of Chillicothe, Ross County & South-Central Ohio
of Chillicothe, Ross County & South-Central Ohio August 2004 7/30/04Intrepid souls are invited to join me and a few friends in exploring various nearby places in search of history, architecture, culture, fun, and perhaps a little personal challenge.
This may become an irregular group, meeting Sunday afternoons at prearranged locations. Bring your camera or sketch book, wits, eyes (and vision), ears (and hearing), lots of pockets, good walking shoes, and sometimes other articles of personal safety. We may spend two hours walking the sidewalk of a single block, the afternoon splashing in an undisclosed tunnel, half an hour gazing from a tall rooftop before retiring for a "cool one" (either Barq's or Guiness for me), or other times haunting other places finding reality-like fun.
Architecture, geology, archaeology, art, drama, biota, and other topics are subject to exploration... Glance here for some ideas:
Only the young at heart are encouraged to join. Membership fee: A hale spirit.
7/29/04With his music, local legend Sonny Harris entertains the multi-generational, multi-racial crowd gathered around the Yoctangee Park Bandstand during the 2004 fest July 10th. More information is in articles in the July 10th and 11th Chillicothe Gazette.
7/26/04The public was invited to a tour of excavations and investigations at the Hopeton earthworks given at the end of the annual summer summer field school for archaeologists.
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| Visitors look over an archaeological trench sliced into the center of the Hopeton circle earthwork. |
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| A possible "altar" found in an archaeological trench carefully cut through the center of the circle. |
The annual five-week school is conducted by the Park Service's Midwest Archaeological Center along with the University of Nebraska archaeological field school and Hopewell Culture National Historic Park. It utilizes some of the most advanced technology available to help explore the known and unknown archaeological sites.
More (and better!) photos are at this year's online photo album, as well as other information about the field school, Hopeton Earthworks, Mound City and Hopewell Culture National Historic Park.
7/26/04
The Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce has a webpage of photos of the Adena Recreational Trail taken by none other than the energetic Chamber Executive Director Marvin Jones. "And this time of year, all 8.5 miles are in full bloom all the way from Maple Grove Road to Frankfort," he wrote.
That's great! I'll have to take my beat-up ten-speed mountain bike and finally try out one of the county's relatively new recreational paths.
But, I wonder what it looked like when we could hop on a train and take it down that very right-of-way to Washington, D.C., or to St. Louis...
The Ross County Park District also has information on this and other parts of our greenspace.
7/30/04No, it's not structural foolishness - I've simply written a column for the Ross County Historical Society's newsletter about bricks. It addresses their history and care. If you're not a member of the RCHS, you can join (hint hint!), or you can get a copy of the newsletter at the gift shop at in the Ross County Heritage Center at 45 West Fifth Street.
updated 7/28/04
Soldier Field Stadium in Chicago, where the "Chicago Bears" football team plays, may be de-listed by the National Register of Historic Places. This was mentioned by popular newsman and commentator Paul Harvey in his noon show on Wednesday July 21st.
Some renovation in 2002-2003 decimated the character of the stadium, as visible in the in the flash timeline.
It looks like some sort of spaceship now. Really too bad. One quote on the "timeline" is that through the efforts of "an innovative architect and his firm, an antiquated arena has metamorphosed into a work-class stadium." Believe me, it was much better "antiquated." I don't blame the NRHP for wanting to wash their hands of it.
(And, the Chicago Park District needs to wash their hands of the website editor who can't decide if the new stadium is "world-class" or "working-class"!)
Removing a National Register Listing is an extreme measure, usually provoked by exteme alterations or neglect of the honor denoted by a nomination. De-listing removes prestiege and respect, and can remove funding and grant potential.
Thanks to Tony Eallonardo for contributing facts and opinion to this story.
