Museums | Gypsy Road Trip

Places to go and things to see by Gypsy Bev

Archive for the ‘Museums’ Category

Explore Constantly Changing Zanesville Museum of Art

The sculpture, “Outlook”, attracts attention to the Zanesville Museum of Art

“Outlook”, a large scale sculpture, greets visitors on the front lawn of the Zanesville Museum of Art. This eye-catching, bright red metal sculpture was created by David Black, professor at Ohio State for 30 years.

His connection to Zanesville happened long ago when his creative side focused on ceramics. He’d drive from Columbus to Roseville for the perfect clay he needed. His awards for ceramics and sculptures create an extensive list.

Three floors containing over 7000 creative works of art can be found at the museum.

Inside the Zanesville Museum of Art, you’ll find a wide variety of treasures that span 5,000 years. Around every corner and in every room, different special displays pull you along. And they are changing constantly! Their mission is to ignite human imagination and understanding through the visual arts.

This bronze bust of Raymond Thomas, who contributed his pottery collection to the museum, was made by local sculptor, Alan Cottrill.

This project began back in 1936 when it was called Zanesville Art Institute being located in downtown Zanesville. Established by Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ayers, their personal collections of paintings, sculpture, glass and ceramics became the foundation for the museum.

In 1975, more room was needed and it moved to its present location on Military Road. There are over 7,000 objects in 18 varied galleries on three floors with items you would only expect to see in a much larger city. They are quite proud of their museum and rightfully so.

This Roseville Pottery display is one of many pottery exhibits throughout the museum.

The museum is well-known for its pottery collections as Zanesville was once the pottery capital of the world. So it follows that this would be the perfect place for pottery display by local companies including: Owens, Roseville and Weller. Displays show the progression of their works in an excellent timeline. Many consider pottery to be the heart of the museum.

The Madame Alexander Doll Collection contains over 600 dolls.

The Madame Alexander Doll Company has a magnificent Americana Collection of dolls being shown at the Zanesville Museum of Art. Here you’ll find everything from dolls depicting nursery rhymes to those wearing dresses of the first ladies. Over 600 dolls make it a spot young ladies like to spend time.

This colorful ceramic “Tree of Life” Candelabrum celebrates a Mexican religious holiday.

Two special art displays are being featured through January 7, 2017. The Carl E. Eriksson Collection features original paintings and sketches by The Eight. This group of eight artists drew people from all walks of life. They made a difference in the world of art by moving from traditional to realistic scenes featuring scenes of every day life.

“Every Family Has a Black Shell” by Marilyn Stocker won the Award of Distinction.

The second is a juried exhibition by Southeastern Ohio Watermedia Society. The art work is outstanding here and many local artists are featured. There is also a section for displaying student art, featuring different schools each month.

An Italian Votive “Sculpture of a Foot” dates back to 400 – 200 B.C.

The oldest items can be found in two places. In the Sculpture Gallery, two Roman sculptures date before 200 B.C. The Greek sculptures contain a votive, which looks like a foot, that also dates before 200 B.C.

Original furnishings from a 1690s home in England are the setting for the Old Masters Gallery.

But the favorite spot is the Ayers Collection in the English Panel Room. You step back in time to a dining room from 1690 in Hatton Garden, the home of Sir Christopher Hatton, Chancellor under Queen Elizabeth I. Even the wood paneling is original. In this room, you’ll find displayed in the Old Masters Gallery their finest works of art by Picasso, Renoir, Matisse and more. All this at the Zanesville Museum of Art!

Pottery and glass are featured collections from many local companies in the past and present.

The art museum is a great place for all ages to explore. Art Classes are scheduled twice a month for adults and children. These change monthly for chances to use various mediums of art. Check their schedule for the latest information at Zanesville Museum of Art .

Zanesville displays beautifully decorated seven foot vases throughout the city.

ZMA Concert Series presents live entertainment in the museum galleries each month at no charge to the public. Sounds like the Zanesville Museum of Art has something for everyone that has an interest in the arts.

Every artist will be drawn to this impressive museum time after time as exhibits change six times each year. That makes it easier to have something everyone enjoys.

The world is but a canvas to our imagination. ~Henry David Thoreau

The Zanesville Museum of Art is located at 620 Military Road in Zanesville, Ohio. Take Exit 153 off I-70 north to Maple Avenue. In about two miles turn right on Military Road. The museum will be on the right hand side. Watch for the large red sculpture.

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Art, Museums, Ohio, Uncategorized, Zanesville

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Guernsey County History Museum Dressed for Christmas

Explore the history of the area by visiting Guernsey County Museum.

All 17 rooms at the oldest frame home in Cambridge have been tastefully decorated with a touch of the Christmas season. The Guernsey County Museum enjoys having people stop by to wander through its vast collection. Curator Judy Clay will escort visitors through each decorated room and explain the history of many of the artifacts that are left on display for the holidays.

