Mantiques For Men

Unopened packs of cigarettes from the 1920′s and 30′s

Rice Street in downtown Elmore

Esquire, a pre-Playboy Magazine from the 1940′s

Ernie Scarano points to a hand-made Tesla Coil

Ernie Scarano holds WWII uniform once belonging to Ohio artist Clyde Singer

A rare 42 star American Flag from the 1890s

A display case holds a pair of pink panties once owned by Hitler’s girl-friend, Eva Braun

341 Rice Street home of “Mantiques”

Just off the Ohio Turnpike southwest of Port Clinton is the tiny town of Elmore.  Population: 1,487.

The main avenue through the quaint town is called Rice Street and it contains among other things, two banks, a couple of restaurants, four antique stores and a place called “Mantiques.”  The motto of the store is, “Almost everything a man could want.”

Mantiques is pretty much like the name implies, antiques for men.

It was the idea of Ernie Scarano A life-long collector who was passing through Elmore one day in 2000 when he saw an abandoned historical building that once housed a hardware.  He bought it, restored the structure and moved in upstairs. He then started wondering what to do with the store space on the first floor.  It coincided with a time in his life that he wanted to start thinning out his collection of all kinds of collectibles and so Mantiques was born.

Opened in 2007 it now fills three rooms with all kinds of unusual antiques that probably appeal more to men than women.  Things like unopened packs of cigarettes from the 1920’ and 30’s; Copies of “Esquire”, a man’s magazine in the 30’s and 40’s that was a forerunner of Playboy and other similar magazines;  Military uniforms and weapons; A signed letter from Samuel Clemons, better known as Mark Twain; and even a pair of unmentionables that, reportedly, once belonged to Adolph Hitler’s girlfriend, Eva Braun.

…….You can read the rest of this story in the Dec 23^rd edition of the Plain Dealer or on line at their web site: www.cleveland.com

The Birthplace of Christmas in Northeast Ohio

Tour guide Kathleen Conrad and Grandson Zach look at Baby Jesus in Manger

One of the display cases holding hundreds of Nativity scenes

One of many display cases holding Nativity scenes from around the world

Alter of the Magi containing box with frankincense and myrrh

Tour guide Kathleen Conrad looks at Nativity scene carved from steel barrel

Tour guide Kathleen Conrad and Grandson Zach in front of replica alter in cave

A large metal star in the floor of the cave marks the spot where Christ was born

An alter in the cave stands where the birth took place

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Springfield Township south of Akron may not be the place where Christ was born but it is home to one of two replicas in the United States of the tiny cave in Bethlehem where the actual birth is said to have taken place. The other replica is located in Washington, D. C.

The Ohio Bethlehem Cave and Nativity Museum, is located in the basement of the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Catholic Church on Myersville Road.  It was built in 1992.

It was the idea of the pastor, Father David Halaiko, whom had travelled to the holy land several times to visit the original site.  He took many measurements and photos at the Bethlehem church to make the replica as authentic as possible.

The day I visited the church I was met by Kathleen Conrad, a parishioner who serves as tour guide. She pointed out that the dimensions of the man-made cave are the same as the site in Bethlehem, but the cave is only half-the length of the one in the Holy Land.

The main feature is the Alter of the Nativity.  On the floor, directly beneath the alter, is a large metal star, exactly like the one in Bethlehem.  There is a hole in the center of the star, which contains a stone that came from the Cave Church at Shepherd’s Fields in Bethlehem.  The star is inscribed in Latin which translates as, “Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary.”

Across the cave is a hollowed out section of the wall that travelers in Biblical times used for a manger to feed their animals.  The Bible says that the baby Jesus was placed in this manger……You can read the rest of this story in the November 26 edition of the Plain Dealer or on their website at www.cleveland.com

The Bat Maker of Ohio

New machine that can produce a bat every two minutes

Plant and offices of Phoenix Bats in Plain City, Ohio

Pile of finished baseball bats waiting to be boxed and shipped

Charles Trudeau of Phoenix Bats shows a visitor a collection of bats used by major league players

Charles Trudeau of Phoenix Bats operating new machine thata came make a bat in just two minutes

A close-up of the many types of bats made at PHoenix Bats of Plain City, Ohio

This month’s Ohio Road Trip takes us to central Ohio where
there is a company that makes baseball bats of such high quality they are used
by many major league baseball players.

