# The Ohio Project


## Posts

- [The Battle of Toledo (aka The Auto-Life Strike)](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-battle-of-toledo-aka-the-auto-life-strike/): The year was 1934, and The Great Depression had a devastating impact on the entire nation. Yet, some locations, like Toledo, seemed to feel the pain worse than others. There was record breaking levels of unemployment and for the working-class citizens, life seemed bleak.&nbsp; Working conditions suffered, becoming more miserable than they ever had before.&nbsp; This was especially true for one Toledo Factory, Auto-Lite, that made automobile parts.&nbsp;&nbsp; On April 12, 1934, a thousand workers walked off the job and began picketing. The working conditions at the plant had become unbearable; they complained that they could not support their families, [&hellip;]
- [The Kent State Shootings](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-kent-state-shootings/): The year is 1970 and the nation is &#8230; well, it kind of all depends on who you ask. There was a lot going on to get people excited, one way or the other – from Kansas City beating the favored Minnesota at the Superbowl to the fact that nobody had figured out how to get rid of that awful disco music yet. But the one topic that seemed to get most people all riled up was &#8230; The Vietnam War.&nbsp; One of the places where debates over the Vietnam War was loudest was on college campuses. At the time, [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know: Tim Conway](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know/ohioans-you-should-know-tim-conway/): If you are the kind of person who likes to laugh &#8230; I mean, really laugh from deep down in your gut, then you should probably know Tim Conway.&nbsp; Born and Raised in Ohio Tim Conway was born on December 15, 1933, in the Cleveland suburb of Chagrin Falls, except his name wasn’t Tim, but Tom. But,we’ll get to that discrepancy later.&nbsp; His father, Daniel, groomed ponies used in the sport of polo. His mom, Sophia, well, it was the 1930s so of course she was a housewife.&nbsp; The family lived a modestly humble life. When “Tom” was born, he [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know: Stella Walsh](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know-stella-walsh/): On April 3, 1911, Stanisława Walasiewicz was born in a place called Wierzchownia, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, which is a real place in Poland. But, she and her family wouldn’t live there long for she was still a young girl when her family immigrated to The USA, settling in the Cleveland area. The family changed their last name to Walsh, and Stanislawa became Stella.&nbsp; Stella Walsh at The Olympics As a student at South High School in the Slavic Village in eastern Cleveland, Stella discovered that she had an aptitude for Track and Field events. In 1927, she qualified for the Olympic [&hellip;]
- [The Margaret Garner Case](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-margaret-garner-case/): In 1856, “escape slave trials” were a relatively common event. Except to those involved, people rarely paid much attention to them. Yet, that year, one would prove to be different. Laws would be challenged. Procedures would be questioned. And, in a way, slavery itself would be put on trial. All because of one slave, a woman named Margaret Garner.&nbsp; Garner’s Escape from Slavery Margaret Garner, a mulatto, was born into slavery and belonged to the Gaines family of Boone County.&nbsp;&nbsp; The Gaines were a relatively prominent family in the area at the time. Abner Gaines was a well-respected schoolteacher, tavern [&hellip;]
- [Who Killed Amy Mihaljevic](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/unsolved-unresolved/who-killed-amy-mihaljevic/): On December 11, 1978, a ten-year-old elementary school student named Amy Renee Mihaljevic&nbsp;was kidnapped in Bat Village, Ohio, a&nbsp;western suburb of Cleveland.&nbsp;On February 8, 1990, her lifeless remains would be found&nbsp;off a county highway somewhere about forty miles south of there. Police at that time had no suspects as&nbsp;news footage slowly told her&nbsp;story&nbsp;and children&nbsp;all across&nbsp;the state (and beyond) suddenly learned the lesson of Stranger Danger.&nbsp; Since then, her story has been featured in&nbsp;numerous&nbsp;television shows, like&nbsp;America’s Most Wanted&nbsp;hosted by John Walsh, countless&nbsp;podcasts&nbsp;and true crime blogs. There&nbsp;has&nbsp;been no&nbsp;shortage&nbsp;of&nbsp;possible suspects,&nbsp;but to this date, the killer&nbsp;remains&nbsp;unknown.&nbsp; What We Know Shortly before that December 11th&nbsp;date, [&hellip;]
- [The Strange Case of Joseph Newton Chandler III](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/unsolved-unresolved/the-strange-case-of-joseph-newton-chandler-iii/): Here is what we know, for certain. On July 30, 2002,&nbsp;police in&nbsp;Eastlake, Ohio (a short distance north-east of Cleveland) made a gruesome discovery&nbsp;– a man’s body lay on the floor of his apartment, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.&nbsp;He’d&nbsp;been diseased for about a week. The days counting down&nbsp;to&nbsp;his suicide were clearly marked on his calendar.&nbsp; During the&nbsp;initial&nbsp;investigation, detectives learned that the man had recently diagnosed with an advanced form of colon cancer,&nbsp;leading them to&nbsp;speculate&nbsp;that this was the reason he&nbsp;unalived&nbsp;himself.&nbsp;The man also had around $82,000 in a bank account and&nbsp;all of&nbsp;his emergency contacts were coworkers.&nbsp; They believed that the man’s name [&hellip;]
- [The Crappiest Unsolved Mystery in Ohio](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/unsolved-unresolved/the-crappiest-unsolved-mystery-in-ohio/): Unsolved mysteries come in all shapes and sizes. The ones that get the most attention tend to be things like unexplained murders&nbsp;or missing people, odd phenomena,&nbsp;maybe a&nbsp;robbery or&nbsp;two. Sometimes,&nbsp;you’ll&nbsp;find a type of unsolved mystery that stands on its own.&nbsp;&nbsp;For this tale, we are headed&nbsp;to&nbsp;the city of Akron.&nbsp;&nbsp; In May 2012, a young man called the police with&nbsp;a rather unusual&nbsp;complaint. At some&nbsp;point&nbsp;during&nbsp;the previous night, someone had&nbsp;defecated&nbsp;on&nbsp;his&nbsp;2000 Toyota Celica.&nbsp;&nbsp;As if this&nbsp;wasn’t&nbsp;bad enough, the caller also told authorities that this was the second time it&nbsp;had happened.&nbsp; The police&nbsp;didn’t&nbsp;have much further information to go on.&nbsp;After a brief canvass of neighbors, none of whom admitted [&hellip;]
- [The Ghosts of the Sedamsville Rectory](https://theohioproject.net/history/myths-and-legends/the-ghosts-of-the-sedamsville-rectory/): If you were to&nbsp;take a look&nbsp;at some of the more haunted locations in Cincinnati,&nbsp;you’re&nbsp;bound to run across “The&nbsp;Sedamsville&nbsp;Rectory”&nbsp;&nbsp; According to rumors, this was one of the rectories where they used to send “bad priests” to hide them away from sexual abuse charges, murder investigations, or any number of other “sins”.&nbsp;One priest who was sent here in the late 1800s, they said, felt such remorse that he killed himself inside the rectory and has haunted the building ever since.&nbsp;&nbsp; Rumor has it that in the 1980s, the building was used for everything from Satanic Worship to a haven for homeless people, [&hellip;]
