Area History

Editor’s Note This story was originally published by the Ohio History Connection on Feb. 10, 2023. It is being republished here as part of a collaborative agreement. One day in 1813, in South Carolina, there was a disagreement between a slave owner and the local Church Congregation over his enslaved population. The owner decided to free […]

FREDERICKTOWN — You’ve got to hand it to independent entrepreneurs. This vintage postcard image of downtown Fredericktown around 1908 features the signs of a number of the town’s thriving businesses. This was before the age of bland corporate uniformity, and I love it. Most appealing is perhaps Hosack’s store that sells both hardware and drugs. […]

Editor’s Note This story was originally published on Richland Source in 2016. Throughout Mansfield’s long history there have been a great many artists whose works have focused on the city in one way or another. Those individuals include painters, novelists, playwrights, composers, poets and filmmakers. This chapter presents a virtual exhibition of watercolors painted in […]

Editor’s Note This story was originally published by the Ohio History Connection on Feb. 10, 2023. It is being republished here as part of a collaborative agreement. Those who are familiar with LeVeque tower may recognize it for its colorful light displays, denoting current holidays or awareness months. Located at 50 West Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio, […]

After a dry May with very little lively weather, June has arrived across the region with some much-needed rain. It kicked up another notch or three Thursday evening, when fierce storms rolled through north central Ohio, with a vigorous branch that swept through the eastern part of Knox County. These storms reminded me of a […]

Editor’s Note This story was originally published on Richland Source in 2016. When people are new to this area they ask me various questions about our past. There is a fairly predictable sequence to these questions according to how long they’ve been here and what they have heard. Sooner or later everyone gets wind of […]

I’ve been buried in the books lately. (Yeah, as if I ever step out of the books for long!) The recent large project, which I’ve just put to bed, is my second book for The History Press. The book, The Witch of Mansfield: The Tetched Life of Phebe Wise will be coming out in September. […]

Editor’s Note This story was originally published by the Ohio History Connection on Feb. 10, 2023. It is being republished here as part of a collaborative agreement. Ohio is well known as the home of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, located in Cleveland. Buckeye State-born recording artists such as Bobby Womack, the Isley Brothers, […]

As the official seat of Richland County government and administrative business, Mansfield has always had a building in the center of town for hearings, trials, and filing cabinets. The concept of local government as an immediate reflection and representation of national government is the fundamental essence of American democracy. As such, the idea of a […]