The museum, the former McCracken-McFarland home, was moved down North Eighth Street, a half block from the corner, to its current location in 1915. Outside the house, the yard has some interesting features. There is a 4′ tall National Trail mileage marker, and the original steps from the 1823 house.

Many of the older generation from the area will remember Mrs. McFarland, a Brown High School English teacher, and Mr. McFarland, the banker who always wore a carnation in his buttonhole.

Volunteer Madelyn Joseph stands by the pot-bellied stove in the one-room school room.

Recent additions to the museum include a room from a one-room schoolhouse showing desks and books used at that time. At the back of the room stands the pot-bellied stove, which appeared in some form in every one-room school to keep the room somewhat warm on cold winter days. On special occasions, retired teachers will describe the lessons and activities that happened in a classroom where one teacher taught all eight grades.

Dave Adair tells the story of the difficult life of a coal miner.

Another added attraction is an entrance way to a coal mine. In the early 1900s throughout Guernsey County, over 5,000 people were employed in the mines. Here, Dave Adair, local historian, explains to groups the life of a coal miner and at this time of year presents “A Coal Miner’s Christmas”, telling how they celebrated Christmas with very little money. Most gifts were handmade or perhaps purchased at the company store – an orange or walnuts were special treats.

Museum Curator Judy Clay explains the beautiful table setting, which includes Cambridge Glass and a Tiffany lamp overhead.

The home has been expanded and updated through the years without destroying its 19th Century charm. Many remember the time when homes had two sitting rooms – one for the family and the other to use only for special guests. While this was the first house in the area to have gas heat, they still read by candle light. Throughout the museum, you will see beautiful pieces of Cambridge Glass and Universal Pottery, as these two companies provided an important means of earning a living during the early years of Guernsey County.

Friendly volunteers at the museum prepare for visitors by decorating the tree and preparing to serve refreshments.

The walls in the hallway are covered with pictures of people who have made a difference in the area…the Guernsey County Hall of Fame. These community leaders have all contributed something special to make this world a better place.

The ice bike made travel possible in the winter with its sharp prongs in the back and sled-like runner in the front.

Every room upstairs had a special theme. The Military Room contained items from Civil War days to WWII. A small sewing room held a spinning wheel and a weasel, which when it got filled with thread – went pop! That was the basis of the song, “Pop Goes the Weasel”. A dentist’s office, Dickens’ room, and rooms packed with antique ladies’ clothing finished off the top floor. The waistline on some of those dresses seems unbelievably small.

This old mail cart actually carried mail from Cambridge’s Union Depot to the post office.

Bountiful treasures reside inside this old frame house. Perhaps you would like to roam the halls and revive some old memories. If you have any pieces of history you would care to share, please contact the museum. Every small town should take pride in having a special place to keep the history of their area alive for future generations.

The angel topped Christmas tree is decorated with old ornaments trimmed with lace.

Holiday hours for the Guernsey County Museum are Tuesday and Thursday 4:00 – 8:00, and Saturday from 10:00 -8:00. Admission is $5 per person. Come explore some old memories of days gone by.

The Guernsey County Museum is located at 218 N Eighth Street off Steubenville Avenue in Cambridge, Ohio. It’s on the street directly behind the courthouse.

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Cambridge, History, Museums, Ohio, Uncategorized

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The Holiday Elegance of Oglebay Mansion Museum

An ice sculpture of two reindeer pulling a sleigh grace the lawn of historic Oglebay Mansion Museum.

A yuletide dream best describes the Mansion Museum at Oglebay Park in Wheeling, West Virginia during the holiday season. The mansion is dressed luxuriously for the holidays. Its elegant decorations serve as inspiration for ideas to embellish your home.

When arriving at the Mansion Museum on a late November day, the first thing to greet visitors was an ice sculpture of a sleigh pulled by two reindeer. Each year an ice sculpture is placed at the museum and will last as long as the weather stays cool. You can even have your picture taken in the sleigh.

The Oglebay family used this Oval Parlor as their private retreat.

Near the mansion you’ll find the magical Christmas Tree Garden, which contains 30 live trees covered with colored lights. In the center of the garden stands a beautiful gazebo with a life size manger display created by a local artist in 1985. Nearly everyone who passes by, pauses to view the real meaning of the season.

The Dining Room is beautifully decorated for Christmas dinner.

The Mansion Museum, which was the summer home of wealthy industrialist Earl Oglebay, began this holiday tradition in 1973. Both professional decorators and amateurs help trim the mansion in period decorations as it would have appeared when it was built by Hanson Chapline back in 1846. Special care is taken not to damage the antiques on display.

“Books of Yesterday” became the theme for the Library where Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls are being held by a young lady.

In 1900 Earl W. Oglebay purchased the estate and farm, which he called Waddington Farm. It became the most progressive model farm in the world. When Mr. Oglebay died in 1926, he left his estate to the people of Wheeling to be used as a park and an educational tool. They then turned it into what we know today as Oglebay Park.

