Ohio - Buckeye State
I regret that I have no photos of our Ohio trip. I know that I took photos, but they seem to have disappeared. Nonetheless, this was a very interesting trip and I hope you will enjoy reading about our experiences in the Buckeye State.
We began our exploration of Ohio in Cleveland, staying in an area that is near the Cleveland Clinic and University Circle, at the Intercontinental Hotel. Cleveland (originally named Cleaveland after the surveyor Moses Cleaveland who chose this location for a townsite in 1796) is on Lake Erie. The Ohio and Erie Canal was completed by 1832 and the town doubled in size. During the 1800’s, Cleveland was an important stop on the Underground Railroad because its port provided a route to freedom across the border to Canada for slaves fleeing the south. I was surprised to learn this, although I was aware that Oberlin, Ohio, has a large middle class African American population because many slaves settled there after “traveling” on the Underground Railroad.
We started out our first day at the fabulous Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where Rock stars of the past and present are immortalized. IM Pei designed the building, and that alone is worth the visit. Within the building there is a massive collection of stage outfits, concert posters, instruments, handwritten lyrics and personal items which reveal the always interesting and often juicy history of rock and roll. When our feet got tired from wandering through the many galleries depicting various genres and performers, we stepped inside and took a seat in the theater where a trio of screens continually played clips and music of each inductee. We spent half the day there and could have stayed longer, but Cleveland has other worthy sites we didn’t want to miss.
We drove to University Circle which is a renowned destination for its many cultural sites, including the Cleveland Museum of Art. Like the rock hall, the museum’s collection is amazing in quantity, quality and diversity. Some of the thousands of artists represented in the more than 40 galleries include Caravaggio, Edgar Degas, El Greco, Childe Hassam, Michelangelo, Raphael Rembrandt, Pierre August Renoir and Benjamin West.
The following day, we started out by having breakfast in the Historic Warehouse District. There were many dining options, and I can’t remember what we had, but I can picture the old-fashioned diner atmosphere where we landed. Much of this area is reminiscent of 19th century architecture. It was a short walk from there to Little Italy, a charming area with places to eat, bakeries and art galleries. We saw a wine bar that looked so nice, we came back the next evening and enjoyed a tasting.
The Cleveland Union Terminal complex with its 52-story Terminal Tower was built in the 1920’s. Tower City Center, a 3-level mall, now fills the former railroad station. We spent time walking around and we could see the effort that was being put into revitalizing the downtown area. There were still areas that seemed blighted, but we came away feeling that Cleveland was on its way up.
Leaving Cleveland, we drove to Akron to see Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, which is considered one of the finest examples of Tudor Revival architecture in the country. The 65-room manor house contains art treasures from around the world. The Gate Lodge near the front gate was originally the estate superintendent’s home. It was here that the first discussion of what would become Alcoholics Anonymous took place. On the property there is also a restored English garden, a Japanese garden and scenic vistas. We were so glad we made this stop; it was well worth the effort.
We were making our way south to visit Andy’s Aunt Bernice and cousin Doug who lived in Columbus, but we took a detour to see Hocking Hills State Park. We had spent time in the cities of Cleveland and Akron, but now we wanted to see something rural in Ohio. Wow! This 2,356-acre area boasts steep cliffs, a river, waterfalls and shaded gorges. There are many interesting and unusual rock formations and caves as well as evidence of the ancient Adana culture which dates to more than 7,000 years ago. We had happily brought along our hiking shoes so that we were able to take a walk on some of the many trails within the park, allowing us to crisscross bridges over a creek that ran through a deep gorge. It was simply beautiful.
Andy’s cousin Doug had suggested we meet at the Spaghetti Warehouse in Columbus since it was a favorite of his and his mom, Andy’s Aunt Bernice. Bernice was living with Doug at that time because she was suffering from dementia. We had not seen either of them in a few years, so it was a happy reunion, although Bernice was a bit confused as to who we were. I remember that she didn’t eat much, but she really enjoyed having a beer! The restaurant is in an historic area and had that old-fashioned Italian restaurant vibe. We had fun but as we left, Doug asked us to tell other members of the family that he and his mom would not be coming to California to visit us because it was too difficult for her to travel. Bernice was about 90 years old at that time and she has since passed away.
From Columbus we drove to Cincinnati, in the very southern part of the state. Winston Churchill called Cincinnati “the most beautiful of America’s inland cities.” It is right on the border with Kentucky which is across the Ohio River. We had only one day in the city, but we enjoyed walking around the downtown area, especially Fountain Square. The iconic 1871 Tyler Davidson Fountain is a must for photographers, both during the day and when lit up at night. After dinner at a downtown restaurant, we decided to cross the river to see the Casinos in Kentucky. All the neon signs were reminiscent of Las Vegas, although on a much smaller scale. Had we more time, we would have spent it in Cincinnati as we felt we only scraped the surface of what there was to do in this vibrant city.