In the early 1900s, the city of Dayton was marked by a period of innovation, industrial and commercial growth, and according to the 1900 census, with a population of over 85,000, it was one of the more successful cities in Ohio. But, along with all that modernization, there was a sinister evil lurking just below […]
The Dayton Strangler Read More »
True Crime, Unsolved Unresolved
According to some people, there was a serial killer operating in the Cumminsville area of Cincinnati in the early 1900s. Other people want to think it was the work of multiple killers. Either way, at the time the place was known as The Cumminsville Murder Zone – and it might not have been such a
The Cumminsville Murder Zone Read More »
True Crime, Unsolved Unresolved
While I am doing research for this website, I frequently run into fun stories I would really like to tell, but … maybe there isn’t that much historical significance. Or, maybe it’s such a short story that it would make a very short article. Or, maybe there’s no place in this website for the story
Only In Ohio (Part I) Read More »
Only In Ohio
(If you are unaware of The Ashtabula Horror, please go check my post on that subject.) The City of Ashtabula, Ohio seems to be a frequent destination for ghost hunters, paranormal explorers, and others trying to catch a glimpse into the afterlife. On December 29, 1876, as noted in a previous post, the city of
Ashtabula Horror Ghosts & Treasures Read More »
History, Myths and Legends
The city of Ashtabula, Ohio is a lovely place along Lake Erie, less than an hour’s drive northeast of Cleveland. It’s also the place where one of the more horrific accidents in history occurred, and part of the reason why I almost always hold my breath while crossing a bridge in this state. Very near
The Ashtabula Horror Read More »
History
In 1978, most people would have described Donald Harvey as a shy or unassuming 35 year old nurse’s aide. There was nothing all that special about the guy, nothing about the way he looked demanded anybody’s attention. In nearly every way, he was about as common as you could possibly get. Well, except for the
The Crimes of Daniel Harvey The Ohio Angel of Death Read More »
True Crime
For many years, anyone going through Cincinnati’s Union Terminal after 1931 was most likely greeted by a series of murals, each depicting hard working citizens going about their jobs. And each also had some connection to the city itself. Like many forms of art, most people walked past the murals without giving it that much
A (short Lived) Mystery of the Union Terminal Murals Read More »
History
Everyone, it seems, knew Zip. Even if they didn’t know who he was, exactly. Who Was Uncle Zip? What was known was that a man who only referred to himself as “Zip” purchased a plot of land just south of Jelloway, paying in cash. He never referred to himself as anything other than “Zip” –
The Mystery of Uncle Zip Read More »
History, Myths and Legends, People
Have you ever looked at a map and saw the name of something and thought to yourself, “Gee, they’ll name a town after just about anything, won’t they?” Well, if you look at a map of Ohio, about halfway between Columbus and Akron you just might find such a place: Jelloway. Did we really name
What’s In A Name – Jelloway Read More »
Places, What's In A Name
James Ritty might never have been a household name, he never set out to be a famous inventor, nor did he ever seek fame and fortune in the public eye. He was just a saloon owner, in his words a “Dealer in Pure Whiskies, Fine Wines, and Cigars.” Other than that, there wasn’t much to
Ohioans You Should Know: James Ritty (and I guess His Brother John) Read More »
Ohioans You Should Know, People