The Federal Bedroom features Cinderella’s ball gown.

Thirteen Victorian period rooms overflow with Christmas décor to put you in the holiday spirit. “A Storybook Celebration” serves as this year’s holiday theme. Each room has been transformed with a touch of magic to fit a particular storybook idea.

Company would be entertained in the Empire Sitting Room decorated as “Deck the Halls” for this holiday season.

From “The Nutcracker” in the Child’s Bedroom to “Deck the Halls” in the Empire Sitting Room, you’ll find tasteful decorations to make you smile. “Not a Creature Was Stirring” in the Pioneer Kitchen, while they were “Stitching Family Tales” in the Sewing Room.

The Victorian Bedroom would be the perfect place for a bedtime story. “Nana, tell me a story!”

Throughout, there are recordings to tell you about the furnishings, paintings, and life of the family. But the mansion holds the history of the area as well.

Wymer’s General Store is part of the Wheeling History Exhibition, which can be seen year round at Oglebay Mansion Museum.

A Pioneering Spirit Exhibit features the history of Wheeling. Included is Sinclair Pharmacy and Wymer General Store with candy case, meat wrapping paper and large thermometer. The store was especially enjoyed since it reminded me of my grandfather’s store in Byesville sixty years ago.

Tigger and Winnie the Pooh visit Mr. Oglebay’s office for “A Pop Up Christmas”.

While you can visit Oglebay Mansion Museum throughout the year, Holidays at the Mansion create memories of days gone by. The Christmas decorations continue until January 8, 2017 so there’s still plenty of time to make a trip to Oglebay. While there you will want to stay until dark to view the delightful Winter Festival of Lights at Oglebay Park, where 80 displays line a six mile drive, which covers over 300 acres!

Visit Oglebay Mansion Museum and the Festival of Lights, which inspired Bob and Sue Ley to create Dickens Victorian Village. Maybe you, too, will find inspiration there.

Oglebay Mansion Museum at 1330 Oglebay Drive can be found by following signs to Oglebay Park about four miles off Exit 2A of I-70 on Route 88 North in Wheeling, West Virginia.

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History, Museums, Uncategorized, West Virginia

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Handmade Wooden Toys for the Young and the Young at Heart

Look for this welcome sign on Dewey Avenue when you pay a visit to the Cambridge Wooden Toy Co.

“The best kept secret in Cambridge” describes the Cambridge Wooden Toy Co on Dewey Avenue. Here Brian Gray creates toys and trains with craftsmanship difficult to surpass. He’s been making these extraordinarily detailed carvings since 1976, first in his basement and then in a small shop beside his home.

Big Boy from Union Pacific, carved in 2014, was an engine that could pull a hundred cars filled with coal.

Brian grew up in Seattle, where his father worked as a fireman on trains. As a child, Brian used to ride the switch engines around the train yard. He and his brother would play being engineer and fireman. Having a father in the railroad world, gave them many opportunities for train rides.

Therefore, Brian acquired a passion for trains that has never been squelched. His main inspiration for carving engines came from Ernest Warther, world’s master carver of Dover. When Brian told his brother about how he would like to try carving, his brother’s response was “I’m tired of hearing you talk about it. Do it.” And that’s what Brian did.

Brian holds a Domeliner Dinner Menu from 1958. This was from the first class section where meals were served using china and silver.

Over the years, Brian studied engineering and when drafted into the Army, studied General Engineering there. Upon the end of his military service, jobs were scarce. A friend told him they were hiring in Cambridge at NCR. With his engineering background, Brian decided to give it a try…and has been here ever since.

Brian drills the window in the cab of My First Choo-Choo, a new pull toy this year.

Woodworking has been his hobby for years. Sometimes he did carpenter work building decks and gazebos or remodeling houses. But Brian wanted to do something where he had the freedom to choose what he made.

1982 was the first year he made toys. In 1983, he decided to exhibit at the Salt Fork Festival. There he sold almost all the toys he had made, plus he won first prize for an oil field tractor trailer with a bulldozer on the back. That success made him decide to work five hours each day making toys before heading to his regular job. Brian has been participating in the festival ever since.

But making toys and trains isn’t his only pastime. He also does upholstery and repairs wooden furniture. When visiting, Brian was refinishing the arms on chairs for the Barnesville Library.

For 33 years, his toys have been displayed and sold at the Salt Fork Festival. The 2016 festival was particularly hot so Brian donned a sweatband.

His specialty engines are carved intricately from wood. Some of these engines have won first place at shows such as the Ohio State Fair, Salt Fork Festival, and Tri State Woodworking Show.

Each year Brian makes one new wooden engine to add to his increasing collection, which he displays for those who visit his Great Steam Locomotive Engine Museum. All the engines are made on a 1-18 scale out of walnut. Right now there are seven large locomotives in his museum.

Alaskan Railroad #557 has won three awards so far. It’s the most detailed engine he’s ever done.

