get permission to photograph the barn up close.
The man on the lawn tractor saw me walking toward him, so he stopped and shut off the mower. I introduced myself and he, in turn, said his name was Bill and that he was the owner of the barn. He gave me a bit of information about the barn and permission to walk around and photograph it and the other farm buildings. The lawn surrounding the buildings was huge, so I let him get back to work. As I walked around taking photos, I had to keep waiting for Bill and his tractor to move out of my frame as he crisscrossed the lawn.
Bill had told me that the roof of the barn was made of slate and that the tiled turret that rose above the various lines of the roof was the top of an interior water tower. I had seen water towers on a few farms but had never seen one that was built into a barn.
As I prepared to write this blog, I spent a couple of hours trying in vain to find out more information about this beautiful barn, but I couldn’t find much. But then, another angel landed on my shoulder and one last search turned up some detailed information written by Ohio-born artist Robert F. Kroeger, who recently visited and created a beautiful painting of this unique barn. According to Mr. Kroeger’s research, the barn was built, circa 1890, by Richard E. Jones, Gomer’s first physician. Dr. Jones had come to Gomer in 1848 at the age of 14 when his family immigrated from Wales.
Dr. Jones had stored the grain from his crops in this barn. He also kept his horses and buggies in the barn, taking them out when he traveled or made house calls.
The three dormers of the barn were covered in expensive circular slate tiles. And one of the three, pictured below, has a large circular vent in the center of it. According to Mr. Kroeger, slate tiles often came from Wales and this allowed American barn and house owners to bring a bit of their native country to their new homes in America.
In the photography log that we use to record information about the photos we take, we had called this a Gothic barn. But I wasn’t sure if that was an accurate description of the architectural style. Before finding Mr. Kroeger’s history of the barn, I searched in one of my often-used reference books called “The Old Barn Book: A Field Guide to North American Barns & Other Farm Structures.” Imagine my surprise when I discovered a photo in this book of the building that was next to this barn, which we assumed was a granary. Mr. Kroeger’s document said this building was a granary and the doctor’s farm office. The field guide said this building was a carriage house, done in Victorian style. It was probably all these things at one time or another.
The field guide also explains that this type of cupola, with louver ventilators on all four sides, is typical for the Victorian Gothic style.
One final note about the little building next to the town hall that I mentioned at the start of this blog post: Bill said that it had been a barber shop in its heyday. He also told me that they used to make hamburgers in the back of the barber shop. You really have to talk to the locals if you want the little details that you’ll never find in books or on the internet!
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
In April 2017, after having taken four previous trips to the southern and central parts of Ohio, we decided to return with a focus on northern Ohio. On the afternoon of our first full day in that beautiful state, we traveled the Lincoln Highway to the small rural town of Gomer. In her research, Ruth had discovered a large American Gothic barn and we knew we had to go find it.
As we drove through the small residential section, we noticed the town hall for Sugar Creek Township. In front of this old-fashioned town hall building was a historical sign. It said, “1833, Gomer, Ohio, A Welsh Settlement. A village settled by the Watkins, Roberts, and Nicholas families, bringing with them their Welsh traditions and establishing a community in honor of their native land.”
Next to the town hall was a small commercial building, tucked tightly between the town hall and a large house. In front of this small building, between the sidewalk and the curb, was an old Coca Cola sign. We wondered if it had been a small grocery store. At the bottom of the Coca Cola sign was a hint, in very faded letters, of a later purpose: “Gomer Dad’s Club.”
We left these two interesting buildings and started looking for the barn we had come to see. But it was sitting a long distance back from the Lincoln Highway and we couldn’t really get a good look at it. So, we drove into a church parking lot hoping to find a good place to view the barn. The parking lot was lined with large evergreen trees, so it wasn’t looking good. I got out of the car and walked to the edge to peer between the trees. And there it was, a good view of the farm but, again, it was quite a distance away. In the photo below, you can see the view I had, with a pump house on the left, the barn in the center, and what I thought was probably a granary on the right.
I figured the only option I had was to use my biggest zoom lens and take just a couple of photos due to only one angle being available. But there was an angel on my shoulder, as there often is when I am photographing. As I stood there desiring to get closer to this gorgeous and historical barn, a lawn tractor came zooming across the lawn near the barn. I quickly walked towards it to see if I could get permission to photograph the barn up close.
