Places to go and things to see by Gypsy Bev

Posts tagged ‘Caldwell Ohio’

Jeff Minosky Promotes Noble County

Jeff Minosky is well known in the area for restoring antique cars and historic buildings. He enjoys doing mechanical work and refinishing of old cars and helps with the upkeep of the historic buildings in Noble County. He is constantly trying to find ways to make Caldwell and Noble County a better place to live. Here are some of his activities but the list could go on, and on.

Jeff’s first car started him on a life long journey.

This long-time resident of Noble County since the age of three, graduated from Caldwell High School and went to Washington State Community College, where he majored in accounting. That became helpful to him while working as an agent for Western & Southern Life Insurance Company for thirty-four years.

His orange 1970 Chevy Nova has been a favorite for 30 years.

One of his hobbies during that time was restoring antique cars. A favorite of his for 30 years is a ’70 orange Chevy Nova. While director of Noble County Tourism, Jeff and his wife Darlene delivered Visitors Guides throughout the area. Pictures of them in all the small towns were taken as that orange Nova traveled through.

Red, white, and blue antique cars were featured at a July 4th Car Show.

He also participated in about a dozen car shows a year. Early on, he had 7-10 cars. At the Kipling Car Show, there was a Veterans’ category where Jeff entered red, white, and blue cars. You can easily imagine that the history of cars is something he immensely enjoys.

Unique “Uncle Sam” Nutcracker trophies were given at a Fairground Car Show.
This Best of Show trophy was the tallest trophy in its day.

Every July 4th, there is a large Car Show at the Fairgrounds to raise money for local 4-H clubs, where they have raised approximately $60,000 over the years. In 2001, the trophies were rather unusual as they were made of Uncle Sam nutcrackers. The Best of Show trophy that year stood 12′ 3” tall. Cruising Times Magazine reported it as the largest car show trophy ever awarded in Ohio at that time.

Jeff received the Heritage Ohio’s Preservation Hero Award for his work with the Noble County Historical Society.

His involvement with the Noble County Historical Society received recognition when he was presented the Heritage Ohio’s Preservation Hero Award. This annual statewide recognition was given to Jeff, past president, due to all the work he has done in the community over the last few years with fundraising to restore and preserve buildings, and historic signage. He wants to preserve the history of Noble County and helped create a new logo for the Historical Society as well as enhancing their social media presence, which is so important today. Their Historical Society has been active for over 60 years.

Just recently, he was also presented an award at Walnut Creek by EODA for his help in organizing the 100th anniversary of the USS Shenandoah airship crash in Noble County, and helping create the design for their souvenir coin. While Jeff appreciates the recognition for Noble County, he personally is not award motivated.

Jeff helped design these two commemorative coins.

For the America 250 anniversary, Jeff helped design the logo for Noble County. It features 31 stars around the outside of the logo indicating that at the time Noble County became a county, there were 31 states in the United States. A high school art class long ago helped develop his ability to create ideas and drawings. Jeff gives credit to several locals who have helped bring his designs to life.

Jeff and Darlene stand at the restored covered bridge with a ’36 Chevy coupe inside.

As part of the Historical Society, Jeff is proud to have helped with restoring the one-room school, log cabin, and covered bridge at the Noble County Fairgrounds.

Jeff has been a member of Caldwell City Council since 2004, and spends many hours devoted to the historical importance of Noble County. It’s been said that Jeff is “the busiest man in Noble County.” He has recently been involved with the downtown revitalization with many buildings receiving a face lift.

Woody Hayes cabin is shown with builders and football players who helped build the cabin at its original location.

Another project that he enjoys is working with the Woody Hayes log cabin, which was located on a farm outside of town. Woody Hayes often escaped there from football and life, while he reconnected with his extended family in the area. Frequently, he brought football players along to help as his secluded escape was being built. That cabin is being relocated close to town in an area to be called Woody Hayes Memorial Park.

Another idea Jeff plans for the future in Caldwell is to take photographs of all the businesses and possibly some of the houses, then put them through an AI program showing various color schemes and things that could be done with their facades to improve the look of the village. It would show people lots of possibilities for their buildings. He never stops dreaming up new ideas.

Grandson Archer helps work on the latest project, a ’56 T-Bird.

Once in a while, Jeff and Darlene do take vacations and have enjoyed relaxing on Maui in Hawaii, Bermuda, and Niagara Falls. Those were a few of the special places that quickly came to mind, but he enjoys Caldwell most of all.

With his varied background, he has wide interests and likes to keep busy. “I can look at something, and know where I want it to go, and what it will look like.” Jeff enjoys Caldwell, his hometown, and remarked, “I want to make it as nice as I can.”

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Back Roads, Festivals, History, Museums, Ohio, Organizations, Uncategorized

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Noble County Celebrates America 250

This Noble County America 250 coin was designed locally.

This year the United States is commemorating 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Counties throughout Ohio are celebrating in various ways. Noble County has plans throughout the year for residents and visitors to enjoy.