His Alaskan Railroad # 557 won first prize in woodworking at the Ohio State Fair in 2016. This was done in memory of Brian’s father, who worked as a fireman on the rails of Alaska.

A child would enjoy rocking in this bi-plane, Snoopy’s Flying Circus.

Rocking horses, cascading marbles, and many wooden toys make great Christmas gifts. No nails are used, just wooden pins, and he’s careful that edges are rounded and smooth for the child’s protection. His toys are so strong, they last for generations. Brian has been making these toys for over forty years. Presently, he makes 72 different toys in his shop.

The Railroad Toy Box is the perfect place to store a child’s toys. It even comes with 6′ of track. The child’s name can be added and the boxcar number is usually the child’s birthdate.

While Brian sells his toys, he’s doesn’t do his wood carving for the money. Many hours are spent to make each toy and sometimes he figures he makes about $1.50 per hour. “I love doing it. I keep my prices low. Haven’t changed prices in five years.”

Brian checks out the blueprint for next year’s engine project.

The blueprint is ready for next year’s engine project. The Golden Spike National Historic Site sent him the blueprints of the original engines on a CD. Then the map department printed it off 1- 18 scale. He’s going to do a scene for the first time. It will be two engines meeting at Promontory Summit, Utah, where the driving of the “Golden Spike” connected east to west.

Brian still has a dream for a place in Cambridge where he could display his trains, and other local train enthusiasts could find a home for theirs as well. His eyes are on the original Train Depot as the perfect place for a museum to attract visitors to our area. Keep dreaming, Brian, you never know what the future may hold.

Musical Marble Trees entertain children and adults with their cascading musical tones. It’s hard to resist putting one more marble down its branches.

At his small museum, children and young-at-heart adults are free to play with the toys. There is no cost to visit so head up to 515 Dewey Avenue and walk inside. You’ll be amazed at such talent right here in Cambridge. Then you’ll want to share this “best kept secret” with your friends.

Cambridge Wooden Toy Co can easily be reached off old Route 40 through Cambridge, Ohio. At the west end of town is a viaduct over Wills Creek and the railroad tracks. The Toy Co is straight south of here at 515 Dewey Ave.

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Cambridge Glass Goes Hollywood

Hooray for Hollywood and Cambridge Glass!

Betty Sivard. a long time volunteer, tells visitors about Cambridge Glass used in Hollywood and on television.

It’s not surprising that the famous Cambridge Glass has been used in countless movies over the years as it exudes glamour as well as beauty. Several of these pieces are being featured in two large showcases at the National Museum of Cambridge Glass in Cambridge, Ohio, along with photos and cards designating the movies and stars.

Throughout the display of over 6,000 pieces of the collectible Cambridge Glass, other references to Hollywood movies and television shows appear frequently. A few years back a member spotted a piece of Cambridge Glass being used in a movie. After reporting this to the group, all eyes became focused on glassware used in movies. You’ll be surprised at how often Cambridge Glass appears.

This beverage set was used on Elvis Presley’s plane, The Lisa Marie, which was named after his daughter.

This locally made fine glassware isn’t seen only in older movies. Recently, The Astronaut Wives Club toasted a special moment with Cambridge Rose Point Stemware. In the current series, Empire, stars used an Amethyst Decanter and Sherries.

Bing Crosby holds an engraved Bexley champagne glass in White Christmas. It’s a museum favorite!

It’s impressive to think that local men and women had a hand in producing exquisite glass items that are fine enough quality to be used in Hollywood and television. A favorite on display shows Bing Crosby holding an engraved Bexley champagne glass in the year-after-year favorite of White Christmas.

When group tours request a Hollywood program, these volunteers represent White Christmas (Cindy Arent), Astronaut Wives Club (Sandi Rohrbough), Mae West (Sharon Bachna), and Gunsmoke (Sarah Carpenter).

If you are interesting in the Hollywood presence of Cambridge Glass, arrangements can be made by tour groups to have volunteers entertain in costume and even break into song. Groups might hear The Haynes Sisters sing, “Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters…” Or meet Mae West as she flings her boa and entertains the crowd.

The museum has created a DVD showing some of the movies as well as the Cambridge Glass used, so you know what to look for throughout the museum. The volunteers will then serve as your guides for your stay at the museum.

On each end of the bar, The Sting used a Crown Tuscan Flying Lady Bowl filled with peanuts.

These guides not only know their glassware well, but they tell interesting stories along the way. An example would be the story of the Crown Tuscan Flying Lady Bowl used in The Sting.

In the early days of Cambridge Glass Co, a circus came to town. Several of the glassworkers attended the event. One of those had artistic talents and drew a picture of the trapeze artist performing that day. That picture was taken back to a talented mold maker, who developed this artistic Flying Lady Bowl. What talented men!

Even the western television shows used Cambridge Glass for a touch of glamour. In an episode of Gunsmoke, a little girl was casting her eyes on an etched Portia Doulton water pitcher. The Wild Wild West used a Cambridge Glass perfume atomizer as part of its background.

