Hometown Ohio

Happy Presidents Day from the Mother of Presidents

2010-02-14T16:56:00.006-05:00

Ohio is the birth state of seven United States Presidents: Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Howard Taft and Warren G. Harding.

Ohio shares credit with that other Mother of Presidents; Virginia, for William Henry Harrison. Born in Virginia, he made his reputation on the Ohio frontier, married the daughter of John Cleves Symmes and settled in North Bend, Ohio before being elected president. He was no friend of another Ohio son Tecumseh, but that's a tale for another day.

Ohio Mother of Presidents Postcard from MissDaisy44's photostream on Flickr.

Bittersweet

2010-02-13T15:16:00.018-05:00

The Bittersweet (Judi Rodgers, Louie Dula, Rosie Hollo and Penny Cash) was a musical group from Dayton, Ohio. Sometime around 1965-66, they made their way to Cleveland, pluralized the name and recorded my all-time favorite Ohio single "Hurtin' Kind" for the Tema label.

The song was written by Doug McCutcheon, the keyboard player for Cleveland band Tulu Babies who also recorded a version of the song. Tulu Babies would see more success as The Baskerville Hounds.

But what about The Bittersweets?

Seems like they traveled around, made various scenes on various coasts and never made another record. Pity that, but at least they left us the beautiful "Hurtin' Kind", which you can hear at my favorite Ohio music blog, Ohio Sounds.

You can learn more about The Bittersweets at Buckeye Beat and on their mySpace page.

The Heart of Us All

2010-02-13T13:37:00.014-05:00

In the 1980s, Ohio's Division of Travel and Tourism came up with the slogan "Ohio, The Heart of It All". The slogan reflected Ohio's position philosophically and roughly geographically in the center of the nation, and Ohio is, well, sort of heart-shaped.

I don't mean to malign the slogan "Ohio, So Much to Discover" (because there really is so much to discover); but on this Valentine's Day, I'd like to celebrate the place this state; its people, places and history, holds in my heart.

The "Ohio Loves" valentine is available from Columbus-based company Mr. Pickles. The "i heart Ohio" necklace is available at designer Truche's shop on Etsy. I hear she's a native Michigander, but love conquers all on Valentine's Day!

Frankly, My Dear

2010-01-25T21:27:00.014-05:00

On February 1, 1901 in Cadiz, Ohio, a star was born.

William Clark Gable spent his childhood in Cadiz, dropped out of high school and went to work at the B.F Goodrich tire factory in Akron. It was there that he first became interested in the theatre.

By 1925, Gable had made his way to Hollywood, dropped the William from his name and started to work as an extra in silent films. He got his big break in The Painted Desert, a talkie starring another Ohio native William Boyd (better known as Hopalong Cassidy). Clark Gable's remarkable film work of the 1930s; including his Academy Award-nominated performances in It Happened One Night, Mutiny on the Bounty and Gone with the Wind, would earn him the title "the King of Hollywood".

During World War II, Gable served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, attaining the rank of major. After the war, he returned to Hollywood. His last film was The Misfits with Marilyn Monroe. Gable died in on November 16, 1960.

To mark the 109th anniversary of his birth, the Clark Gable Foundation will be serving coffee and cake at the Clark Gable Birth Home Museum and Gift Shop.

While we celebrate the "King of Hollywood", Gable himself eschewed that moniker:“I'm just a lucky slob from Ohio who happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

Happy New Year!

2009-12-30T20:18:00.024-05:00

Jazz Bowl or New Year's Eve in New York City by Viktor Schreckengost for Cowan Pottery Studio, 1931 ohiomemory.org

This bowl, titled Jazz Bowl or New Year's Eve in New York City, was designed by artist Viktor Schreckengost for the Cowan Pottery Studio around 1930. Eleanor Roosevelt, who was looking for something that suggested the energy of New York, purchased a few versions of the bowl to celebrate the re-election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt as Governor of New York. Not inexpensive in its original production, a Jazz Bowl sold for $254,000 at Sotheby's in December of 2004.

Viktor Schreckengost (1906-2008) was the son of an industrial pottery worker in Sebring, Ohio. He graduated from the Cleveland School of Art (now the Cleveland Institute of Art) in 1929 with a focus on ceramics. He also studied at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Vienna. Schreckengost taught industrial design at the Cleveland Institute of Art for more than 50 years. In addition to his work for the Cowan Pottery Studio, he also designed bicycles for the Murray Company. In 2006, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts. Viktor Schreckengost passed away on January 26, 2008 at the age of 101.

Learn more about Viktor Schreckengost and his work at The Viktor Schreckengost Foundation.

