The Ohio and Erie Canal played a critical part in the development of the Cuyahoga Valley. The workers toiled long hours for 30 cents a day and whiskey at night.
Most of the employees of the Peninsula boat yards were locals; like the builders of the Canal, most of the laborers remain anonymous. Some not only built canal boats, but also they also erected buildings and bridges. Many of the boatyard workers also worked on the boats, making them “canalers.”
Canal boats were 79-81 feet long, and about 14 feet wide. Their width was limited by the size of the locks through which they traveled. New vessels needed about 3 1/2 feet of water in which to float; older vessels required a bit more depth since they accumulated “seepage water.” Once the stomping grounds of canal mules, the towpath is now used as a trail, of which over 70 miles is complete. I’ll explore the trail in a future post.
The cool thing is that many of the buildings still stand, and vestiges of the canal are still visible. Some of the locks are still there, and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park has a working lock at the Canal Visitor Center. In other places, old foundations are visible. The stories of the people who carved this Village are alive and well. It is the people who give us a sense of place, a place that is home. The Village of Peninsula, population 602, celebrates its history as it embraces its future. An interesting place to be.
As always feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve been by. If you choose to leave a comment, I’ll enter your name in a drawing for a beautiful book about the Cuyahoga Valley.
By fromskilledhands (
August 23, 2010 at 11:20 am)
· Filed under My Town Monday
As far as I am concerned, Summer is still in full swing. The autumnal equinox will occur on September 23, 2010, at 3:09 A.M. Tomatoes are blushing, beans are growing and kale is everywhere! The sounds of the cicadas remind me it’s August, and lightening bugs glow in the evening sky. Nature’s seasons are much more honest that those constructed by humans, I think.
Here’s a look at life in my Valley, along the river called Cuyahoga.
As always, feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know that you’ve stopped by. Hike on over to My Town Monday, to see what my fellow MTM Marauders have to say.
A while back, my blogging buddy, Amy Rea, blogged about the Twin Cities’ Peace Coffee. Somehow we started talking about good locally roasted coffees, and Peace Coffee reminded me about Canton, Ohio’s Hippie Coffee Company.
One of us proposed a trade, and so, the Great Peaceful Coffee Adventure began. Amy sent me Peace Coffee and I sent her Hippie Coffee. I’ve always liked Hippie Coffee, so I was delighted to share it with Amy. We continued the trade, and the second time we traded, I sent Amy a mug, and she included a pair of Peace Coffee Socks.
This trade introduced me to another wonderful coffee, and was a reminder that other towns have great local products. When you buy locally, you not only help sustain that merchant’s growth, you support his or her suppliers and the folks whose businesses provide adjunct services, so you truly strengthen your local economy.
Check out local products in your community. Tell others about them—trade with your cyber-buddies. You’ll have fun and will have the opportunity to discover new things.
What are your favorite local products? Feel free to post a comment, or leave a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by.
Wander on over to My Town Monday and see what my fellow MTM Marauders have to say.
****
Lots going on for me and my family right now; although I’m not writing posts or posting comments very often, I’m still here, and I’m still reading. Stay tuned. I hope to be back more regularly when the dust settles for us.
Saturday was hot and sunny, and plenty of people came to my Valley to participate in Peninsula Python Day. A plethora of pythons were seen throughout the Village, and the Parade was bigger that it has been in the past. The King and Queen of the Hobos rode a float from the Hobo Gathering at Deep Lock Quarry to the Village.
A wedding was scheduled to take place at the Methodist Church at the same time the Parade was to start. I imagine that the wedding party will remember this day.
Take a look at the events of the day. And, as always, please feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you stopped by.
Slither on over to My Town Monday to see what others have to say about their towns.
“To preserve the heritage, maintain the character and promote the vitality of Peninsula, Ohio and the Cuyahoga Valley by engaging the community through educational programs, historic preservation and volunteerism.”
The Foundation preserves historic buildings in the Village of Peninsula, and operates historic sites, including the Bronson Church and the GAR Hall. Peninsula is privileged to be one of the locations for the traveling exhibit Abraham Lincoln: Self-Made in America. The exhibit, which is free to the public, will be held at the Foundation’s GAR Hall and Museum, from July 3-28, 2010. If you have the opportunity, come to my Valley and see the exhibit, the Village and the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley. Stop in our Gallery and say hello. We’ll be glad to see you.