- [The Ghosts of Staley Road (New Carlisle, Ohio)](https://theohioproject.net/history/myths-and-legends/the-ghosts-of-staley-road-new-carlisle-ohio/): As far as the roads in Ohio are concerned, Stabley Road in New Carlisle&nbsp;doesn’t&nbsp;appear&nbsp;at first glance to&nbsp;be all that remarkable. At a wee bit over a mile long,&nbsp;and stuck way out in a rural area, somewhere around halfway between the Dayton Airport and the town of Springfield,&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;not even all that easy to find on a map (without a helpful search, that is.)&nbsp; The locals seem to know exactly where it is, though – perhaps because&nbsp;they’ve&nbsp;been cautioned to stay away.&nbsp; The Legend of the Staley Road Victims&nbsp; According to legends, either two murder victims were dumped in a field&nbsp;and ever since, [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know: Johnny Paycheck](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know/ohioans-you-should-know-johnny-paycheck/): Donald Eugene Lytle was born in Greenfield, Ohio on May 31, 1938.&nbsp;When&nbsp;he was six years old, his mother gave him his first guitar which he learned how to play.&nbsp; A few years later, he&nbsp;began performing at talent shows, but by the age of 15 he was ready to start playing professionally, dubbing himself “The Ohio Kid”.&nbsp; Young Donald quit school and joined the Navy, but his military career&nbsp;didn’t&nbsp;last long before he assaulted a fellow officer and then spent two years in a military prison before getting kicked out.&nbsp; Returning to music, he moved to Nashville and began playing professionally, now [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know (Double Feature) Clem Bevans and Merie Earle](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know/ohioans-you-should-know-double-feature-clem-bevans-and-merie-earle/): Clem Bevans&nbsp;and Merle Earle have a lot in common, which&nbsp;isn’t&nbsp;so strange considering they are&nbsp;cousins. Most notably, they started new careers&nbsp;rather late&nbsp;in life, especially in an industry that seems to favor the young.&nbsp; Clem Bevans Clem Bevans was born in&nbsp;the unincorporated community of&nbsp;Cozaddale, Ohio,&nbsp;on October 16, 1879.&nbsp;&nbsp;From an early age, he had&nbsp;a varied career as a stage actor, mostly appearing with a sidekick named Grace&nbsp;Emmett, before&nbsp;transitioning into burlesque theater&nbsp;and&nbsp;light opera.&nbsp; Ath the ripe old age of 55,&nbsp;in the year 1935,&nbsp;Clem Bevans&nbsp;made the transition from stage to screen, appearing as Doc Wiggin in the Henry Fonda film&nbsp;Way Down East.&nbsp;Everyone, it seems, just [&hellip;]
- [12  Completely Useless Facts about Ohio](https://theohioproject.net/blog/12-completely-useless-facts-about-ohio/): Looking at the history and geography and notable people of Ohio can be a lot of fun. But, not everything is of monumental importance. Here are 12 completely useless facts about Ohio: 12 Completely Useless Facts about Ohio
- [The Symbols of Ohio](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-symbols-of-ohio/): Everybody knows that the Official State Bird of Ohio is the Cardinal because The Cardinals are the Major League Baseball team The Cardinals play out of … um .. St. Louis, Missori … well, darn – forget that. Let me try again. Everybody knows that the Official Tree of Ohio is the Buckeye because we created “buckeyes” &#8211; those treats we make by rolling peanut butter into a little ball then dipping it in milk chocolate, which we named “Buckeyes” because they kind of resemble the nuts from a buckeye tree. Let me try yet again… Ohio has lots of [&hellip;]
- [The Crimes of Gregory McKnight](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/the-crimes-of-gregory-mcknight/): Gregory McKnight was convicted of killing several people, among other various crimes like robbery and kidnapping, and is currently on death row at the Chillicothe Correctional Institute. His story might not have garnered much national attention, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that his story can’t teach us a thing or two. There is no doubt that the American justice system isn’t perfect. None are, really. And McKnight’s story illustrates that perfectly. A large part of the stuff I’ve read about McKnight revolves around one fact: McKnight was released from prison and then went on to kill a few more people. [&hellip;]
- [History of Television in Ohio](https://theohioproject.net/history/history-of-television-in-ohio/): So many of the products that we use on a regular basis today, we know who invented it and when and often how. But, some things are just complicated. Like &#8230; the television. Who invented the TV? Nobody knows. Actually, we do, and it’s just too complicated to come up with an answer.&nbsp; Technically speaking, Television wasn’t a new thing when it was “invented”. Radio had been around for some time, which allowed sounds to be transmitted via “radio waves” through the air. Radio, similarly, was something of a fork from telegraph technology. So, starting in the early 1900s, a [&hellip;]
- [The Odd History of Film Censorship in Ohio](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-odd-history-of-film-censorship-in-ohio/): If there is one thing I’ve learned from looking at the history of cinema, it’s that there have always been those who, for whatever reason, don’t like certain films and then get upset when others don’t feel the same. Some say there is too much violence, often trying to cite violent movies as the cause of real-world crimes, although countless studies into the subject have pretty much proved otherwise. Similarly, sex in the movies also gets a lot of debate and also similarly, some often attempt to point the finger of blame at these films for everything from sexual assaults [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know: Nancy Cartwright](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know/ohioans-you-should-know-nancy-cartwright/): Nancy Jean Cartwright was born on October 25, 1957 in Dayton, Ohio. Today, she’s known for a wide range of things, from being an aunt to actress and singer Sabrina Carpenter to being a writer and philanthropist. Yet, she’s hands down most known for playing not one, but five regular characters on what is arguably the longest running scripted television show in television history (Currently on its 36th season – for reference, the number two slot belongs to Law &amp; Order: Special Victims Unit which is currently ten seasons behind.)&nbsp; But we’ll get to that in just a moment.&nbsp; Young [&hellip;]
- [What's In A Name: Gnadenhutten](https://theohioproject.net/places/whats-in-a-name/whats-in-a-name-gnadenhutten/): Every state has towns (cities, villages, unincorporated areas) with names that are a bit unusual. We’ve already noted (and celebrated) a few of those names, and then I ran across&#8230; well, almost seems as if the state of Ohio said, “Here, hold my German Beer and try to pronounce this one: Gnadenhutten”&nbsp; For the record, it’s pronounced &#8230;&nbsp; jə-NAY-dən-hut-ən&nbsp; &#8230; I think.&nbsp;&nbsp; Translated from German, it means “huts of grace”&nbsp;&nbsp; And, how it got its name is just as interesting as what happened there later.&nbsp; History of Gnadenhutten The settlement of Gnadenhutten began in 1772, just a few months after [&hellip;]
- [Landmark Cases: Jacobellis v Ohio](https://theohioproject.net/history/landmark-cases/landmark-cases-jacobellis-v-ohio/): It’s probably one of the most famous scenes in American movie history. Sally (played by Meg Ryan) is sitting in Katz’ Deli in Manhattan with Harry (played by Billy Crystal) and they’re talking, as you do, about faking orgasms. Harry thinks he can always tell when women fake it, but Sally proceeds to prove him wrong in the most graphic, hilarious way, prompting the director’s mother to tell the waitress trying to take her order “I’ll have what she’s having.”&nbsp; When When Harry Met Sally came out in 1989, it was probably that one scene that cemented the romantic comedy’s [&hellip;]
- [Only In Ohio (Part III)](https://theohioproject.net/only-in-ohio/only-in-ohio-part-iii/): The Murder of Actress Annie Von Behren  It’s Thanksgiving&nbsp; Day, 1882, and for many of the residents in Cincinnati, there’s one thing that is going to make that day extra special – the famous Broadway actress Annie Von Behren is in town with her fiancé Frank I Frayne. The show had been a bit hit.&nbsp;&nbsp; Part of the show was something of a tribute to William Tell where Fayne would shoot an apple off his girlfriend’s head, something he did playing Si Slocum many times. But, sadly, this Thanksgiving, this would take a deadly turn. The bullet hit several inches [&hellip;]
