Gallipolis In Lights

Posted on December 16, 2021 by brandib1977

Gallipolis, Ohio knows how to celebrate Christmas. Volunteers unite each fall to decorate the city park in their historic downtown, creating a picture perfect place to celebrate the holidays.

This year, it is bigger and better than ever. I picked up my parents last night and we ventured down to see for ourselves just how much it has grown.

You can park and walk through or just drive around the square. Santa visits with the kiddies at his house some nights and local churches are there on peak days with hot chocolate and live nativities. We missed these things, purposefully going on an off peak night when it would be less crowded.

It was still busy and festive and I thoroughly enjoyed my stroll through. If I lived in town I would be there every night absorbing the joyful music and warmth of the lights.

Gallipolis in Lights is open dusk to dawn through January 2. Catch it while you can!

Also, stop by the Make the Journey Fun Facebook page to see a video of my favorite spot at this event!

Gallipolis In Lights

Posted on December 16, 2020 by brandib1977

I snuck away last night and went for a drive to see Christmas lights.

It was a completely unscripted trip but I have been struggling to show any interest in the holidays and thought it would be good for me.

There’s a big walk through light display in the Gallipolis City Park that seemed like a good place to find my Christmas spirit. It’s significantly smaller than normal this year thanks to Covid – but it’s still quite nice especially since it’s free and so is the parking.

I arrived at dark and there were only a handful of people present. They do require social distancing and masks and the place is so large it was easy to steer clear of the few other people who arrived during my visit.

While driving around, I noticed a lot more houses than normal are decorated this year. I’m guessing people had more free time than normal and a desire to brighten the season.

This is another instance where it felt incredibly normal to simply sip hot chocolate and admire the pretty lights.

It seems I’m easy to please and I’m ok with that. The only way I could have been happier is if it were snowing but it was freezing cold and I got to wear my festive red cloche hat so that was nice.

Here’s one more picture to brighten your day.

Happy Wednesday, friends.

G.C. Murphy

Posted on June 8, 2020 by brandib1977

Do you remember G.C. Murphy? The five and dime chain was founded in Pittsburgh in 1906 and acquired by the Ames department store chain in the mid eighties.

The stores typically had a popular lunch counter and are sometimes confused with Woolworth stores. They met their demise in 2002.

Downtown Gallipolis has some interesting features including this old GC Murphy storefront which faces the city park. It’s an antique/craft mall now.

There are a handful of antique stores in Gallipolis and Point Pleasant, West Virginia just across the Ohio River. The city park is a nice place to picnic and there are some good restaurants there too. Go during the holidays for a beautiful display of Christmas lights.

G.C. Murphy

Posted on August 13, 2019 by brandib1977

It’s an antique mall now but they kept the GC Murphy letters on the storefront. This store is in Gallipolis, across from the city park in downtown, and I always try to stop by when in town. GC Murphy was a staple of my childhood and sometimes I really miss stores like this and Woolworth’s.

The antique mall is nice although they also have a number of craft items too. These things undoubtedly appeal to many, if not to me. Stop in the next time you’re in Gallipolis and remember there are other stores in Gallipolis and nearby Point Pleasant, West Virginia!

Gallipolis In Lights

Posted on December 19, 2018 by brandib1977

Our friends down in Gallipolis have put together a stunning Christmas display at the city park again this year. If you’re looking for someplace close to home to get you into the holiday spirit, this would be a great option. I visited Sunday night and it was a sight to behold despite the drizzling rain and cold. Local churches take turns offering a live nativity and free refreshments. Businesses and organizations decorated scores of trees that line the sidewalks. Santa’s house is there and they have some of the lights timed to music. You can drive all the way around the park’s perimeter but you’ll be missing out if you don’t park and walk around. Here are some vaguely blurry phone pictures to illustrate.

While you’re in town, there are a few really good restaurants and some nice antique malls including one across the street from the park. There’s also a box in the park where you can donate to help with this event.