I did this set back on my old version of this blog, but decided to update it with a clearer set of pictures. I believe there is a State Tour Series (I’ve seen some from this series referred to as the Vacationland Series) for every state. So far I’ve only come across two or three of them. It is a goal to get all of them.
This set actually helped inspire an Ohio travel blog that I’ve been running for the past few months, where I’m trying to visit all 88 counties, and write about at least one unique site in each county. You can see my progress on that project over at The Travel 88 Blog.
As you can see from the cover image, the photos in this set follow a serpentine path around the state. Along the way you’ll see several of Ohio’s best tourist sites…and a few very questionable choices.
Let’s head to Reel 1
-Cleveland, Aerial. Note Cleveland Stadium, longtime home of the Browns at the far left. FirstEnergy Stadium now sits on the same spot. The original stadium was demolished, and dumped into Lake Erie to create an artificial reef.
– Downtown Cleveland. A rare fire-free day on the Cuyahoga River
-Cleveland Art Museum
-Thomas Edison Birthplace
-Glacial Grooves
-Perry Monument, South Bass Island
-Toledo Skyline.
As I’ve always said about this set. I think Reel 1 does a pretty good job of showing off some of the most interesting spots on Ohio’s North Coast. Reel 2 begins stretching the definition of what I’d call “travel-worthy”
-Unloading Iron Ore. I like big boats, and I cannot lie. However, I don’t think the docks of Toledo are my kind of hang-out location.
-Corn Harvest, Till Plains. Hey kids! Let’s go stare at a farmer and his corn silo! There’s more than corn in Northwest Ohio (although in the mid-1950s, maybe not much more)
-Air Force Museum, Dayton. My absolute favorite place in Ohio. It has grown so much since this picture. Eventually, I will re-upload the sets from this era, but if you’d like to see more about the Air Force Museum now, check out my travel blog posts:Main Museum and the new 4th Building
-Cincinnati At Dusk. Amazing look pre-riverfront (and indeed, Riverfront) stadium complex
-Ohio River. Again, pre-stadiums in Cincy, and pre-Newport…everything here on the Kentucky side
-Great Serpent Mound. A fascinating spot. Read my travel report: Great Serpent Mound
-Last of the Stern-Wheelers
So there’s Reel 2. A couple wonky photos to start, but it regains its footing to showcase some of the best of Ohio. Let’s go on to Reel 3.
-Hope Furnace. Southern Ohio was an incredible source for iron smelting in the 1800s. Very little of that history remains.
-Ohio State Football. The Horseshoe…back when it looked less like a spaceship.
Yeah.
-Zanesville “Y” Bridge
-Shoenbrunn Village
-Giant Tomatoes, Wooster.
-McKinley Memorial, Canton. I haven’t been here in a while, but I know those plants are no longer there because this exact spot is a parking space now.
-Youngstown Mills. Because nothing says “Come to Ohio!” like smoke belching steel mills.
Reel 3 is a bit better than 2. Hope Furnace and the McKinley Monument are very important and interesting places, but not even the people that worked in them want to look at steel mills. Also, I don’t know anybody that would travel to see giant tomatoes…
So there’s the Ohio State Series set. It has good moments, but I’d definitely swap out about half a dozen pictures for more interesting and historically important sites today.
I certainly hope it won’t be 8 months in between posts again. I think next time I want to show off some of the more…unusual reel sets I’ve come across.
Room With A Viewmaster 