This beautiful Royal Blue Luncheon Set was a wedding gift to Clark Gable and Carole Lombard.

A personal favorite was the Cambridge Royal Blue and Crystal luncheon set that Clark Gable and Carole Lombard received as a wedding present from a friend in Ft. Wayne, Indiana back in 1939. Nice to know the stars actually used this fine glassware in their homes as well as in the movies.

This eye-catching Royal Blue pitcher with silver overlay was used in Prizzi’s Honor.

While there are too many to list in this short article, a few favorites have been mentioned. Perhaps they will give you a desire to search out more Hollywood appearances throughout the museum yourself.

You’ll be impressed.

The National Museum of Cambridge Glass is located at 136 S. 9th Street just a half block off Wheeling Avenue in downtown Cambridge, Ohio.

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Cambridge, History, Museums, Ohio, Uncategorized

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Remote Sensoring Used at the Moundsville Mound

While climbing Grave Creek Mound, this young lady wonders about the past.

What’s inside Grave Creek Mound at Moundsville, WV? That’s a question many people are curious about. Years ago someone actually made a tunnel into the Mound and found some interesting things. An eight foot tall skeleton with copper bracelets and mica breastplate were discovered and actually placed on display for some time in a museum inside the Mound.

Alexander is doing a doctoral study on use of varied equipment to receive data on what is inside the Mound.

Now, archaeologists are not able to disturb ancient burial grounds so an alternative method of looking inside is being tried. In the spring of 2016, Alexander Corkum, a doctoral student at the University of Bradford in West Yorkshire, UK, used a non-invasive technique to investigate the Grave Creek Mound.

Modern equipment was used, such as: (ERT) electical resistivity tomography, topographic survey, GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) survey, and photogrammetry. Most of this equipment had never been seen before in the valley. Actually, Grave Creek Mound is the first place this combination of equipment has been used anywhere in America, according to Corkum. The only previous place for gathering data with this equipment was at England’s Stonehenge, where they discovered a new Super Henge.

This GPR produces a type of picture of the internal Mound as it gets readings from electronic currents sent into the ground.

In the past, archaeologists have had digs to find pieces of history hidden under the ground. With this new equipment, they are hopeful to find images that will give valuable information about the past without disturbing the ground. Corkum feels that archaeology is destructive.

His team feels that every place does not require excavation. They feel the best way to preserve history is to keep it in the ground, while doing a remote geological survey.

The GPR had been taken up and down the mound in several directions to get as many remote sensory readings as possible. An electronic current is injected into the ground and this produces a radargram. My mind wondered if this was similar to an MRI of the ground.

This large drone contains a better camera, which produces clearer pictures.

Drones were also used to take pictures – photogrammetry. They were programmed to take pictures every foot and can then produce a model of the object being photographed, in this case the Grave Creek Mound.

When asked why they came to Grave Creek Mound, they replied, “There’s no other place quite like it.”

For several days, data was collected but little legitimate conclusions have been reached at this point in time. They expect valuable data will be available when the results are carefully analyzed. This could take several months.

One thing the data will not clearly show are fossils and artifacts. Radar will show different disturbances in the ground area such as stones, water and soil density.

This high school student was lucky enough to get to assist with the experiments.

Jarrod, a sophomore at John Marshall High School, was fortunate to be able to assist with this project throughout the week. His youth enabled him to climb the mound time after time, pulling the equipment. Some days that included as many as seventy trips. Jarrod was very knowledgeable about the mound and interested in the process. Someday this exceptional young man hopes to become a geoarchaeologist.

A drone flies overhead taking pictures during its flight.

After the lecture, everyone went outside to either walk to the top of the mound, or watch as they demonstrated the drones taking pictures.

The final result of all this imagery will be to construct a model of the mound both inside and out. There is always something new to explore in the interesting world in which we live.

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History, Museums, Uncategorized, West Virginia

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Final Days to Tour the Historic Marx Toy Museum

Marx Toy Museum has been in Moundsville, WV for fifteen years.

Closing June 30, 2016.

When this day arrives, the Marx Toy Museum will close the doors on a vast collection of Marx toys that have stood the test of time. Located in Moundsville, West Virginia at 915 Second Street, Francis Turner opened Marx Toy Museum in 2001. This former Boner’s Meat Market seemed the perfect place to display his large collection of toys, which he accumulated over thirty years. It’s the largest collection of Marx toys in the world.

Big Loo, the robot, is the only known one in its original box. This 1963 robot can shoot darts, squirt water and even talk.

Back in 1986, Francis began buying and selling Marx toys. Why Marx? Because many of the toys were made up the river at the Marx factory in Glen Dale, West Virginia from 1934-1980. There were also two plants in Pennsylvania. Over the years, they made everything from dollhouses to ride-on toys.