The man on the lawn tractor saw me walking toward him, so he stopped and shut off the mower. I introduced myself and he, in turn, said his name was Bill and that he was the owner of the barn. He gave me a bit of information about the barn and permission to walk around and photograph it and the other farm buildings. The lawn surrounding the buildings was huge, so I let him get back to work. As I walked around taking photos, I had to keep waiting for Bill and his tractor to move out of my frame as he crisscrossed the lawn.
Bill had told me that the roof of the barn was made of slate and that the tiled turret that rose above the various lines of the roof was the top of an interior water tower. I had seen water towers on a few farms but had never seen one that was built into a barn.
As I prepared to write this blog, I spent a couple of hours trying in vain to find out more information about this beautiful barn, but I couldn’t find much. But then, another angel landed on my shoulder and one last search turned up some detailed information written by Ohio-born artist Robert F. Kroeger, who recently visited and created a beautiful painting of this unique barn. According to Mr. Kroeger’s research, the barn was built, circa 1890, by Richard E. Jones, Gomer’s first physician. Dr. Jones had come to Gomer in 1848 at the age of 14 when his family immigrated from Wales.
Dr. Jones had stored the grain from his crops in this barn. He also kept his horses and buggies in the barn, taking them out when he traveled or made house calls.
The three dormers of the barn were covered in expensive circular slate tiles. And one of the three, pictured below, has a large circular vent in the center of it. According to Mr. Kroeger, slate tiles often came from Wales and this allowed American barn and house owners to bring a bit of their native country to their new homes in America.
In the photography log that we use to record information about the photos we take, we had called this a Gothic barn. But I wasn’t sure if that was an accurate description of the architectural style. Before finding Mr. Kroeger’s history of the barn, I searched in one of my often-used reference books called “The Old Barn Book: A Field Guide to North American Barns & Other Farm Structures.” Imagine my surprise when I discovered a photo in this book of the building that was next to this barn, which we assumed was a granary. Mr. Kroeger’s document said this building was a granary and the doctor’s farm office. The field guide said this building was a carriage house, done in Victorian style. It was probably all these things at one time or another.
The field guide also explains that this type of cupola, with louver ventilators on all four sides, is typical for the Victorian Gothic style.
One final note about the little building next to the town hall that I mentioned at the start of this blog post: Bill said that it had been a barber shop in its heyday. He also told me that they used to make hamburgers in the back of the barber shop. You really have to talk to the locals if you want the little details that you’ll never find in books or on the internet!
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Grange Halls
By Ruth A. Ringelstetter
When I first began reviewing listings from the National Register of Historic Places and marking them as places to photograph, I was pretty selective. After I marked what I thought would interest us, I passed the list to Joann to review and see if there was anything else I should mark. And when she returned the list with things I had missed, she had marked some things called Granges, or Grange Halls.
The Grange, formally known as the Patrons of Husbandry, was founded in 1867 by Oliver H. Kelley, who was an employee of the Department of Agriculture. Its purpose was to assist farmers with difficulties they faced. Among the problems of the time were swarms of grasshoppers, high railroad fees to ship crops, expensive machinery, high interest and mortgage rates, high cost to store their grain in silos, and falling prices.
We’ve had the best luck finding old Grange Halls in our travels to Ohio, which seems understandable since Ohio was reported to have more than 900 chapters. Not only were the halls places to hold meetings, but they were also a place to hold social activities which included quilting bees, dances and other social gatherings, which helped to alleviate the isolation of farm families.
Some of the granges even bought a few pieces of the more expensive farming equipment that could be shared among members. Our dad was never a “granger”, as members were called, but he never owned a combine. He hired a neighboring farmer who owned one (as many farmers did) to harvest our oats. This helped the farmer making payments on his combine, and allowed dad to not have the expense of his own machine.
In 2016, we hunted up the Scioto Grange No. 1234 in Jackson County, Ohio. It was built in 1897, the same year the Chapter was organized. It’s a simple white frame building, but part of the building served as a store for members from 1907-1937. It also served as a rural school from 1917-1935. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Wisconsin had approximately 50 grange chapters. The chapters in Evansville, Cooksville, Magnolia, Brooklyn, Dayton, and Center banded together to form the Evansville Mercantile Association. In February of 1874, they bought $200 worth of plows and were in business. At first, they rented space, but soon outgrew it. They built a new building, but within a couple of years, outgrew that space as well.
