Area Sites
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all
the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature."
Mark 16:15
Other than the years I spent in San Diego, California, while Steve was in the Navy, I have lived here in the great state of Ohio, the "Heart of it All." Below are some of the sites I have seen over the years, and some personal notes about each one. I have tried to put a link to each one of them. Just click on the graphic below each area of interest. But of course, be sure to come back to my site and keep visiting with me. There's lots more to see here in my home.
Ohio
Caverns
West
Liberty , OH
2212 E. St. Rte. 245, 4 mi. east of West Liberty
These natural wonders are beautiful and easily accessible year-round
via a
concrete walkway through the largest caverns in the state.
**I have visited here several times and am
still amazed by the crystals,
one in particular that is shaped just like on old-fashioned pump.
You can see
it in the photo gallery in the link above.
Pioneer House
West Liberty , OH
10245 Township Rd. 47
The brothers' parents' house, today preserved as the Pioneer
House, is on the
property as well. This log cabin was among the stops on the
Underground Railroad.
Family legend contends that when Benjamin Piatt, a federal judge,
was away, his wife,
Elizabeth, would assist fugitive slaves; if he were present, duty
would call for him to
arrest her. Before he came home, Benjamin would alert his wife so
that she could help
clear slaves out of the home. A page boy figure holding an
American Flag in front of
the house was supposed to be the all-clear signal.
 |
PIONEER HOUSE |
**There is also a gift shop on the site that
is just loaded with items made
with the pioneer in mind--a great place to shop for Christmas
gifts for
those down-home friends and family.
Piatt Castles
West Liberty , OH
St. Rte. 245, one mi. east of West Liberty
The Piatt Castles were constructed for brothers Abram and Donn
Piatt using limestone
from their surrounding property. Mac-A-Cheek is decorated with
ornate woodwork
and intricate painted ceilings. The Castle contains several
generations of furnishings,
firearms, Native American artifacts and an extensive library. Mac-O-Chee
is noted
for ornate woodwork, gas lighting fixtures and an intriguing
collection of European,
Asian and American furnishings.
**I attended a wedding at one of the castles
this summer. 1997. The bride is a
good friend of our family and also a great granddaugher to one of
the Piatt
brothers. And by the way, my friend, Bertha and I made the cake
for this wedding.
There are no pictures currently on the link, but indicates that
there will be some
in the future, and that you should check back with them at a
later date.
Cedar Bog Nature Preserve
Urbana , OH
980 Woodburn Rd., off US Rte. 68
This unusual nature preserve four miles south of Urbana is a
National Natural
Landmark and home to nearly 200 species of birds, rare animals
and wildflowers,
including the carnivorous sundew. Visitors traverse the 400-acre
preserve on a
mile-long boardwalk.
I visited Cedar Bog with a classroom of
students from our Christian school
when I was a volunteer there. As I remember, there was even a
place within the
preserve that had quicksand in it. It was quite an interesting
place to visit.
Clifton Mill
Clifton , OH
75 Water St.
America's largest water-powered grist mill, has been in operation
since 1802.
The mills flour warehouse is now a restaurant.
**The picture of the Christmas light display
in the link does not really do this
place justice. It is absolutely beautiful!! At Christmas time,
everything here
is lit up in lights, even the riverbank. There is a village
display to see that is
quite cute. In fact, the whole town gets in the spirit, and
decorates quite a lot.
Ohio Historical Center/Ohio Village
Columbus , OH
I-71 and 17th Ave.
At the nationally renowned Ohio Historical Center, nearly 60,000
square feet
of exhibits explore Ohio's diverse history, ancient Indian
cultures and much more.
One of the center's newest attraction is the Nature of Ohio
exhibit, where you'll
find a wonderland of displays on Ohio's plants, animals, climate,
geology and
geography. Ohio Village, by contrast, is a working 19th-century
town with crafts
people, "residents" and its own baseball team, the
Muffins, who play by Victorian
rules. A living history museum, the village allows guests to
observe and participate
in everyday activities of the Civil War era.
. **If you are looking for a place back in
history, well here it is. The people
are dressed in period costumes and tell you all about the
different types of
jobs they do, such as being a tinmaker, blacksmith, school
teacher, and the list
goes on. This is well worth the visit!!!
Center of Science and Industry (COSI)
Columbus , OH
280 E. Broad St.
One of the science museums that started it all. Rather than
watching or reading,
visitors to COSI can do things, from riding a high-wire cycle to
jumping on
the keys of a giant computer. This is interactive, educational
and fun science at
its most clever, and it's emphatically not just for kids --
adults will be wowed, too.
COSI is another place I have visited with
the school students on several
occasions. There are so many things to do here, that it is hard
to see it all in
just one day. So, start out early if you visit.
Columbus Zoo
Columbus , OH
9990 Riverside Dr.
A variety of exhibits offer visitors a unique view into the
animal kingdom.
Discovery Reef shows a scuba diver's view of a living tropical
reef, complete
with sharks, stingrays and neon-bright fish. The Australian
exhibit is one of the
few outside Down Under with its own permanent family of koalas.
The zoo's
primate collection, where the first gorillas were bred in
captivity, has three
generations of gorillas in residence.
**Steve & I visited this zoo on our
honeymoon just prior to leaving for San Diego,
where he was stationed in the Navy. This was in 1967, and not
having been here
since I was a little girl, I was quite impressed. But Steve,
having seen the San Diego
Zoo, was not impressed, as I found out why later when we got to
San Diego. I have
since visited the Columbus Zoo in the past couple of years, and
it has become quite
a nice zoo now with most of the animals being seen in their
natural habitat
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical
Garden
Cincinnati , OH
3400 Vine St.
The Jungle Trails rain forest at the Cincinnati Zoo &
Botanical Garden is an
amazing place that combines Asian and African rain forest
habitats where
chimps, gibbons and orangutans rule the roost. The zoo also
features one of the
finest cat collections in the world -- an exotic exhibit that
includes white
Bengal tigers, snow leopards and cheetahs.
