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Monthly Archives: April 2021
Cool Cat Graffiti
Graffiti isn’t cool but I sure did giggle when I saw this. It’s an ink doodle inside the Mill Branch Covered Bridge at the Barlow Fairgrounds. You can read about that bridge here.
24 Hours
Oh, what a difference a day makes! I made photos of this lovely dogwood in my yard while feeding the birds Tuesday morning.
Here’s the same area of the yard approximately 24 hours later.
Welcome to April in Ohio where a forty degree shift in daytime temperatures isn’t considered unusual at all. Snow in April? Why not.
Winter is my second favorite season and snow is something to be savored where I live so it was fun waking up to an unexpectedly white landscape. However, the fun was squelched with worry for all the little living things trying to survive out there in the cold.
The snow was short lived. Despite ongoing flurries throughout the day, it was mostly melted by lunchtime and the sun even made an appearance late in the day.
What will today bring? It’s honestly hard to tell but it’s Ohio so if you don’t like the weather, wait a few minutes. It will change.
Root Covered Bridge
Sometimes a community recognizes the historic value of landmarks they have outgrown. That was the case in Washington County back in 1975 when a new road was built to bypass the Root Covered Bridge.
Some places might have torn down this old bridge but they instead had it added to the National Register of Historic Places, celebrating its beauty, charm and value as a landmark. Built in 1878, it was named for William Root and his family who founded the nineteenth century community Root Town. At one time there was a mill, store and post office.
Today, there’s a bridge, a barn and a couple of houses. The bridge is closed to motor vehicle traffic but open to pedestrians. It’s quite scenic and well worth the short trip off of State Route 555, a windy road that is better know by car clubs and motorcyclists as the Triple Nickel.
There are nine covered bridges in Washington County so be sure to check out the others by following this driving tour. Read about another bridge I visited in this area by clicking here.
Mill Branch Covered Bridge
My mother and I went on a little adventure Saturday and located two covered bridges along the way in Washington County. She and my dad haven’t quite trusted me since I dragged them to a couple of more isolated bridges last year so we just went to a couple that are along the beaten path.
The one pictured here, the Mill Branch Covered Bridge is a bit of an oddity. It was built in 1871 over the Mill Branch of the Little Hocking River, some three tenths of a mile east of its current location.
In 1980, at the ripe old age of 91, it was moved to the Barlow Fairgrounds. It was restored in the mid nineties. The thing that makes this bridge truly special is the Ohio Bicentennial logo painted on both sides. It appears to be the work of Scott Hagan, the barn artist commissioned to paint all 88 Ohio Bicentennial Barns in time for the Bicentennial celebration in 2003.
It is a curiosity because I haven’t found anything online about this bridge and the Ohio Bicentennial celebration. Every County in Ohio record a Bicentennial Barn and Washington is no different. Did the state paint the logo on this covered bridge? Did the community have it done?
If someone knows, I would love to hear the story!
Washington County has nine covered bridges and there is a driving tour. This one is the easiest to locate. There’s ample parking but it is closed to motor vehicle traffic.
If you’re interested in covered bridges, I’ve written about several. You’ll find them all if you type covered bridge in the search box.
Angel
“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”
Michelangelo
After work on Friday, I took some roads I had never been on and ended up at St Mary’s Catholic Cemetery on the outskirts of Lancaster.
Cemeteries are often home to some impressive pieces of art and architecture in the form of mausoleums and statuary. This gem caught my eye and I had to get a closer look.
Isn’t she magnificent? She looks over the final resting place of Army Captain George E. Blaire who died in May 1894.
There are a few interesting pieces here but the angel is hands down my favorite. I am constantly astounded by an artist’s ability to envision such a thing in a block of marble or stone and that they are able to give their ideas life with such exquisite lines and powerful emotions.
Notice how realistic her facial features and hair are. Also pay attention to the folds of fabric around her knee. She is even more magnificent in person.
Here are a few more images from a quick look around.
All of these pieces are larger than life and beautifully done.