A snowbound weekend is a good opportunity to retell one of the classic stories of Knox County history: the infamous brawl at the Bluebird Club, which resulted in the rise of one of the world’s most beloved actors, Paul Newman. While newspaper reports of the time give only the basics of what happened, there was […]
Area History
Posted inLife and Culture
Black History Celebration draws large crowd to Mansfield Richland County Public Library
MANSFIELD — It was hard to find a seat at the Mansfield Richland County Public Library on Saturday. The place was simply bustling with activity. In one corner Jesus Jewels dancers were performing. In another one could learn work through a puzzle or test trivia knowledge, maybe even pick up information on health concerns, all […]
Posted inArea History
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited Mansfield twice
MANSFIELD — Gary Feagin still lights up when talking about the first time he heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak. It was Sept. 23, 1962. The congregants of Mansfield’s Mount Hermon Baptist Church gathered in their brand new building at 292 Charles St. The pastor, Rev. Joel King, had invited his famous nephew from Alabama […]
Posted inCommunity Development
Bissman building, warehouse sell for combined $346k
MANSFIELD — Two historic buildings in downtown Mansfield will soon be under new ownership. The historic Bissman building and its adjoining warehouse sold for a combined $346,100 during an online auction Saturday. Auctioneer Shad Remaley confirmed the two lots were purchased by the same bidder, but declined to name the buyer. The iconic four-story building, located […]
Posted inArea History
Pretty Boy Floyd & Christmas in Mansfield 1930
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was originally published on Richland Source as a history column in 2016. Back in the 1980s an older woman in Mansfield was interviewed to learn more about the 1930s, when she operated an Auto Park of tourist cabins on State Route 430 east of town. She noted, almost casually, that she had […]
Posted inNews
Johnny Appleseed barn mural celebrates region’s history, America’s 250th birthday
PERRYSVILLE — A new barn mural of Johnny Appleseed commemorates his impact in Ohio and America as part of the America 250-Ohio Commission’s goal to spotlight the state’s contributions to American history. Former Gov. Ted Strickland, representatives from the America 250-Ohio Commission, a curator from the Cleo Redd Fisher Museum and others spoke at the […]
Posted inArea History
Civil War photography topic of Oct. 20 lecture at Cleo Redd Fisher Museum
LOUDONVILLE — The Cleo Redd Fisher Museum will host a free public lecture exploring how photography forever changed the way Americans viewed war. Titled “Photography During the Civil War,” the program will be presented by historian Mark Holbrook on Monday, Oct. 20 in the museum’s Lecture Hall. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the program […]
Posted inArea History
A Legacy Lives: 1800s Bible donated to Danville United Methodist Church
DANVILLE – In the early 1900s, there was a Methodist presence of three churches, one in Danville, Jelloway and Brinkhaven. Today, there is only one church from the original three open to the congregation, the church in Danville. However, a previous owner of the Brinkhaven church found a piece of that original legacy in the […]
Posted inArea History
Knox County historian to discuss Ohio’s airship disaster, Shenandoah, on Aug. 6
MOUNT VERNON — Knox County historian and noted author Aaron Keirns describes the historic airship event this way: “On a stormy September morning in 1925, the giant Navy airship, Shenandoah, tumbled out of the sky and crashed into aviation history.” Keirns will share his illustrated story of the Shenandoah crash near Caldwell, Ohio, for the Aug. 6 meeting […]
Posted inArea History
Mansfield brothers illuminate a forgotten African hero
MANSFIELD — The story of Ezike Ihemegwe is a family tale born in Nigeria with a Mansfield angle. Doctor Chinedu (Peter) Ezike, a healthcare practitioner at OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, and his brother, Doctor Uchenna Ezike, founder of the MidOhio Infectious Disease Clinic, are authors of a book that tells of the life of their great-grandfather, […]