Wander on over to My Town Monday and see what my fellow MTM Marauders have to say. As always, please feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by.
For years, artists have tried to capture the beauty of the crooked river that is called Cuyahoga. Painters, photographers and artists with sketch pads are regular sights in this Valley.
On Saturday, June 12, 2010, a group of regional artists will converge on the Village, canvases, easels and paints in hand. They will be participants in the second annual Plein Aire competition that is sponsored by Peninsula Area Chamber of Commerce. En plein air is a French expression meaning “in the open air.” It is used to describe the act of painting outdoors. Plein air painting has it’s roots in 19th century Europe. The invention of tubes that contained pigments made painting portable, and the introduction of the steam engine gave painters a way to travel for their art.
If you’re in our neck of the woods or are in the mood for a beautiful drive, come on over and see us. You can watch the painters, take a hike in the amazing Cuyahoga Valley National Park (did you know that it is the 6th most visited National Park in the country?), take a ride on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, and explore the Village of Peninsula. We’re looking forward to meeting you.
For more information on the Plein Aire competition, visit here.
Join us in the Village of Peninsula next Saturday, May 22nd, as we stroll into Spring. We will have some faerie houses for you to discover, and a faerie marketplace too. Here are some photos of some of our faerie house builders, and a sample of what you’ll find, both at our Elements Gallery, and around the Village.
In May of 2009, the Village of Peninsula, Ohio, population 602, hosted a village-wide display of fairy houses and gardens. Here is a look at some of them, starting with those at Elements Gallery.
Wander on over to My Town Monday for a look at what other folks have to say about their necks of the woods.
By fromskilledhands (
May 10, 2010 at 9:25 am)
· Filed under My Town Monday
When my youngest daughter was small, she delighted in running through the woods looking at all the new things that were growing. So much to discover! Walks were what we did on a daily basis, and it was a joy to see how things had changed. My daughter loved to look for Jacks-in-the Pulpit, and would stop at each one to see if Jack were home. “Hi, Jack!” she would softly say, “I knew you’d be home.”
These days my walks are mostly with the dogs, the birds and my thoughts, which is fine with me. The other day, I walked with my father-in-law.
I always see new things when I walk with him—or old things in a new way. We take our time when we walk together, he with his walking stick, and me with my camera. We saw the families of May apples that come up each year, their umbrella-like leaves sheltering the blossom that will become an edible fruit. And there on that day, my father-in-law looked to see where Jack was growing. All through the woods.
The joy of discovery is an amazing thing. It put a spring in the step and a smile on the face of a man who has spent many years walking in these woods.
As always, please feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by. And wander on over to My Town Monday to see what other folks have to say about their towns.
As I sit sipping my coffee with frothed, steamed milk, I cradle my sacred mug in my hands. The mug’s the thing, more than it’s contents. It’s handle, user friendly; it’s body rounded to fit in my hands. Mugs are a personal thing.
Last summer I asked what you like in a mug. Since Spring has finally really arrived in my Valley, it’s time to ask again. What do you like in a mug?
Send me your mug shot, and I’ll enter your name in a drawing for one of our favorite mugs. Using my usual high tech method, in which I draw a name from a hat, I will draw a name on Sunday, May 9, and post the winner in next week’s MTM post.
Send your photo to me: from skilled hands AT gmail DOT com.
Visit My Town Monday to see who has what to say about his or her town.
By fromskilledhands (
April 19, 2010 at 11:51 am)
· Filed under My Town Monday
Years ago, when we passed the Peninsula United Methodist Church, my oldest daughter asked what it’s name was. When I told her that is was the Methodist Church. she asked where the other two were. “Which other two,” I wondered. “You know,” she said knowingly, ” the Method and the Method-er.”
Members of the Peninsula United Methodist Church worked long and hard to raise the money to restore the steeple of the historic church. Here is what it looked like prior to the restoration:
The steeple was removed for restoration:
Here is the beautifully restored steeple:
As always, please feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by. Wander on over to My Town Monday to see what the other MTM Marauders have to say.
As always feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve been by. If you choose to leave a comment, I’ll enter your name in a drawing for a beautiful book about the Cuyahoga Valley.![[Bloglines]](http://fromskilledhands.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/bloglines.png)
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A while back, my blogging buddy, 
other towns have great local products. When you buy locally, you not only help sustain that merchant’s growth, you support his or her suppliers and the folks whose businesses provide adjunct services, so you truly strengthen your local economy. 
