By 1812Blockhouse
This is the second in a quiz series on all things local. Our first quiz last August looked at Richland County geography.
That quiz can be accessed here.
Today we are looking at an icon of early local history, John Chapman, also known as Johnny Appleseed, through a set of ten questions. We will be sharing the answers tomorrow here on 1812Blockhouse.
More…Johnny Appleseed, Johnny Appleseed Historic Byway, Richland County History
Special to 1812Blockhouse
This year we’re continuing our weekly look at unique events and attractions that are within an easy driving distance of Richland County. We call these “Summer Road Trips.” Of course, we regularly feature the many extraordinary places to visit right here in Richland County and encourage our readers to get out and experience what is on offer in our own backyard.
Today’s Summer Road Trip will take you just a few miles east on US30 to the nearby county seat of Wooster.
For 56 years, the Mennonite, Brethren, Apostolic and Amish churches of northeastern Ohio have come together to put together a festive event to raise funds for the work of Mennonite Central Committee. After a Covid-limited auction in 2020, the 2021 Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale will return in-person on August 6 & 7. The event will take place in the new air-conditioned Event Center at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Wooster.
More…
By 1812Blockhouse
It would come as no surprise that a good number of previous Landmarks of Mansfield posts are located in downtown Mansfield, an area that has been a social, economic, and civic hub for well over 200 years.
While the central part of the city has seen tremendous change, and while important pieces of local and state history have been lost over the years, a good deal of historic fabric remains. As such, it can rightfully considered a landmark in its own right.
This was the conclusion of the National Park Service, which designed a section of downtown as a National Register Historic District back in 2019.
More…
NOTE: This post in our “When Mansfield Welcomed” series has been updated with recently-discovered information.
By 1812Blockhouse
It was a brilliant Saturday in July, 1896 when Buffalo Bill came to town. Not just Buffalo Bill, mind you – his famous “Wild West Show” was in tow and put on two performances in a lot on East Fourth Street. This was not his first visit to Mansfield, nor would it be his last.
Buffalo Bill, born William Frederick Cody in 1846, grew up on the frontier and loved every aspect of that way of life. As he grew older, some of the titles he earned, or at least ascribed to himself, including buffalo hunter, U.S. Army scout and guide, and showman, as well as Pony Express Rider, Indian fighter, and even author. Whatever Cody’s titles, he was destined for fame. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
A national podcast that focuses in on “true crime” stories has recently set it sights on Mansfield.
The “Coffee, Mystery, & Murder” podcast discusses murder, mystery and the supernatural, according to host Melissa Lancaster. The podcast’s website is here, which has links to several social media pages.
The July 18 edition looks at the history of the Ohio State Reformatory. Listen and enjoy:
From Destination Mansfield – Richland County
By Katharine Stevens
These people and ideas that emerged from Mansfield have gone on to change the world.
TOUCHDOWN – In the early 1900s, Charles Follis — nicknamed “The Black Cyclone” — propelled civil rights movements and his teams forward as the first Black professional football player in America. He played for the Shelby Blues alongside teammate Branch Rickey, who signed Jackie Robinson 40 years later. Honor his memory with a visit to Charles Follis Way in Shelby near the Black Fork Commons.
NEED FOR SPEED – The entrepreneur behind Rupp Industries, Mickey Rupp engineered the go-karts and minibikes that inspired a generation of thrill seekers. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
Today, we broaden the scope of our Landmarks of Mansfield series by focusing on a landmark that never was.
At least not how it was originally planned.
We take our readers back 113 years, and to the southwest corner of West Fourth and Walnut Street. There, in 1908, owner William Shakespeare Cappeller, founder and owner of The Mansfield News, made plans for something special to take place. More…
Featured, Landmarks, Landmarks of Mansfield, Mansfield History
All About Richland, History & Tourism
By 1812Blockhouse
Indeed.com has defined branding in marketing as “…the process where a business makes itself known to the public and differentiates itself from competitors.”
