ohio’s small town museum in ashvilleohiosmalltownmuseum.org/newsletters/2016aahsnewsletter.pdf ·...

OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF OHIO’S SMALL TOWN MUSEUM

Free Copy to Members Non-members: $6

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Visit Our Web Site At: http://ohiosmalltownmuseum.org/

Visit Our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OhiosSmallTownMuseum

Ohio’s Small Town Museum in Ashville

AAHS Vol. 19 No. 1 Date 1-1-16

Legacy Endowment Fund Scholarship Established Our Legacy Endowment Fund has grown to the point that the Ashville Area Heritage Society is able to annually offer a deserving Teays Valley Senior a $1,000 college scholarship. The scholarship is intended to support a student following a career in the arts or humanities. The grant will be administered by the Teays Valley Education Foundation. Applicants must demonstrate they are active in the community and they must have a strong academic background. Applicants must also produce an essay that explains how they plan to use their chosen career to help others. The scholarship is presented in the memory of those persons in whose names the following contributions were made to the endowment: Georgia Mallory $1,000

Dale Logsdon $1,000 William Hinkle $1,000

Freida Hite $300 Mary Ellen Hinkle $1,000 Maud Elizabeth Hines $20,000 Curt Williamson $300 Gretchen Hedges $200 Floyd Younkin $1,000 Art and Ada Lou Deal $200 Max Cormany $100 Community Players $1,296 Orlan and Iona Hines $2,129 Mary Jane Wilson $20 Larry Ward $100 Annabell Hines $100

We hope to continue to grow this fund and eventually offer more assistance to deserving Teays Valley High School graduates. Anyone wishing to make a tax-deductible contribution to the fund in memory of someone can do so by issuing a check to: The AAHS Legacy Endowment Fund c/o The Ashville Area Heritage Society The check may be sent to: Treasurer, AAHS 34 Long Street Ashville, OH 43103

Hey! Like Us On Facebook

Five hundred twenty-eight individuals like our facebook page. It is a great place to learn about local history, events being planned and upcoming programs. Visitors learn about unusual connections to national and world history. Just go to: https://www.facebook.com/OhiosSmallTownMuseum

http://ohiosmalltownmuseum.org/

https://www.facebook.com/OhiosSmallTownMuseum




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Our second facebook page is all about the Snake Den Mounds. It focuses on science and discovery associated with this fascinating ancient mound builder ceremonial site. It currently has more than 250 followers. Just go to: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Science-and-Discovery-at-the-Snake-Den-Mound

2016 AAHS Meeting Programs

January 11th The Civil War and Ashville

Warren Gentzel will be talking about the Civil War and how it impacted central Ohio.

February 8th Past Queens of Ashville

We will have several past Fourth of July queens come and share their experiences of being ambassadors of our village.

March 14th Haven House

This organization will be speaking about the work they are doing to promote and help women in our county.

April 11th Gold Star Family Foundation

This organization promotes patriotism through education, memorials, and example. They will be talking about monuments created around our state for fallen solders.

May 9th Quilting and Coat Making

Beth Starkey will be talking about the history of quilt and coat making and giving demonstrations on the process changes through the years.

June 13th YMCA

Angi Welsh will be talking about the history of this wonderful organization and how it has impacted our country

MEETINGS ARE HELD THE SECOND MONDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 7-8 PM AT THE YOUNKIN BRANCH LIBRARY LOCATED AT 51 LONG STREET, ASHVILLE 43103

FOR QUESTIONS OR MEETING IDEAS CONTACT THE AAHS PRESIDENT JIM WELSH AT 614 214 9223

The Ashville Covered Bridge

Covered wooden bridges were built in great numbers in the United States and Canada during the 19th and early 20th Centuries. They have been popular with tourists for a century. Much of their allure is due to their romantic association with times before the advent of the motor vehicle. Covered bridges, designed for the horse-drawn buggy rather than the automobile, are a powerful symbol of an era seen as slower paced and simpler than today.



https://www.facebook.com/pages/Science-and-Discovery-at-the-Snake-Den-Mound

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Science-and-Discovery-at-the-Snake-Den-Mound



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More specifically, covered bridges are seen as a late pre-industrial technological development, with roots in the medieval craft of timber framing. And in many covered bridges, especially older ones, this is true. The structures are hand crafted with simple tools. The timbers, cut from the nearby forests, display hew and blade marks from the broad axe and the pit saw. Joints are mortises and tenons fastened with trunnels (wood pegs).

