September 2009 Issue
Prison Break
A mighty fortress for more than a century, the Ohio State Reformatory looms large over the Mansfield countryside, exuding an aura that’s simultaneously thrilling and chilling. Built by Levi T. Scofield, a Cleveland architect famous for his Romanesque detailing and Gothic overtones, the building is an intimidating mix that’s part cathedral, part castle Dracula. And although it’s been 19 years since anyone was incarcerated there, the ominous ambiance — replete with shadows and secr... Restaurant Pullout: The Caroline
The contrast between inside and outside is immediate, and nice. Outside, you’re in the pleasingly old-timey square of downtown Troy, with its fountain, traffic rotary and ornate 19th-century storefronts. Once you step inside the front door of The Caroline, however, you’re greeted by cool, sleekly modern decor that is sophisticated and inviting: jagged stone walls, blond wood tables, eye-catching abstract paintings and a comfy-looking lounge that seems to say, “Step in, have a seat.R... Soul Searching
Patrons of the arts come in all ages and sizes. While she was attending the University of Cincinnati in the early ’80s, Annie Ruth Napier honed her artistic skills under the wide-eyed companionship of her 4-year-old nephew, Allen. Napier would push aside the living-room furniture at her mother’s house in the College Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati to create a makeshift art studio. She loved to use pencils and charcoal to sketch images of African-American children while Allen eagerly looked o... |
Bash on the Bay
When Mary Sutphin bought the Herbster House on South Bass Island more than 30 years ago, she couldn’t have predicted that, decades later, the small cottage would still hold such a big place in her family’s hearts. Then again, the stories floating around about “Aunt Mary” on this sunny summer day on Put-in-Bay — her home for nearly 50 years —indicate that she always seemed to know exactly what she was doing. “Aunt Mary started coming up here in the 1950s,” ... Lakeside Legacy
Not all of the reclaimed pieces were utilized in the new cottage, which was completed in 2000. But some of the white cedar shake siding that “wears like iron” remains. A few wavy glass window panels were also keepers. Lakeside has been a Drackett family tradition for four generations, ever since Bill’s great-grandparents took a train from Columbus to their cottage. Bill spent summers at Lakeside as a child, and he and Mame have been bringing their boys here for nearly 30 years. The Cin... |
All the Comforts of Home
It’s been 10 years, but Larry Mason remembers all too well the stress and struggles his mother, Joan, experienced in her determination to take care of his grandmother, Camilla, as she aged. For More Information These resources will help you make informed choices about caregiving: Senior Helpers of Northeastern Ohio: 877/922-STAY, ohioseniorassist. com Ohio Department of Aging: 866/243-5678, aging.ohio.gov AARP Ohio: 866/389-5653, aarp.org/ states/oh/ Senior Independence: 614/433-0031, icaregiver.o... Songbirds and Skyscrapers
You can find the new Grange Insurance Audubon Center about a mile from the languid confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers, about half that distance from the frenetic interchange of interstate highways 70 and 71, a stone’s throw from one of the most popular bird-watching areas in central Ohio, and in the shadow of the downtown skyline of Ohio’s capital city. In other words, squarely at the crossroads of pastoral nature and urban chaos. A look out its spacious north window proves it. Th... |
Glide & Go
Until a few months ago, I had forgotten what it felt like when I first learned to ride a bike. After all, it’s been some years since I shed my blue-and-white Schwinn of its training wheels. But it all came back to me recently when I mastered another sweet ride: a Segway Personal Transporter (PT). That’s right — a Segway. You know, those two-wheeled things you see police officers riding that make you think, “That looks fun!” Well, it is fun. And you, too, can capture that yo... Shopping Made Simple
I hate to shop, except for one notable exception — my once-a-year, pre-Christmas shopping extravaganza in Amish Country — a trip that puts hundreds of miles on my car, and takes two or three days to accomplish. I always schedule this shopping spree in autumn because Amish Country is at its best in late September or early October, when the corn is high, the humidity’s low and every tree is ablaze with fall color. While it’s primarily a shopping trip to stock up on Amish-made gifts... |
Hidden Blessings
When Julie Rubini speaks of her daughter, Claire, who died suddenly from a heart condition in July 2000 at the age of 10, sadness frames her voice in a way that shows her pain will never go away. But when she describes all that has happened since then — most recently,Hidden Ohio, her first published book — her tone has a lightness that demonstrates her positive nature. “I needed to do something with the energy that I had,” Rubini says. “Being forever the optimist, I knew tha... My Ohio: Desperately Seeking Shakespeare
When I was a Kent State graduate student, I spent the summer of 1975 researching my dissertation at London’s British Museum. Each day, I’d work until 3 p.m. or so, then take the Underground to a different neighborhood and explore. One rainy afternoon I rode to the Tower of London: My plan was to walk across Tower Bridge into Southwark and locate the site of Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. I stopped briefly at Southwark Cathedral and asked a warder for directions. He didn’t know exac... Ohioan - Ron Kaplan
AGE: 51 PERSONAL: Originally from Columbus, he now lives in Kettering with his wife, Jennifer, and their two children; he also has 21-year-old twin boys out on their own. THE JOB: The National Aviation Hall of Fame ( nationalaviation.org ) commemorates American champions of flight. It’s housed at, but separate from, the National Museum of the Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton. He’s been executive director since 2005. “I tell people we’re to aviation as Coop... Paper With Panache
Junk mail, water and a blender are all you need to make beautiful, personalized art. Tipp City artist Alison Rusk, also known as “Paper Alice,” has been turning junk mail into paper treasures for more than 20 years. “I have a policy — never throw anything away. I love looking for new techniques and using different supplies to make art,” Rusk says. She adds her own special flair with flowers, spices, thread, popcorn bags and anything else she can shred by hand. The water, pap... Strings & Things
Athens’ burgeoning music scene relies on more than talented players. It also requires instruments and someone to repair them, as well as accessories, music lessons and sundry supplies. That’s where Blue Eagle Music comes in. Founded in 1971 in the same Court Street location where it stands today, Blue Eagle is Athens’ only music store, and an exceptional one at that. Home to every string under the sun, from guitars to banjos, ukuleles and mandolins, the quaint shop is a bright-blue beac... Touring Old and New
My wife's friend Natalie visits us from Massachusetts every summer. The visit is a tradition that began when we left the Bay State almost two decades ago at the conclusion of our familys five-year New England experience. A trip to Amish Country is, of course, prominent among the excursions the two take each year to explore Ohio. Though it seems counterintuitive, the historic charms of Amish Country always seem fresh and new. Certainly that is the message we receive from you as we regularly serve as the ... |
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