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Miscellaneous Ramblings, Part 1--columbus


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Back in October, I took off some time to go visit a couple of friends of mine. This is the road trip part of that vacation. Once again, my photos are at http://community.webshots.com/user/babyboomerbob under the Miscellaneous Ramblings folder.

 

My original intention was to set out fairly early, get to Cincinnati at lunch time, then follow the DHE north to Vandalia, OH, then head east on the National Road to Columbus. Unfortunately, I had some major problems with the van, so I had to unload everything and put it in Susan's Saturn, which she graciously let me take.

 

I wound up taking US 22 out of Cincinnati for a bit. My first stop was Morrow, a town most famous for having a silly song written about it years ago. "Said I, "My friend, I'd like to go to Morrow and return, no later than tomorrow, for I haven't time to burn"":) <Morrow 01-04> I found the old railroad bridge there particularly nice. It's been preserved and is now part of a long bicycle trail.

 

Wilmington, OH was a pleasant surprise with lots of neat old architecture I've come to hope for in small towns. <Wilmington 01-07> I did a search on the General Denver Hotel and found out that General James William Denver was one of the area's most illustrious citizens. He was a hero of the Mexican and Civil Wars, Governor of Kansas, legislator from Colorado, and the man Denver CO was named for. By this time it was getting a bit late, so I headed up US 68 to I-71, and thence to Columbus.

 

My friend Cody Buchmann was a gracious host and took me to the Columbus Zoo <Columbus Zoo, 01-16>Their Asian exhibit is particularly fine. I'll let the photos do the talking here:)

 

I took a day by myself and drove East on the National Road as far as Zanesville. At the tiny town of Atherton I stopped by the National Road Railroad Museum. The station was closed, and upon further inspection, I found it's only open two hours a week, on Sunday afternoons when they run an excursion train. I searched DeLorme later and found a line running north to Newark, OH. That must be where they go. Got some pictures of their rolling stock, such as it was:) <National Road Railroad Museum 01-03>

 

I found a piece of old alignment that passed through the town of Gratiot and took some pictures of the old road and a bridge <National Road 01-04>,and a milestone between Gratiot and Zanesville <National Road 05>

 

When I got to Zanesville I drove up to Putnam Park to get a good view of the famous "Y" Bridge Across the Muskingum and Licking Rivers <Zanesville 01, 03>, and a good view of the town too <Zanesville 02>. Then on to downtown for a good ghost sign and St. Nickolas Catholic Church <Zanesville 04-06>.

 

On the east side of Zanesville, I found a place called the East End Cafe. It's the only building I've seen with Mail Pouch signs on both sides:) <Zanesville 07, 08>. Right across the street is an old cemetery with a graceful entrance arch <Zanesville 09>. I had considered going on to the National Road Museum, but decided to put it off until another time. I picked up the Interstate and headed back.

 

Cody and I took one morning to walk along the Columbus Riverwalk along the Scioto River (which, BTW is pronounced Sigh-oh-ta. Trust me:)) <Columbus Riverwalk 01-04, Downtown Columbus 01-07>. Along the river is a replica of the Santa Maria. <Columbus Riverwalk 02> Teensy little thing:) I wonder if it's really life sized? I was particularly impressed with the Leveque Tower < Columbus Riverwalk 03>, an art deco skyscraper covered with terracotta tiling. There is some concern the tiles may fall off and hurt or kill someone below. Sounds like restoration is in order.

 

We crossed the river on the Broad Street Bridge, the one the National Road uses. At one end is a monument to the National Road shaped like one of the mileposts <Downtown Columbus 01-04> . Also on Broad Street was the Palace Theater (in the Leveque Tower) <Downtown Columbus 05> and City Hall <Downtown Columbus, 06, 07>

 

Before I had to leave I managed to get a picture of this "Muffler Man" at a service station not far from Cody's apartment:) <Muffler Man?>

 

After Columbus I headed south for a couple of days with Kevin Redden and a meeting with Denny Gibson at the Rockin' Robin:) That will be in part 2.

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BabyBoomerBob,

 

Thanks for the great trip write up! And for all 130 photos!

 

I looked at each one, and enjoyed each, plus your comments. And its good to see that someone else likes the old signs on brick buildings!

 

BTW, Denny is looking younger in each successive picture I see of him, so I suppose he has gotten a “lift.” :lol:

 

Looking forward to part 2!

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Good stuff, Bob. I hadn't realized that you had taken US-22 out of Cincinnati. You passed within a half mile of where I live.

 

Besides the worldwide fame associated with being the subject of the song you mention, Morrow was once known locally for its two stop lights - one in front of the mayor's house the other in front of the mayor's bar. I've always liked Wilmington's General Denver, too. It operated as a real hotel until a few years back. Restaurants still operate sporadically on the first floor but it's growing more and more doubtful that it will ever serve overnight guests again. I hope I'm wrong. The Murphy Theater, that you also photographed, is used fairly often. A neat old theater. If you had stayed with Twenty-Two for about ten more miles, you'd have reached Kim's Classic Diner; The 1946 Silk City that was the subject of the first words I ever had printed in American Road Magazine.

