November 2007 Issue
Eye on America
Norman Rockwell’s keen eye and steadfast artistry never failed to capture the unforgettable facets of 20th-century America. Most are feel-good images guaranteed to bring a smile –– from “The Discovery,” in which a youngster stumbles upon Santa’s suit in a dresser drawer, to “Going and Coming,” a family’s before-and-after, bright-to-bleary vacation experience. But Rockwell’s palette does include more than meets the eye. It’s also been a ca... Homeward Bound
On a cool, clear summer evening at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, an up-and-coming musician on a side stage sings and pounds passionately on his keyboard, entertaining passersby as they excitedly wend their way to the main stage to see John Mayer — singer-songwriter, guitarist and heartthrob — in concert. Few pay much notice to Gran Bel Fisher (born Jesse Littleton) from Sabina Ohio, a ruggedly handsome 25-year-old with long brown hair and a powerful voice, whose sound has been comp... Revolver, Findlay
Findlay, a town of about 40,000 some 50 miles south of Toledo, is nicknamed Flag City, U.S.A., a tag reflecting the all-American qualities that artists like John Mellencamp like to croon about. Still, under its stars-and-bars suit, we’ve always sensed a hip sophistication to this city that made us think the coffeehouse crowd would like it here, too. Which is why, while scrolling through the online edition of the Wall Street Journal last June, an article by famed food writer Raymond Sokolov a... |
Souped Up
Five years ago, when Matthew Moore decided to open a soup house in Ohio City, across from Cleveland’s West Side Market, he had some reservations. Would Clevelanders really go for a storefront stand that sold gourmet soup, and not much else? Would customers flock to that restaurant, come snow or sun, and wait in long lines just to get a taste of the week’s specials, like in the “Seinfeld” classic “Soup Nazi” episode? Sensing a niche in Cleveland — known more for ... |
Ohio's Best Hometowns 2008
These five communities exemplify the quality-of-life attributes that Ohio Magazine's editors researched in the Best Hometowns selection process: education, health and safety, heritage, arts and culture and business. Plus, each has an extra quality, an intangible that the editors discovered in preparing the profiles on the following pages. Each of this year's Best Hometowns has a unique personality that reflects its history, geography, and most importantly, the people who call it home. Each articl... Ohio's Best Hometowns 2008 - Bowling Green
Student legend has it that if you stand on the Bowling Green State University seal on campus at midnight and kiss your sweetheart, you will soon be married. Superstition? Maybe so, but the town of Bowling Green has more than a few couples who met at the university, married after graduating and settled in this northwestern Ohio town to raise their families. The decision was simple for Wendy Stram. “One of the reasons my husband and I settled in Bowling Green after having gone to the university here... Ohio's Best Hometowns 2008 - Chillicothe
During the nation’s midterm elections one year ago, the popular Comedy Central series “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” journeyed from its headquarters in New York City to the Buckeye State for its “Midwest Midterm Midtacular.” Tellingly, one of the first towns its “correspondents” visited was Chillicothe. “I’m here in the real Ohio, Jon — Chillicothe,” cooed comedian-correspondent Rob Riggle. All joking aside, “The Daily Sho... Ohio's Best Hometowns 2008 - Delaware
How do you measure the character of an eclectic hometown? In a place as unique as Delaware, try gauging it in decibels. You could start with the trill of the soprano that Winter Street Inn Bed & Breakfast owner Rodger Collom wakes up to some mornings –– the sound of a music major warming up across the street at Sanborn Hall on the campus of Ohio Wesleyan University, one of the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges. Or, you could study the rhythmic ping-ping-ping that echoes from Delaw... Ohio's Best Hometowns 2008 - Independence
“The heart of it all.” For Independence, that catchphrase couldn’t be more correct, since this northeast Ohio city is literally the geographic center of Cuyahoga County. Located 8 miles south of downtown Cleveland, it’s also a destination for more than 30,000 daily commuters who head to and from 1,400 companies headquartered in the city’s business district. But the sentiment is more than a slogan on the white clapboard signage marking the city limits. It’s a promise m... Ohio's Best Hometowns 2008 - Miamisburg
