Author: kdrenten
-
Historical markers trace the steps of Civil War Morgan’s Raid in Ohio
This John Hunt Morgan Heritage Trail sign is located along SR 669 at the site of the Weaver Farm in Morgan County, where the raiders spent the night. (Credit: Ken Drenten) By Ken Drenten Thursday, July 13, 2023, marks 160 years since Confederate mounted troops under Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan entered Ohio as part…
-
Ohio’s summer fair and festival season is in full swing
By Ken Drenten The Tracey Family’s Root Beer stand has been a fixture at the Ohio State Fair for decades. (Credit: Ken Drenten) I’ve attended my share of fairs and festivals in Ohio. First, I can remember going to the Ohio State Fair as a kid with my family. As a teenager in the late…
-
Marblehead Lighthouse: Two centuries of protection on Lake Erie
A beautiful summer day at Marblehead Lighthouse State Park. (Credit: Ken Drenten) By Ken Drenten Marblehead Lighthouse, the oldest working lighthouse on the Great Lakes, celebrated its bicentennial in 2022. I think this park is among the most beautiful settings for a lighthouse on the Great Lakes. The grounds around the lighthouse are very accessible…
-
Places in Ohio related to Black American history are great visits
The historic Stone Academy was the center of abolitionist activity and a stop on the Underground Railroad in Zanesville. By Ken Drenten Ohio has numerous sites related to the Underground Railroad and Black American history. The Underground Railroad, which provided safe passage for slaves fleeing enslavement in the South to Canada prior to and during…
-
Baltic Mill Winery shows off its rustic past
Baltic Mill Winery once operated as a steam-powered gristmill. (Credit: Ken Drenten) By Ken Drenten Baltic Mill began milling flour in the mid-1800s and at one time was Ohio’s largest flour mill, producing Little Daisy Flour. The mill was built around 1850 and once housed a steam-powered gristmill. The mill was leveled by fire in…
-
Jesse Owens State Park, Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area abundant with outdoor opportunities
Jesse Owens State Park and the Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area are shown in the map above. (Source: Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources) Jesse Owens State Park and the Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area in Morgan, Muskingum, Noble and Guernsey counties have some of the richest outdoor opportunities in the entire state of Ohio. These areas were…
-
Ohio’s Scenic Byways will take you back home
Ohio Scenic Byways take the traveler past rural settings such as this one near Glenford, Ohio. By Ken Drenten Ohio has 27 routes designated by the state as Ohio Scenic Byways, offering adventures, historic sites and relaxing scenery as an alternative to high-speed freeway travel. Six of these byways are also designated as America’s Byways…
-
Velvet’s Ye Olde Mill draws ice cream lovers
Ye Olde Mill, built in 1817, is the home of Velvet Ice Cream in Utica. (Photo credit: Ken Drenten) By Ken Drenten Ye Olde Mill is probably best known throughout Ohio for the round containers of frozen treats that the mill’s owners produce there — Velvet Ice Cream. An Ohio landmark, the restored mill is…
Dusty Tires 