She's Ready

2009-12-28T21:03:00.006-05:00

Betty Nickell was born in Kentucky, but has spent most of her life in Mansfield, Ohio. She began her music career in the 1950s with a group called the Rockets, with whom she recorded the rockin' song Hot Dog. This year, Betty was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

Betty continues to record, and you can check out her work at http://www.myspace.com/bettynickell.

Listen to I'm Ready by Betty Nickell and the Mystics at the awesome blog, Ohio Sounds, and the somber flip side, Tomorrow at the equally awesome Music You (Possibly) Won't Hear Anyplace Else.

Year of the River

2009-06-17T16:08:00.009-04:00

June 22 marks the 40th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River fire in Cleveland, Ohio. Although it was not the first time the river caught fire, the event drew national attention to environmental issues resulting in the Clean Water Act of 1970.

Time Magazine August 1, 1969 - The Cities: The Price of Optimism

To mark the occasion, celebrate the progress made and examine the challenges still to be met; Cleveland is celebrating The Year of the River with events and activities. Can't make the celebration? Visit the Cuyahoga River Shop for T-shirts, tote bags and recyclable & reusable water bottles (pretty slick).

Photo: Cleveland Plain Dealer File

Does Ohio History Matter To You?

2009-06-05T18:15:00.005-04:00

http://saveohiohistory.org

Just like Bogie and Bacall

2009-05-22T18:37:00.000-04:00

On May 21, 1945, Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart were married at Malabar Farm in Richland County, Ohio. Malabar Farm was the home of friend and Pulitzer Prize winning author Louis Bromfield. In addition to being a successful author, Bromfield was an advocate for soil conservation and scientific farming. Today, his home and farm are a state park.

Visit: Malabar Farm State Park

This and other pictures of the wedding are available online at the LIFE photo archive hosted by Google.

Photo: Ed Clark/LIFE Magazine
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You've Gone Too Far Now

2009-04-21T10:22:00.000-04:00

The Fifth Order was a mid-sixties garage band from Columbus, Ohio. Goin' Too Far, released on the Counterpart label out of Cincinnati, was a huge local hit. The group spent some time on the Laurie label, played regionally, toured a bit and opened for national acts before breaking up.

Interestingly enough, Jeff Fenholt, who joined the band after Goin' Too Far, went on to play the role of Jesus in the original Broadway production of Jesus Christ Superstar. That's him singing on the Broadway cast album that I grew up with!

Listen to Goin' Too Far at the wonderful blog, Ohio Sounds, or find out more at the equally wonderful ColumbusMusicHistory.com, or you can order Bonfire! The Return of the Fifth Order from Break-A-Way Records, on vinyl even.

Move Out! You'd Better Move On.
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Tornado!

2009-04-02T17:56:00.000-04:00

On April 3, 1974 at 4:40 PM, an F5 tornado struck the city of Xenia, Ohio. The tornado destroyed much of downtown Xenia. 33 people were killed. The tornado was part of a Super Outbreak. 148 tornadoes struck the country that day.

This photograph, taken by an unknown photographer, is from Homer G. Ramby's website, xeniatornado.com. Mr. Ramby of Waynesville, Ohio witnessed and photographed the tornado that day.
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Lydia Morrow Reeder

2008-04-02T22:07:00.001-04:00

Lydia Morrow Reeder

Olentangy River
Watercolor on paper
n.d.
Collection of the author

Lydia Morrow Reeder (1885-1975) was born in Martinsville, Ohio; the descendant of Quakers. She studied with Alice Schille at the Columbus Art School (now the Columbus College of Art and Design) with James Roy Hopkins at the Ohio State University and at the Art Institute of Chicago with Leopold Seyffert. A member of the Columbus Art League (now the Ohio Art League), Reeder exhibited there and at the Art Institute of Chicago. She received her Masters degree from the Ohio State University in 1929. Lydia was married to Charles Wells Reeder, a librarian, researcher and later Dean of the College of Commerce and Administration at the Ohio State University. The Reeders are buried at Green Lawn Cemetery. Lydia Morrow Reeder's work is in the collection of the Columbus Museum of Art.

Cousin Elliott

2008-03-22T17:40:00.000-04:00

Or to be more specific, my Grandfather's cousin Elliott.

Elliott Nugent was born in Dover, Ohio in 1896, but his stay would be brief. The Nugents were vaudevillians and Master Elliott spent his childhood on the circuit. Elliott took a brief respite from show business by attending the Ohio State University, where he met and befriended James Thurber. The two would eventually write The Male Animal; a play set at a Midwestern football-centric college. (Sound familiar?)