- [What's In A Name: A Highland County Double Feature: Samantha, Boston and Dallas](https://theohioproject.net/places/whats-in-a-name/whats-in-a-name-a-highland-county-double-feature-samantha-boston-and-dallas/): In today’s “What’s in a name?” we’ve got a special, Highland County double feature. We’re going to look at two towns: Samantha, Boston, and Dallas. You heard me. Two towns. Lemme explain. Samantha Usually, when a town is named after a particular person, it’s someone noteworthy. Many of our earlier settlers named the towns they created after themselves, or some other famous person – even if that fame was more local than anything else. Either way, there’s usually some kind of historical record telling us all about whoever that person was. And then there’s Samantha, Ohio. We know that Samantha [&hellip;]
- [The I-70 Strangler - Case Closed?](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/the-i-70-strangler-case-closed/): In 1982, the Indianapolis Police Department began to wonder if they were starting to deal with a serial killer situation. Before we continue, a correction. They noticed, most likely because some people brought it to their attention. The problem was that the victims were all gay. And in the early 1980s, this was actually an important factor. The gay community, in general, was far from being accepted by mainstream society. The recent HIV virus was often seen as “God’s punishment for homosexuality”. The situation between the gay community and law enforcement (again, in general) was no better. The police had [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know : Dorothy Dandridge](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know/ohioans-you-should-know-dorothy-dandridge/): In the fall of 1965, life should have been grand for 42-year-old Dorothy Dandridge. Earlier in her life, she had become the first African American to be nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award (Carmen Jones in 1954). She had once been a headliner in places like The Cotton Club and at the Apollo Theater. She was the first African American featured on teh cover of Time Magazine. Just a few years prior she received much acclaim on the Broadway stage for the shows Porgy and Bess and West Side Story.&nbsp; But, somehow, something wasn’t quite right.&nbsp; Introducing Dorothy Dandridge [&hellip;]
- [The Lorain Head Start Scandal](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/the-lorain-head-start-scandal/): The Lorain Head Start Scandal was a series of events beginning in the 1990s and in some ways, continues to this day. On the surface, it was about a small group of children that claimed to have been sexually abused, but over time it expanded to be about so much more. So &#8230; Much &#8230; More. Although, maybe not in ways you would expect.&nbsp; We all love a good plot twist in films and television shows – something that makes you want to start the program again now that you can see everything in a different light. It’s rare for [&hellip;]
- [Only In Ohio (Part II)](https://theohioproject.net/only-in-ohio/only-in-ohio-part-ii/): For our “Only in Ohio” series, we select shorter topics we really want to cover, but that don’t really fit anywhere else.&nbsp; That Legendary 1895 Car Crash According to several different sources (you’d be surprised how many) in 1895, there were only two cars anywhere in the state of Ohio, and one day they crashed into each other. Sometimes, this is said to be the first auto accident anywhere, others claim it to be the first one in America.&nbsp; This “fact” has appeared in numerous sources, including a number that really do try and tell the history of this great [&hellip;]
- [The Dayton Strangler](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/unsolved-unresolved/the-dayton-strangler/): 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 surface – a shadowy figure that came to be known as The Dayton Strangler, giving the city the reputation of being a bad place to be if you were a young lady. (note: please also see The Cumminsville Murder Zone) The Murders Ada Lantz [&hellip;]
- [The Cumminsville Murder Zone](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/unsolved-unresolved/the-cumminsville-murder-zone/): 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 great place for young ladies. 1904 On Monday, May 2, 1904, several newspapers reported on the murder of a lady named Mary McDonald, whose parents lived in Saginaw, Michigan, although she resided in the Cincinnati area. The press called the crime “foul and brutal”. The [&hellip;]
- [Only In Ohio (Part I)](https://theohioproject.net/only-in-ohio/only-in-ohio-part-i/): While I am doing research for this website, I frequently run into fun stories I would really like to tell, but &#8230; maybe there isn&#8217;t that much historical significance. Or, maybe it&#8217;s such a short story that it would make a very short article. Or, maybe there&#8217;s no place in this website for the story to fit. Whatever the reason, I&#8217;ve created a new series for stories like those: Only in Ohio. 1999, A Cave in Caldwell, Ohio A scientist named was Lloyd Albright was working doing some computer calculations from his office at the Kennedy Space Station when he [&hellip;]
- [Ashtabula Horror Ghosts &amp; Treasures](https://theohioproject.net/history/myths-and-legends/ashtabula-horror-ghosts-treasures/): (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.&nbsp; On December 29, 1876, as noted in a previous post, the city of Ashtabula, Ohio was witness to one of the worst train derailments and bridge collapses in American history.&nbsp; Chestnut Grove Cemetery A short distance south of the site of the bridge collapse you will find Chestnut Grove Cemetery, where twenty-five of the victims of the horror [&hellip;]
- [The Ashtabula Horror](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-ashtabula-horror/): 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.&nbsp; Very near what is today the corner of Cederquist Park, just as a Pacific Express train was crossing the Ashtabula River, the bridge collapsed, sending the train as well as everyone and everything on it into the river below. Ninety-two people lost their lives, we think, while [&hellip;]
- [The Crimes of Daniel Harvey The Ohio Angel of Death](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/the-crimes-of-daniel-harvey-the-ohio-angel-of-death/): 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 fact that he kind of confessed to killing a whole bunch of people between then and 1970.&nbsp; These murders shocked not just the communities of northern Kentucky and southern Ohio where he had been employed – but the world. If you asked anybody back then [&hellip;]
- [A (short Lived) Mystery of the Union Terminal Murals](https://theohioproject.net/history/a-short-lived-mystery-of-the-union-terminal-murals/): 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.&nbsp; Like many forms of art, most people walked past the murals without giving it that much thought. Others might absent mindedly walk past the murals with a sigh of relief – a visual symbol that they were finally home. I also like to think that children, when passing the murals with their parents would point and say, “Mommy! Why did someone [&hellip;]
- [The Mystery of Uncle Zip](https://theohioproject.net/history/myths-and-legends/the-mystery-of-uncle-zip/): Everyone, it seems, knew Zip. Even if they didn’t know who he was, exactly.&nbsp;&nbsp; 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” &#8211; no surname, just “Zip”.  Zip was described as being a bit eccentric, but harmless. The word pious is also often used. Every Sunday, he would show up at the local church and sit quietly in one of the seats, wearing the best clothes he owned. [&hellip;]