This was not true of the Ashville covered bridge that spanned 200 foot across Little Walnut Creek on Circleville-Lockbourne Eastern Road. The bridge, sometimes known as Hedges Bridge, was a pre-fabricated all-wood Smith truss and arch bridge. Although all-wood trusses (most haven't so much as a lateral tie rod of metal), there was not a hew mark or a mortise to be seen on Smith bridges. Bridges like this were fabricated using heavy machinery far from where the lumber was cut. Instead of late preindustrial designs, bridges like the Ashville bridge were significant and fascinating examples of early industrial construction technology.

Robert Smith (1833-1898) is thought to have been the first builder to pre-fabricate bridges. The Smith Bridge Company, begun in 1867, operated out of a factory in Tippecanoe City and later from Toledo, Ohio. In the company's early years they built hundreds of covered wooden bridges, the vast majority of them using Smith's patented truss system. The Ashville covered bridge design used features of a Burr arch (1817) and Howe arch (1846).

There were only a few examples of this combined parabolic arch and truss bridge remaining in America when the bridge was destroyed by the county in 1962 to make

room for a newer bridge that could carry more traffic. There was an effort to try to save the bridge, but it failed.

Ashville Area Heritage Society 2016 Membership (as of 2/5/16)

Individual Memberships ($20) James Craycraft; Marty Mathers; Rosan Ward; Willard Kuhlwein; Harold Tosca; Robert Peters; Thomas Cline; Barbara Frazier; Andrew Duvall; Marjorie Foreman; Gay Henson; Harry Webb; Jack Hutchison; Marty Mathers; Mary Ellen Downs; Elizabeth Ann Marlor;

Family Memberships ($25) Chester & Arlene Fortner; William & Suetta Winter; Charles & Wilma Sark; Jerry & Mona Lee Trego; Dean & Pat Barr; Darryl & Jodi Glick; Mark & Kim Knore; John Swingle; Grant & Robin Hossfeld; Gary & Carolyn Throp; Elizabeth & Jeffrey Allen; Dorothy Pecora; Roger & Susan Campbell; Jim Bob & Angi Welsh; James & Karin Barr; Vaughan & Joyce Dresbach; Ken & Elisabeth Marckel; Betty & Dwight Radcliff; Darryl & Sherri Ward; Steven & Sandra Martin; James Mills & Rebecca Devillers, D.O.;

Organizational Memberships ($25) Ashville Community Club; Kiwanis Club of Ashville; Pickaway County Historical & Genealogical Society;

Small Business Memberships (Fifteen Employees or Less) ($25) Community Bancshares; Dictation Warehouse; J's Barber Shop; Ashville Propane LLC; Harrison Township Trustees; Baseball's Dairy Diamond, Inc.;

Large Business Memberships (Sixteen Employees or More) ($200) Roese Bro. Paving Inc.; Savings Bancorp, Inc.;

Lifetime Memberships (Individuals--$200, Families--$250) Charles & Rhonda Morrison; Charles & Mona Morrison; Bonnie Myers; Linda Burns; Louise Barr; Hildegard Ward; Benis & Carolyn Lutz; Roger & Patricia Southward; Belva Lou Morrison; Andrew Hite; Dr. Michael Freeman; Eleanore Chandler; Robert & Barbara Bowers; Dennis & Carol Blaney; Pamela Woodruff; Robert Miles, Jr.; Carl & Mary Bumgarner; Barbara Carder; Robert & Katherine Boyer; Violet Messick; Edwin Leatherwood; Dorene Leatherwood; Robert Mabe; Charles & Charlene Malone;