The plant in Glen Dale was the largest toy factory under one roof in the world for many years. Formerly, this location housed an airplane factory, Fokker Airplanes, who built the trimotor, Josephine Ford, flown by Commander Richard Byrd over the North Pole in 1927.

August 4, 1927 was a big day for the Fokker air strip in Glen Dale. That was the day that Charles Lindbergh, famous American aviator and explorer, landed there in his Ford Tri-Motor airplane. Over 140,000 came out to see this famed aviator.

This Colonial Dollhouse in its original box would have been quite the gift.

Francis is passionate about finding choice Marx toys from all over the world. When describing his extensive toy collection, his voice showed pride and enthusiasm. “All the toys in the museum are in their original condition. Nothing has been repaired or repainted.” He has no favorites as likes them all, and enjoys demonstrating them since they still work quite well.

The Marx Prototype Room displays original sketches and one-of-a-kind ideas that were never actually produced.

Tour groups always stop at the museum when in the Moundsville area. Francis recalled, “Visitors love the museum. There are a lot of memories here. It’s a piece of history.” People frequently shed a few tears as one of the toys brings back a memory of a gift they received as a child. This museum is packed with room after room of memories.

Francis likes to use his Toy Chest to show visitors some of the oldest Marx toys. Pinocchio the Acrobat is 76 years old, while Marvel the Monkey is 80 years old. Francis holds the famous Climbing Monkey.

Louis Marx began working in 1912 at the age of sixteen in the office of toymaker Strauss, before Marx served in WWI. In 1916, that company went bankrupt and Marx took one of their popular items, Zippo the Climbing Monkey, and tweaked it just slightly to start his own business and make millions from this one toy.

Marx always had a passion for the military so made these famous figures in his own image: Commander Mao, Genghis Khan, and Napoleon.

Marx was the Henry Ford of toy-making as he wanted toys that everyone could afford. All the early toys were made of metal until WWII, when metal was needed for the military. Then it became necessary to find an alternative, and plastic seemed to be the best choice.

Over the years, Louis Marx earned the name, “King of Toy Makers”, throughout the world. His toys were not only creative, but of high quality. In 1955, one of every three toys made in America was made by Louis Marx & Co.

A display of Brad Paisley’s toys shows his Big Wheel on the top. Francis said Brad used the Big Wheel most of the time, but drove the 727 Marx Jet when in a hurry.

The most popular toy ever sold was the Marx Big Wheel back in 1960. Disney even had Mickey Mouse riding Big Wheel. At the peak of its popularity, three assembly lines ran 24 hours a day at the Glen Dale plant, and made 9,000 Big Wheels each day. Brad Paisley’s Big Wheel is on display, since he grew up in Glen Dale and participated in the Big Wheel races there

This vintage 1950s dining area provides a great place to relax while having a Coke and some popcorn as you watch old television commercials from that era.

Plans for the future include a virtual website of Marx toys with the intention of preserving the history of Marx around the world. Francis and his son, Jason, also plan to have traveling toy exhibits of the most popular Marx toys. These displays will be available to museums throughout the country, where Francis will be able to share his toys with more people than ever. Their goal is to keep Marx history alive.

Everyone will find something to enjoy at the Marx Toy Museum. It definitely brought back many memories of my childhood and that of my sons. Better hurry down and see this great collection before it closes at the end of June, 2016. Step back into The Toyland of Yesteryear.

Visit Marx Toy Museum at 915 Second Street in Moundsville, WV or at their website: http://www.marxtoymuseum.com for continued information about Marx toys.

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American Gas Pump Heaven Museum

American Gas Pump Heaven Museum overflows with memorabilia from the past.

Remember the good times!

A Sinclair gas delivery wagon from the 1930s greets people as they travel over the bridge in Dover, Ohio. It stands along the bank of the Tuscarawas River with many vintage gas signs on display. Everyone is sure to see the Sinclair Brontosaurus atop American Gas Pump Heaven Museum.

Roger Ramsey, owner of the museum, began collecting gas pumps in the 1970s. This was an expansion of his car restoration hobby, as he thought it would be special to have ‘one’ old gas pump. But as all collectors soon experience, something has to be done with what has accumulated. Roger decided to share his with everyone.

As a teenager, Roger worked at a Bonded gas station in Freeport, Ohio, where he grew up. Men usually pulled up for $1.00 worth of gas and if it went over a few cents, no extra was charged. There he acquired his passion for gas memorabilia, while at his real job at Dover Credit Union he learned about finance.

Gas Americana Roger prides himself on his Americana touch to his displays. Everything from American flags to an American eagle and a scaled down model of the Statue of Liberty can be found throughout his museum. There’s so much to see that one trip through will probably not be enough.

Gas Pump Sohio

The museum opened in 2010. His original building didn’t have enough room for all his collectibles, so he built another building – this time a replica of a Sohio Service station. His goal is to keep fifty gas pumps at the museum at all times. He frequently sells or trades, so there is always something new to experience.