Now, if you thought that all professional baseball bats were
made in Louisville, Kentucky, you might be surprised to learn that nationwide
there are over 30 baseball bat-making companies presently approved to make bats
for the major leagues, but, Phoenix Bats in Plain City, is the only company in
Ohio.

Phoenix Bats began because company founder, Charles Trudeau,
had a hobby; he liked to play baseball as they did in the 1860’s.  He is a member of the Columbus Ohio Village
Muffins, a team sponsored by the Ohio Historical Society, who play against
other similar teams with the equipment and the rules of baseball as it
originally was created shortly after the American Civil War.

Trudeau, who restored
old homes as his livelihood, loved working with wood and wanted a
historically-correct bat from the 1860’s.
The rules at the time stated the barrel of the bat could be no bigger
around than 2.5 inches, but could be as long as the bat creator wanted to make
it.   So he went to the wood lathe in his
garage and using pictures and drawings from the period he created his own bat.  His fellow players admired the finished
product and soon he was getting requests to also make them for other teams
across the state and he soon found that he had created a bat-making business.  As his business grew, Trudeau said he had to
make a decision whether to go full-time into bat-making, ” twenty years from
now,” He said, “ I didn’t want to look back and wonder, was I good enough to
have my bats in the top level of baseball, the major leagues?”

So, in the spring of 2000 Trudeau went to the Cleveland
Indians Spring training camp with an armload of bats that he asked Indian
players to try.  Indians Infielder John
McDonald tried one and soon ordered some bats from Phoenix, becoming the first
major league player to use an Ohio-made bat.

….You can read the rest of this story in the October 22^nd
edition of the Plain Dealer or on their website at www.cleveland.com

You can also take tours of the Phoenix Bat Company.  Check out their website at www.Phoenixbats.com

Also this month congratulations to some of my friends and colleagues that were inducted into the Cleveland Press Club Hall of Fame and Friday, October 28th.  They include: Kelly O’Donnell of NBC News, Tom Beres of WKYC, Tom Feran of the Plain Dealer and Herb Thomas of Fox 8 TV who received the Chuck Heaton Award.

 

 

 

The Running Of The Pigs

Prepicked pumpkins at Ridgeview Farm Market for those who don’t want to pick their own

Pigs will race for cookies

And the winner is….Pig crossing winning line at Ridgeview Farms

And They’re Off…A pig race at Ridgeview Farm Market

Farmer Steve Grover plays with his pygmy goats at Ridgeview Farms

Entrance to Ridgeview Farm in Mesopotamia

It’s autumn and roadside farm markets around the state are
bulging with fresh produce. Farmers are using some new ways to entice customers
to their road-side stands.

It’s called “Agra-tourism” and for the past several years farmers
have found that providing entertainment for tourists and charging for it is
just another way to make money off their land.
It started many years ago with hay-rides, then came corn mazes and now  pig races are the latest idea of a Trumbull
County farm couple to attract customers to their farm market to buy the
products they raise and sell.

Sharon Grover and her husband, Steve, are the fourth
generation of their family to operate Ridgeview Farm in Mesopotamia Township on
state route 87 in rural Trumbull County.
They came up with the idea last year and it proved so successful they
decided to do it again this year.

Starting September 24^th through October 30^th,
the running of the pigs will occur each weekend during their “Fall Fun
Weekends.”

How do you teach pigs
to race?

“It’s not easy,” laughs Sharon Grover, “The secret is
cookies.  Pigs love cookies.”  She went on to explain that when they first
get the young pigs they just don’t get the concept of running in one direction
in a race and some of her five children have to literally chase the squealing
piglets around the small race track to the finish line the first time. There
one cookie is waiting for the winning pig.
“Pigs are smart.”, Says Sharon,  “
It doesn’t take long for them to realize that the fastest pig to the finish
line gets the cookie and the pigs soon can’t wait for the sound of the horn that
starts the race.”.  By the way there is
no charge to watch the pig races.