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Leo Berger; Eugene Wilson; Gale & Vicki La Rue; David Roese; Nolan Hines; Louise Warner and Clyde Gosnell; Brent & Kendra Sherman; Eileene Rife; Boyd & Sandy Oliver; Paul & Mary O'Day; Michael Kindt; Rose Jamison; Ruth Howell; Robert & Diane Hines; John & Renee Hines; Russ Gregg; Marty Dore'; Charles & Cleora Cordle; Bill Sherman; Kate Lemon; Linda Cummins; Barbara Younkin; Charles Fridley; Bob & Debbie Forquer; Jim & Lyda Cook; Andy & Pam Ward; William Boyer; Ula Jean Metzler; Mary Holbrook; Daniel Truex; Ralph Mets; Judy Fischer; Mary Hume; Mark & Cathy Leatherwood; Merrily Williams; Ralph Burns; Susan Wendt; Carol Duvall; Louella Garrett; Betty Richards; Ann Leatherwood; Daniel Barth; Betty Wears; Pamela Starr; Robert & Edna Nothstine; Barbara Cummins; Carolyn Weigand; Larry Fullen; Brian Miller; Linda Mithoff; Colton Henson; Tiffany & Angel Jackson; Kathryn Kight; Max & Shirley Marion; Terry Frazier; Kendall Wharton; Walter & Lori Myers; Christopher Jordan; Hannah Jordan; Joe & Eleanor Dean; Bruce Barnes; Kay Cremeans; George Kraft, MD; Wilson Ett; Al & Judy Nicely; Mary Jo Py; William Hines & Margaret Sondey; Spencer Cheek; David Chan; Dirk & Nicole Rozich; Craig & Brenda Foster; Jacob Hines; Evangeline Hines; Marsh Barnes; Michael & Janet Moore; Elizabeth Sliwinski; Dorothy Cormany; Virgie Vause; Stanley & Donna Gloyd; Bob & Carol Huffer; Michael & Sandra Wilson; Mark & Lisa Coon; Jacqueline Olney; Ellery & Pamela Elick; Paul Hickman; Dick & Loche Kline; Josie Ann Aldenderfer; Charles & Delores Messick; Scott Allen; Chuck & Mary Jane Hines; Lori Dunn; Nancy Klimo; Joe & PJ Hoover; Craig & Kristi Malone; Don Forquer; Melvin Eisaman; Jo Ellen Essick Wilburn; Terri Cromley; Swanhilda Burgoon; Bob Bartholomew; June Davis; Barbara Cummins.

2016 AAHS Members Renewal Notice

If you are not on the above lists, please be sure to renew

your membership. If you have not already received and invoice for the coming year, you should expect one shortly. Remember, we are a volunteer organization that depends on your generosity. Without your membership renewal, we will not be able to send future copies of our newsletter.

Nobody Won By Bob Hines

Several years ago my family was on a tour of Hawaii. During the course of the tour my wife and I found out that one of the couples was from Ohio. They were a few years older than us. We found out that we both had ties to Pickaway County and I said I was from Ashville. The gentleman said his father was from New Holland. Then he told me that his father had nothing good to say about Ashville. All he heard about Ashville was the night the Ashville Broncos stole a game from New Holland. The year was 1948. The game was between highly-touted Ashville and its number one rival in the Pickaway County Basketball League—the New Holland Bulldogs. Here is what happened. The game was everything it was billed to be and was hotly contested. The game was so tight, that it went into overtime. When play supposedly ended, the score was New Holland 44 and Ashville 43. New Holland’s timekeeper contended that time had run out and the Bulldogs of New Holland had upset the undefeated Broncos. The Ashville timekeeper and the referees saw it differently. Ashville immediately filed a protest with the State Commissioner of High School Athletics, Harold Emswiler, stating that referees had called a foul in the last seconds of the game against New Holland, but a crowd stormed the floor and the Ashville player was not allowed to complete his free throws. The commissioner ruled after hearing from all parties and obtaining a report from the referees of the game that New Holland’s school administrators failed to allow the game to carry through to completion without crowd interference and with police protection if necessary. The commissioner reviewed the case for several days then stated that according to the state rules, the referees were empowered to call a forfeit against the New Holland team. The final outcome was not settled on the court, but in the commissioner’s office. Ashville was awarded the victory 2 to 0 and New Holland was sharply reprimanded. This was too much for the fans of New Holland. They were outraged by the commissioner’s actions. An emergency session of the New Holland Boosters Club was called and they passed the following resolution:

