Portsmouth Flood Wall Murals

I attended Shawnee State University from 2001-2005. One of my favorite things to do was walk the floodwall--first along the top of the grassy section and then down to the murals.

Portsmouth is famous for the flood wall murals, which depict area history and important events. The murals are so lifelike, with some good photography skills you could easily state a photo that looks like you're part of the paintings.

The murals were designed by artist Robert Dafford. They were commissioned after a group of citizens thought the flood wall could be more than just slabs of cement. They were right. I love how the murals depict what the flood wall is protecting. On the opposite side, you'll find a wall of painted stars that have been signed by notable figures from the area.

In the photo above, you can see the artist has painted himself into several scenes. I think it's a great way to "sign" this beautiful work of art.

If you're ever in Portsmouth, make sure this is one of your stops. Though several other river cities have similar murals (Point Pleasant, WV has some, for example) this will always be my favorite.

Sprout

My husband and I visited Paint Creek State Park over the weekend to take some photos for my book. We headed down to the spillway area, which is my favorite part of the park. There were some early fishermen, some in waders in the cold water. We saw a crow pluck a fish from the rapids. There were signs of life all around--spring begins tomorrow! See this sprout poking up through the dead leaves of fall and winter?

Appreciation

This house is where my husband lived for three years; I moved in during my senior year of college. I always tell him to consider himself lucky because no other girl would have moved in there.

It all started when my husband (then my boyfriend) was looking for a place to move off-campus after our freshman year at Shawnee State University. He and his friend Cory found a nice rental property near campus and planned to live with several other guys. However, on move-in day, three of the others backed out, leaving Neil and Cory to split a $900 rent. They both worked on campus for $5.15 an hour. Obviously it wasn't going to work. They were stuck in a bad position since the quarter was about to begin and most apartments and rental houses had already been claimed by other students.

Neil and I headed back to Cincinnati to his parents' house to regroup and try to figure out his living arrangements. We had just settled in when Cory called. He'd found a place, he said, and the rent was less than $200. Surely this must be some sort of mistake, we thought.

I clearly recall arriving back in Portsmouth that night to see the place Cory had discovered. The previous tenants had already moved out, he said, but the landlord didn't know that yet. The guys said we could just walk right in because they left the door unlocked.

Immediately upon entering, I noticed a huge piece of furniture blocking our way. We reached to flip the switches, but the electricity had been shut off. In total darkness, we made our way through the foyer with its chipped and missing tiles, then up a rickety staircase. With flashlights, we peeked into each room. One had a dirty mattress on the bare floor and a floor model television. The bathtub was black with mold. The fridge drawer was filled with...(warning!) maggots and rotting food. I looked at Cory and asked him if he was kidding. He wasn't.

Out of options, they talked to the landlord the next day and moved in. I helped clean and paint and pretty soon it was livable. Not up to standards most people would accept, but it was what it was.

Eventually, Cory moved out and his friend from Australia, BJ, moved in. Lastly, during my senior year, BJ was gone and it was my turn to experience life in what was affectionately called "The Rat's Nest." Over the years when I both stayed and lived there, we experienced an ice storm, when we had no electricity for a week and the toilet was frozen, a bat crawling in through a hole in the ceiling and more bar fights in the alley behind the house than I care to admit to watching.

We were poor. We both attended school full time and worked when we could get hours at the library or communication office. Every dime went to simply living. The only saving grace in those days was that the house was directly across the street from campus.

The photos above are from the day before we moved out (top) and what the house looks like now that it has been renovated and rented out again (bottom). It's a lot cleaner and safer these days.

Today, we're back in Cincinnati living in a comfortable ranch home. We were married a year after college graduation. We've been through master's programs, first jobs and are settling into careers. For all of life's blessings, we are not quick to forget where we lived on Third Street in Portsmouth. We keep a framed photo of the house on a shelf as a symbol to remind us that we once lived far below our present lifestyle and we survived. When money is tight or we hear someone complain that they can't afford life's luxuries, we simply smile and know that we are safe if we ever have to live like that again. We made it.


