Coal Mines, Castles & Quilts- Alliance, Ohio

Ohio Day Trip
Coal Mines, Castles & Quilts
Alliance, Ohio
May 2014

I grew up about 25 minutes south of Alliance and never considered the college town to have many tourist attractions.  But when I started an extended project in the area and began looking for things to do during lunch and after work, I quickly learned that there’s quite a bit to do in the Alliance area.

 

I drive through Atwater, Ohio on my way to Alliance from Akron every morning and stopped to read the Historical Marker describing the events surrounding the Atwater Coal Company Mine Disaster of 1872.   When the entrance to the mine caught fire those who were able to jump through the flames sustained serious burns but survive.  Those that were trapped inside, including a 9-year old boy, 9 men and a mule, died.  This disaster led to Ohio being the 2^nd state in the nation to pass laws protecting miners.

Mount Union College expanded into the University of Mount Union in 2010 and has added quite a bit of housing and buildings to the campus in recent years.  A sign outside Beeghly Hall on State Street advertised a free exhibit of art quilts by Jean Evans, a nationally recognized artist.  As I love needle arts, I was thrilled to spend my lunch hour browsing the display of quilts.  I found quite bit of inspiration for my own projects in her work.

Another lunch hour was spent touring Glamorgan Castle ($5 donation/pp).  Once the home of Col. William Henry Morgan, it is now the administrative offices of the Alliance City Schools. Although much of it is converted into office space, many original or restored features remain to remind us of what a grand building and estate it once was- the stained-glass dome, the ornately carved woodwork of the library, the jovial sayings painted onto the beer cellar walls.  It was a sight to see everything done with such attention to detail. 

There are so many other attractions I hope to visit while in the Alliance area- the Troll Hole Museum, Beech Creek Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve, the Feline Historical Museum- the list goes on and on so I’ll check back in to update when do.  

Update:  I was able to visit the Feline Historical Museum one afternoon.  This FREE attraction offers just about everything you'd ever want to know about cats from their history- revered in Egypt, blamed for the Plague in Europe, grown to be loved internationally.  This exhibit features cats in advertisement, entertainment and other cultures.  

A Day at the Races

A Day at the Races
Mountaineer Casino & Racetrack
New Cumberland, West Virginia
April 12, 2014

I’m not much of a gambler but I feel like I get a lot of bang for my two bucks ($2 minimum bet on horse racing) and I’ve always enjoyed horse races like the Kentucky Derby so making the short drive to Mountaineer Racetrack to bet on a few horses is a fun way to spend an evening.  My sister Jo, who also loves horses, and I decided to make a day out of going to the races.

After stopping at our dad’s on the way down, we stopped at Grinders Above & Beyond in Minerva, Ohio, for a family favorite of sharing a grinder and potato skins.  After devouring lunch, Jo and I headed on, having a chuckle about the giant cow installed along the road near the dairy in town.

 

The drive down to Mountaineer is scenic and quick- we were paying $1 to drive across a bridge over the Ohio River in no time.  As we made our way along the route my sister Joanna told me that her boss had visited a Feistaware Outlet Store in Newell, WV- minutes later we saw a sign for the store and decided to stop.  Jo and I bypassed the front and went to the back where giant crates held big piles of Fiestaware.  After closely inspecting a few handled soup bowls, I decided to pick them up at a deep discount.  Jo and I also each purchased $2 grab bags and were surprised and happy with our bargain finds!

From there we headed onto Mountaineer.  We stopped at the casino first, just to look around and put a little money on #11 on the roulette table for Neil.  We bought a scratch sheet and selected our horses based on criteria such as odds, number and cuteness of name- things like Serrated Edge, Ten Tequilas or Campfire- things I like. We took in the first races from the outside deck so we could feel their power as they raced by, then found a table in front of the Mountaineer Club and enjoyed drinks and snacks as we cheered for our horses. 

Jo experienced one crippling defeat when her horse won the race and Jo won about $80 only to lose it when her horse was disqualified.  Still, Joanna left up at least $10 while I was down about $9 but the fun that went with those hours of anticipation and excitement in the atmosphere was worth every penny. 

We stopped at another family favorite on our way home- the Steel Trolley Diner, of course- for the Hodge Podge fried veggie platter and sodas, then drove home exhausted after our big day.  I’m really looking forward to a day when we can gather a large group of people to head over and make a party out of betting on a few horses!

Day Trips to See Orchids

Day Trips to See Orchids
Phipps Conservatory and the Cleveland Botanical Gardens
Winter 2014

We had a long, cold winter!  I enjoy winter activities so I usually make the most of a snowy season but even I was getting the winter time blues brought on by the bleak weather.  However, my friends and I came up with a way to get out of the freezing temperatures and escape to a tropical climate if only for a few hours.  The Cleveland Botanical Gardens in Cleveland, Ohio and Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, PA both hosted orchid displays during the winter months.

My friend Scooter (from Pennsylvania) and I decided to meet up at Phipps Conservatory ($15/pp- free parking along street) in Pittsburgh on a Friday evening to take in their Orchids & Bonsai Show.  Phipps has several large connected glasshouses with various themes like the Palm Court or the Tropical Room with many varieties of orchids placed along the walkways.  There was also a room displaying bonsai trees in various shapes and sizes.  Because we were there after dark, many of the greenhouses were dim, lighted with simple strings of white twinkle lights and illuminated paths and walkways.  The whole display was stunning.  The heat and humidity of the India Room was especially invigorating for me.  Scooter and I made our way along the garden walkway through all the rooms, pointing out our favorite orchids, plants and trees. 

We headed over to the Thunderbird Café next to see a band called Cello Fury.  The place was packed!  We ended up sharing a veggie quesadilla and talking the whole night.  Luckily we were stationed in front of a telecast of the stage so we could at least see the band on screen.

The next weekend Meg, Neil, Holly, Red and I headed to Cleveland Botanical Garden’s ($11/pp, $9 parking in deck) Orchid Mania show.  Cleveland’s glasshouse is smaller than Phipps but it seemed as if they packed just as many orchids into a smaller amount of space- there were orchids everywhere I looked.  So many different varieties and vibrant colors were displayed that I literally took 100+ pictures.  The warm mist and sunlight of the rainforest room felt energizing and the butterflies that filled the air were a delight.  What a lovely way to get out of the cold for an afternoon!

We headed to lunch at Melt in Cleveland Heights on our way home and enjoyed huge gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and hangover fries.  Both excursions were the perfect ways to get out of the frigid winter and recharge with friends for a few hours.  

Canton Classic Car Museum

Ohio Day Trip
Canton Classic Car Museum
Canton, Ohio
November 10, 2013

I was excited to visit the Canton Classic Car Museum ($7.50/pp) when I thought it was just cars.I was thrilled when we walked in and saw all the movie memorabilia, pop cultural artifacts, antique toys, local history- pretty much everything a person would need to evoke a nostalgic feeling of the way things were way back when.

Neil, Megan and I spent a chilly Sunday afternoon exploring the museum.  The building used to be an old car dealership and although it is not huge, it does house quite a bit of neat stuff- one could spend hours taking everything in.  I spotted a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, a PeeWee Herman doll and an RCA Dog display.  Neil loved all the antique neon signs. Megan pointed out every Lincoln automobile and emblem she saw.  There really is something of interest for every person of any age.