“Whereas, a recent decision of the State Athletic Commissioner has caused the village of New





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Holland to be placed in a position of humiliation and disgrace, and “Whereas, the overwhelming opinion of the citizens of the village is to the effect that the facts which were furnished to the commissioner were unsound and wholly distorted, and “Whereas, certain persons envious of New Holland’s glorious athletic history have taken this opportunity to cast abuse and ridicule upon the village and its inhabitants, and “Whereas, the Booster Club of New Holland has always stood for the promotion of clean sportsmanship, both on and off the field of battle, therefore “Be it resolved, that a formal notice of protest be sent to all parties responsible for the atrocious reflections arbitrarily hurled upon our citizens, and that immediate steps be taken to explore the possibility of detaching the Village of New Holland-from Pickaway County to annex the same to the County of Fayette, or to declare the Village of New Holland to be a separate and independent territory of the State of Ohio.”

Had play ended before the foul was called? Until someone invents a time machine with instant replay, we will never know.

2014 AAHS Financial Statement

Assets General Fund $26,244.77 Restricted Funds

Snake Den Mound Grant $8,200.00 Christmas Tree Event Fund $634.02

AAHS Endowment $35,711.80

Total Assets $70,790.59

Ground Zero for Former Ashville area resident Alan Wallace

Fire truck parked outside the Pentagon. [Source: Jon Culberson]

By Vinny Del Giudice Editor, Arlington Fire Journal

The firehouse at the Pentagon heliport is the quietest in Arlington County, Virginia. The little station, located just off the landing pad on the west side of Defense Department headquarters, is typically staffed by a small crew of civilian firefighters from the U.S. Army's Fort Myer Fire Department.

At 9:39 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, the crew of Foam Tender 161 was at ``Ground Zero,’’ on the banks of the Potomac River, across from Washington, D.C.

Alan Wallace

Fort Myer firefighter Alan Wallace, a veteran federal firefighter, was tending to the foam rig on the Pentagon fire





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station ramp, when he heard the Boeing 757’s screaming engines – and looked to the sky. American Airlines Fight 77 to Los Angeles, with 64 souls aboard, had been hijacked from Washington-Dulles International Airport. ``Runnnnn!’’ Wallace yelled to a buddy, firefighter Mark Skipper. The plane was 200 yards away - and 25 feet off the ground. ``There was no time to look back, barely time to scramble’’ for Wallace and the others, The Washington Post said. ``He made it about 30 feet, heard a terrible roar, felt the heat, and dove underneath a van, skinning his stomach as he slid across the blacktop, sailing across it as though he were riding a luge.

`À few seconds later he was sliding back out to check on his friend and then race back to the fire truck,’’ the Post said. ``He jumped in threw it into gear, but the accelerator was dead. The entire back of the truck was destroyed, the cab on fire. He grabbed the radio handset and called the main station at Fort Myer to report the unimaginable.’’

It was a total firestorm—a war zone.

The jet penetrated 310 feet into the Pentagon's reinforced steel infrastructure within a second or two of the fiery impact, according to an analysis by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The engineering report was issued in January 2003.

In a video, bin Laden spoke of how he and his deputies learned of the initial attack in New York from news reports. "They were overjoyed when the first plane hit the building," bin Laden said. "So I said to them: 'Be patient.'"

Flames raged at the Pentagon. Concrete floors caved in. Columns collapsed. Steel melted. Black smoke turned the morning light to darkness. The ghastly plume was visible from the White House, Capitol and other points across the Potomac River.

