{"id":6714,"date":"2017-07-13T06:39:17","date_gmt":"2017-07-13T10:39:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vweisfeld.com\/?p=6714"},"modified":"2017-07-25T07:29:23","modified_gmt":"2017-07-25T11:29:23","slug":"travel-tips-central-ohio-destinations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vweisfeld.com\/?p=6714","title":{"rendered":"Travel Tips: Central Ohio Destinations"},"content":{"rendered":"

A recent two-day visit to Cuyahoga Valley National Park<\/a> (never heard of it? You\u2019re not alone!) was the perfect jumping off place for several other lesser-known attractions in the Ohio Region.<\/p>\n

Warren G. Harding Tomb & Home <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Harding

photo: uberdadofthree, creative commons license<\/p><\/div>\n

Presidential candidate Warren G. Harding ran a \u201cfront-porch\u201d campaign from his Marion, Ohio, home<\/a>, giving speeches\u2014newly enfranchised women, laborers, African-Americans, Native Americans, and many other citizen groups\u2014numbering as many as ten thousand individuals at a time. They arrived by train to undoubtedly overwhelm this small town. His neighbors rapidly saw the opportunity, however, and set up lemonade and baked-goods stands.<\/p>\n

Years before, when he was 18 years old, he\u2019d bought a struggling local newspaper with three friends. He made a success of it and was a prominent newspaperman before running for state and national office.<\/p>\n

A handsome man, he was notoriously unfaithful to his wife, Florence Kling, five years older than he. In recent years, DNA testing<\/a> has proved that he fathered an illegitimate child and disproved the persistent rumor that his great-grandmother was African-American.<\/p>\n

The origin of the phrase \u201cthe smoke-filled room\u201d as a place where political decisions are made refers to how he was selected to receive the Republican party\u2019s 1920 presidential nomination. Many considered him a weak candidate, and his reputation has been further tarnished by numerous scandals in his administration (Teapot Dome scandal being the best known), the extent of which emerged only after his death.<\/p>\n

Harding died in 1923, partway into his first term, and was buried in an elaborate tomb at the city\u2019s cemetery, with Florence now alongside him. A sign says the tomb is maintained by a local technical college, but the grass inside was in need of cutting and weeding. It was shameful, really.<\/p>\n

The Mazza Museum<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"University

photo: Alvin Trusty, creative commons license<\/p><\/div>\n

About an hour north of Marion is Findlay, Ohio, home of the University of Findlay, a private liberal arts college with more than 4,000 students. Its best-known programs are in education and equestrian studies [!].<\/p>\n

In keeping with the campus\u2019s emphasis on education, its Mazza Museum<\/a> houses what at first may seem an unusual collection: artwork from children\u2019s literature. The museum has some 11,000 illustrations, collages, paper sculptures\u2014indeed, works in every medium\u2014that have been used over the generations in children\u2019s books. About 300 of these are on display at any one time.<\/p>\n

Although weekends are crowded and during the school year, classroom groups frequent the museum, when we visited, we were the only visitors. It was really fun, with an enthusiastic staff member to show us around.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve shopped for a child\u2019s book any time in the last five decades, you may have noticed how beautiful and effective the artwork is, but perhaps, like me, you haven\u2019t thought much about it. A visit here is an astonishing visual treat!<\/p>\n

Distances:<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n

From Toledo<\/em>, 47 miles to Findlay (45 minutes) and 97 miles to Marion (1.5 hours); from Cincinnati<\/em>, 160 miles to Findlay (2.5 hours) and 145 miles to Marion (2.5 hours)<\/p>\n

Read-Along:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You can order any of these books through the Amazon affiliate links below (yes, I get a few cents if you do!):<\/p>\n