George Robert Dramis was born in 1924 in Ashtabula, Ohio, which is where he spent most of his life. When he was eighteen years-old, just after graduating from Ashtabula High School in 1942 (where he was best known as an athlete and standing six foot one, weighing one hundred and ninety pounds, he was quite […]
Ohioans You Should Know – George Robert Dramis (of the Ghost Army) Read More »
History, Ohioans You Should Know, People
In history, there has been no group as polarizing as The Klu Klux Klan, the far right-wing group promoting white supremacy, anti-Catholic, anti-immigrant, antisemite, homophobic (among other) ideologies. Across nearly all forms of media, we can see examples of Klan behavior, we can hear their speeches, watch as they don those white hooded robes they
Ohio and The Knights of the Flaming Circle Read More »
History
What was the Best-Selling novel of the Nineteenth Century? Gosh, I hear you say – there are so many wonderful books to choose from. You’ve got a number of Jane Austin novels to choose from, or perhaps something from the Brontë sisters. There was Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, and works by Edgar Allan
The Mystery of “Eliza” Read More »
Fictional Ohio, History, Ohio Book Club
Ruth Baumgardner was, according to the vast majority of newspaper and magazine articles written about her, a very pretty young woman. In 1937, Ruthie was a senior at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio (otherwise, her home was in the Lakewood suburb of Cleveland). Most people found Ruthie to be personable, friendly even, and there
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History, True Crime, Unsolved Unresolved
On September 24, 1990, the world’s attention shifted to Cincinnati, Ohio for what was surely going to be among the most controversial trials the city had ever seen. On the surface, it’s simply a trial about obscenity. But, for both sides of the issue – it’s about a lot more than that. On one side
Landmark Cases In Ohio – The Mapplethorpe Obscenity Trial Read More »
History, Landmark Cases
When we think about unsolved mysteries, especially ones connected to Ohio, the last thing we’re going to think about is the assanation of President Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth. On April 14, 1865, while attending a theatrical production of Our American Friend, Booth entered Lincoln’s box, shot him, then leapt to the stage for
John Wilkes Booth? An Ohio Mystery? Read More »
History, People, Unsolved Unresolved
Rogue’s Hollow is, depending upon who you ask, one of the more haunted places in the state. There is no shortage of tales that include words like “murder” or “ghost” or “curse” or “moonshine” or, I kid you not, “headless horse” (not headless horseman, sorry Ichabod Crane fans). Even though the town no longer exists
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Ghost Towns and Lost Places, Myths and Legends, Places
According to some, there’s some lost French gold buried somewhere in Ohio. How The French Lost Some Gold This story begins not in Ohio, but in a land not-so-far away called New France (don’t worry, it wasn’t called that for long). At the time, The French and Indian War was about to lead into The
Is There Lost French Gold in Ohio? Read More »
History, Unsolved Unresolved
I am sure you’ve heard a story like this before: A story about some guy or gal who was very frugal with their money, lived a solitary life and was either homeless or lived in a run down house on the edge of being condemned. Then, for some reason, usually old age or some kind
Ohioans You Should Know – Phoebe Wise Read More »
Myths and Legends, Ohioans You Should Know, People
Let’s face a harsh reality – prison life is supposed to be tough. Trust me, if it were easy, then all the celebrities would be doing it, like Martha Stewart, Tim Allen, Mark Wahlburg, Felicity Huffman, Robert Downey Jr., Lori Loughlin, Wesley Snipes, Sean Penn, Christian Slater, that kid who played Crabbe in the Harry
The Ohio State reformatory Read More »
Ghost Towns and Lost Places, History, Myths and Legends, Places