Summer in Ohio (Memory)!

"Summer Time - Warren Playground" from the Ohio Guide Collection on Ohio Memory
“Summer Time – Warren Playground” from the Ohio Guide Collection on Ohio Memory

Today, June 21st, marks the 2013 summer solstice–the longest day of the year, and the official start to the summer season! Ohio is a great state all year round, but the summer months are the perfect time for exploring our many exciting sites and activities. Ohio Memory shows off a number of classic summer pastimes, as seen below!

Jay Cooke III and Edward Lewis rolling the lawn on Gibraltar Island in preparation to play tennis, via Ohio Memory
Jay Cooke III and Edward Lewis rolling the lawn on Gibraltar Island in preparation to play tennis, via Ohio Memory

The family of Jay Cooke, a prominent Ohio businessman, owned a summer home on Lake Erie’s Gibraltar Island for many years, taking advantage of this beautiful region for picnics, sailing, croquet and more. Because an island home may not be the most amenable for summer activities like tennis, the yard needed to be rolled regularly, as seen in the photograph at right. The island was later purchased from the descendents of Jay Cooke by Julius Stone, a philanthropist connected to The Ohio State University. He donated the property to Ohio State, which now maintains the historic site as Stone Laboratory, a freshwater research and teaching facility.

The Hotel Victory, one of the largest hotels in the country during the late 19th century. Courtesy of the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society via Ohio Memory
The Hotel Victory, one of the largest hotels in the country during the late 19th century. Courtesy of the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society via Ohio Memory
Aerial view of Serpent Mound in Adams County, via Ohio Memory
Aerial view of Serpent Mound in Adams County, via Ohio Memory

 

The shores of Lake Erie have long been a popular summer destination for Ohioans. Other notable vacation spots in the area include the Hotel Victory (pictured above) on South Bass Island, which burned down in 1919, and the Lakeside Hotel, in a part of the state originally popularized for Methodist revival meetings.

Looking for a place to visit with a bit more history? Check out Serpent Mound this weekend to see the head of the serpent align with the summer solstice sunset! Have a great summer, and don’t forget to spend some time with us here at Ohio Memory!

Thanks to Lily Birkhimer, Digital Projects Coordinator at the Ohio History Connection, for this week’s post!

 

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