In 1903, they purchased land on West Main Street in Evansville and built a new store. The store was huge for its time and employed 30 people. It had a bank and departments for groceries, eggs and butter, dry goods, boots and shoes, carpets and wallpaper, jewelry, books, crockery, hardware and tin, millinery, coats and suits. Two years later an undertaking business was added and a hearse was acquired.
The Evansville Mercantile Association continued in business for 81 years, when the store was sold to another group of men who operated it until 1980.
Another old building we found in Ohio was identified as a one room school and former grange hall. Most abandoned buildings that we find don’t have available histories, and it’s true of this building. It’s big enough that it may have included a grange store as well, but we probably will never know for sure.
On our most recent trip to Ohio in 2017, we hunted up several more grange halls. One of my favorites was the Sandy Valley Grange No. 1704 shown below. It’s another on our list where we know it was a grange hall, but the last meetings I could find were held in 2012.
The Willow Grove Grange shown below, is still an active chapter holding their meetings in the building as well as providing meeting space for other organizations.
The National Grange headquarters building is in Washington, D.C. and is the only private building in a federal block across from the White House.
With the current state of farming in the country, it’s nice to know that there is still an organization trying to stand up for farmers on a national level.
If you’re walking around any town, don’t forget to look up at the symbols and name plates on buildings. You never know what you might stumble on. Let us know if you find a grange hall!
Happy Shunpiking!
Ruth
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
When I first began reviewing listings from the National Register of Historic Places and marking them as places to photograph, I was pretty selective. After I marked what I thought would interest us, I passed the list to Joann to review and see if there was anything else I should mark. And when she returned the list with things I had missed, she had marked some things called Granges, or Grange Halls.
The Grange, formally known as the Patrons of Husbandry, was founded in 1867 by Oliver H. Kelley, who was an employee of the Department of Agriculture. Its purpose was to assist farmers with difficulties they faced. Among the problems of the time were swarms of grasshoppers, high railroad fees to ship crops, expensive machinery, high interest and mortgage rates, high cost to store their grain in silos, and falling prices.
We’ve had the best luck finding old Grange Halls in our travels to Ohio, which seems understandable since Ohio was reported to have more than 900 chapters. Not only were the halls places to hold meetings, but they were also a place to hold social activities which included quilting bees, dances and other social gatherings, which helped to alleviate the isolation of farm families.
Some of the granges even bought a few pieces of the more expensive farming equipment that could be shared among members. Our dad was never a “granger”, as members were called, but he never owned a combine. He hired a neighboring farmer who owned one (as many farmers did) to harvest our oats. This helped the farmer making payments on his combine, and allowed dad to not have the expense of his own machine.
In 2016, we hunted up the Scioto Grange No. 1234 in Jackson County, Ohio. It was built in 1897, the same year the Chapter was organized. It’s a simple white frame building, but part of the building served as a store for members from 1907-1937. It also served as a rural school from 1917-1935. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Wisconsin had approximately 50 grange chapters. The chapters in Evansville, Cooksville, Magnolia, Brooklyn, Dayton, and Center banded together to form the Evansville Mercantile Association. In February of 1874, they bought $200 worth of plows and were in business. At first, they rented space, but soon outgrew it. They built a new building, but within a couple of years, outgrew that space as well.
In 1903, they purchased land on West Main Street in Evansville and built a new store. The store was huge for its time and employed 30 people. It had a bank and departments for groceries, eggs and butter, dry goods, boots and shoes, carpets and wallpaper, jewelry, books, crockery, hardware and tin, millinery, coats and suits. Two years later an undertaking business was added and a hearse was acquired.
The Evansville Mercantile Association continued in business for 81 years, when the store was sold to another group of men who operated it until 1980.
Another old building we found in Ohio was identified as a one room school and former grange hall. Most abandoned buildings that we find don’t have available histories, and it’s true of this building. It’s big enough that it may have included a grange store as well, but we probably will never know for sure.
On our most recent trip to Ohio in 2017, we hunted up several more grange halls. One of my favorites was the Sandy Valley Grange No. 1704 shown below. It’s another on our list where we know it was a grange hall, but the last meetings I could find were held in 2012.
The Willow Grove Grange shown below, is still an active chapter holding their meetings in the building as well as providing meeting space for other organizations.
The National Grange headquarters building is in Washington, D.C. and is the only private building in a federal block across from the White House.
With the current state of farming in the country, it’s nice to know that there is still an organization trying to stand up for farmers on a national level.
If you’re walking around any town, don’t forget to look up at the symbols and name plates on buildings. You never know what you might stumble on. Let us know if you find a grange hall!