- [What's In A Name - Jelloway](https://theohioproject.net/places/whats-in-a-name/whats-in-a-name-jelloway/): 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.&nbsp; Did we really name a town after Jello?&nbsp; Well, not really. Lemme explain.&nbsp; Once upon a time, in Knox County, Ohio, there existed a town called Brownsville. The town was laid out in 1840 by a man named Freeman Phifer , whose father (Jacob) was a Revolutionary War veteran [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know: James Ritty (and I guess His Brother John)](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know/ohioans-you-should-know-james-ritty-and-i-guess-his-brother-john/): 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 &#8220;Dealer in Pure Whiskies, Fine Wines, and Cigars.&#8221; Other than that, there wasn’t much to the man.&nbsp; Ritty was also a man with a particular problem. Or, maybe better put, he was in a profession with a particular problem. This was the 1870s and cash businesses like his needed to trust their employees. Customers would hand over however much money [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know - Brazon and Gary McMurtry](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know/ohioans-you-should-know-brazon-and-gary-mcmurtry/): Today I’d like to introduce you to a Ohioan You Should Know named Brazon McMurtry. She’s got a fondness for wearing gorgeous evening gowns and can’t seem to help but sing along whenever she hears Dolly Parton on the Radio. Her friends described her as bright and funny. She always had a way of making people laugh. By most accounts, she was a natural performer. However, to understand Brazon, you also have to get to know Gary.  Gary was born and raised in the village of Utica, Ohio, whose website currently describes it as “small community in central Ohio nestled [&hellip;]
- [The Ghosts of King's Island](https://theohioproject.net/history/myths-and-legends/the-ghosts-of-kings-island/): They say King’s Island is haunted, because &#8230; of course they do. Perhaps the living love going to the place to experience the fun, the magic, the excitement – so, why not the dead? Or perhaps it is because it is a major cultural attraction, one with millions of visitors every year, and with that number of people, surely some have died there. Spending the day walking around, experiencing all the various attractions, it can be taxing for the perfectly healthy. I’d be surprised if someone didn’t have a heart attack from that &#8230; or from the shock of having [&hellip;]
- [Sally Dodge and A Ghost From Mound Cemetery](https://theohioproject.net/history/myths-and-legends/sally-dodge-and-a-ghost-from-mound-cemetery/): It can be fun to tell a good ghost story, especially if it has its roots in very real history. For example, is there a ghost (or a few of them) roaming a particular cemetery in Marietta, Ohio? According to many locals, there certainly is. Her name was Sally Dodge, at least when she was alive. She had spent some time at “The Ohio Lunatic Asylum” &#8211; which in the 1800s was, in retrospect, a horrible idea. The history of the place certainly illustrates that point. So, if you find yourself alone in the cemetery at night – perhaps you, [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know - Eleanor Parker](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know/ohioans-you-should-know-eleanor-parker/): Ohio’s very own Eleanor Parker could easily go down in history as one of the more underrated actresses of her time. She started her career as a child actor in school plays, then went on to play a few iconic roles. Yet, history doesn’t seem to remember her nearly as much as many of her contemporaries and in my opinion, that’s a bloody shame. Remembering the Career of Eleanor Parker For as long as Eleanor Parker could remember, she wanted to be in the movies. The only problem was that she was born in Cedarville, Ohio (a short ways east [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know - Wilbur Zeigler](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know/ohioans-you-should-know-wilbur-zeigler/): Today’s Ohioan You Should Know is a man named Wilbur Zeigler. But, before we get to him, we’re going to have to take a quick look at a literary mystery – one you may not suspect is a real thing, but according to some it most definitively is. Who wrote all those Shakespearean plays? (Sonnets, etc.) If you’re like most people, you’re likely to say it was this dude named William Shakespeare. That makes sense because that’s where we get the term “Shakespearean Plays” from, right? Wait &#8230; What? For now, we’re going to bypass the question of “Who in [&hellip;]
- [The Fresh Ghosts of Bellaire (Ohio)](https://theohioproject.net/history/myths-and-legends/the-fresh-ghosts-of-bellaire-ohio/): Located on The Ohio River, a short ways southwest of Pittsburg (but you still have to travel through West Virginia to get there) lies the Village of Bellaire. While some may not think much about this small dot on the map, it does have its fair share of interesting factoids and curiosities. Within the town limits, you can find places like The Toy Brick Museum (because apparently the people at Lego take their trademarks very seriously). Ther is also the National Imperial Glass Museum, which sounds like it could be fun (although I wonder if one must stop almost next [&hellip;]
- [What's In A Name - Center of The World, Ohio](https://theohioproject.net/places/whats-in-a-name/whats-in-a-name-center-of-the-world-ohio/): If you have ever wanted to know where The Center of the World is, I have some good news for you. It’s in Ohio &#8230; and it’s fairly easy to get to. Surprisingly, it’s large enough for both a Dollar General and a Gas Station, but not big enough for a McDonalds. Go figure. But, with a name like Center of the World, you just know there has to be some kind of story there &#8230; right? The Story of the Center of the World For this story, we need to begin across the Philadelphia state line and look at [&hellip;]
- [Tina Resch The Columbus Poltergeist Murderer?](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/tina-resch-the-columbus-poltergeist-murderer/): In October 1994, Tina Resch (now Christina Boyer) was living in Georgia, and she had a decision to make. It’s not an easy choice – and in a way, it’s a matter of life and death. She had three options. Her first option was to tell the judge that she was “Not Guilty” for the murder of her daughter, Amber. She and her lawyer can make a very promising case supporting her innocence. She was not at home when her daughter received the blunt force trauma to the head that killed her, nor had she been around the girl for [&hellip;]
- [Ohio Armageddon of the 1840s](https://theohioproject.net/history/ohio-armageddon-of-the-1840s/): William Miller was born on February 15, 1782, and spent most of his early life in a place called Low Hampshire, which they put in the State of New York for some reason. He was mostly what we would call “homeschooled” today, and there is no evidence that he ever attended any colleges or received any formal training of any kind after that. In 1803, he married a fine girl, Lucy Smith, and his new family relocated to Poultney, Vermont. Soon, he would be elected to his first public office – Constable. Then he became a deputy sheriff before ultimately [&hellip;]
- [James Ruppert and the Easter Sunday Massacre](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/james-ruppert-and-the-easter-sunday-massacre/): Hamilton, Ohio is a city with a long history, beginning as Fort Hamilton (named after the Broadway show that wouldn’t be staged for another two hundred and twenty-four years) when it was used as a supply and troop relay station during the Northwestern Indian Wars. The Fort was abandoned after the Greenville Treaty was signed, but by that time several farms had been established nearby and the trade business began to flourish. The town was officially platted and seated around 1803, the year Ohio became a state and since then has grown to be one of the largest towns in [&hellip;]
- [What Horrors Lurk Under 1313 Vine Street, Cincinnati?](https://theohioproject.net/history/what-horrors-lurk-under-1313-vine-street-cincinnati/): As I sit down to write this, Halloween is approaching and that means one thing. Aunt Irma is going to be complaining that everything has suddenly gone “Pumpkin Spice’ because she is still bitter that all the companies rejected her idea for Pumpkin Spice Denture Cream. Okay, it also means that you can’t turn around without seeing an advertisement for some “historical ghost tour” that promises to take you to all the popular haunted spots in town (yet, strangely don’t allow you to actually enter many of them.) Most of these ghost tours feature various “haunts” throughout the city, but [&hellip;]
