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Columbus – April 2018 – Gallery Day

The Riffe State Office Tower in downtown Columbus is the home of a gallery that rotates exhibits every few months. Since January the display has been the 2017 Quilt Nationals, featuring artists from across the country.

Expecting the usual symmetrical circles and patterns of ‘country quilts’, we were pleased to see a totally different approach – more like art in the form of a quilt.

Many had no patterns at all – rather they resembled paintings as they dealt with the artists emotions at the time of creation. But they are indeed quilts.

Those that did have patterns were more free form.

Even the symmetrical ones had a modern feel.

Not your grandma’s quilt.

Meanwhile just around the corner is the Ohio State University Urban Arts Center, located on the lower level of an old department store.

This exhibit featured the works of the senior art students.

While the exhibit wasn’t officially open yet, they let us wander around.

George Romero would be proud.

Delaware, OH – April 2018 – Architectural Tour

Architecture, History, Nature, Transportation, Water Features

The small city of Delaware, Ohio is the county seat of a county of the same name. Located just north of Columbus it was for more than 150 years the center of a farming county, as well as the home of the small college, Ohio Wesleyan.

With Columbus suburbs fast approaching, most of the county to the south has been developed in tract housing and shopping centers, and it now has a population of over 200,000, and is recognized as having the highest per capita income in the state.

The town of Delaware however still feels like a small town, with many historic buildings.

First up is Beiber’s Mill which was was built in 1877 as a grist mill. Long abandoned, it sits directly on the Olentangy River – there were enough No Trespassing signs, and neighbors that looked like they would have shotguns that we took the photos from the road.

The next stop was Perkins Observatory. While in town there is an observatory that was built in 1896 that is still standing (barely), this building is about 3 miles south of town, next to a golf course.

Built in 1925 it has been in use ever since, but has over time reduced in scope as central Ohio is not very conducive to astrological observations – due to the low altitude, cloud cover and light pollution from the cities.

As we arrived on the small campus of the 1900 student Ohio Wesleyan University, we found Edwards Gymnasium. Built in 1905 it is a spectacular building with an amazing wood ceiling with skylights.

Just up the hill is Slocum Hall, which contains a library.

As well as a great skylight.

Next door is the University Hall and Chapel, although it appears to me very similar to most of the county court houses and jails around the state.

On the west side of the campus are a series of newer buildings.

Leaving campus we moved on to an area where all of the Delaware County Government buildings are located including what was a Carnegie Library – now the County Commissioners home.

Next door is the old courthouse.

Our last stop is what should be the main attraction of the town – the birthplace of a U.S. President – in this case Rutherford B. Hayes. However someone messed that one up long ago when the home was torn down, so now it is the Rutherford B Hayes Memorial BP Gas Station. But it is the only Presidential Gas Station in America, so Delaware, Ohio has that going for them.

Columbus – April 2018 – SCCA Tech Day

Sports, Transportation

For more than 70 years the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) has lead the effort for grass roots road racing across the country. While it does promote professional racing, it is best known for making racing somewhat affordable to all who want to race.

The Alliance Autosport team is based on the west side of Columbus in a nondescript industrial park building (on the outside – inside it is great). On this cold Saturday they were holding a ‘Tech Day’ to get ready for the upcoming season and hold an open house to encourage others to check out racing.

Alliance Autosport offers ‘Arrive and Drive’, the ability to rent race cars, thus avoiding the high cost of ownership. Their collection of cars were neatly stacked on pallet racks

Most of the cars they have run Spec Racer Ford Generation 3 engines. The theory behind these engines, and the car setup in general is that by prohibiting modifications it makes all the cars equal, as well as keeps the cost down.

A couple of the cars were down on the floor with their covers off for closer inspection…

While the racked ones gave an interesting perspective. Everyone at the event were passionate about racing and very welcoming for a couple of people wandering in to check it out. It’s time to go racing!

Columbus – March 2018 – Women’s Final Four Bounces into Town

Architecture, Festival, History, Sports

College sports is a big deal, both socially and financially, and every city longs to host the finals of the basketball season. This year the NCAA Women’s Final Four was held in Columbus, and as with all major sporting events now they have a festival to accompany the games.

One of the highlights for this weekend was an event called ‘Bounce’, which gives thousands of kids a free basketball and T Shirt and allows them to dribble along the street next to Nationwide Arena up to the Convention Center where there was a number of activities for them (as well as adults).

