Day 1 - Byway to Dublin at DennyGibson.com
Columbus, OH
Columbus, OH
These photos are actually from Friday night after I drove over US-36 from
Greenville. I've driven by what Frank Brusca calls the "Best neon sign on
Route 40!" several times but never at night and I've never stayed at the
establishment it marks. Now I've done both. The neon speaks for itself and
there are some interior motel views
here. It's a
good motel. Clean and reasonably priced but maybe not for the Marriott
crowd. I really appreciated the next door business. I didn't meet Brian or
Teresa but I did have a couple of 2ドル Shiner Bocks. The motel and the Keg
Room are west of downtown Columbus just inside the I-270 circle.
Dublin, OH
Dublin, OH
Dublin, OH
Dublin, OH
Dublin, OH
I knew of the giant corn but
Roadside America helped me find it and turned me onto
the Chief Leatherlips monument. There will be more from them before the
day is over. Both the corn and the chief are in Dublin near the I-270
loop. Those are Osage Orange trees like farmers used to use as natural
fences. They're part of the corn display. The corn itself is a tribute to
hybridization and to the fact that the area was home to lots of real corn
just a few decades ago.
Leatherlips got his name because he never broke his word. (That doesn't
match any of my guesses.) At the rear of the monument, some
repairs were made with concrete back in 1990 and Elmick, Boggess, and
Krugh managed to become one with Leatherlips. Probably a story behind
those names, too.
There are two Ohio Byways on today's agenda. The first is the
Olentangy Heritage Corridor Byway which runs north
from Exit 22 of I-270 (although that's not how I got there). At about ten
miles, it is the state's shortest designated byway. It's a pleasant but
not a spectacular drive.
Famous Jack's Diner, OH
Famous Jack's Diner, OH
From the end of the Byway at US-23, I continued north towards Marion. I
was looking for breakfast but knew I would be going through Waldo and that
an early bologna sandwich lunch was a possible alternative. The decision
was made when I spotted Famous Jack's Diner at the south edge of Delaware.
It's not a classic - only 6 or 7 years old - but it's got the right look
and feel. It has been at this location for about three years and Tasha has
been on board for most of that time. Long enough to go through two owners;
Neither named Jack. Apparently there was a Jack involved with the diner at
its previous site in Columbus's German Village but no one knew if he was
famous.
I got off of US-23 in order to go through Waldo even though my hunger was
just a memory. A tour bus of State Fair goers (Merle Haggard tonight!) had
stopped for lunch and the G & R was packed. Everyone was chomping on
a "World Famous Bologna Sandwich" and the bartender told me it would be at
least twenty minutes before I could have one. Even though I was obviously
tempted enough to ask, my recent breakfast and the wait time settled that.
And I noticed they had Stroh's, too. I've had the G & R's thick-sliced
spicy bologna sandwich before and spent much of the afternoon thinking of
the meal I passed up. Stroh's & bologna. Now
that's good
eatin'!
I left Waldo on OH-98 on the way to another Roadside America attraction
and found this little station right at the corner where I turned off. I
recall seeing it before. Probably on the way to get a bologna sandwich.
Here is something I definitely wouldn't have known about if it wasn't for
that wonderful Roadside America bunch. It's the grave of
John Grimm who was killed by a falling tree
on this spot in 1838. Someone has recarved the faded inscription in the
tombstone and erected protective stone slabs around the grave. Neither of
these renovations was very recent.
Harding Memorial and Home, Marion, OH
Harding Memorial and Home, Marion, OH
Harding Memorial and Home, Marion, OH
Harding Memorial and Home, Marion, OH
Harding Memorial and Home, Marion, OH
At the edge of Marion, there are a pair of graves by the road and someone
has erected protective stone around them, too. Warren G Harding was from
Marion and this is his tomb. In town, his house is open for tours (but no
photos) and you can stand on the porch where Harding often spoke to crowds
of 10,000 to 15,000.
The white house is a Sears home built in 1920 to serve reporters covering
the election. The wheeled structure next to it wasn't there in Harding's
day. It's a portable voting "booth". Harding's famous dog, Laddie Boy, is
buried in Boston but his collar is here.
Heritage Hall, Marion, OH
Heritage Hall, Marion, OH
Heritage Hall, Marion, OH
Heritage Hall, Marion, OH
Marion's other claim to fame is the
Popcorn
Museum inside
Heritage Hall. The popcorn museum is the biggest
single section of the museum but there's plenty of space devoted to other
aspects of local history including, of course, President Harding.
Big Darby Plains Scenic Byway, OH
Big Darby Plains Scenic Byway, OH
Big Darby Plains Scenic Byway, OH
Big Darby Plains Scenic Byway, OH
Faithful readers may remember this sign in Milford Center from a
May outing
when I said I might return to check out the neon. I didn't realize that
I'd be here today but I instantly recognized the sign and was delighted to
see it in operation. Every tube is working. The little building, however,
was a bit of a disappointment. I guess I didn't read the fine print and
was expecting to find Union County's First Courthouse. I found a
reproduction of Union County's First Courthouse.
Metal supports underneath this bridge are partly responsible for it
still being in service. Trucks and the timid can take a cement bypass
which is where I was when I took the picture of the supports. After I had
crossed the bridge.
