Monthly Archives: December 2022

Christmas At Haslett House

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There’s a restoration project underway at a historic home in Wellston, Ohio. The owners have moved mountains bringing this gorgeous old house back from the brink. I got to see inside yesterday as they have been opening it for tours during the holidays.

A man named Charles Haslett had the home built and his family moved in around Christmas in 1909. The home cost about $8,000 to build – well over a million dollars in modern money.

The property was originally an 800 acre farm. Tunnels were built from the home to the barns and one still exists. A small ballroom graces the third floor and all of the rooms have large windows and beautiful woodwork.

Haslett was a local politician and the youngest person to ever be Jackson County Commissioner. He ran for state office, operated a highly successful dairy, owned coal mines and had a number of other business interests. To say he was a hard worker is an understatement.

Here’s the entrance to the tunnel that runs from the home to the carriage house. Imagine being able to get from the house to the carriage without going into the cold!

As part of the tour, they sat our group of 47 participants in the newly restored carriage house, fed us refreshments and told us stories. We learned about the house, the Haslett family and the restoration. We also saw pictures and learned about the golden age of mining in Wellston and nearby Coalton.

In case you don’t know, Wellston was home to one of the finest veins of coal you’ll find anywhere. There was great wealth there and abundant opportunities to be entertained, to shop and to drink.

Mr. Haslett operated a race track very close to his home, a popular destination for harness racing enthusiasts from far and wide. When he grew tired of operating the track, he donated the land to create permanent county fairgrounds.

Countless people have benefited from his generosity and business acumen, particularly the generations of kids who have been involved in 4H.

One of Mr Haslett’s daughters inherited the home after his death by suicide in 1939. She eventually sold everything by auction before the property changed hands a number of times.

The home was vacant for a decade or more, left vulnerable to vandals, homeless people and drug deals. At one point, someone pulled up with a truck and carried out doors, stained glass windows and other architectural pieces. They even used chainsaws to remove priceless pocket doors.

I was indignant at the very idea.

The new owners have done beautiful work breathing new life into the place when many others might have jumped ship. They shared pre-renovation pictures and it’s practically unrecognizable. The floors are especially gorgeous.

I really liked the areas with personal touches, things that belonged to the original owners.

It’s so well done, especially given that this is a family working together rather than an organization that might have more volunteers or access to grant funding. Our tour guide was the owners’ daughters. She’s a local teacher who has been doing the research into the home, property and the place in this world occupied by Mr Haslett and his family. She has clearly done her homework and gave a fun tour.

She said they will have more work done in time for the Christmas tour next year. I will absolutely go back. Admission was free but they were accepting donations for the Wellston High School Band.

I’ll share a few more pictures in the Make the Journey Fun Facebook page so be sure to check over there for more.

Scout’s Scare

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We had a scare here last night.

I had gathered all the bags and boxes of Christmas gifts to start wrapping. Some of them were on the floor and I didn’t notice that Scout had stirred from his nap and was snooping.

I had turned my back for less than a minute when I heard a racket as he took off running through the house. He had stuck his head through the handles of a paper bag and was running, bag dragging behind him, and sturdy twine handle firmly around his neck.

The bag tore, contents flying every which way but the handle was sturdy and remained in place.

He was shaking with terror by the time I could catch him and remove the bag.

I am hyper aware of the threats that daily life can present to cats. I haven’t used the mini blinds at my windows since the day he arrived because I worry he will get hung up in the blinds. Many plants and flowers are lethal to cats or can at least make them ill. These things don’t come into the house. I worry about cords, bags, harmful foods, ribbons he might eat, things that might fall, etc.

I have kept the Christmas stuff behind closed doors because of all the bags and handles and other dangerous items. Turning my back for a minute was a near disaster.

He spent the remainder of the evening under the piano bench, smarting from his scare.

Not unlike human children, our pets need care and protection from threats. It takes just a minute to get hurt or to scare themselves half to death. It will take a long time for him to get over his worries and I’ll remember it too.

The View From Down Here

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We exited Grand Central Station and started down the street when I turned and looked back. I have a habit of turning to look behind me for a variety of reasons.

One is a bit of paranoia, simply wanting to know what’s happening around me. It’s also a hiking habit. It’s always good to know what the trail looks like from the other direction in case you need to turn back. This habit also comes in handy when exploring new places because the coolest view is often behind you.

This was the view when I turned around at that moment – the building on the left is Grand Central. The tall one is the glorious Art Deco wonder called the Chrysler Building. Completed in 1930, it was briefly the tallest building in the world at 1,046 feet.

This early skyscraper is easy to pick out in the New York skyline. I have never been inside but hope to visit their new observation deck someday. It’s under construction but I’m hopeful for the future.

Have you been inside? Tell me what it’s like!

Grand Central Terminal

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Grand Central Station is one of those New York landmarks that everyone should experience at least once.

Built between 1903 and 1913, it’s a National Historic Landmark located in midtown Manhattan. We have Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to thank for that landmark status as she was influential in the declaration and in saving this incredible building from the wrecking ball in the seventies.

You’ve likely seen it featured on tv shows and movies.

Grand Central covers 48 acres with platforms that serve 43 tracks for passenger train service. There are also a variety of stores, restaurants and event spaces.

Step inside the main concourse and you’ll find a sea of humanity zig zagging every which way. In fact, a staggering 250,000 people commute through this station every single day.

There’s an iconic information booth in the center with a four sided brass clock that I completely forgot to photograph up close.

This space is cavernous and seems even more so when you look up at the fabulous ceiling which features a highly stylized star map.

The experience was even more special this time because it was all decked out for the holiday!

It’s a sight to behold even if you just want to step inside for a minute and look around. We were there to visit Summit One, an observation tower attached to Grand Central. We also had a quick breakfast here and shopped a pop up Christmas market. Stay tuned for more on our trip through Summit.

Here’s one more picture – one of many soldiers we saw.

It was a gentle reminder that not everyone makes it home for the holidays and to be grateful for those who serve our nation.

Take What You Need

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Take what you need. Leave some for others.

Isn’t this a wonderful life philosophy?

I snapped this photo as we scurried to the car after our meal at Broadway Joe’s. It made me think of how some people only take while others tend to give more than they should. Wouldn’t it be nice if we all learned to coexist in this world and to give what we can and only take what we need?

The world would be a better place.

Happy Thursday, friends.

Broadway Joe’s Pizza

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Our NYC Christmas weekend began with a late dinner at Broadway Joe’s Pizza in the Bronx. My friend’s son is a student at Manhattan College so we met him there for some tasty, fast and cheap food.

The sign says they’ve been around since 1969. In addition to being an affordable hangout for nearby college students, there seemed to be a robust line of takeout and delivery orders moving through the door.

Like a lot of New York businesses, it’s a long narrow space packed with booths and not much else. It glows from the inside out and opening the front door releases a divine aroma into the street.

We opted for pastas and mine was delicious. It was manicotti and garlic bread for me and was well worth the gluten that I’m not supposed to be having. No regrets.

The fellow running the place was friendly. The bathroom was clean enough. In fact, the mere existence of a public restroom at all was a rarity given that most establishments seem to not have restrooms in the Big Apple.

I would absolutely go back but will sample the pizza next time!