To coordinate such an event takes lots of volunteers, who all seemed to be having as much fun as the kids.

But eventually they were set loose – the sound of basketballs dribbling reverberating off the buildings.

The little ones even maintained their focus.

Soon the street was filled with the kids and their parents.

Once they reached the convention center there were unique skills tests waiting for them.

A highly energetic host lead a game of ‘basketball musical chairs’, requiring them to dribble around the circle in the middle of the court – when the music stopped they had to run down, make a basket and head back. Easily the host was the most amusing part of the day.

I am not certain the city makes the money back they invest in the games, but it does draw some attention to the city, for a few days at least.

Columbus – March 2018 – The Bronze Age Comes To An End

History

The American Bronzing Company was located in a Southeast Columbus industrial area, enjoying an 80 year run of providing America a needed service – bronzing baby shoes (and I found out today many other things). Amazingly this company had bronzed 14 million baby shoes in their history.

This traditional now however has essentially disappeared so the business recently shut down. Today they were auctioning off the entire factory; office equipment, machinery and any remaining inventory.

We paid a visit not to participate in the auction, but to check out the factory – it was well worth it for a unique piece of American cultural history.

Up first – a bronze hat, and not to be outdone – a silver one.

An ice skate!

Some of the aforementioned 14 million baby shoes.

A taco shell???

Bras??????

Meanwhile back in the idled factory you got a sense of how dirty the job must have been.

A discarded sprayer.

The shelves are now empty.

With a number of baby shoes that went without the honor of being encased in bronze.

But mine had been bronzed (many years ago).

Newark – March 2018 – Historic Licking County Jail

Architecture, History

The Historic Licking County Jail in Newark, Ohio was opened in 1889 and closed 100 years later. It remains however one of Newark’s top tourist spots, with a reputation of being haunted.

Built out of massive sandstone blocks, the entire building has a fortress or castle feel to it from the outside. In addition they added many architectural details such as the downspouts coming out the frogs mouth on the bulkhead above the doorway below.

The jail also served as the sheriff’s residence, as well as a couple of other apartments for workers. One worker was the female matron and cook.

It was here we met Nelson, who’s mother was the matron and cook in the 1960s, and where Nelson grew up. Without a doubt his story telling of a ‘youth growing up in jail’ added to the tour.

The favorite amongst the staff is a story where as a young teenager he and his mother lived on a 3rd floor apartment, directly above the office where the night shift guards hung out. One night his mother was out late and the guards had fallen asleep on the job, so Nelson thought it would be humorous to drop a lit firecracker out their apartment window and have it explode just outside the guards window – which he did.

The result was excited guards calling out all the police in the town with a report of a prisoner having a weapon. After hours of lock down and a complete search of the prisoners no gun was found (obviously) – Nelson indicated he was an adult before he fessed up about his prank!

Imagine coming home as a teenager and winding your way up the stairs in cages to get home…

With neighbors being the prisoners who were normally locked up for up to 6 months. Most were doing a bit of time for drunk driving or other relatively minor offenses. The more serious criminals were sent to prisons after their trials.

Security was critical though, as noted by the gun port for the guards.

Apparently bridge builders had the skill with steel and iron to build the cells.

The photo below is the mechanics of the door that makes that infamous prison door slamming sound.

A sad irony of our times is this country’s obsession with carrying around guns – so much so there has to be a ‘no weapons on site’ sign for a jail. Still with Nelson’s excellent story telling, and the rest of the staff’s passion with the history and legends of the building, it was an enjoyable couple of hours being ‘in the clink’, although no ghosts were sighted 🙂

Newark, Ohio – March 2018 – Trying to Come Back

Architecture, Art, History, Nature, Transportation

Newark, Ohio is a city of 50,000 located 30 miles east of Columbus. While the entire Licking County area is growing in population thanks to the proximity of Columbus, downtown Newark has seen better days.

The town however, appears to be working hard to spruce up downtown, and as a result has some nice areas popping up.

The center of town is dominated by the 1876 Licking County Courthouse.

Just to the south of the courthouse is a farmers market area facing the backs of the buildings on the courthouse square. They have made good use of this area by painting a number of well done murals, although this one is marred by the unfortunate location of the garbage cans.