After college, Elliott acted on the stage and in films before establishing himself as a director, writer and producer. He wrote a very frank and poignant memoir, Events Leading Up to the Comedy, in 1965, detailing his struggle with alcoholism and mental illness. His directorial film credits include: The Cat and the Canary (1939), The Male Animal (1942), Up in Arms (1944), My Favorite Brunette (1947), and The Great Gatsby (1949). Elliott Nugent died in 1980.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2008-03-17T11:23:00.001-04:00

St. Patrick Church
Columbus in Historic Photographs
Columbus Metropolitan Libraries

Dedicated in 1853, St. Patrick is the second oldest Roman Catholic church in Columbus, Ohio. Before 1850, Columbus' Catholics worshiped at Holy Cross Church near German Village. St. Patrick was built to meet the needs of a growing Irish immigrant community. St. Patrick Church is located on Naghten Street, originally called North Public Lane and known as "the Irish Broadway." It was renamed in honor of William “Billy” Naghten, the first Irish-American president of the Columbus City Council.

Blizzard of '78

2008-03-07T17:51:00.001-05:00

Snowing all day and my best laid schemes canceled got me thinking of the Blizzard of 1978, the worst winter storm to hit Ohio since the Big Blow of 1913 (bad year for weather, that). Between January 19 and 21, 1978, almost 2 feet of snow fell on Ohio, but worse was to come. On January 25, the barometer plummeted. Over the next 2 days, 12 to 36 inches of snow fell. Winds reached 50 to 70 miles per hour, creating enormous snow drifts; and the windchill dipped to 60 degrees below. 51 Ohioans lost their lives.

I remember walls of snow, making our way to Richcreek's Food Market; Mom pulling the Flexible Flyer, us kids on the way and groceries on the way home.

Photo: George Heinz/Plain Dealer file

The Cleveland School

2008-03-04T10:41:00.000-05:00

Grace Kelly
At The Shore, Lake Erie (Grace Kelly and Clara Deike)

1911

Grace V. Kelly (1877-1950) and Clara Deike (1881-1964) graduated from the Cleveland School of Art. Kelly, known for her watercolors, worked as an art critic and art editor for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Deike taught art in Cleveland Public Schools. She studied with Henry Keller, Hans Hoffman and Diego Rivera and worked in a Modernist style.

Clara Deike

Self Portrait

ca. Mid-1920s

These images are from the Breaking With Tradition: Ohio Women Painters, 1870 – 1950 exhibition organized by the Massillon Museum funded by the Ohio Arts Council. Both artists' works are in the collection of the Cleveland Artists Foundation. Kelly's works are also in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art and Deike's work can be seen at the Canton Museum of Art.

Spring Training

2008-02-29T12:38:00.002-05:00

In looking at the photographs available from the Library of Congress on their Flickr account, I came across this one labeled "Maggie Jones of Cleveland" from the Bain News Service, ca. 1911.
I wondered who she was and if she played baseball professionally. I searched for more information on Maggie, but so far I haven't found her.

I did find Alta Weiss, an Ohio woman who pitched semi-pro ball. Born in Berlin (Ohio), Weiss grew up in Ragersville. In 1907, Alta signed with the Vermilion Independents and caused quite a sensation. Sensing an opportunity, her father invested in the team, then renamed them the Weiss All-Stars. Alta pitched her way through the Starling College of Medicine (Now OSU College of Medicine), the only woman in the graduating class of 1914. Her uniform is in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Capsoul!

2008-02-26T19:50:00.001-05:00

The Capsoul label documented the R&B scene in Columbus in the 1970s. Founded by then singer and WVKO dj Bill Moss, Capsoul released a dozen 45s of righteousness. The Numero Group has compiled a CD of the Capsoul sides, Eccentric Soul: The Capsoul Label. Bill Moss (1935-2005) went on to a life in public service.

Listen and learn more at NPR and This is Tomorrow.

When I Was a Boy in Ohio

2008-02-26T12:07:00.001-05:00

Philip David Ochs (1940-1976) moved to Columbus as a boy and attended the Ohio State University. He studied journalism and worked on The Lantern. Jim Glover introduced him to folk music and the two began performing together. When his political views kept him from being selected Editor-in-Chief of The Lantern, Phil dropped out. He moved to Greenwich Village where he became a "singing journalist."

Lucius Kutchin - Unknown Modernist

2008-02-25T22:16:00.000-05:00

Girl with Cards, 1933
Lucius Kutchin
Smithsonian American Art Museum

Born in 1901, modernist Lucius Brown Kutchin lived and worked in Columbus, Ohio. He also spent some time working in Sante Fe, New Mexico. He passed away in 1936. His works reside in the collections of Capital University, the Columbus Museum of Art and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.