Happy Shunpiking!
Ruth
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Spring in Ohio's Amish Country
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
In our last blog post, Ruth reminisced about playing baseball when we were kids. It reminded me of an old-fashioned ball diamond we discovered in the spring of 2012 at Weaver’s Parochial School in rural Ohio. Here’s the view of the school from first base, with an old wooden backstop to the left of the school.
After having some fun on the ball diamond, we stood in front of the school, discussing the beautiful tile design on the front of the school. In lighter-colored tiles, it spelled out “Dist. 5, 1937,” so we assume this was originally a public school built in 1937.
We also discussed the pony barn located in front of the school. In the early days when most kids walked to school, there were sometimes pony barns for those kids who were lucky enough to ride a horse to school. We believe that Weaver’s School was a Mennonite school, so this pony barn could have been built by them after they took over the school.
As we stood there enjoying the rural countryside, an Amish buggy pulling a cart came around the corner and stopped near us. An Amish man got out of the buggy and began chatting with us. He told us he was having a problem with his cart and he was wondering if we would drive him quite a few miles to have a part fixed. We had a lot on our schedule for the day and were heading in the opposite direction, but we seriously considered his request. After all, we’d want someone to help us out if we were having trouble.
However, it soon became clear that he wanted us to wait with him while the part was being fixed so we could drive him back. This would have not only consumed our day but would have thrown a wrench in our whole trip schedule. So, as much as we hated to do it, we declined his request. He understood and thanked us kindly for at least considering it.
After leaving Weaver School, we explored more of the Amish areas of rural Holmes County. And one of the things we stumbled on was Millers Buggy Shop, where they sold Amish buggies and carriages.
And there’s nothing we like better than seeing teams of Amish workhorses. Since it was planting season, we didn’t have to work hard to find these teams of horses pulling the horse-drawn farm equipment to prepare the soil for planting.
This part of Ohio is filled with beautiful Amish farms and this farm was no exception. Seeing the Amish farmer driving his team along the edge of the field towards the farm on such a lovely spring day filled our hearts with joy.
Many states have areas where the Amish have settled, such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Wisconsin. If you’d like to take a step back in time, try driving the backroads of Amish country. It will be a respite from the fast-paced life you are probably living.
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
In our last blog post, Ruth reminisced about playing baseball when we were kids. It reminded me of an old-fashioned ball diamond we discovered in the spring of 2012 at Weaver’s Parochial School in rural Ohio. Here’s the view of the school from first base, with an old wooden backstop to the left of the school.
After having some fun on the ball diamond, we stood in front of the school, discussing the beautiful tile design on the front of the school. In lighter-colored tiles, it spelled out “Dist. 5, 1937,” so we assume this was originally a public school built in 1937.
We also discussed the pony barn located in front of the school. In the early days when most kids walked to school, there were sometimes pony barns for those kids who were lucky enough to ride a horse to school. We believe that Weaver’s School was a Mennonite school, so this pony barn could have been built by them after they took over the school.
As we stood there enjoying the rural countryside, an Amish buggy pulling a cart came around the corner and stopped near us. An Amish man got out of the buggy and began chatting with us. He told us he was having a problem with his cart and he was wondering if we would drive him quite a few miles to have a part fixed. We had a lot on our schedule for the day and were heading in the opposite direction, but we seriously considered his request. After all, we’d want someone to help us out if we were having trouble.
However, it soon became clear that he wanted us to wait with him while the part was being fixed so we could drive him back. This would have not only consumed our day but would have thrown a wrench in our whole trip schedule. So, as much as we hated to do it, we declined his request. He understood and thanked us kindly for at least considering it.
After leaving Weaver School, we explored more of the Amish areas of rural Holmes County. And one of the things we stumbled on was Millers Buggy Shop, where they sold Amish buggies and carriages.
And there’s nothing we like better than seeing teams of Amish workhorses. Since it was planting season, we didn’t have to work hard to find these teams of horses pulling the horse-drawn farm equipment to prepare the soil for planting.
This part of Ohio is filled with beautiful Amish farms and this farm was no exception. Seeing the Amish farmer driving his team along the edge of the field towards the farm on such a lovely spring day filled our hearts with joy.
Many states have areas where the Amish have settled, such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Wisconsin. If you’d like to take a step back in time, try driving the backroads of Amish country. It will be a respite from the fast-paced life you are probably living.
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
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