By Joann M. Ringelstetter
On November 11, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. (the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month), the world will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that ended the fighting in World War I.
Although the war began on July 28, 1914, the United States did not join the war effort until April 6, 1917. According to the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission, 4,700,000 U.S. men and women served in uniform. More than two million of them fought on battlefields in France under the command of General John J. Pershing.
Over 200,000 Americans were wounded and 116,516 gave their lives in this war. More than 122,000 Wisconsin men and women answered the call of duty, with Wisconsin declaring June 5, 1917 as “Duty Day.” Close to 4,000 Wisconsin citizens gave their lives for their country during World War I. One of these selfless individuals was Guy Loerpabel, who was killed in action in France on May 29, 1918, less than six months before the war ended. He was only 23 years old.
The American troops who were sent overseas to fight in World War I became known as “Doughboys.” The exact origin of this nickname is unknown. In 1920, Ernest Moore Viquesney, the son and grandson of French immigrant sculptors created a doughboy statue, naming it “Spirit of the American Doughboy.” It was reproduced and put on display across the country to honor World War I soldiers. Today, there are still over 100 of these sculptures standing at parks, cemeteries, courthouses, town squares, and other locations.
In remembering those who served our country during World War I, it is my privilege to also give women the honor they deserve. Although women’s roles have been important in all wars, the first time women formally served in our armed forces was in World War I. The largest group served in the Army Nurse Corps, with 10,000 women going overseas and with many of them serving on the front lines. Over 400 women also served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps as telephone operators in France. Back at home, women filled jobs that were vacated by the men who had joined the war efforts.
I also want to honor the many immigrants who served our country during this war. Nearly forty percent of the soldiers who served during World War I were immigrants or the children of immigrants. Their families at home showed their support by buying war bonds and displaying blue star service flags signifying that they had a family member in the armed forces.
During the war, Canadian Pacific, a North American transcontinental railroad, transported troops, supplies, and equipment for the war effort. The company, which still provides freight transportation services today, will safely halt its trains on November 11 at 11:00 a.m., to observe two minutes of silent respect for our veterans. They will end this tribute with the sound of a long train whistle.
The United States World War I Centennial Commission has called upon all Americans across the nation to toll bells on Armistice Day, November 11, 2018 in remembrance of those who served in World War I.
Whether you ring a bell, observe a moment of silence, attend a parade, or say a prayer, please remember to honor those who selflessly served our country in the war that, idealistically, was supposed to be the war to end all wars.
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
Saturday, November 10, 2018
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
The Greatest Free Show on Earth
By Ruth A. Ringelstetter
We visited Circleville, Ohio, on a rainy, late April morning of 2013. I had a list of a few things around town that we wanted to photograph, including a couple of murals. I didn’t really have much history of the town at that time.
We were downtown shortly after dawn. Any hope we have of capturing street scenes has to happen at that early hour before the town folk begin their day.
We don’t find advertising for old five and dime stores very often, but we were lucky enough to find this ghost sign for one on an old brick building downtown.
Towering over the town is their water tower that was built in 1976 and repainted in 1997 to resemble a pumpkin. A stem was added to make it look a little more pumpkin-like.
The Circleville Pumpkin Show dates back to the fall of 1903 when George Haswell invited local farmers to display their fall harvest on the streets of Circleville. The first year, it was a very small display.
The next year, the displays grew. Because of the predominance of pumpkins, the term “The Pumpkin Show“ was coined, and by 1905, the first ride appeared. Today there are over 30 rides and around 300 vendors.
In the middle of downtown, muralist Eric Henn created a 100th anniversary mural. The anniversary was celebrated in 2006 because the show had been postponed for 1 year during World War I and 2 years during World War II.
The mural is so life-like, you feel like you could step right into the scene. There are horses pulling wagonloads of pumpkins and displays of pumpkins down the street.
Eric painted a second mural in town for the bicentennial in 2010. The mural features the first Pickaway County courthouse.
For years, the unofficial mascot of “The Pumpkin Show” has been the roller-skating, costumed Pumpkin Man. He makes his way around town during the festival.
The Pumpkin Show is called The Greatest Free Show on Earth because there is no entrance fee. Of course you’ll pay for rides and the various foods you want to try, but there’s no fee to wander around the 8-block festival. You can also watch any or all of the seven parades during the festival.
We may never be in Circleville during the festival which is held beginning on the third Wednesday of every October and lasts until Saturday, but if you’re looking for a fall trip, keep Circleville, Ohio in mind.
Happy Halloween and 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!
We visited Circleville, Ohio, on a rainy, late April morning of 2013. I had a list of a few things around town that we wanted to photograph, including a couple of murals. I didn’t really have much history of the town at that time.
We were downtown shortly after dawn. Any hope we have of capturing street scenes has to happen at that early hour before the town folk begin their day.
We don’t find advertising for old five and dime stores very often, but we were lucky enough to find this ghost sign for one on an old brick building downtown.