Gas Nickelodeon This is more than just a collection of gas pumps from 1910 to 1962, it is a collection of memories! Take a walk through gas station history as well as the history of that time. While there stop and play the 1920s Nickelodeon, which works at the drop of a quarter.

Roger enjoys all the memorabilia he has collected. He’s really a kid at heart as he listens to the crooning of Dean Martin or a talking parrot from his desktop. Flashing signs adorn most walls as he “loves neon signs.” He definitely has fun collecting gas pumps and memories of those days gone by.

Gas Roy Rogers “Roy Rogers is my hero,” Roger explains as he points out piece after piece inside the museum related to his hero. A life size picture of Roy easily stands out among the gas pumps.

Gas Roger American Gas Pump Heaven Museum contains favorite memorabilia that remind him and visitors of the happy days of their youth. He has a little bit of everything and can’t think of anything that he really wants. But he always seems to be ready to make a deal on something that appeals to his fancy. Quite often he would point out a recent purchase and say, “I’m not sure what I’m going to do with this.”

A mural of how it “used to be” covers an outside wall.

Everyone has memories of a favorite gas station when they were growing up. Our small town had a gas station/grocery store. There was only one pump but the Sinclair sign proudly displayed their signature Brontosaurus.

Gas stations provided neighbors with much more than fuel for their cars. Here you met your neighbors and caught up on local news over a cup of coffee or two cent bottle of pop – Orange Whistle was a favorite of mine

Gas Firetruck You’ll definitely be surprised by the variety of items you see even from the outside. Since Roger is retired, he can’t be there all the time, but if the parking lot intrigues you, give Roger a call at (330) 343-6883. and he will find the time to stop down and unlock the door to a room filled with treasures of yesteryear. It’s what keeps him going!

The American Gas Pump Heaven Museum can be found easily off I-77 at Exit 83 to Dover OH Route 211. Follow 211 for a couple miles and on the left hand side you will see the museum just before you cross the bridge over the Tuscarawas River. Admission is well worth the price of $5.00.

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Museums, Ohio, Uncategorized

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Ohio Beginnings with Rufus Putnam

Campus Martius Museum in Marietta contains interesting early Ohio history.

How is The Bunch of Grapes Tavern in Boston, Massachusetts connected to Campus Martius Museum in Marietta, Ohio?

After the Revolutionary War, in March, 1786, a group of men met at The Bunch of Grapes Tavern in Boston to purchase land in the Northwest Territory. Rufus Putnam, Benjamin Tupper, Samuel Parsons, and Rev. Manasseh Cutler formed the Ohio Company of Associates, also known as The Ohio Company, and purchased what was to become about one-fifth of the state of Ohio.

Putnam Land Office

The Ohio Company Land Office, where Rufus Putnam and his partners worked, is the oldest known building in Ohio. Built in 1788, many hopeful land owners walked the path to its door.

These Revolutionary war soldiers were given land grants in lieu of payment for services rendered during the war. They purchased approximately 1,500,000 acres at roughly eight and a half cents per acre along the Ohio River in southeastern Ohio.

Provisions in this land grant were made for two sections in the center to be set aside for an educational institution. The first land grant college was to be called American Western University, but before opening changed its name to Ohio University.

Rufus Putnam served as a member of the Ohio Company, which laid out the plans for Marietta.

Even though Rufus Putnam. the leader of the Ohio Company, was a self-educated man and did not have any formal schooling after the age of nine, he promoted higher education by serving as a trustee at Ohio University. He also claims a connection to West Point. where he built a fort during the Revolutionary War. Fort Putnam is today being preserved and operated by the United States Army Garrison, West Point.

In his memoirs, which are today at Marietta College, he shared his wish for a better education. One line said, “hence neglecting Spelling and gramer when young I have suffered much through life on that account.” But that didn’t keep him from recording records of all his correspondence, while he also kept a daily journal.

An interesting item on the kitchen table was a cone of sugar wrapped in blue paper from the West Indies, with sugar nippers close by to get the perfect amount of sugar for a cup of coffee or tea. The blue paper had a second use as Persis could use it to dye her spun thread.

Rufus Putnam established the first Ohio Company settlement on the banks of the Ohio River in 1788. This became the first settlement in the Northwest Territory. Adelphia, meaning brotherhood, became its first name, but that was soon changed to Marietta in honor of Queen Marie Antoinette of France.

There the Ohio Company built a fortification to protect themselves from the Indians. They called their stockade, Campus Martius. Rufus Putman’s home was one of a row of plank houses inside this stockade.

A few years later, fortification was no longer needed, so the stockade was disassembled. However, the Putnam house remained at the original site, but with added rooms. He purchased the corner blockhouse for $70 and used its lumber for his house addition.

This is the original kitchen where the Putnam family prepared and ate their meals.

His wife, Persis and eight children, joined him in Ohio at their new home on the bluff of the Muskingum River. Their home here contained a kitchen, sewing/sitting room and two bedrooms upstairs. Now you can see the need for an addition.