- [William Cunningham and the Cincinnati Resurrectionists](https://theohioproject.net/history/william-cunningham-and-the-cincinnati-resurrectionists/): Throughout most of the nineteenth century, Cincinnati was one of the more prominent (not to mention one of the largest) cities in America. By 1850, we only had a few “States” west of the Mississippi River, everything else was just a territory or some kind of unorganized lands that used to belong to someone else but it’s America now and the country needed to figure out what to do with it. Cincinnati’s location on The Ohio River meant that anyone traveling from the Eastern States pretty much had to go by it, since the river was the main route to [&hellip;]
- [That Time All The Street Addresses In Cincinnati Changed](https://theohioproject.net/history/that-time-all-the-street-addresses-in-cincinnati-changed/): The year is 1865 and the streets of Cincinnati have a problem. To be fair, they have lots of problems, between the rodents scurrying about and the number of drunks passed out and laying in their own &#8230; um &#8230; filth, let’s just say that residents certainly had a number of things they liked to complain about. Some of Cincinnati’s problems probably came from the fact that the city had grown a lot more than anyone a hundred years previous had anticipated, and apparently none of the early planners had bothered to consult a psychic to foretell the city’s future. [&hellip;]
- [The Merchant's Globe - A Rotating Spectacle](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-merchants-globe-a-rotating-spectacle/): It should go unsaid that most things in cemeteries and graveyards shouldn’t move. Obviously, people may need to roam about, and it’s probably impossible to keep small animals from going about – but I’m sure we can all agree that some things, such as headstones and monuments really ought not to be in motion. There is one cemetery that didn’t get that memo: The Historic Maion Cemetery in Marion, Ohio. The cemetery does have a fair share of notable and interesting attractions, such as memorials for fallen Law Enforcement and Firefighters from Marion, The Recieving Vault serving as a testament [&hellip;]
- [A History of Witches in Ohio (Part 2) This Time With Real Witches](https://theohioproject.net/history/a-history-of-witches-in-ohio-part-2-this-time-with-real-witches/): In the previous post I noted that there had only been a single trial for witchcraft in Ohio. There had also only been one individual who was put to death after being accused of being a witch. Surprisingly, there wasn’t really any witchcraft going on in either case. The witch was deemed innocent because she weighed more than a bible, and the man was accused of witchcraft because that was easier than trying to explain complicated political fallacies. Yet, real witches (including one semi-famous one) have lived and practiced their craft on Ohio soil … but this story starts, as [&hellip;]
- [A History of Witches in Ohio (Part 1)](https://theohioproject.net/history/a-history-of-witches-in-ohio-part-1/): When we think of the history of witches, or witchcraft, we tend to think about certain periods of history. For example, The Early Modern Witchcraft Trials a couple thousand years ago throughout Europe, or perhaps the various crusades and inquisitions a thousand years after that. America had The Salem Witch Trials of 1962 in slightly more recent history … Once you start to look at these things, you start to realize that (a) they never really went away; and (b) they rarely had anything to do with any real witchcraft. Not really. I have read in numerus history books about [&hellip;]
- [A FIeld of Corn](https://theohioproject.net/history/a-field-of-corn/): Dublin, Ohio (a suburb of Columbus) was named, or so the story goes, by an Irishman named John Sheilds at some point around 1810, which may explain why Dublin has the largest number of Asian citizens in the State of Ohio. Or maybe not. I don’t always understand these demographic things. It also, however, boasts that it has the largest three-day Irish festival anywhere in the world.&nbsp; Dublin’s origins were a bit humble. By 1833, the community featured little more than a couple of mills and a general store. By 1880 it had grown large enough to incorporate, and by [&hellip;]
- [The Giants of ... Ohio?](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-giants-of-ohio/): Have you heard the seemingly persistent rumor that Ohio was once home to a race of giants? They say that giant skeletons were uncovered in various archeological sites throughout the state of Ohio, including some discovered at the Great Serpent Mound. They say that most of the native tribes that once lived in what would become Ohio often talked about giants. Or, you might hear about a giant that lived during more modern times in Seville, Ohio, which is where his grave is and where The Guiness Book of World Records went to give him his “award”. &nbsp; But, before [&hellip;]
- [Was Charles Ray Clark Murdered?](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/was-charles-ray-clark-murdered/): The day is Christmas Eve, 1959. The place is Mentor, Ohio, a distant suburb of Cleveland. The time is approximately 6:40 in the evening. Charles Roy Clark is standing in the kitchen wearing his Boy Scouts uniform. Later in the evening, he is planning to meet his troop to go Christmas Caroling. His wife, Lois, stands on the opposite side of the kitchen, gathering what she needs to bake a pie. Next to him stands his twelve-year-old daughter. In his hands he holds a can of pumpkin pie filling. Then, in the blink of an eye, several things happen at [&hellip;]
- [Who Killed Yvonne Layne](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/who-killed-yvonne-layne/): Alliance, Ohio is a small town with a population somewhere slightly above 20,000 according to the last few censuses, that most people consider to be a part of the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan area. The city had once been a major player in the construction of the railroad system, but today it’s mostly known as the home of the University of Mount Union. And one particularly brutal murder where the man convicted of the crime might or might not have actually done it. The Murder of Yvonne Layne When we look at a murder trial, we often stick like to stick to [&hellip;]
- [The Wow Signal](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-wow-signal/): It’s the evening&nbsp;August 15, 1977, and an Astronomer named Jerry R. Ehman is scanning the skies looking for signs of intelligent life because &#8230; what else is an astronomer going to do on a Monday night when he&#8217;s located in the outskirts of Delaware, Ohio. He’s accomplishing this (or, trying to anyway) by using this real big dish that scans the cosmos for radio microwaves. Yeah, I don’t get it either. All this talk of dishes and microwaves, I was thinking maybe the aliens were trying to cook some popcorn, but apparently it has something to do with specific types [&hellip;]
- [Project Blue Book](https://theohioproject.net/history/project-blue-book/): The year is 1948 and America has a bit of a UFO problem. As in, people were seeing flying saucers all over the place. It was thrilling when people saw them at the local movie theater, which people seemed to want to do at the time. The problem was that some of the people who saw them weren’t looking at The Silver Screen. Project SAUCER and Project Sign For some Americans, UFOs or flying saucers or little green men from Mars or whatever was just a fantasy, and they seemed okay with things if it stayed that way. Other people, [&hellip;]
- [Ohio And The Great UFO Chase Of 1966](https://theohioproject.net/history/ohio-and-the-great-ufo-chase-of-1966/): In 1966, a Portage County Ohio Sheriff would become the talk of the nation when he (and his partner) would be sent to investigate an abandoned vehicle. Once they had arrived at the scene, the two men spotted lights coming off some kind of aircraft or spaceship that was unlike anything they had ever seen before. Roughly two decades after the infamous Roswell Incident in New Mexico, the news media was hardly a stranger to the spectacle that can come from spotting extraterrestrial activity, and for the most part they had learned to ignore it. Most UFO reports came without [&hellip;]
