Special to 1812Blockhouse
The Ohio State University at Mansfield will soon boast its first organic chemistry teaching and learning laboratory. The lab and associated support spaces will enable expanded course offerings and the ability to complete additional four-year bachelor’s degrees entirely on the Mansfield campus.
The multi-year, multi-phase project began in the summer of 2018. Phase one focused on the existing structures in the 40-year-old Conard Hall. Construction included upgrades to heating, ventilation and air conditioning, as well as updated code compliant services to two current chemistry and microbiology labs utilized by approximately 1,000 Ohio State Mansfield and North Central State College students annually. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
“When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight, nor for present use alone; let it be such work as our descendants will thank us for, and let us think, as we lay stone on stone, that a time is to come when those stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them, and that men will say as they look upon the labor and wrought substance of them, See! this our fathers did for us.” John Ruskin, art critic (1819-1900)
What the Board of Kingwood Center Gardens, backed by tremendous community support and countless volunteer hours, has done over the last two to three years is something that truly stands apart. As Ruskin’s quote suggests, the Garden Gateway Project, which opens this week, is designed and built in a way that captures the visitation of an industrialist benefactor; celebrates the beauty of flowers and landscaping; and which pays meticulous attention in even the smallest design elements.
So what Mansfield is actually receiving is something that does not come along that often — an instant community treasure and civic landmark.
By 1812Blockhouse
When updated numbers were released by the State of Ohio on Thursday, it was revealed that Ohio schools have experienced the largest weekly increase in cases of COVID-19 to date.
The state has 869 new cases, which in turn means that there have been 2,739 cases during the 2020-2021 school year.
The report reflects both new and also cumulative cases reported to schools by parents/guardians and staff. Schools are then required to report those cases to their assigned local health department which, in turns, reports the same to the Ohio Department of Health. More…
In Richland County, you don’t have to go far to get away from city life. If you follow Route 13 North out of the city of Mansfield, you’ll quickly leave behind the trappings of urban and suburban living. With the city in your rearview mirror, the beautiful tapestry of fields, farmland, and rolling hills of Shiloh unfolds before you. Ahead is a region of bounty and slow country living. You’ll see horses and buggies, clothes hanging out on the line, and farm stands filled with the pick of the day. More…
Destination, Destination Mansfield - Richland County, Featured, Shiloh
Little Buckeye Children’s Museum and Destination Mansfield – Richland County win Ohio awards
The Ohio Travel Association (OTA) produces the RUBY Awards for one reason and one reason only – to provide their members with the opportunity to showcase their value to their communities. In 2020, the OTA awards team threw out the drawing board, reshaped the awards program to fit the times and demonstrate the importance and impact of Ohio’s travel industry during this time. And two local entries won awards: Little Buckeye Children’s Museum and Destination Mansfield-Richland County.
“Excellent resides in Richland County,” says Lee Tasseff, Destination Mansfield –Richland County President. “And every day that excellence is leveraged into positive attention, an influx of money to the area, and for its residents, a better quality of life.” More…
Awards and Honors, Destination Mansfield - Richland County, Featured, Little Buckeye Childrens Museum
By 1812Blockhouse
2017 marked the 50th anniversary of the tragic death of an American actress, a lady with a very familiar last name and who paid at least one visit to Mansfield and Richland County.
It was on the night of June 28/29, 1967 that Jayne Mansfield and her attorney were killed on a car trip from Biloxi, Mississippi to New Orleans, Louisiana. More…
History & Tourism, Landmarks of Richland
By 1812Blockhouse
The exuberant Queen Anne style house at 350 Park Avenue West in Mansfield holds a bit of a surprising anecdote. More about that and the end of this post.
It was built by Winfield S. Ward, a man who made a good living as a manufacturer of “elastic web,” that being the elastic material comprised of woven textile or rubber fibers and primarily used for garters and suspenders.
Winfield Ward was born in Pennsylvania, educated in Trenton, New Jersey, and came to Mansfield about 1889. At the time, he was a real estate agent, and the The Weekly News of April 28, 1892 profield him as one of “Mansfield’s wide aware real estate agents.” More…
By Janine Robinson
In the future, the safety of the water that some Ohioans drink or swim in may depend – at least in part – on some unusual objects floating on the Milliron Research Wetlands at The Ohio State University at Mansfield.