Burned and bruised, Wallace and the other Fort Myer firefighters turned to help the people streaming, stumbling and jumping from the Pentagon. Even in combat, in Vietnam, Wallace had never seen anything like it, the Post said.

`À structural collapse, a building fire and a plane crash all rolled up into one’’ – that’s what firefighters faced, John Huff told the Associated Press. Huff, a deputy fire chief

from Lincoln, Nebraska, led a Federal Emergency Management Agency urban search and rescue task force at the Pentagon.

Generals and admirals were shaken as well. "We have a variety of plans for a variety of things," said Rear Admiral Craig Quigley, quoted by the Scripps Howard News Service. "But what you're seeing here is a full assault on the United States of America."

Fort Myer's Wallace and Skipper, and the third man on their crew, Dennis Young, helped pull 10 to 15 people from a window, according to the Pentagram newspaper. `Èverywhere people were yelling trying to give directions for people to get out,'' Wallace said.

On Sept. 11, Arlington Hospital received most of the casualties, including Wallace, who suffered burn injuries. More severe burn cases went to the Washington Hospital Center, which operates the region's burn unit. Northern Virginia Community Hospital in Arlington also received the injured. The Washington region's other hospitals were placed on alert. The American Red Cross made an emergency appeal for blood supplies, which it described as ``critically short.''

Flight 77 touched off from Runway ``Three-zero'' at Dulles at about 8:20 a.m. Investigators estimate it was commandeered about 30 minutes later over southern Ohio by five hijackers. What's more, the jetliner ``disappeared from controllers' radar screens for at least 30 minutes -- in part because it was hijacked in an area of limited radar coverage,'' The Washington Post said, adding: ``That gap cost military and aviation officials valuable warning time.'' It wasn't until 12 minutes before impact that ``controllers at Dulles sounded an alert that an unidentified aircraft was headed toward Washington at high speed,'' the newspaper said. On the outskirts of the city, Flight 77, which approached from the southwest, made a 270 degree turn toward on the Pentagon.

The hijackers apparently disabled the aircraft's radar transponder, complicating the hunt. Transcripts from the Indianapolis air traffic center heralded the worst: `Àmerican 77 departed off of Dulles is going to L.A. Dispatch doesn't know where he's at and confirmed that two airplanes have been - uh - they crashed into - uh - the World Trade Center in New York. So as far as American 77, we don't know where he is.''





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The FBI identified the hijackers of Flight 77 as Khalid Al-Midhar, Majed Moqed, Nawaq Alhamzi, Salem Alhamzi and Hani Hanjour. FBI agents suspected Hanjour was the pilot; the others apparently provided the muscle. With the help of a local man, some of the hijackers fraudulently acquired identification cards through the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles office in Arlington, The Washington Post said.

The FBI identified the hijackers of Flight 77 as Khalid Al-Midhar, Majed Moqed, Nawaq Alhamzi, Salem Alhamzi and Hani Hanjour. FBI agents suspected Hanjour was the pilot; the others apparently provided the muscle. With the help of a local man, some of the hijackers fraudulently acquired identification cards through the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles office in Arlington, The Washington Post said.

``Investigators believe the passengers were herded into the rear of the plane,'' according to the BBC. ``Among the passengers was TV commentator Barbara Olson, wife of US Solicitor General Theodore Olson. She called her husband twice. She said the hijackers were armed with knives and boxcutters and she asked him, "What should I tell the pilot to do?" During the second call he told her a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. ''

The Washington Post said: ``Three District (of Columbia) schoolchildren and three teachers were on Flight 77, headed to Santa Barbara, Calif., for an ecology conference sponsored by National Geographic.''

The Post also said Sept. 12 of the souls aboard Flight 77: ``There was not even the grace of instant death. Instead, there was time to call from the sky over Virginia, fingers pumping cell phones, terrified passengers talking to loved ones for one final time.''