- [Ohio vs. The UFO Aliens?](https://theohioproject.net/history/ohio-vs-the-ufo-aliens/): Do you believe in UFOs? Or I guess I’m supposed to call them UAPs now – Unidentified Ariel Phenomena according to some, unidentified anomalous phenomena to others. But, they’re all the same thing. The reason I asked that question is because it recently surprised me just how much of a connection the State of Ohio has had with things like UFOs, or outer space aliens, or other related subjects. It has never been a secret that a bunch of people from Ohio are known for things associated with Outer Space. Sure, it was the home of Jerry Siegel who “created” [&hellip;]
- [Procter &amp; Gamble vs Amway](https://theohioproject.net/history/procter-gamble-vs-amway/): The year was 1982 and an epic war was about to take place across the nation; not between any of the States, nor will it be between any two sovereign Nations. The battle will not play out on the battlefields, or the sports arena, or in the courtrooms (at least, not for a little while yet). However, an epic battle it will be, between good and evil, and if some are to be believed, it will hit at the heart of this nation like no other war ever had or ever will.&nbsp; The two sides to this war will be [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know - Margaret Hamilton](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know-margaret-hamilton/): Margaret Hamilton was born in Cleveland, Ohio on December 9, 1902, the last of four children born to Walter and Mary Jane Hamilton. The family lived in the more affluent part of town, mostly due to the father’s profession, attorney.&nbsp; From a young age, Margaret knew that she wanted to be an actress. Her father, however, was a very practical man and insisted that Margaret have a proper education, something with which she could support herself if the acting thing didn’t pan out. &nbsp; All working actresses (especially the ones in the movies) in the 1910s and 20s all seemed [&hellip;]
- [The Murder of Heather Walker](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/the-murder-of-heather-walker/): Heather Walker was only eighteen years old when she disappeared on February 9, 2008 from the Dayton area. Earlier in the day, she had attended her brother’s birthday party, a small affair for family and close friends. Everyone was glad to see her there because a couple weeks prior, she had undergone a surgical procedure for cervical cancer and had not felt like doing much since. She did leave the house with a bottle that had five Vicodin in it, just in case the pain got worse. At some point after eleven o’clock, she left the party. A friend driving [&hellip;]
- [The Disappearance of Brian Shaffer](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/unsolved-unresolved/the-disappearance-of-brian-shaffer/): On April 1, 2006, 27-year-old Brian Shaffer was ready for Spring Break. Life for a medical student is never easy and most students will tell you that finals weeks can be particularly brutal with students cramming for important exams and pulling all-night study sessions. Brian wasn’t one to complain, but when he met his father, Randy, for dinner that evening, he appeared to be exhausted.&nbsp;&nbsp; As if his schoolwork wasn’t taxing enough, Brian was going through something else, as well. Just three weeks prior, his mother had passed after a lengthy battle with myelodysplasia, a type of blood cancer. Brian [&hellip;]
- [Cincinnati Riots of 1884](https://theohioproject.net/history/cincinnati-riots-of-1884/): In 1884, there were riots in the streets of Cincinnati unlike anything they had ever seen before. Sure, there had been riots in the past, but nothing like this. People had been upset before – Cincinnati was changing (and expanding) and not everyone liked the direction it was heading. But now, people were starting to get scared. And they thought they had some damned good reasons to feel that way. All it took was just one small event to spark a fire that would forever change the city.&nbsp; The Murder of William H. Kirk  In December, 1883, Sand Dealer and [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know - John Cleves Symmes Jr.](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know/ohioans-you-should-know-john-cleves-symmes-jr/): The year is 1863. The place is not Ohio, but Hamburg, Germany. This is where we first meet Professor Otto Lidenbrock and discover that he’s just found an ancient manuscript written in some kind of Runic Script by some nearly forgotten alchemist, Ana Saknussemm. Once translated, it tells of a vast subterranean world.&nbsp;&nbsp; Before long, he and his nephew Alex travel from Germany to Denmark, then Iceland where they hire Hanz as a hunter and tour guide. They ultimately arrive in Snæfellsjökull where they enter a cave and experience some weird phenomena. Just when they’re almost out of water they [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know - John Cleves Symmes](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know/ohioans-you-should-know-john-cleves-symmes/): John Cleves Symmes was born in Riverhead in the Province of New York to Timothy Symmes and Mary Cleves and lived what most would consider a rather normal childhood, growing up in Colonial America. Little did he know at that time that one day his name would be spoken by school children (probably mostly in the Southwestern corner of the state) or that an entire town would be named after him.&nbsp; That town would, of course, be &#8230; Cleves, Ohio. (What? You were thinking of a huge city up near Lake Erie? Sorry, that one was named after a different [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know - Augustus West](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know/ohioans-you-should-know-augustus-west/): Augustus West was born into slavery in Madison County, Virginia on March 20, 1814, but moved as either an escaped or freed slave (history isn’t entirely certain to which one it is) to Ohio in 1837.&nbsp; Before long, he built himself a mansion and began to create a settlement for people like himself, which prospered quite nicely for a short time.&nbsp; Now, if you’re thinking that there is something missing between a runaway or freed slave crossing into Ohio, and the guy building a mansion, you would be right. And, if the legends about the guy are true – it&#8217;s [&hellip;]
- [The Gist Settlement(s)](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-gist-settlements/): If you ever found yourself driving east on New Vienna Road from the town of New Vienna, you would soon come across a road named Gist Settlement Road. It doesn’t look like much – just another country road with a few houses off in the distance, but the unusual name of the road might catch your attention (if you even see it on the small green sign). Make a left onto the street and a minute or two later you’ll come to a bend in the road with a church on one side, a small cemetery on the other. It [&hellip;]
- [The Crimes of Thomas D. Carr](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/the-crimes-of-thomas-d-carr/): When I was reading the story of Thomas D. Carr, what struck me the most was the idea that if these events were to have played out today, as opposed to 1869, things would have been played out very differently. Then again, that can be said about a lot of nineteenth century events. Louisa Fox &amp; Family This story starts (or, I guess it ends) with Louisa Fox. She’s thirteen years old and living in an unincorporated area called Sewellsville in Belmont County, Ohio. Today, this area is in The Little Egypt Wildlife Area, a popular spot for hiking, fishing, [&hellip;]
- [What's In A Name - Cincinnati](https://theohioproject.net/places/whats-in-a-name/whats-in-a-name-cincinnati/): There aren't many places with the name "Cincinnati" so I have to ask, where did the name come from and what does it mean?
