Author: kdrenten
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Unique public parks and gardens offer variety of experiences
Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens’ showpiece is its 1895 John F. Wolfe Palm House. (Credit: Ken Drenten) By Ken Drenten Ohio has a wide variety of public spaces that offer more than the typical park. These places combine the ideals of providing public recreational spaces, environmental responsibility and aesthetics. They provide people a place…
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Fairport Harbor Lighthouse: A beacon of hope on Lake Erie
Fairport Harbor Lighthouse was built in 1825. (Credit: Ken Drenten) By Ken Drenten Situated at the mouth of the Grand River, Fairport Harbor Lighthouse was a beacon that mariners sought out in Lake Erie storms, as well as a ray of hope for some travelers heading north in the first half of the 19th century.…
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Keep your eyes peeled for painted advertising on old buildings
This Mail Pouch advertisement has been mostly preserved on a repurposed building in downtown Mount Vernon. (Credit: Ken Drenten) By Ken Drenten When I take driving trips in Ohio with my family, I enjoy getting off the freeway and going through smaller towns whenever I can. It’s more interesting than the tedious freeway landscape. And…
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Community theatre groups thriving in Ohio
By Ken Drenten If you’re looking for a great way to spend an evening and support the local community at the same time, find a local community theatre group. Midland Theatre in Newark shown above. Community theatre groups thrive in Ohio. (Credit: Ken Drenten) Community theatre thrives in large cities and small towns throughout Ohio.…
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New video page features dozens of images
By Ken Drenten One of the photos featured on the new Videos page in Dusty Tires is a rusty old sign that once stood along I-70 facing west near Etna. The sign has since disappeared. (Credit: Ken Drenten) Dusty Tires’ new Videos page features slideshows of literally dozens of photos of barns, mills, covered bridges,…
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A worthwhile chase for neon and vintage signs
Vintage neon McDonald’s Hamburgers sign at the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati. (Credit: Ken Drenten) By Ken Drenten For around 20 years or so, I have been collecting neon and other vintage business signs. I haven’t actually acquired any signs themselves, but taking photos of them in the settings where they stood. In many cases,…
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Grand Rapids boasts pair of historic mills
Ludwig Mill offers narrated canal boat rides along a restored section of the Miami & Erie Canal. (Credit: Ken Drenten) By Ken Drenten Grand Rapids, a charming, historic town on the Maumee River, is big in one way — it boasts two mills. One is part of a public park and the other is a…
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Barns of Ohio featured in new video
Click on the link above to view the “Barns of Ohio” video. By Ken Drenten I’ve spent more than 25 years taking photographs of barns around Ohio. I’ve collected many of them in a new video called “Barns of Ohio 2024” now on Dusty Tires and YouTube. You can learn more about Ohio’s barns in…
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