Check out this video interview with Wallace the day of the attack:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdJOSkqndrk

Wallace’s Fort Myer Fire Department bunker coat has been included in the display at the Pentagon section of the National 9/11 Memorial Museum. The jacket belonged to FMFD member Alan Wallace, who was on-duty at the Pentagon fire station Sept. 11, 2001. It contains three singe marks on the lower back of the jacket along with the firefighter's name and the identifying fire department, "Fort Myer." (Photo by Amy Dreher)

George D. McDowell

George Dewey McDowell was born in Akron, Ohio in 1897. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Muskingum College where he met Pauline Finch. They were married in



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdJOSkqndrk



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1923. George also earned a Masters from the Ohio State University. He came to Pickaway County in 1920 to become the principal at Jackson Township School. He taught classes and was the coach of the Jackson basketball team. He was recognized early in his career as a talented administrator and was soon named superintendent of the Jackson School System. In 1934 he was selected to become the Superintendent of Pickaway County Schools. Shortly after that he moved his wife and three children (Virginia, George Jr., and Violet) to 73 Long Street in Ashville. He held the position of county superintendent for 36 years. While in office he helped spearhead the development and construction of 15 schools. He was chairman of Pickaway County’s Draft Board and the Price and Rationing Program during World War II. He served as a member of the Pickaway County Library Board and was active with Kiwanis, Boy Scouts, and Masonic Order. He also served as a director for the Circleville Pumpkin Show. George was highly revered throughout Pickaway County during and after his tenure. Local, county and statewide organizations awarded recognition for his many achievements in education and community service, but he was especially proud of the school that was named in his honor—The McDowell Exchange School.

Submitting Stories

We love it when someone takes the time to write a short

article about someone who once lived here. There are stories about teams, about teachers, about events and more. We especially love ones about unforgettable characters. If you would like to write an article about the area that we can publish in our newsletter please send your material to the Newsletter Editorial Board at: 34 Long Street Ashville, Ohio 43103 Or E-mail them to:

[email protected]

Officers for 2016 Jim Welsh -President Shirley Marion -Vice President Andy Hite -Treasurer Mona Morrison -Secretary

Trustees for 2016 Charles Morrison Bob Hines John Swingle Steve Clay Joe Dean

2015 Cultural and Historical Preservation Award

This year's AAHS Cultural and Historic Preservation Award winners were Angel and Tiffany Jackson (pictured here with President Jim Welsh) for their recreation of the Miller/Squires home on Main Street in Ashville.



mailto:[email protected]



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2015 Year in Review January—David Rainey presented a check from the Community Players for $2,592.24 February—AAHS bought a computer and printer. We also upgraded our software. Bought items from the Ceramic Shop for sale in the museum. March—Took a trip to Lancaster to tour the William Tecumseh Sherman house. Received some historical artifacts from Marty Dore. May—The Trustees voted to permanently place the mural back up instead of sending the panels to the original artist to be restored. The Trustees want the mural restored in place and are willing to pay another artist to do so. It was decided to sell T-Shirts at the celebration. June—We had our annual cleaning day at the park to ready our booth for the Fourth of July. July—Sold approximately $700 worth of items at the booth. Received bound Pickaway County News newspapers.

An awning is placed above the mural to protect it from sun damage. The mural is now illuminated at night.

August—A tree was removed from the Centennial Park.

September—Held our annual summer picnic at the Ashville Park October—Brent and Kendra Sherman discussed how to potentially structure our endowment fund.

Christmas Tree and the Centennial Square in full regalia.

December—Our annual Christmas Party was held at the South Bloomfield United Methodist Church. We were regaled by the Circleville Mens Barbershop Chorus. The AAHS worked with area merchants to reestablish the lighting of a downtown Christmas Tree.

Blast from the Past

Charlie Morrison and Jack Lemon model their inner Viking.