Towering over the town is their water tower that was built in 1976 and repainted in 1997 to resemble a pumpkin. A stem was added to make it look a little more pumpkin-like.
The Circleville Pumpkin Show dates back to the fall of 1903 when George Haswell invited local farmers to display their fall harvest on the streets of Circleville. The first year, it was a very small display.
The next year, the displays grew. Because of the predominance of pumpkins, the term “The Pumpkin Show“ was coined, and by 1905, the first ride appeared. Today there are over 30 rides and around 300 vendors.
In the middle of downtown, muralist Eric Henn created a 100th anniversary mural. The anniversary was celebrated in 2006 because the show had been postponed for 1 year during World War I and 2 years during World War II.
The mural is so life-like, you feel like you could step right into the scene. There are horses pulling wagonloads of pumpkins and displays of pumpkins down the street.
Eric painted a second mural in town for the bicentennial in 2010. The mural features the first Pickaway County courthouse.
For years, the unofficial mascot of “The Pumpkin Show” has been the roller-skating, costumed Pumpkin Man. He makes his way around town during the festival.
The Pumpkin Show is called The Greatest Free Show on Earth because there is no entrance fee. Of course you’ll pay for rides and the various foods you want to try, but there’s no fee to wander around the 8-block festival. You can also watch any or all of the seven parades during the festival.
We may never be in Circleville during the festival which is held beginning on the third Wednesday of every October and lasts until Saturday, but if you’re looking for a fall trip, keep Circleville, Ohio in mind.
Happy Halloween and 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!
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Johnny Appleseed
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
October is National Apple Month, so I’d like to use this post to honor John Chapman, an American folk hero better known as Johnny Appleseed. John Chapman was born in 1774 in Massachusetts. His father was a Minuteman who fought in the Revolutionary War. John began working with apple trees at the age of thirteen when he was an apprentice to an orchardist.
When John reached adulthood, he headed west, along with a great number of New England farmers who were seeking a better life. He successfully predicted where settlers would head next and began planting apple nurseries ahead of their arrival.
There are several myths that developed over the years about Johnny Appleseed. Legend says that he scattered seeds for orchards across the frontier. Instead, he planted nurseries, which sold seeds and saplings. And the apple industry would have us believe that John brought delicious, wholesome apples, like the kind we enjoy today, to the pioneers. Instead, John’s apples were the kind used to make hard cider, an alcoholic drink.
John was a missionary for the Swedenborgian religion, a Christian denomination that draws its faith from the Bible as interpreted by the teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg, a Swedish Lutheran theologian and philosopher. He carried a bible and often greeted people with the words, “I have good news from heaven!”
John’s first apple tree nurseries were established in the Allegheny Valley of Pennsylvania around 1798. He planted his next nurseries on his way west to Ohio. Later, he would establish nurseries in Indiana and Illinois. There are memorials and monuments across these states in honor of Johnny Appleseed.
John sold trees for 3 cents if planted by the buyer and 6.5 cents if he planted them for the buyer. He was generous, sometimes telling people, “pay me when you can.” Johnny Appleseed dressed in rags, slept out under the stars, and showed a great love and respect for animals and nature. He never had a wife or children. He died around 1845 and his gravesite is located a few miles north of Fort Wayne, Indiana at Johnny Appleseed Memorial Park.
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!
October is National Apple Month, so I’d like to use this post to honor John Chapman, an American folk hero better known as Johnny Appleseed. John Chapman was born in 1774 in Massachusetts. His father was a Minuteman who fought in the Revolutionary War. John began working with apple trees at the age of thirteen when he was an apprentice to an orchardist.
When John reached adulthood, he headed west, along with a great number of New England farmers who were seeking a better life. He successfully predicted where settlers would head next and began planting apple nurseries ahead of their arrival.
There are several myths that developed over the years about Johnny Appleseed. Legend says that he scattered seeds for orchards across the frontier. Instead, he planted nurseries, which sold seeds and saplings. And the apple industry would have us believe that John brought delicious, wholesome apples, like the kind we enjoy today, to the pioneers. Instead, John’s apples were the kind used to make hard cider, an alcoholic drink.
John was a missionary for the Swedenborgian religion, a Christian denomination that draws its faith from the Bible as interpreted by the teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg, a Swedish Lutheran theologian and philosopher. He carried a bible and often greeted people with the words, “I have good news from heaven!”
John’s first apple tree nurseries were established in the Allegheny Valley of Pennsylvania around 1798. He planted his next nurseries on his way west to Ohio. Later, he would establish nurseries in Indiana and Illinois. There are memorials and monuments across these states in honor of Johnny Appleseed.
John sold trees for 3 cents if planted by the buyer and 6.5 cents if he planted them for the buyer. He was generous, sometimes telling people, “pay me when you can.” Johnny Appleseed dressed in rags, slept out under the stars, and showed a great love and respect for animals and nature. He never had a wife or children. He died around 1845 and his gravesite is located a few miles north of Fort Wayne, Indiana at Johnny Appleseed Memorial Park.
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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