……You can read the rest of this story in the Saturday,
September 24^th edition of the Plain Dealer or go to their website at
www.cleveland.com

ONE TANK TRIPS NOW ON FACEBOOK

Don’t forget that you can now follow One Tank Trips daily on Facebook.  Just go to Facebook and type, :”Neil Zurcher One Tank Trips” in the search bar.

You can find updates on places and things that I am doing and where I am headed this week in search of new travels.

Gateway To Amish Country Has Other Attractions

Waiting for movie to start at Lynn Drive In Theater

Theater owner Rich Reding, his daughter Olivia Gardinsky and employee Jessi Goedel in front of theater

John Herzig standing in front of part of his funeral collection

Jason Cannon holding loaves of Hippie Bread and Far Out Faranucci

Hot red respberry pot pie at Hot Rod City Restaurant

Entrance to Breadhead Bakery in Dover

Dining room at Hot Rod City Restaurant

Devon is the hostess at Hot Rod City

Accordian seen in iconic FDR death photo

The Dover-New Philadelphia area is often considered “The gateway to Ohio’s Amish
Country”.  But there is more to see than just the horse and buggy culture of the Amish.

While this area is noted for places like the Warther Carving Museum, this is home to many
other attractions, like the historic Lynn Drive-In Movie Theater.  The Lynn is not only the oldest,
still-operating, drive-in movie in Ohio, it is also the second oldest such theater in the entire United States.

2011 marks the 75^th season for this venerable outdoor movie theater.  Started
in 1935, owner Rich Reding is the fourth generation of his family to operate
the theater.  The Lynn is located at 9735 State Route 250 in Strasburg.  You can
call for information at 330-878-5797 or visit their website at: www.lynndrivein.com

Early morning visitors to Dover follow the aroma of freshly-made bread to Bread Head
Bakery on north Wooster Avenue.
Self-proclaimed “hippie”, Jason Cannon, presides over the ovens and
turns out mouth-watering, made-from-scratch creations with interesting names
like, “Bad Breath Bread” (made with lots of fresh garlic), “Hippie Bread,”   and “
Far-out Focaccia”, among others.  The Bakery/café is located at 320 North Wooster Ave., Dover, or you can call 330-602-2434 or visit them on their website at: www.breadheadbakery.com

A really unusual museum is housed in a Dover funeral home.  John Herzig of the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home long ago started collecting programs and other memorabilia from the funerals of
famous people.  It now fills several rooms at the North Wooster Ave. location.
Herzig calls his mini-museum “Famous Endings”.  Here you will find the funeral arrangements
and program for Elvis Presley’s services; there are the mourning vests worn at
the funeral of President James A. Garfield; memorabilia from the funerals of
comedians Lucille Ball and Bob Hope.  You can see the accordion played at the funeral of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  Display cases are filled with thousands of the famous endings of celebrities, politicians and entertainers.  Admission is free but call for an appointment to view the exhibits.
Toland-Herzig Funeral Home, 803 N. Wooster Avenue,  330-343-6132 or visit their website at www.tolandherzig.com

If you are afan of old gasoline pumps, auto memorabilia and cars from the 1950s and 60s, New
Philadelphia offers a unique restaurant called “Hot-Rod City…

You can read the rest of this story in the Plain Dealer, Saturday, August 27^th
edition.  Or you can find it on their website: www.cleveland.com

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NOTES FROM THE ROAD

Is it just me or have prices in restaurants seemed to jump?  Bonnie and I were in a “Amish-themed” restaurant in Geauga County this past week and found that prices were nearly a dollar higher on many of their offerings as compared with similar items in restaurants in the Berlin-Sugarcreek area.

It’s County Fair time in Ohio.  The Lorain County Fair in Wellington is wrapping up this weekend and

next week, one of my favorites, The Great Geauga County Fair in Burton, Ohio gets underway.

Don’t forget the biggest one-day festival in Ohio is coming up on Sunday, October 9th.  The 2011 version of Dick Goddard’s Woollybear Festival in Vermilion, Ohio.

What are you and your family planning to do over the Labor Day weekend?  let me hear from you.