**I only saw this zoo as a child, but the
thing I remember most about the visit there
was the trip down to Cincinnati. The super highways were just
coming into being, with
the cloverleaf exchanges. I can remember my Dad kept taking the
wrong exit and then
getting back on the road going in the wrong direction. Thought we
would never get to the zoo.
US Air Force Museum, Wright-Patterson
AFB
Dayton, Ohio
Since Dayton is the home of the Wright brothers, you'd expect the
United States
Air Force Museum to be a first class facility, and it is! With
some 10 acres of
outstanding exhibits spanning the history of flight from balloons
to the B-1 bombers,
this is the most popular free attraction in Ohio. More than 300
aircraft are on
display, and the flight-related films shown in the IMAX theater
will make you
think you're in the cockpit. Over 250 Aircraft on Display Open 9
a.m. to 5 p.m.
daily - Free Admission
**If you like aviation, then here is a place you will love to visit.
Carriage Hill Farm
Dayton , OH
7860 Shull Rd.
An 1800s farm and lifestyle is re-created in the setting of a
living historical farm.
**Here is another place to visit if you like
going back in time. They have
demonstrations of different things that go on. Be sure to check
out their schedule
to see what is going on and on what days. You will enjoy this
visit.
Serpent Mound
Locust Grove , OH
St. Rte. 73, 4 mi. northwest of Locust Grove
Known around the world, this is the finest serpent effigy mound
in North America.
An observation tower overlooks the curves of the 1,348 foot-long
(more than
a quarter mile) structure. A museum exhibit describes the mound's
construction
and displays prehistoric artifacts.
**Serpent Mound--well what can I say about
this place. Two versions--one as a
child and then again as an adult. As a child, the serpent-shaped
mound was so tall,
and I couldn't see over the top of it. But then a couple of years
ago, I went back
and I thought the mound must have shrunk. I could see over it. It's
amazing how
the view differs when you are two feet taller.
Hocking Hills State Park
Logan , OH
St. Rte. 664 S
One of the most unusual and beautiful natural areas of the
Midwest, the
Hocking Hills offer year-round pleasure. Dotted with caves and
waterfalls,
the park is remote yet marvelously accessible by well-kept trails.
Cedar Falls
is a majestic jewel where water cascades down sandstone cliffs.
Several
room-like openings in the side of a cliff make up the mysterious
Rock House.
At Old Man's Cave, a series of three waterfalls surround the
place where,
legend has it, a hermit once made his home. Ash Cave, the largest
recess cave
in the state, sits atop a 90-foot waterfall. In slightly more
rugged territory,
but worth the hike, are Cantwell Cliffs and Conkles Hollow,
especially noteworthy
in the fall for their panoramic views. Cabins -- complete with
dishes, linens, shower
and even a television -- may also be reserved.
**In the Fall of the year, this is the most
beautiful place to see with all the
different colors of the trees. There are so many different places
in Hocking Hills
to visit, and you will truly enjoy the time you spend there.
Paramount's Kings Island Theme Park
Kings
Mills , OH
6300 Kings Island Dr.
More than a theme park, this is a whole world of entertainment.
Paramount's
Kings Island is a sprawling theme park with rides, a water park,
Broadway-style
entertainment and headline acts. For non-stop adventure,
Paramount's Kings
Island has lots of action-packed surprises. Those thirsty for
splashy attractions
should head to WaterWorks -- this year doubling in size -- where
acres of water
slides keep the fun flowing. Nine of the world's top roller
coasters, including the
longest wooden coaster, The Beast, break the thrill barrier. But
the one that defies
all others is The Outer Limits: Flight of Fear. The first indoor
roller coaster of
its kind, it catapults riders through darkness from zero to 54
miles per hour in just
four seconds. Little ones will enjoy the kid-size rides at Hanna-Barbara
Land.
**If you like amusement parks, well, this is
the place to go. I haven't been in
several years, but they keep adding new attractions all the time.
It's a great
place for children and adults alike.
Cedarpoint Amusement Park
Sandusky , OH
One Causeway Dr.
Of the many things that make this amusement park special, one is
the breathtaking
view of Sandusky Bay, whether seen from a stroll on the white-sand
beaches or
from the top of one of 12 world-class roller coasters. The
vintage carrousels
are a real treat for younger children. Situated on Lake Erie's
shore, along with
beautiful waterfront hotels and white sandy beaches, Cedar Point
Amusement
Park/Resort is nicknamed "America's Rollercoast." The
world's leader in roller
coasters, the park's skyline is dominated by 12 of the most
amazing scream
machines you'll ever climb aboard. The latest attraction, The
Mantis, is the
tallest, fastest and steepest stand-up coaster in the world. For
a gentler pace,
turn the kids loose at Kiddy Kingdom or take a spin with them on
a vintage carousel.
**Cedar Point is another great amusement
park. I have been there several times, but
not getting on the roller coasters as much now as when I was
younger. I don't seem to
handle the up and down rides as much anymore, and not doing too
well on the round and
round ones, either. I still do enjoy the water rides though,
especially on a hot day!!!!
LINKS
Ohio Tourism - A complete listing of all Ohio sites
**NOTE** If there are any links here
that are no longer in service, will you
please let me know by email, and I will check it out to see if
there is a new one
to use. Thanks for your help in keeping my homepage up to date.
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