The quiet setting behind Riedl Hall is where graduate student Zhaozhe Chen conducts the key research he needs as he works to add a master’s degree in earth science to his master’s in biochemistry.
As Chen has learned, fundamental elements of research include the ability to be flexible and to expect unexpected things; and sometimes the unexpected happens before you even get started. More…
From our great friends at Destination Mansfield – Richland County:
Cool temperatures and the crunch of leaves underfoot. Pumpkins and apples baked into pies. Hayrides, corn mazes, and warm cider. When we just talk about fall, you can smell it, can’t you?
We love our fall traditions here in Richland County because they remind us to slow down during the busyness of the back-to-school season. We all have memories of fall, and each year the season invites us to make new ones with family activities, delicious treats, and Halloween thrills.
More…
By 1812Blockhouse
As might be expected, 1495 West Longview Avenue in Mansfield is a busy place these days.
The home of the Richland County Board of Elections is also the location for those wishing to vote in person, but before Election Day, to cast their ballots.
Over the last two days — Tuesday was the first date for such voting in Ohio — the Board of Elections has been monitoring the traffic level of voting Richland Countians. What they have found is that the volume of voters is up dramatically over previous election cycles. More…
Elections and Voting, Featured, Richland County Board of Elections
By 1812Blockhouse
At Tuesday’s Governor DeWine’s COVID-19 Update, the question was posed as to what actions would be taken, if any, by state officials should Richland County’s Public Health Advisory Level reach the highest, or “Purple” Level this week.
Carl Hunnell, City Editor for Richland Source, asked DeWine about possible local ramifications in light of the fact that no Ohio county has been moved to that highest level.
As we shared last week (see below), the county was moved to the “Red” Level last Thursday with additional placement on a “Watch List” because of the levels recorded for each indicator. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
One of the many outstanding houses built along Park Avenue West was constructed for a family associated with, of all things, cigars.
Cigar manufacturing and wholesaling was big business in turn of the last century Mansfield. Large companies such as the American Cigar Company occupied large business blocks downtown. Over 1,000 Mansfielders were employed in these concerns which produced over 200,000 cigars a day!
The arrival of mass produced cigarettes after World War brought a downturn, however, and by the 1930s few such businesses were in operation. One of the giants during of the heyday of cigar manufacture was the Rigby Cigar Company, headed by James Arthur Rigby (known primarily as J.A. Rigby). Rigby brands included the well-known “Dolly Dollar” five cent cigar. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
There were times on Sunday afternoon when 1812Blockhouse visited the American Heritage Days at South Park, hosted by the Richland Early American Center for History (REACH), when it seemed as if we had taken a quick 200 year-plus journey to the past.
From some angles, all one could see were period buildings and reeanctors going about the site.
There was an occasional tiny modern intrusion. As we took the photo of one reenactor, he suggested that we take another shot as he had his cell phone in front of him — something we confess that we hadn’t even noticed! More…
From our friends at Destination Mansfield – Richland County:
Fall is here and more and more events are being added to our calendar. This October, you have a chance to see your choice of live performance indoors and on stage, create art in a new stained glass studio, get your heart racing with blood-chilling scares, and shop till you drop while supporting local artisans, artists, crafters, small businesses, and more!
Live arts are finally back on stage! At the Renaissance Theatre, watch the stage musical Cabaret (Oct 2-4, 9-11), or the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra Mash-Up (Oct 17). The films Hocus Pocus (Oct 24), and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Oct 31) will also be shown on the main stage. If you’re not ready to head indoors for entertainment yet, all events will also be screened simultaneously outside in the Ren Backlot. Now you can choose between watching inside or from the comfort of your vehicle or camp chairs in the parking lot. At the Mansfield Playhouse, catch a performance of the stage play, The Savannah Sipping Society (Oct 23, 24, 30, 31 & Nov 1, 2). More…
Destination Mansfield - Richland County, Fall, Family Events, Featured
By ODOT District Three, 1812Blockhouse
While road projects are winding down for the year, some are continuing into late fall. ODOT District Three has released its weekly report highlighting road construction projects which are beginning or underway in the multi-county area it serves.
What follows are posted projects taking place within Ashland, Crawford, and Richland Counties. Please stay safe and pay attention to these closures and work taking place during the week beginning on October 4. More…
