The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway does a remarkable job of bringing the Polar Express to kids of all ages. Running trains from Akron, Canton and Independence, Ohio to the North Pole, the CVSR, along with hundreds of volunteers, elves and Santa himself, provides an experience that is magical.
We had the pleasure of taking the Polar Express when our children were younger; what a joy to see adults and children board the train and embark on the adventure of going to the North Pole. On the train, voilunteers read the Chris Van Allsburg’s magical story of the Polar Express. Hot chocolate, cookies, a visit from Santa and a special gift make the ride memorable for all who take it.
The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway hosted its Festival of Steam last weekend. The magic of the steam engine returned to our Valley, as the leaves were just beginning to change. Picture the video below with leaves touched with orange, red and yellow, and the sky a brilliant blue, and you are here this day, in the Village of Peninsula, Ohio.
This week’s abbreviated My Town Monday is a prelude to next week’s Fall in my Valley (this week’s events, including a visit to the orthopedic surgeon, precluded a more extensive post). The Village of Peninsula, Ohio, population 602, gently resisting change since 1832.
As always, My Town Monday, comes to a website near you via the incomparable Travis Erwin. Check out what he has to say this week, and see what other MTM participants have to say about their towns.
This week we’ll revisit a couple of things in my town.The beauty of this late summer’s afternoon has been calling my name. The infinite azure sky that September brings to Northeast Ohio, warm temperatures and gentle breezes are welcome. We are still cleaning up from the storm that Ike brought us last week. Our beautiful old maple, as old as this old house, succumbed. More on that in another post.
I’ve talked about the special place that is my town, and the feeling that is unlike that in any other place I’ve been. It manifests in many ways, and the Peninsula Python Festival was one.
Post a guess who this PPP member is in the comment section and I’ll enter your name in a high tech drawing (where I draw a name from a hat). You could be the latest member of the PPP. You could win cool stuff and join the other intrepid Posse members, Terrie Farley Moran,Sam, Travis, Barrie, and Eryl.
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The versatile Travis Erwin, is the originator of My Town Monday. Wander on over to his site and see what others have to say about their towns this day.
The Village of Peninsula, population 602, is the venue for some pretty amazing things. The Peninsula Art Academy, a not-for-profit organization promoting the Arts in the Village of Peninsula and throughout Northeast Ohio, has artists’ studios, a gallery, and classes and workshops. The 4th Saturday of every month, the PAA holds Blues Nights, an informal open mike jam for all levels of musicians interested in playing and learning the blues.
On Saturday, September 13, the PAA hosted the incredible guitarist Ernie Hawkins. Ernie conducted a workshop for 22 guitar enthusiasts in the afternoon, and played a concert at Peninsula’s beautiful GAR Hal in the evening. We had the opportunity to join the other lucky folks who experienced Ernie’s performance.
Here is a taste of Ernie’s artistry:
For train enthusiasts, and there are lots of those who come to my town, the sounds of train whistles and the wheels of the train on the tracks are another kind of music. The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad will be celebrating steam engines from September 24-25, and 27-28th. There will be lots of opportunities to climb aboard!!!
Travis Erwin is the conductor of the MTM train. You never know where My Town Monday will take you. Wander on over to Travis’ place and see what you find. You’ll have a good time and learn a lot. I promise. And in this election year, my promise is for real .
The Village of Peninsula, Ohio, population 602, is a place where you can walk. There is a walking tour that shows you lots of interesting places in the Village. I’ve been walking through the side streets of my town, discovering things I’d not seen before, and seeing some things in a new way.
Nixon is a 4 month old silver lab. He greeted me as lab puppies do,with a wet tongue and a
wagging tail.
There are houses and barns tucked away on the small, winding roads off Main Street.
No place is perfect, and the hazards of cell phone life are the same no matter where you hang your hat.
Amarillo’s own Travis Erwin is the Master Mind behind My Town Monday. Take a trip on over there and you can see the world through the hearts and minds of bloogers all over this fine planet.
The Village of Peninsula, Ohio, population 602, is a sweet place. It was built by hands, hearts and imaginations of folks who carved their lives out of a wilderness.
This pedestrian/bike bridge on the Towpath goes over the Cuyahoga River. It was built on the foundation of the old aquaduct that took the Canal over the River.
The Village Hall was built in 1857 of stone from local quarries. It was built as a schoolhouse, and has been used as a library and a recreation center for local teens. You can read more about it here.
When I was taking this picture, I was standing in front of the Methodist Church. I became aware of something on my arm, and quickly brushed away what I thought was an insect. Seems like a bird sitting on the tree above me did what you think he did. Victoria, of Curious Masks, was quick to tell me that was a sign of good luck.
