After the Work, Fun

My cousin Rich has a condo in Chillicothe, about 30 miles from Deer Creek State Park. He flew in to Columbus on Saturday for an extended stay there. I picked him up at the airport and brought him to the trailer. My sister Joan drove in from Youngstown, NY. She got there within 15 minutes of Rich and me. We all had a great dinner that Bud made and then Joan drove Rich to Chillicothe where she is staying until Tuesday. Of course I forgot to take pictures.

But here we all are on Sunday. Rich’s partner, Ken, took this. He made sure to include the Ohio State Flag, which is the only state flag that is pennant shaped.

Here we are without the flag.

This was an uninvited guest at the condo. Bud and I thought it might be a baby snapping turtle. It was tiny; look at it compared to the wilted dandelion. Bud took it over near a large pond on the property, away from the parking lot where it seemed to be heading.

Then we all headed out for a walking tour of downtown Chillicothe. We started at this intersection, which is where the city started. Ken filled us in and he should know. European Americans first settled Chillicothe in 1796 and Ken’s family came in 1799. His great-great-great(?)grandfather was a revolutionary war soldier from Virginia who accepted 50 acres of land in Ohio for his service. After the land surveyor took his 50%, Ken’s fore-bearer had 25 acres to support his family. He was a widower with many children.

The city escaped urban renewal in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s and thus has a beautiful downtown.

This is the courthouse.

In front of it is the great seal of Ohio. Ken is pointing out that it includes the hills behind Chillicothe, as this was the first (and third) state capital.

There’s the seal, but now Ken has disappeared.

Here’s another great old building.

This corner building was purchased and renovated by the local health system, Adena Health System. Ken says they did a great job and about the only thing not like the original is the asphalt roof, instead of slate.

City hall used to have another story with a Mansard roof, but it was taken off in the fifties. At least the rest of the building remains.

This was one of my favorites. It’s called the Foulke Block, and it does stretch the whole block.

After our too brief visit, Bud, Matey and I headed back to Deer Creek.

Joan and Matey said their goodbyes.

What a fun day! Hope to see them next year as we’ll most likely be back in the area in April for Adler’s band competition.