In 1776, the land would still have been a wilderness with Indians keeping watch on any hunters or trappers that ventured that way. The first settlers in the Noble County area were New Englanders coming from Marietta up the valley of Duck Creek. The area was rich in mineral resources such as coal, iron ore, building stone, petroleum and salt. Many were involved in farming after the Treaty of Greenville ended the Indian threat in this part of Ohio. It was among the first places in the Northwest Territory to be surveyed by Rufus Putnam and settled by Revolutionary War veterans.

The Tourist Information Cabin is located at the Noble County Fairground where July 4th celebration takes place.

250 years later, Caldwell is a thriving small town that is joining in the America 250 celebration in several ways. The celebration began with their 49th Art on the Square but this year with the square under construction, they called it Art off the Square. Besides the art displays, there were several small bands playing on a stage decorated in red, white, and blue.

Caldwell is continuing their celebration on June 29 with a movie in Floral Hall at the Fairgrounds sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and the Fair Board. “The Pledge” (also called “Doughboy”) stars a local actor, Barrett Carnahan, and is free to the public.

This is the 28th year for the Car Show at the Fairgrounds.

July 4th seems to be the day for the biggest events all across Ohio. In Caldwell, spend all day enjoying music, fun, and festivities. It begins at the Noble County Fairgrounds with the Noble County Cruiser Car Show – 28 years and still rolling. There will also be a Story Walk at the Fairgrounds sponsored by the 4-H Council using the book “The Flag We Love” which tells how our flag has become an enduring part of our nation’s tradition and heritage.

This is a great view of the Fairgrounds during a previous year’s Car Show.

The 4-H Chicken BBQ starts at 11 am until they sell out which is always before 3 pm. The awards will be at 3 pm. Proceeds from this event will support local 4-H members.

The Floral Hall will be a busy place with displays set up along the sides and picnic tables down the middle of the hall for eating a meal. Or you might rather bring a blanket and sit outside to have a picnic.

Floral Hall is a great place to learn more about Noble County or just sit and relax with friends.

The displays will cover a wide range of family friendly activities all in one place. There will be free gifts, kites to make, a community puzzle, temporary tattoos and more. America 250 Ohio will make available special Homecoming Kits, courtesy of Cenovus Energy. America 250 Noble and the Noble County Historical Society will have displays from 1876 to1976.

There will be representatives from 4-H, Veterans, D.A.R., and Friends for OR&W Railroad, who will talk to you about early railroads. The Performing Arts group and Noble County Genealogy will each have a table. Don’t miss the giant birthday cake!

Happy Time Pool is the perfect place to cool off during the day.

For those who want to cool off on a hot summer day, the Happy Time Pool on the Fairgrounds will be open from 11 am to 5:30 pm. A great place to relax!

Outside you will find the banner made by the Noble Correction Institute with the names of the Revolutionary War veterans buried in Noble County. There will be a handout with a list for those who want to go to the cemetery. At 5:30, there will be a short program about the Revolutionary War Veterans.

Food vendors will open at 4 pm for the afternoon picnic if you don’t want to bring your own food. Red, white, and blue popcorn will be made on site for you to enjoy. Cornhole games will be available in the afternoon.

Little Creek Band will provide musical entertainment during the evening before the fireworks.

Little Creek Band will play from 6 – 8 pm on the RO Stage. They play a wide variety of music including classic rock, prime, and newer country. Come out and enjoy this Noble County group.

The day ends at 10 pm with a fireworks display at the fairgrounds that will light up the sky. It is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and many local businesses.

America 250 events continue throughout Noble County. Here are a sampling of those events:

  • Batesville, July 1, is opening a 1976 time capsule and planting a White Oak America 250 tree.
  • Belle Valley, July 11, celebrates America 250 downtown with a bounce house, games and a benefit dinner.
  • Fireman’s Festival, July 23-25, starts off with a big parade to celebrate small town Americana at its best.
  • Seneca Township, August 11, is having a homecoming picnic.
  • Thorla McKee Park Open Door, September 12, 2-4 pm, shares stories of the first oil well in America and the railroad.
  • Noble County Historical Society Open Door
  • Appalachian Foothills Fall Festival and Iron and Power Show, September 19-20, will have the Revolutionary War Veterans Banner and a giant birthday cake for America’s 250th birthday.

In 2026, Ohio has set up several America 250 Trails throughout the state to promote its history, and Noble County is included in three of those trails.

Noble County is part of the new America 250 – Ohio Transportation Trail, which includes more than 80 locations tied to Ohio’s transportation history. There are six planned routes for this Trails & Tales program.

This red caboose serves as a historical marker for the area’s railroad legacy.

The site being featured in Noble County is the Caldwell Caboose No. 33, which is located at the Thorla McKee Well Site at the intersection of state routes 78 and 584. The caboose was donated by the Clarence and Geneva Lowman family in 1993 and serves as a historical marker of the region’s railroad legacy. The BZ&C Railroad played an important role in transportation of coal, oil, timber, freight and passengers. This provided economic growth in Noble County during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The original sycamore casing can still be seen at the Thorla McKee Oil Well site.