 

I know I told you this in person but I'll repeat here that a guy who enjoys the Rockin' Robin would probably also like Tom's Ice Cream Bowl in Zanesville. They make their own ice cream and sell fresh roasted nuts, too. It's not on the National Road and is actually a bit out of the way but worth it.

 

KtSotR, there are two possible explanations to your perception of increasing youthfulness. One is that clean living and exercise are highly overrated. The other (and the one to which I subscribe) is that someone hasn't been keeping their eyeglass prescription current. B)

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Back in October, I took off some time to go visit a couple of friends of mine. This is the road trip part of that vacation. Once again, my photos are at http://community.webshots.com/user/babyboomerbob under the Miscellaneous Ramblings folder.

 

My original intention was to set out fairly early, get to Cincinnati at lunch time, then follow the DHE north to Vandalia, OH, then head east on the National Road to Columbus. Unfortunately, I had some major problems with the van, so I had to unload everything and put it in Susan's Saturn, which she graciously let me take.

 

I wound up taking US 22 out of Cincinnati for a bit. My first stop was Morrow, a town most famous for having a silly song written about it years ago. "Said I, "My friend, I'd like to go to Morrow and return, no later than tomorrow, for I haven't time to burn"":) <Morrow 01-04> I found the old railroad bridge there particularly nice. It's been preserved and is now part of a long bicycle trail.

 

Wilmington, OH was a pleasant surprise with lots of neat old architecture I've come to hope for in small towns. <Wilmington 01-07> I did a search on the General Denver Hotel and found out that General James William Denver was one of the area's most illustrious citizens. He was a hero of the Mexican and Civil Wars, Governor of Kansas, legislator from Colorado, and the man Denver CO was named for. By this time it was getting a bit late, so I headed up US 68 to I-71, and thence to Columbus.

 

My friend Cody Buchmann was a gracious host and took me to the Columbus Zoo <Columbus Zoo, 01-16>Their Asian exhibit is particularly fine. I'll let the photos do the talking here:)

 

I took a day by myself and drove East on the National Road as far as Zanesville. At the tiny town of Atherton I stopped by the National Road Railroad Museum. The station was closed, and upon further inspection, I found it's only open two hours a week, on Sunday afternoons when they run an excursion train. I searched DeLorme later and found a line running north to Newark, OH. That must be where they go. Got some pictures of their rolling stock, such as it was:) <National Road Railroad Museum 01-03>

 

I found a piece of old alignment that passed through the town of Gratiot and took some pictures of the old road and a bridge <National Road 01-04>,and a milestone between Gratiot and Zanesville <National Road 05>

 

When I got to Zanesville I drove up to Putnam Park to get a good view of the famous "Y" Bridge Across the Muskingum and Licking Rivers <Zanesville 01, 03>, and a good view of the town too <Zanesville 02>. Then on to downtown for a good ghost sign and St. Nickolas Catholic Church <Zanesville 04-06>.

 

On the east side of Zanesville, I found a place called the East End Cafe. It's the only building I've seen with Mail Pouch signs on both sides:) <Zanesville 07, 08>. Right across the street is an old cemetery with a graceful entrance arch <Zanesville 09>. I had considered going on to the National Road Museum, but decided to put it off until another time. I picked up the Interstate and headed back.

 

Cody and I took one morning to walk along the Columbus Riverwalk along the Scioto River (which, BTW is pronounced Sigh-oh-ta. Trust me:)) <Columbus Riverwalk 01-04, Downtown Columbus 01-07>. Along the river is a replica of the Santa Maria. <Columbus Riverwalk 02> Teensy little thing:) I wonder if it's really life sized? I was particularly impressed with the Leveque Tower < Columbus Riverwalk 03>, an art deco skyscraper covered with terracotta tiling. There is some concern the tiles may fall off and hurt or kill someone below. Sounds like restoration is in order.

 

We crossed the river on the Broad Street Bridge, the one the National Road uses. At one end is a monument to the National Road shaped like one of the mileposts <Downtown Columbus 01-04> . Also on Broad Street was the Palace Theater (in the Leveque Tower) <Downtown Columbus 05> and City Hall <Downtown Columbus, 06, 07>

 

Before I had to leave I managed to get a picture of this "Muffler Man" at a service station not far from Cody's apartment:) <Muffler Man?>

 

After Columbus I headed south for a couple of days with Kevin Redden and a meeting with Denny Gibson at the Rockin' Robin:) That will be in part 2.

 

 

The "Santa Maria" was a small carrack, or "Nao" about 70 feet long, and was used as the flagship for the expedition. She carried a crew of 40 men.

Most of todays big ocean going fishing trawlers today are bigger than the Santa Maria was.

 

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

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Great post, as usual, B! :). I look foward to the day I'm in Zanesville, according to Denny. Rockin Robin has spoiled me rotten, so now I want to try all of those type of places.

 

I'll be posting pictures soon on my web shots account, just a bit busy for reasons you know (hehe)

 

Boy I'm glad AR got an RSS feed, reading it every day now.

 

- Kc

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