- [Ohioans You Should Know - Theda Bara](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know/ohioans-you-should-know-theda-bara/): The film industry is a weird thing. In some ways, not much has changed in the past one hundred years. Yet, at the same time, Hollywood today couldn’t be more different than it was in the 1920s. Some of the best examples of this can be seen within the memory of an Ohioan You Should Know – Theda Bara. Who Was Theda Bara? Well, it all depends on who you ask. According to the film studios, Theda Bara was born at some point around 1892, an Egyptian Beauty born under the shadows of the pyramids to an Italian artist and [&hellip;]
- [The Bizarre Mysteries of Georgia Rudolph](https://theohioproject.net/people/the-bizarre-mysteries-of-georgia-rudolph/): In 1996, Jenifer Lee Barrett McCrady was living in Belpre, Ohio (a short way downriver from Marietta) and living a decent life, according to friends. After she graduated from college, she worked as a nurse and seemed to truly enjoy her job. Her husband was a State Trooper, and the couple were raising two kids. But, on September 19th of that year, she disappeared. Two days later, her husband reported her missing. In the days that followed, Jennifer’s disappearance was the talk of the town. Everyone wanted to know where such a lovely person had disappeared to. One person who [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know - Clement L Vallandigham](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know/ohioans-you-should-know-clement-l-vallandigham/): Clement L. Vallandigham is included in the history books mostly for what happened at the end of his life. Or, perhaps better put, because of how his life ended. He was a lawyer (and probably one of the rare “good” ones) who some say was the kind of guy who would do anything to get his client off, including, you know, accidentally killing himself, but that statement is just a little bit off. Yet, the history books don’t always mention who Clement was earlier in his life, what he had already done to make a name for himself, so I [&hellip;]
- [The Mystery of Dr. Sam Sheppard](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-mystery-of-dr-sam-sheppard/): Doctor Sam Sheppard of Cleveland, Ohio, was convicted of killing his pregnant wife, Marilyn Sheppard, in 1954. Before long, however, his conviction was overturned by the US Supreme Court. He was tired again, but this time he was acquitted. Then David Janssen played (a fictional version of) him on television, and later Harrison Ford did the same. That’s pretty cool and all, but it doesn’t really answer the question of who really killed Marilyn Sheppard… July 3-4, 1954 On the evening of Saturday, July 3, 1954, Dr. Shepard and his wife spent the evening with their neighbors where they had [&hellip;]
- [Fictional Ohio - WKRP In Cincinnati](https://theohioproject.net/fictional-ohio/fictional-ohio-wkrp-in-cincinnati/): When Hugh Wilson had worked in advertising for a radio station in Atlanta (the one in Georgia) he found himself working with a bunch of interesting individuals. Then, in the 1970s, when trying to come up with an idea for a new sitcom, he thought of his experiences, and came up with an idea: A struggling radio station … a lot of wacky characters … misadventure around every corner … Suddenly, the spark of inspiration hit him and before long, he began to put his ideas into reality, and a new sitcom was born, taking place at a radio station [&hellip;]
- [The Who Concert Tragedy](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-who-concert-tragedy/): Believe it or not, Ohio has played a rather serious role in the history of Rock N’ Roll. Some of that history is awesomely good (for example, we’ve got The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame up in Cleveland) … but, sadly, some of it is not so good (such as The Who Concert Tragedy, the focus of today’s discussion.) Cincinnati’s Riverfront Coliseum was built in 1975 and was no stranger to good ole Rock N Roll. The first concert to perform there included Muddy Waters and The Allman Brothers Band; two years later, 17140 people would see Elvis Pressley [&hellip;]
- [Fictional Ohio - 1428 Elm St.](https://theohioproject.net/blog/fictional-ohio-1428-elm-st/): The State of Ohio has a long history that, in and of itself, is fascinating enough. However, the state also has a long history in fiction that often gets overlooked when talking about the state. This is most likely because fiction, unlike history, didn’t really happen, which I can fully understand. Yet, these stories do often play a role in how people perceive the state, and sometimes fiction is a large reflection on what really happened here and who lives here. I believe that aspect of history is just as important as the true history and geography of Ohio. One [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know - George Robert Dramis (of the Ghost Army)](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know/ohioans-you-should-know-george-robert-dramis-of-the-ghost-army/): 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 the powerhouse center on the basketball team) he was enlisted in the Army. It was while he was stationed in Tennessee that he met Shirley Elizabeth Johnson, who would go on to be his wife. George would go on to become one of the officers [&hellip;]
- [Ohio and The Knights of the Flaming Circle](https://theohioproject.net/history/ohio-and-the-knights-of-the-flaming-circle/): 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 are known for and burn crosses that are meant to scare and intimidate those they do not like. Due to the popularity of the Klan, I’ve always wondered why there wasn’t an opposite group &#8211; one that went against everything the Klan stood for &#8211; [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know - Lawrence "Larry" Bader](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know-lawrence-larry-bader/): In a previous post, I raised the question if there had ever been, as many police officers have suggested, that a missing person was in reality someone with amnesia who walked away and came back some time later. I was not able to find a single case where that happened &#8211; the closest I got was discovering the story of Larry Bader. Who Was Lawrence Joseph Bader? Lawrence Joseph Bader was an average fellow living in 1950’s Akron, Ohio. For the most part, there was nothing special about the dude, at least nothing that would ever get the interest of [&hellip;]
- [Missing Amnesiacs of Ohio](https://theohioproject.net/true-crime/missing-amnesiacs-of-ohio/): In case you are unfamiliar with the concept, Amnesia is a defect in memory which can be caused by any number of things from trauma to brain diseases, even certain medications or drugs. There are two main forms of amnesia: Retrograde Amnesia, in which all memories before a particular point cannot be remembered; and Anterograde Amnesia, in which new memories cannot be formed (or better put, memories cannot go from the short term stage to long-term.) Most of what we understand about Amnesia tends to come from television or movies, where the subject occasionally comes up in a plot point. [&hellip;]
- [The Mystery of "Eliza"](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-mystery-of-eliza/): What was the Best-Selling novel of the Nineteenth Century? Gosh, I hear you say &#8211; 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 Poe, Wilkie Collins, George Elliot, Charles Dickens, H.G. Wells, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Oscar Wilde, Victor Hugo, Mark Twain, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, or L Frank Baum, just to name a few.&nbsp; Would it surprise you to learn that the second best-selling book of the [&hellip;]
- [Whatever Happened to Ruthie Baumgardner?](https://theohioproject.net/history/whatever-happened-to-ruthie-baumgardner/): 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 wasn’t much anyone could say negatively about her. She was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority, or the Tri-Delts as they liked to call themselves. On campus, Ruthie lived in Austin Hall’s room 319, which was one of the dormitory’s few single-occupant rooms. [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know - Ambrose Bierce](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know-ambrose-bierce/): When you think of truly great American writers, what names come to mind? Mark Twain? Edgar Allen Poe? What about Harper Lee or F. Scott Fitzgerald? Steinbeck? Bradbury? Capote? Hemingway? What about Stephen King or Toni Morrison or Alice Walker or Tennassee WIlliams or Arthur Miller or Raymond Chandler? Okay, I can hear you say, America’s been around for quite a few centuries and in that time it’s produced quite a few excellent writers.&nbsp; Yet, there is one name that never quite makes those lists, even though he (according to most experts in the subject) really does deserve to be [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know - Agnes Moorehead](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know-agnes-moorehead/): Today’s Ohioan You Should Know didn’t start her life in Ohio. In fact Agnes Robertson Moorehead was born on December 6, 1900 in Clinton, Massachusetts. Her mother, Mary, had once performed as a singer. Her father, John, was a Presbyterian minister. So, you can probably guess that she was raised in a fairly strict, religious household. The Life and Career of Agnes Moorehead According to Agnes, her career as a performer began at the age of three, when she was asked by her father to perform The Lord’s Prayer during a Sunday Morning service. That was when, she said, she [&hellip;]