Mrs. Putnam used the spinning wheel frequently as her seamstress abilities were well known. When Rufus was on his trips for the country, she often had to earn money for essentials by sewing.

Treasures of early Ohio can be found inside this building in Marietta.

What’s behind all those windows at Campus Martius Museum in Marietta, Ohio today? Inside is the full size house of Rufus Putnam and it still stands where it was built back in 1788. The museum was built around the house in 1931 after the Daughters of American Revolution with assistance from the state of Ohio saved it from destruction.

The house is pictured as it was in 1931 before preservation began.

Rufus Putnam served his country faithfully and was respected by his superiors, especially by his favorite leader, George Washington. It has been said that so long as the history of his country shall be written and read, the part Rufus Putnam played in that history will be found occupying one of its broadest and brightest pages.

Visit Campus Martius Museum to see where the Putnam family lived and learn more about their new life in Ohio. The museum overflows with Ohio history.

Campus Martius Museum is located at 601 Second Street, Marietta, Ohio, on Ohio State Route 7, and minutes from I-77. Plenty of free parking is available and cost of admission is very reasonable.

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History, Museums, Ohio, Uncategorized

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Wild Heart Brings Spirit Alive

Mindi Yarbrough, artist Wild Heart, recently had her Opening Night at the Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in Moundsville, WV.

Artists work in many different ways. Some paint exactly what they see, while others add a little imagination to their pictures. Mindi Yarbrough has an added element in her paintings. She captures the spirit of the person or animal. Mindi portrays herself as “a self taught and self described outsider artist.”

Mindi started drawing at the age of five. Her love of nature shines forth in everything she does. As a little girl, she enjoyed playing in the creek, where she would enjoy nature and catch snakes (and just about any other animal, insect or amphibian she could get her hands on).

“All kinds of snakes,” she explains, “but I was never afraid of them, despite being bitten many times, and often kept them as pets.” Snakes are Mindi’s power animal. She even has tattoos of them on her arms. Snakes have been associated with shamans. In fact in some cultures, snake bites are an initiation and pre-requisite into shamanism.

The crow holds a special attraction to her as she feels it has a magical quality. It holds the magical key to the womb of fundamental energy where all possibilities exist. Crows live all around the world, reminding us that magic can be found everywhere. They often are associated with healing and the universal law.

Owl is Mindi’s dream-time guide helping to navigate the unconscious world. The Owl serves as the keeper of ancient wisdom and can see the secrets and agendas of others. The Owl is a prophet who can see, hear, and feel events before they transpire.

Her dream catchers are up-cycled art with the center web being a doily, with a hand macrame hoop and fringe made with cotton twine and yarn. Dream catchers have been part of Native American culture for generations. They are usually hung by the bed at night to catch bad dreams before they disturb your sleep. There is a hole in the center to let the good dreams slip through. Mindi Feathers

Feathers are important in the Native American tradition also, as they are seen as gifts from the sky, the sea and the trees. Often a feather has a message as it lands on or near someone. It reminds them of a spiritual connection that we all have to our creator and with passed loved ones. The gift of the feather is represented by passion – passion for your gift from the Creator – Mindi’s passion being artistic vision. Mindi's Bear Woman

This painting of Bear Woman makes me smile. It tells a great Blackfoot Legend of the older sister and her bear. Mindi has even added the end of that legend as she shows the star constellation of Ursa Major in the background. All of her work shows depth and meaning.

Mindi Christmas tree Upon leaving the art show, a beautifully decorated Christmas tree glowed in the hallway. The Mound Museum Christmas tree is decorated with plants that were important to those prehistoric Native Americans living in the area. The people who built Grave Creek Mound probably grew small gardens, which included squash, sunflowers, pumpkins, gourds, and goosefoot – the decorations on this tree.

It’s no surprise that Mindi works in the field of art on a daily basis. At present she is Art Director and Senior Graphic Designer at Beyond Marketing in Wheeling, WV. Her expertise lies in designing just what the customer desires.

Mindi has been drawing and painting since childhood. She smiles as she tells others, “I have never wanted to be anything other than an artist, except maybe a mermaid.” Mindi would definitely be a very special mermaid!

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Art, Museums, Uncategorized, West Virginia

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Gypsy Road Trip

Places to go and things to see by Gypsy Bev

Archive for the ‘Museums’ Category

Explore Constantly Changing Zanesville Museum of Art

Guernsey County History Museum Dressed for Christmas

The Holiday Elegance of Oglebay Mansion Museum

Handmade Wooden Toys for the Young and the Young at Heart

Cambridge Glass Goes Hollywood

Remote Sensoring Used at the Moundsville Mound

Final Days to Tour the Historic Marx Toy Museum

American Gas Pump Heaven Museum

Ohio Beginnings with Rufus Putnam

Wild Heart Brings Spirit Alive

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