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Teays Valley Women’s Softball Team win Division 1 Championship Teays Valley’s 2015 Women’s Softball Team won the first team state title in the school’s history. Teays Valley’s record was just 24-9, but they shocked quite a few teams on their way to the championship game held at Akron. They faced fearsome and highly acclaimed pitcher Tara Trainer of Lebanon, who was 19-0 going into the final. However, Alyssa Rothwell crushed a change-up pitch from Trainer over the fence and ensured the Viking’s victory. Teays Valley was the 21st seed in its district out of 44 teams, so few, if any of the experts thought they would make it to the district finals. But they did not listen to the experts. Instead they marched their way to victory and into our hearts. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Another Snake Den Discovery Stanley Frazier was just a small boy when he visited the site of archaeological fieldwork at the Snake Den Mounds in 1897. His father took him to the site to observe the activity. While they were present, a man from the state [Loveberry] gave the young boy a slightly damaged celt found with other artifacts. He told the young boy, “there, you can just keep that.” He held onto it for his entire life and left it to his daughter, Betty (Frazier) Dern. Betty, in

turn, gave the celt to Tom Zwayer in the late 1970’s. Upon hearing about the efforts to save the Snake Den Mounds, Tom recently gave the stone celt to Dean Barr for future display.

Dean Barr and Tom Zwayer with the Snake Den Celt





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A photograph of the archaeologist in charge of the 1897 field work at the Snake Den Mounds was recently located. Dr. Clarence Loveberry is pictured excavating the Carriage Mound in Chillicothe, two weeks after the Snake Den Mound work was brought to a halt. A research team for a video documentary is still trying to locate a photograph of Dildine Snyder, a Walnut Township farmer that owned the Snake Den property.

Lava-like rock found at the Snake Den Mounds

Linda Pansing, archaeological curator for Ohio History Connection, identified 20 more geologic specimens that came from the Snake Den Mound 1897 fieldwork. The material was generally described by Loveberry as burnt stone that was found in the middle mound which he believed served as a crematory. Dick McClish reviewed the so-called burnt rock and found that it appeared to be volcanic in nature. If it is volcanic, it would mean that those specimens had to be brought to the Snake Den site from hundreds of miles away or

depending on their chemistry potentially thousands of miles away. These represent another exciting aspect of the mysteries surrounding this mound complex.

Dick McClish, Dave Dyer, Linda Pansing, and William Pickard





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President’s Message

It is hard to believe that this year is almost over already.

Time goes quick and we take for granted how precious time truly is. The world we live in is constantly changing and moving so fast that we fail to look around us and see the beauty in the world around us. Now we get our news and entertainment from cell phones, tablets, laptops, watches, and even glasses with built in computers. Our cars have them and if that’s not enough even the gas pumps have a screen so you can watch something while you fill the car. Technology is everywhere and integrated into everything we do. That’s when our museum teaches us something wonderful. You can come in relax to the old records playing on the player. You can stroll through at your own pace. Take time to read the displays, take time to touch the items from long ago. It is not only a reminder of how it was but it can refresh and remind someone of how important it is to slow down for a moment and take in the past and apply it to the present. People come into the museum and love to push the old car horn hanging on the wall. Especially the kids if nothing else to see mom and dad jump. I hear a lot of “I remember those “or “I had one like that ‘’. The uniforms are always a big hit, as well as the old vacuum cleaners. The doctor displays are great too, especially the green couch sitting along the wall.

I may have caught one or two taking a nap now and then.

The grocery store items seem to bring back a lot of memories to some. The suitcase with all the stickers from all over the world gets a lot of looks. We all would love to hear where all that case has been. One thing I have noticed with as fast as the world is moving the one place I see people put their phones down and unplug for a time is in the museum. Our museum is a huge asset to the community because it is one of the few places where time truly stands still. All and all it has been a good year. We have more and more visitors coming in and the monthly meetings are doing well. We have had a variety of speakers and I believe more and more are getting interested in what is going on at the museum. I have talked with the schools and very soon we will be going back into the elementary classes to talk about local history and bring a piece of the museum to the kids. As always we are looking for volunteers and can use as much help as we can get. In closing I want to thank all the volunteers for all they do. If it was not for this dedicated group we could not continue on. So in closing if you have not been to the museum in a while or are in need of a moment to slow down and relax, come and visit us. We would love to share in the stories and history of our community with you.

Jim Welsh AAHS president 2015



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