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Old Olentangy Park picture
What a terrific picture of Olentangy park, courtesy of Peg Steigerwald. She would like to know what the ride is
at the top left corner of the photo is–not the larger slide water ride, but more of a love canal type covered ride. Anyone know? (Photo courtesy of Peg Steigerwald)
Clintonville Community Market
It’s always fun to research the history of your home or building, using the Franklin County Auditor’s web site to look at the “transfer history” aka assessment history. John Krygier recently shared the history of the building occupied by the Clintonville Community Market and you’ll find it here. (Courtesy John Krygier)
North Broadway Methodist Church
A lovely contemporary picture of North Broadway Methodist Church, by Marty Cottrill. Marty has recently published a book entitled The Beers, Brown, and Grove families of North Columbus, Ohio, available at the Columbus Metropolitan Libraries. (Photo courtesy of Marty Cottrill)
Weisheimer Mill
Another great image of Weisheimer Mill! The verso of this photograph says, “Looking east across the Olentangy River at the Weisheimer Mill N. of Henderson Rd Columbus, Ohio. House and shed are still there at end of Weisheimer Road. (Photo courtesy of Galen Gonser)
Beginnings
Balser Hess, a cordwainer, tanner and Revolutionary War veteran, was one of the first pioneers to arrive in Clinton Township. Hess came to Ohio with his family and bought 320 acres of land along the west bank of the Olentangy River. His first house, a log structure, was a common stopping place with travelers. Balser died in 1806 and was the first to be buried on the grounds that became Union Cemetery. (Photo courtesy of Terry Miller.)
David Beers
David Beers was another early pioneer with an exciting life story of having been captured and released by the Native Americans. Beers came to Ohio in 1802. Descendents of David Beers still live in the area to the present day. (Photo courtesy of Terry Miller)
Beers had a log house near the intersection of Dodridge and North High Street. The cabin still exists but has been moved to Norwich Avenue. This photo appeared in the December 29, 1904 Dispatch, on the house’s centennial. The people included friends, relatives, and associates of the cabin’s next owner, Conn Baker, and they were reminiscing with him about early Columbus and marking the 100th anniversary of the cabin after the its move and reassembly to E. Norwich.
The Beers family operated a mill which existed until the early twentieth century. For many years the father of the well-known poet John James Piatt operated it. The future poet spent his boyhood days playing about the mill, and some say that the impressions made by its surroundings found expression in his work. The mill was considered to be one of the most picturesque spots in Ohio. Built around 1810, the mill burned in 1902.
There are still vestiges of the mill (foundation stones) below North Street, at the river.
The reason for this gathering is unknown, but it includes several Beers descendants (and likely many who are not related) and was taken about 1905, probably at Olentangy Park. (Photos courtesy of Marty Cottrill)