This is a poem I wrote in jest when leaving and moving back to Cincinnati:

Sonnet for 927 ½ 3^rd Street

Shall I weep to part from thee, you old house?

Your leaky ceiling and windows rattling

with each passing Portsmouth wind that doth rouse?

O! This landlord’s lease we seem to be battling!

Sometimes, this house in summer a hot hell,

and often, in dread winter, as cold as ice.

Why? Tell me, why here of all places dwell?

Is there no fairer place, for better price?

It has seen the flood, and often students

who paid the paltry sum destroyed its halls

Undergraduates, oft less than prudent,

kicked in doors, ripped up tiles and scratched the walls.

As long as I breath, shall always recall

Complaining, but surviving, after all.

Leo Petroglyph

According to the Ohio Historical Society, Leo Petroglyph contains 37 carvings that depict humans and animals. The Fort Ancient Indians are the likely creators.

The carvings appear on a large piece of sandstone on the edge of a large ravine, making it susceptible to weather and erosion; it’s isolated location and minimal barriers make it a target for vandals who like to add to the ancient carvings.

With tightening budgets, I wonder how well this attraction is patrolled. Sadly, the signs have been damaged and the rock is protected by what is basically a picnic shelter. It seems odd, somehow, to be able to have a picnic near what may very well be a religious or ceremonial relic.

Nobody knows for sure what the carvings mean, though to me it appears to be a hunting scene of some sort. Most intriguing is a monster-like horned figure that may represent a shaman or mythical beast.

If you are ever in the Chillicothe or Jackson areas, this site is worth a visit. Unfortunately, I have been unable to pin down an exact street address, but these directions from the state got us there:

Leo Petroglyph is near the village of Leo, five miles northwest of Jackson, in Jackson County. Turn off of U.S. Route 35 on County Road 28, then left in Leo on Township Road 224.

It’s also wise to call ahead to make sure there are no unexpected or special closings. When we attempted to visit Fort Hill on the same trip, the trails were closed for deer season.

Phone:

614-297-2630

1-800-686-1535 (toll free)

http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/places/se05/index.shtml

Serpent Mound

Serpent Mound, located in Adams County, Ohio, is mysterious for many reasons. I've been visiting this effigy mound my entire life, and it never ceases to amaze me. When I was little, I even wrote to the governor when I heard the mound was in danger of washing away due to erosion.

I like to call this Ohio's Stonehenge.

Like Stonehenge, which I have also visited, part of the allure is that nobody quite knows what it's purpose is or was. Also like Stonehenge, it could have had religious, supernatural, funerary or astronomic purposes. In fact, the structure and placement of the mound does seem to match up rather well to locations of heavenly bodies on significant dates.

In yet another strange twist, when my husband and I visited the British Museum in 2003, we found artifacts from this mound and a small display about its history. It was odd to find something so under-appreciated here to be celebrated in one of the world's great museum collections.

This is not a burial mound, though two (or possibly more) are located nearby. In addition to it's cryptic purpose, legend has it a large black panther, obviously not indigenous to Ohio, is spotted by locals. A totem animal perhaps?

I prefer to visit the mound at this time of year. Even though it's cold and you are perched on top of a valley (which incidentally may have been caused by a meteor strike!) where you can feel the chilly wind, it's an excellent time to visit. With fewer people around and no leaves on the trees, you can explore as long as you want and see for miles.

In fact, in just a few weeks, the mound will be edged with hundreds of luminaries to honor the solstice. This is a rare treat, as the park is usually closed after dark. Maybe you can even leave a prayer, as depicted here (don't worry, when we figured out what it was we put it right back).


Check it out on December 21, from 4-8:30 p.m.

For more information, check out these sites:

http://greatserpentmound.com/

http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/places/sw16/index.shtml

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/sites/northamerica/serpent.html

And of course a shout out to my favorite Ohio site:

http://www.forgottenoh.com/Counties/Adams/serpent.html