I passed Ronda, sitting on the porch of her Downtown Emporium. She is a wealth of information about the history of this Village. She has been here for a long time, and understands what makes Peninsula a special place.
This is the back of Ronda’s shop. It’s like this in my town.
You can buy tickets for the train in this caboose.
The Village of Peninsula, Ohio, population 602, is a special place. Follow me through town, and you’ll have a glimpse of one of the places I call home.
If you ride the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, you’ll get off here. You can also board the train in my town and explore other parts of the Cuyahoga Valley and NE Ohio.
The train coming into the Village from the North.
The Main Street bridge over the Cuyahoga River.
The flower boxes on the bridge are planned, planted and lovingly cared for by the Peninsula Home and Garden Club.
The Peninsula Home and Garden Club was established in 1935, and has met very month since then. The Garden Club has a maximum of 40 members, and members must live or have lived in the Village.
Members of the club plan, purchase, plant and maintain the 14 flower boxes on the bridge. They put up and replace the flags that adorn the bridge, and in the fall, they place cornstalks along the span.
In the winter, the members of the Garden Club place greenery on the Main Street Bridge. This amazing group is non-denominational, and apolitical; it’s function in social and service to its community.
There are 2 beautiful churches in my town. Mother of Sorrows is the Catholic Church.
The Methodist Church is located on Main Street. The members of the Church are raising money to restore the steeple. Scroll down to see why.
When one of my children was little, we pointed out the Methodist Church. She asked where the other two churches were. “Which churches?” I asked. She responded, “The Method, and the Methoder.”
I’ll be back next week with more photos from our walk through the Village. The Village of Peninsula, built by the hands and hearts of generations; gently resisting change since 1837.
**I had promised to share photos from or trip to Black Mountain, NC. I will do so later in the week; I’m having trouble sizing the photos. Thank you for your patience.
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My Town Monday is the product of the creative imagination of one of Amarillo Texas’ finest, Travis Erwin. Take a trip on over there, and you’ll visit the town of Canyon, Texas. Then click on the links to the sites of my fellow MTM Marauders. You’ll learn a lot of interesting things.
Fr. Bernard Cook wrote, “We need to have people who mean something to us; people to whom we can turn, knowing that being with them is coming home.” I have learned that home travels. I have found it in the mountains of North Carolina, in New York City, in Cleveland, Ohio, in Blue Mountain Lake, NY (of which I will write later) and in my town, Peninsula, Ohio.
Ronda, the proprietor of the Downtown Emporium tells me that over 100 names were entered into the Name the Peninsula Python contest. Most were alliterative, some playful, some mythological in nature. Most folks seemed to assume that the python was a male. Ronda says that the official gender-neutral name of the Peninsula Python is Penn.
The world, including the Great Dane on Main (Street), passes by Ronda’s porch:
Here are some more photos of this year’s Pythons of Peninsula and the people who made it all happen.
There is something special about my town, its people, its heart and spirit. Something that truly is like coming home.
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Post a comment and I’ll enter you in the Python Posse Giveaway–and you could win cool stuff, too! You can join the latest member of the Posse, Amy, and her cohorts:Terrie Farley Moran,Sam, Travis, Barrie, and Eryl,
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**As always, My Town Monday is brought to you by Amarillo, Texas’ own Travis Erwin. Take a trip on over to his blog, One Word, One Rung, One Day, and you’ll travel to Cimarron Canyon in northern New Mexico. You’ll also find links to the blogs of other My Town Monday Marauders.
Today’s post is a short one—the beautiful weather and the garden have been calling my name. For the record, the garden is planted, except for a couple of Roma tomato plants.
The history of trains in the Cuyahoga Valley goes back a long time. In 1869, Akron businessman David King lobbied the state legislature to build the Akron and Canton Railroad. The Valley Railway was completed and began operations in 1880; it transported coal to Cleveland, Akron and Canton from the Tuscarawas Valley, and provided passenger service along the way. In 1890, the Valley Railway became part of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Owned by the Chessie System, the Cuyahoga Valley Line was incorporated in 1972 by the nonprofit Cuyahoga Valley Preservation & Scenic Railway Assn., a group of private citizens interested in preserving the memory of steam railroading. The train is now known as the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.
My Town Monday is the brainchild of Chief Marauder Travis Erwin. Take a trip on over there and see what else you can learn about towns hither and yon.
Keep those cards and letters coming! Post a comment and I’ll enter you into this week’s Peninsula Giveaway. Last week’s Peninsula Python Posse winner was Sam.
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