Layers Of Time

If you’re lucky, once in a while you will be going about your business when something truly special steps into your path and begs for attention.

That happened to me this weekend while visiting cemeteries with my parents in Morgan County, Ohio. My uncle is buried in a cemetery that sits just below a little white church on a hill. It has been abandoned for as long as anyone can remember. From the cemetery you can just catch a glimpse of the top of the church through overgrown brush and trees.

This place has long captivated my imagination. It was a mystery waiting to be solved. Sadly, it was long unattainable because I wasn’t crazy enough to brave the snakes and poison ivy just to climb the hill for a look.

This time was a completely different experience because someone had cut back the brush on the bank, creating a rough trail all the way to the front door. It was like they knew I was coming.

You can bet I abandoned my parents at the cemetery and scurried right up to the top for a look. The clearing was small, the stone porch steps have shifted but the inside was eerily intact. It looks like the congregation of Pleasant Hill Methodist Church just closed the door and walked away.

Everything is covered in a thick layer of dust and the piano is in rough shape. The floor seems sturdy and most of the glass windows are intact. The light in there was breathtaking that afternoon. I was in awe of how the light played on those dusty old wood pews.

Describing the physical experience of seeing the old pews in the light of a late May Sunday is the easy part of this story. What’s a little harder to describe is the most important part of the experience.

Most history buffs will understand when I say that some places feel special. They feel like important things have gone on inside. They feel like there’s a layer of time as thick as the dust on those pews that can only be felt rather than seen. They feel alive.

I had the strangest sensation that I was not alone in that 1889 era church. It was as though there was some unseen event taking place just beyond my line of sight. I could feel the energy of a congregation. That piano sat silent for me but still seemed full of energy.

In another time, someone pounded those keys to the tune of an old hymn like “Mansion Over The Hilltop” while an elderly preacher gripped his Bible and studied the faces of his congregation as they sang along.

I felt like an intruder and yet, didn’t feel unwelcome. I simply didn’t belong. It was an odd sensation. Unsettling but special. If I could just turn my head fast enough, I was convinced there was a church full of people just behind me.

This is why I adventure, friends. This sort of thing happens so rarely but the promise of the opportunity to experience a place so unusual is one of the things that keeps me looking.

Helmick Covered Bridge

Yesterday I told you about adventuring with my folks to find two covered bridges. This is the other bridge we found.

It’s called Helmick and it is positively picturesque. That pop of red against the landscape was a real thrill to see and a closer look didn’t disappoint.

Built in 1867, it has been restored so you can drive through it and there are a couple of good spots where you can park if you wish to stop for pictures.

There are also some places where you can scurry down to the stream if you’re wearing decent shoes. I was just wearing tennis shoes and made it ok. The water was low enough that I could skip rocks to get a good look.

I’m not a fan of graffiti in any place but was quite taken with this little portrait. The bow is a nice touch.

Want to visit? The GPS coordinates are 39°43’11” N, 81°56’32” W.

Big Muskie

A recent weekend took me to a roadside attraction in Morgan County – the remnants of the Big Muskie.

The Big Muskie was an enormous piece of machinery used in coal mining. As big as a sky rise, this was the largest dragline ever built.

Dedicated in 1969, this machine could move millions of pounds of earth and rock every hour. It operated until 1991 and sat quiet as a tourist attraction for several years. In the late nineties, the Surface Mining Reclamation Act required its removal. However, one piece remains – the bucket which landowner American Electric Power turned into the centerpiece of a park with interpretive signage, picnic tables and restrooms.

The bucket is enormous and the chains attached to the bucket are unimaginably large.

Have you ever seen a chain so large? Can you imagine the piece of equipment necessary to lift all this? You don’t have to. Here’s an image courtesy of The Herald Star. Look how small the bucket is compared to the machine. Now scroll back up and look at how small the people are compared to the bucket.

This is one of those roadside attractions that’s worth a stop if you’re in the area. I wouldn’t build a road trip around it but there are other things to see and do in the area. The Morgan County Bicentennial Barn is just down the road, there are covered bridges in the area, and The Wilds is about twenty minutes north. Downtown McConnelsville has small town charm complete with some cute small businesses, the Ohio Valley Opry and a fantastic square with a statue and county courthouse.

Adventure Day

I went on an adventure the other day. A pal took me driving back roads that I had never been on and to caves and bridges and churches that I had never seen. Little makes me happier than an afternoon spent this way. He’s a darn good adventure partner, not caring to get his truck muddy and patient with me and my camera.

It was an overcast day so not the best for pictures but I did manage a few. Here’s a few from this trip through Morgan and Washington counties.

It’s Just A Neat Picture

I don’t really have anything to say today but love this picture and wanted to share it. This is the Civil War Memorial in the McConnelsville, Ohio town square. The Morgan County Courthouse clock tower is seen in the background. I took it during Morgan County Heritage Day back in October. Isn’t the sky great?

 

Ohio Passport: Big Bottom Memorial Park

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Yesterday I began my Ohio History Connection Passport journey. In case you missed it, I wrote about this project a few days ago and you can read all about it here. This weekend’s stop was at Big Bottom Memorial Park in Morgan County. This was the site of a 1791 attack on settlers by American Indians. It marked the beginning of four years of warfare in the Ohio territory.

This is a beautiful park on the banks of the Muskingum River. Enormous old trees provide shade and all sorts of birds are prolific here. You’ll find a historic marker, a small monument and a large park area with some picnic tables for relaxing.

This isn’t a site I would go out of my way to visit. I happened to be visiting the area and had time to swing by for my passport project. However, it is a super place to picnic and it wouldn’t be too far down to Marietta to visit the Campus Martius Museum and other sites like Blennerhasset Island in West Virginia.

There isn’t a lot to see or do here but I have to say – it feels like hallowed ground. It felt important that I be there and know what happened. I suppose this is what the passport project is all about.