“You give us a lemon, we’re going to make lemonade.” Mayor Dick Church, Jr., knows the resilience of Miamisburg residents. At first glance, this community, located just south of Dayton on the banks of the Miami River, has the tranquil appearance of most river towns. And while its residents possess many small-town-America qualities — like waving to strangers and slowing down for pedestrians — their spirit, goals and development rival those of any big city. Church has lived i... Strictly Business
Travel, leisure, time for whatever comes along. These perks of retirement are the ultimate rewards for a life of hard work. But leaving the 9-to-5 grind behind doesn’t have to mean losing sight of skills acquired and honed on the job. Meet four Ohio business professionals who are technically retired but have never officially stopped working. Instead, they’ve opted to use their expertise to help others advance up the career ladder. They all volunteer for SCORE: Counselors to America’s S... |
Eye on America
Norman Rockwell's "Triple Self Portrait" Norman Rockwell's "Art Critic" Norman Rockwell's "The Problem We All Live With" Norman Rockwell's "The Discovery" Norman Rockwell's "Going and Coming" Norman Rockwell’s keen eye and steadfast artistry never failed to capture the unforgettable facets of 20th-century America. Most are feel-good images guaranteed to bring a smile –– from “The Discovery,†in which a youngster stumbles upon Santa’s suit in a dresser drawer, to “Going and Coming,†a fam... Made-to-Order Getaway
The original reason to head to Greenville was obvious: KitchenAid was calling. Where else but at that city’s KitchenAid Experience Center, a popular southwest Ohio spot known for its cooking classes and demonstrations, could I receive a much-needed intervention? It’s been three years since my husband and I said our “I dos,” and yet the gleaming cookware we received as wedding gifts remains virtually untouched in our home near Cleveland. I crank out countless variations on the sam... Making Tracks
New York City was my destination, and Amtrak was the mode of transportation. Flight reservations on such short notice, I had decided, were just too costly. But the first leg of the journey required that I find my way, by 7 a.m., to the Amtrak station in downtown Cleveland. Easier said than done. As has been pointed out by Charlie Chan and other fictional sleuths, the best place to hide something is the most obvious place. Amtrak has done just that in Cleveland, wedging its downtown station in the shadow... Souped Up
Five years ago, when Matthew Moore decided to open a soup house in Ohio City, across from Cleveland’s West Side Market, he had some reservations. Would Clevelanders really go for a storefront stand that sold gourmet soup, and not much else? Would customers flock to that restaurant, come snow or sun, and wait in long lines just to get a taste of the week’s specials, like in the “Seinfeld” classic “Soup Nazi” episode? Sensing a niche in Cleveland — known more for ... |
Bringing Home a Winner
There aren’t many places that can boast about being the permanent home of a Heisman Trophy. But thanks to Dick Kazmaier, Maumee High School can do just that. Kazmaier won the Heisman, awarded annually to the outstanding college football player in the country, in 1951 while playing for Princeton. He donated it to his high school alma mater this fall. “It’s a fitting place for the trophy,” Kazmaier says. “I think it’s a great place for it to be.” Dick Kazmaier don... Douglas Blue Feather
AGE: 55 HOMETOWN: Springboro. He was born in Akron and grew up in Findlay. PERSONAL: Married to Debra, with one daughter, Jennifer, and three grandchildren. OCCUPATION: He’s a recording artist, performer and songwriter, translating his Cherokee heritage and love of music into a career as a flutist. He performs about 200 times a year, often at Native American events and historical sites. HIS WORK ON CD: He’s released seven discs, most recently the 13-song “Spi... Hometown Visit
Will someone please call John Adams? No, not presidents two and six. Both John and John Q. were New Englanders. Here in Ohio, we have plenty of presidents of our own. The John Adams we need is the dedicated Cleveland Indians fan who has pounded out a drumbeat in the bleachers — old stadium and new — for the past 34 years. We need him to give us a drum roll that can be heard around the state as we announce the winners of our 2008 “Best Hometowns” award. In alphabetical order and r... Sense of Place
Ephesus, the Mediterranean hometown of the philosopher Heraclites, is a crumbling ruin today. This is worth pointing out because it was Heraclites who famously said, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man.” His meaning, our college professors told us, is that there is no permanent reality. Everything changes. Heraclites wouldn’t be surprised then, to come back to life and find Ephesus abandoned, but for the tourists poking ab... |
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