In other words, it is communicating what makes a product, or business, or even a place unique that also allows it to stand out and to attract attention and, in the case of locations, generate visitors, investment, and community pride.
Mansfield is setting out to rebrand itself for the 21st century. A process has been created with participation of multiple partners to help define a new image for the community that can be used in a variety of ways. More…
By: 1812Blockhouse
He was considered by many to be the greatest English actor of the nineteenth century. Yet underneath the veneer of accomplishment was someone who, it is said, never actually liked performing on the stage.
And on Thursday, March 30, 1916, he visited the city of Mansfield for the only time in his career. His performance that night was one in a series of highly significant moments in the worldwide history of theatre. More…
By Wendy Pramik with Destination Mansfield – Richland County
Richland County’s small-town feel is perfect for families, offering kid-friendly attractions in a combination of urban and rural settings.
Take a spin on a hand-carved, hand-painted wooden carrousel at the Richland Carrousel Park in downtown Mansfield. The indoor carrousel boasts 52 colorful, hand-carved animal figures and a gift shop full of fun souvenirs.
Little Buckeye Children’s Museum, which will expand into the Imagination District in 2022, promotes learning through play in interactive models of doctor’s offices, restaurants, classrooms and more. More…
Destination Mansfield - Richland County, Family Fun, Featured
By 1812Blockhouse
This year we’re continuing our weekly look at unique events and attractions that are within an easy driving distance of Richland County. We call these “Summer Road Trips.” Of course, we regularly feature the many extraordinary places to visit right here in Richland County and encourage our readers to get out and experience what is on offer in our own backyard.
This week’s adventure is right down I71 from Richland County.
The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) will host premier exhibition The Animation Academy this summer. The exhibition is open to the public through September 6. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
This story is a favorite of ours, and one which have previously published on Independence Day weekend.
A century and a half ago, local media writers were bemoaning the lack of activities scheduled in Mansfield to celebrate Independence Day, with one exception: a “Base Ball” game between the “fats” and the “lanks.”
This is from the weekly Mansfield Herald’s edition on July 3, 1867:
“The Fourth of July tomorrow will not be celebrated in any formal manner in Mansfield. We are sorry to say it, for many other places of less pretensions than our city, have made arrangement for a good old fashioned time. Ashland, Bucyrus, Bellfontaine and other towns have announcements out of what they intend to do, and many of our citizens will not doubt visit one of the other of these places… More…
By Jamie Rhein, Destination Mansfield – Richland County:
In 1926, industrial giant Charles Kelley King began construction on his 47-acre gentleman’s pastoral estate complete with lush gardens. King later bequeathed his beloved home to the public to enjoy. Today, Kingwood Center Gardens is a botanical garden and horticulture showcase.
A stroll along walkways winding through terraced landscapes and flower beds will rejuvenate your soul. Blooms range from pastel shades to neon hues. From seasonal tulip displays to the historic Formal Garden, there’s a horticulture lesson at every turn — plant markers depict common and scientific names.
Don’t miss the new Storybook Trail, where color pages of a picture book lead you through the woods on a literary adventure. Other paths lead to bubbling fountains, benches in hidden nooks and outdoor art. Feed the ducks in the pond and keep your eye out for the majestic peacocks that roam the park. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
It may not be the most exciting federal highway in the country, but it does have an important local connection to Richland County.
We’re talking about US 42, the 350 mile highway that stretches from northeast to southwest across Ohio, and which they scurries westward along the Ohio River through Kentucky. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
Thursday through Saturday brings the 158th anniversary of one of our country’s most important battles.
During three hot summer days in 1863, tens of thousands of men — including many from Richland County — met to do battle on the verdant farm fields of Adams County, Pennsylvania.
One of those soliders, a major in the Army of the Potomac, has a permanent resting place in Plymouth’s Greenlawn Cemetery. Although only one of the players in what unfolded, his role was nevertheless a singular one, and the story of his place in the history of the Battle of Gettysburg continues to unfold. More…