- [Landmark Cases In Ohio - The Mapplethorpe Obscenity Trial](https://theohioproject.net/history/landmark-cases-in-ohio-cases-the-mapplethorpe-obscenity-trial/): 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 &#8211; it’s about a lot more than that.&nbsp; On one side is a group of people who believe that “Art” should be held to a high moral standard. Many of them have witnessed society, in general, becoming more and more secular, with laws being enacted that go against their religious teachings to some degree. And this [&hellip;]
- [John Wilkes Booth? An Ohio Mystery?](https://theohioproject.net/history/john-wilkes-booth-an-ohio-mystery/): 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 the entire audience to see. Soon, there was a massive manhunt trying to track Booth down and bring him to justice. That search ended twelve days later when soldiers caught up to him at the Garrett Farm in Bowling Green, Virginia. The man Booth was [&hellip;]
- [What's The Story With The Ghost Town Rogue's Hollow](https://theohioproject.net/places/whats-the-story-with-the-ghost-town-rogues-hollow/): 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 beyond its Ghost Town status, the stories and legends about the place continue to be told to this day. The History of Rogue’s Hollow The history of Rogue’s Hollow began, we think, in the early 1800s. In 1811, a man named Thomas Frederick moved to [&hellip;]
- [Is There Lost French Gold in Ohio?](https://theohioproject.net/history/is-there-lost-french-gold-in-ohio/): 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 Seven Years War and there was a bunch of crazy history stuff going on which isn’t really all that pertinent to this story. Anyway, the French had this big fort they called Fort Duquesne (today, we call it Pittsburgh), which they knew was no match [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know - Phoebe Wise](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know-phoebe-wise/): 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 of sickness, they died and then someone discovered they had hundreds of thousands of dollars in the bank, or hidden in the floorboards under their house, or something. When we hear those stories, we often find them easy to dismiss. Surely, if so-and-so had that [&hellip;]
- [The Ohio State reformatory](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-ohio-state-reformatory/): Let’s face a harsh reality &#8211; 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 Potter movies … wait … what? They’ve all been to … you’re kidding me. Even sweet dear Martha? Oh, that’s right &#8211; insider tr… um. Iron Man and Buzz Lightyear … what’d they do … oh no, nevermind. Forget I said anything. Point is … [&hellip;]
- [The Mothman and The Silver Bridge](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-mothman-and-the-silver-bridge/): When we think about potentially supernatural cryptids, like Bigfoot or The Loch Ness Monster or that stupid gremlin who lives in your dishwasher that steals tupperware lids, they usually are little more than a side note of history (and maybe geography).&nbsp; We’ve all heard the legends where some people are out hiking and camping and come across a giant foot-like paw print in the mud, or maybe they see some large creature off in the distance walking on two legs. Or, how many people every year head off to a specific (and very deep) lake in Scotland to try to [&hellip;]
- [The Great Balloon Disaster of 1986](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-great-balloon-disaster-of-1986/): In 1986, the city of Cleveland, Ohio was having a bit of an identity crisis. For the longest time, the city had been somewhat associated with things like Organized Crime, pollution, corruption, and … well, a whole bunch of less than desirable things. For the past several years, the city had been trying to clean up its image, and to be fair, they were doing a relatively good job at it. Crime was down. Many of the worst streets were freshly paved. The parks were no longer filled to the brim with used condoms and IV needles. Heck, even Aunt [&hellip;]
- [The Loveland Frogman](https://theohioproject.net/history/myths-and-legends/the-loveland-frogman/): In February, 2023, the Nation turned their eyes to the state of Ohio after a freight train carrying some really nasty stuff derailed near East Palestine, Ohio and when a bunch of political figures got involved, things got really weird. I mean, super weird. To make a long story short, let’s just say that there was a lot of political theater going on while many people just wanted to know if the air was safe to breathe, the water was safe to drink, and holy hell why can I set my tap water on fire? Thankfully, this article isn’t about [&hellip;]
- [Helltown, Ohio: An Ohio Ghost Town?](https://theohioproject.net/places/ghost-towns-and-lost-places/helltown-ohio-an-ohio-ghost-town/): There is (or was) a place in Ohio that was so demonstratively evil that the locals stopped referring to it by its name, Boston Mills, and began calling it … “Hell Town” It was the site of a Native American massacre in the early days of the country and now filled with the lost souls of the indigenous tribes that used to call that land home. It was the site of a chemical spill that resulted in various varieties of snakes mutating into evil bloodthirsty monsters. It was the site of a string of serial killings, back in the frontier [&hellip;]
- [Mapp v Ohio - Landmark Cases in Ohio History](https://theohioproject.net/history/landmark-cases/mapp-v-ohio-landmark-cases-in-ohio-history/): NOTE: The following post deals with a legal subject matter, and as I am not a lawyer, do not seek legal advise here. The information presented here is purely for educational and historical purposes. One day (I’m not sure if it was May 23, 1957 or a few days after that) a lady named Dolly Mapp was chilling at her Cleveland home when a small group of police officers knocked on her door. They had just received a tip that a wanted criminal, Virgil Ogletree, was staying with her, and they also thought that maybe they mind find some evidence [&hellip;]
- [Terry v Ohio - Landmark Cases in Ohio History](https://theohioproject.net/history/landmark-cases/terry-v-ohio-landmark-cases-in-ohio-history/): NOTE: The following post deals with a legal subject matter, and as I am not a lawyer, do not seek legal advise here. The information presented here is purely for educational and historical purposes. On Halloween in 1963, a police officer named Martin McFadden was doing his thing in Downtown Cleveland when he noticed two men, John W. Terry and Richard Chilton, he believed they were acting strangely. One minute the guys were standing on a street corner, the next, one of them would walk partway down the block and pause to look through a store window. Then, he’d continue [&hellip;]
- [Ohioans You Should Know - Double Feature Jim Springer and Jim Lewis](https://theohioproject.net/people/ohioans-you-should-know-double-feature-jim-springer-and-jim-lewis/): Today we have for you a special treat, a double feature &#8211; Two Ohioans You Should Know for the price of one. Meet Jim Springer James Springer was born in 1940. Growing up, most people described Jim as a good boy. He showed some skill in mathematics, but his handwriting teachers felt his spelling needed a lot of work. He grew up with a brother, Larry and the family dog named Toy. As a young man, he would marry a woman named Linda, but things didn’t work out and the two got divorced. He would, however, go on to find [&hellip;]
- [The Murder of Theora Hix](https://theohioproject.net/history/the-murder-of-theora-hix/): Columbus Ohio, 1929 In some ways, 1929 was a very strange year. It marked the end of the “Roaring Twenties”, a period of economic prosperity that touched nearly every aspect of modern life. It was truly a time of change. New technologies, from radios to automobiles, would revolutionize the world in new and interesting ways. New views and philosophies saw the birth of everything from modern Jazz (at least it was modern at the time) which greatly influenced a paradigm shift in art, music, and fashion. The Great War (which was later renamed World War I by the people who [&hellip;]

## Pages

- [About](https://theohioproject.net/about/): First off, let me start off by saying &#8220;Thank you&#8221; for visiting my site. I&#8217;ve been putting a lot of hard work into it, so I really appreciate that. What Is The Ohio Project? Well, that&#8217;s a bit of a long story, but I think I can shorten it up a bit. I was born (quite a few years ago) in Washington Court House, Ohio. A couple of years later, the family moved to the Cincinnati area, where we stayed until I was halfway through my teenage years. Then the family moved away. After that, I&#8217;ve lived in quite a [&hellip;]


[comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)