Another exciting trail, America 250 – Ohio Innovation Trail includes the Thorla McKee Oil Well. In 1814, Noble County was the first to strike oil in North America. Silas Thorla and Robert McKee were searching for salt and came up with oil, which they sold as salve and a “cure-all” called Seneca Oil.

The Historic Jail Museum housed both prisoners and the sheriff.

For the history buff, America 250- Ohio Air & Space Trail includes the Historic Jail Museum. Built in 1882, the jail in those days was a place where both the jail and the sheriff’s residence were under one roof. See unique displays of that old jail plus more. It is located on “The Square” in downtown Caldwell.

Sounds like there are many ways to enjoy America 250. Join in the celebration of 250 years of independence with your family and friends in Noble County in 2026.

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Back Roads, Family Fun, History, Museums, Ohio, Uncategorized

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Roger Pickenpaugh…Research is Key

Local educator and author, Roger Pickenpaugh of Caldwell, enjoys the challenge of discovering information about topics of interest so he can organize them into a book filled with accurate historical facts.

Roger graduated from Ohio State University and earned his Master’s Degree there as well. He retired from Shenandoah Middle School after teaching thirty years. Over the years, he has written 20 books filled with local and national history. Five of his books focus on the Civil War.

These three books are samples of those where he used traditional publishing.

Roger has always been interested in history. Even as a child, he liked to read books with a historical touch. Although he does admit to also reading some comic books.

His interest in the Civil War stems back to the fact that his grandfather and uncle were both very interested in Civil War events so he became interested just by listening. He also had a relative who took part in the Vicksburg campaign.

His interest in writing began when a student at OSU where he did writing and research on term papers for college and found he enjoyed the exploration.

His late wife Marion felt research was much like a Treasure Hunt.

Since most of his books require accurate historical information, research has always been an important part of his life. He credits his late wife, Marion, for being the research organizer and the reason for his success in writing historical books.

Some of those early books required research before the advent of computers. Roger remember Marion’s patience and tenacity as she searched through books on the library shelf looking for that piece of missing information. Note cards were made with information gathered and then placed in order. Indexes in his books are an important part so he feels accuracy is extremely necessary.

Roger frequently uses resources at the Ohio Historical Society for his research.

Research over the years has been from interviews over the phone to personal visits at places he is researching. There he makes good use of their local libraries for old newspaper records. National Archives, State Historical Societies, and many universities or colleges have provided needed information through books or diaries. When you read his books, you clearly see how important this research was.

Roger enjoyed a close look at Agnes Moorehead’s Emmy while doing research at Muskingum University Library.

One of his favorite local places for research is the Muskingum University Library. They have been so helpful to him with use of equipment and finding the resources he needs. Roger said, “I never could do this writing without them.”

Friendships with members of the Noble County Writers Group have proved valuable over the years. Writers need to have other writers to talk with and share ideas. Other members of the group also are great at proofreading and giving ideas for improvement. They have even written some books together.

This early book of Roger’s tells personal tales of that terrible blizzard. True and often humorous!

At this point in time, Roger has published 20 books. Eight of them were with traditional publishers, the first being Rescue by Rail: Troop Transfer and Civil War in the West, 1863, which was published in 1998 and took about three years to write. That book had a local touch as some of the trains ran through Guernsey County on the B&O.

Johnson’s Island: A Prison for Confederate Officers (Civil War in the North) was published in 2016 and won the Bowling Green Center for Archival Collections Local History Publication Award.

Noble County, Ohio was Roger’s first book, which he self-published.

He also has twelve books of local nature that are self-published. A History of Noble County, Ohio 1887-1987 was his first self-published book back in 1988. He spent nearly eight years researching over 100 newspapers to get the accurate information he needed.

Roger feels local books can be self-published but if you are writing about a national event, it will best be received if going through a traditional publisher.

In their travels, Roger visited his sister Jill and her husband in Georgia, where they worked with President Jimmy Carter. They attended services at the Baptist Church where President Carter taught Sunday School. Today his sister is Superintendent of Jimmy Carter National Historic Site in Plains, Georgia. Roger was pleased to have his picture taken with the president and President Carter left a review on Amazon for one of Roger’s books.

Meeting President Jimmy Carter was a special moment for Roger.

When Roger is not researching, he enjoys being active with daily walks and work in his garden. His walking goal was to have a thousand consecutive days with over 10,000 steps and he has probably reached it by now as had 900 consecutive days in mid-May.

Roger starts his garden early inside. During the summer, he enjoys working in his garden.

He is putting the finishing touches on a book about John F. Kennedy’s sense of humor. The working title right now is John F. Kennedy: The Kennedy Wit.

Transferring handwritten notes to the computer is time consuming.

Currently, Roger is also researching information about Ohio in the early days of the Civil War. This is being done in various newspaper archives and finds the ones at Ohio Historical Society very helpful.

His list of books is extensive but most can be found on Amazon or if you happen to see Roger at a book fair or local promotion. He often promotes his books at places like Art on the Square in Caldwell, Bookology in Cambridge, and Buckeye Book Fair.

If you enjoy history, you are certain to appreciate the research Roger Pickenpaugh has done to make his books accurate. His style of writing makes history interesting.

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Authors, History, Ohio, Uncategorized

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