Thinking About Ohio – serie

A guide to twenty-one historically themed bicycle tours in and around Dayton, Ohio Dayton boasts the largest contiguous bike trail network in the United States, and this guide for cycling enthusiasts and armchair travelers includes introductions to the city’s innovative cycling past and present, to beautiful country roads, and to vibrant urban landscapes.Bicycling Through Dayton is divided into three themes: “Sacred Ground,” “Changing the World,” and “Flying on a Bicycle.” In “Sacred Ground,” riders pass through many areas and structures, such as Fort Ancient, originally inhabited and cultivated by Native American people; the gravesite of Shawnee Chief Catecahassa, better known as Black Hoof; and the now vanished Randolph Settlement, where freed African American men and women in the 1840s were met with hostility upon arrival. Also included in this section are rides through majestic parks, colorful caves, and beautiful buildings, including Weaver Chapel at Wittenberg University. In “Changing the World,” tours focus on rides that highlight the richness of Ohio as a home of our nation’s educators, activists, engineers, innovators, and writers. “Flying on a Bicycle” pays homage to Ohio’s central role in the history of aviation and space exploration, featuring the birthplace of Orville and Wilbur Wright, the National Museum of the United States Air Force, and the home of Neil Armstrong.Readers can plan and export rides ahead of time using the QR code in the book to view turn-by-turn directions, detailed route maps, and photos of route sites. Bicycling Through Dayton helps cyclists and readers form a more intimate relationship with Ohio’s landscape by learning the history of Ohio and the people who came before us, all while enjoying a ride.

This elegant photography book showcases three centuries of architectural design with 360-degree panoramic photographs.Civic Architecture Across America: Extraordinary Views highlights the work of renowned architectural photographer Thomas R. Schiff and features over 120 of his panoramic photographs of the interior and exterior spaces of civic buildings throughout the country. Schiff’s signature photographs in panorama offer a breathtakingly full 360-degree sweep of civic architecture, allowing the viewer to see what is directly in front in addition to the left, right, and rear.Each chapter features a short essay by an architectural historian, practicing architect, or museum curator who shares their thoughts on an aspect of civic architectural expression and engagement surrounding public space today. The book unfolds regionally, beginning with a tour of our nation’s capital and its most iconic locations, such as the Lincoln Memorial and the Library of Congress Reading Room, photographed as you have never seen before. Readers then travel to town, city, and state buildings, including Indigenous sites and the edifices they influence today, in each region of the country, where they will meet an expert who shares their perspective on Schiff’s imagery and the architectural uniqueness of these sites, the changes they have undergone, and the considerations that go into building them. This volume includes the Maryland State House, Buffalo City Hall, Federal Plaza in Chicago, Cincinnati City Hall, Faneuil Hall in Boston, the New Hampshire Supreme Court building, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Virginia, the West Virginia Independence Hall, the Sandra Day O’Connor U.S. Courthouse in Phoenix, the Scottsdale City Hall, the Y bridge in Ohio, Pueblo Bonito in New Mexico, and over one hundred more locations.Published in collaboration with the Cincinnati Museum Center, this large-format book expands upon a new traveling exhibit featuring Schiff’s images of the people’s buildings as part of the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. It includes a foreword from Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio, an introduction by Richard Guy Wilson, and essays by Benjamin Bross, Manuel Cordero, Bradford C. Grant, and Jeff Tilman.

A revised edition of the award-winning book of historically themed cycling tours in and around Cincinnati, OhioBicycling Through Paradise: Historical Rides Around Cincinnati includes nineteen historically themed cyclist tours for all abilities centered around Cincinnati, Ohio. Written by two longtime cyclists-one a professor of history and one an architect-this book dives into the details of local landscape and history encountered along the route. Rides combine familiar destinations like Lunken Airport, Eden Park, and Loveland Castle with lesser-known sites like Underground Railroad stations, ruined stone canal locks, and a nineteenth-century socialist commune, all located in and around the greater Cincinnati area. Stops along the way include public parks, covered bridges, and one-room schoolhouses.The book includes a QR code to link readers to a companion Community Page where cyclists will find downloadable turn-by-turn directions and wayfinding photos, plus a place for cyclists to share their feedback, making this book an interactive experience.

Featuring the Hopewell Ceremonial EarthworksTraveler’s Guide to Ancient Ohio is a compact, richly illustrated, and in-depth travel guide to the Indigenous earthwork wonders of southern Ohio-some of the most extraordinary ancient monuments in North America. Featuring the eight newly inscribed UNESCO World Heritage sites, this is the first publication to present these places from a traveler’s perspective, offering deeply informative site descriptions alongside curated routes to historical, scenic, and natural treasures across the region.Southern Ohio’s landscape is layered with millennia of human history. At its heart are the monumental Adena and Hopewell earthworks-vast ceremonial constructions that reflect the ingenuity and spiritual life of ancient Indigenous cultures. This guide helps readers understand these sites as rewarding architectural experiences, enriched by archaeological, historical, and Indigenous knowledge gathered over three decades of collaborative work.Organized into eight scenic driving routes-including the World Heritage Route and seven tributary paths-the book connects earthworks with nearby historic towns, nature preserves, waterways, and cultural landmarks. Each route emphasizes two-lane roads and includes road-tested site addresses, with links to local tourism resources for updated travel information.Introductory sections provide essential context on regional geography, Indigenous cultures, archaeological terminology, and travel logistics. The guide’s focus on on-site appreciation is rare among existing resources, making it invaluable for both pre-visit planning and on-the-ground exploration.Detailed route and trail descriptions are coordinated with all-new maps, plans, and photographs. The book links to multimedia assets, including animated flyovers that help visualize the earthworks and interview excerpts that deepen interpretive storytelling through Indigenous and interdisciplinary voices.For first-time visitors and seasoned explorers, Traveler’s Guide to Ancient Ohio offers a fresh, immersive way to experience the region’s ancient wonders and the landscapes that continue to tell their story.

This engaging collection of essays explores the lives and legacies of six Ohio-born First Ladies: Lucy Webb Hayes, Lucretia Rudolph Garfield, Caroline Scott Harrison, Ida Saxton McKinley, Helen Herron Taft, and Florence Kling Harding. With contributions by leading scholars, the volume moves beyond traditional biography to examine how each woman’s Ohio roots shaped her public role and influenced her husband’s political career at both state and national levels.Connecting Ohio history to the broader narrative of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century US history, these essays draw on rich primary and secondary sources to illuminate the intersection of regional identity and national politics. Accessible and insightful, Ohio’s First Ladies invites readers of all backgrounds-from high school students to lifelong learners-to discover how the Midwest helped mold women who would leave their mark on the White House.ContributorsBenjamin T. ArringtonJennifer CappsAnnette B. DunlapKara M. FrenchMichelle GullionKatherine JellisonKatherine A. S. Sibley