Lancaster Travel Guide

After visiting the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, we walked into their beautiful gift shop. It is filled with lovely items of all kinds as well as "exclusive, exhibition-related merchandise". They also sell seasonal decor, housewares, and jewelry. I saw so many items that I would have loved to have purchased, but it was toward the end of our trip, and money was dwindling.

What to buy: Museum shop volunteers run this shop. They were so helpful and so friendly; however, they were not agressive or "hovering". We appreciated that. Because they are "in the know", they are happy to help customers find special gifts.

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From the Glass Museum, we learned that the following Glass Companies are still located in Lancaster, Ohio:

Anchor Hocking Glass Company
Lancaster Glass Corporation
Erickson Glass

Since Lancaster Glass Corporation is the one we saw, I'll talk about it.
It was first called Lancaster Lens Company, and they specialized in automotive parts (high-grade mirror lenses for auto lamps (1910). About five years later the Ohio Shoe Company building was rebuilt and and third story was added to it. By 1916, this glass company had completed the first glass furnaces, and Lancaster Glass started manufacturing its own glass. Of historical significance is the fact that by 1919, the company had received a government contract to construct thirty 60-inch diameter reflectors to used in battleships and anti-aircraft search light in WWI.

I think that it is so remarkable that in 1934, Lancaster Glass Company "produced 25" hand-blown glass reflector to be placed in the torch of the Statue of Liberty for its 50th anniversary".

By 1948, Lancaster Glass used automatic machine production of glass and produced "cathode ray tubes for Zenith, RCA, and Admiral & military applications".

By 1962, Lancaster Glass was one of 5 companies that merged to form Lancaster Colony Corporation.

In 1982, they acquired my favorite glass, Fostoria, and Fostoria glassware was produced in Lancaster.

Today, Lancaster Glass does glass for "design, form, optics, resolution, reflection, clarity, magnification, & strength."

Glass has been a way of life in Lancaster for almost 100 years!

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Fairfield County has almost 20 covered bridges still standing, which remind us of the way life used to be. In the 1950s, there were at least 45 covered bridges in Fairfield County, but after that, many of the bridges collapsed or, unfortunately, were replaced when they were vandalized or became to unsafe to use.

Legend tells us that "covered bridges were built to resemble barns so that horses would not be afraid to walk across water." The truth is that the bridges were covered "to protect the truss timbers from rotting out."

The bridge that Jill and I chose to see is called the John Bright Bridge; it is considered an excellent example of covered bridge preservation. Originally, it span the Poplar Creek on Bish Road. Today (where we viewed it), it sits over Fetters Run at Ohio University Lancaster.

We were told that only 1 of the 20 Fairfield County's covered bridges is presently open to traffic; that bridge is The Rock Mill Bridge (1901) over the Hocking River at Rock Mill and Lithopolis Roads. It has the added feather of the scenic gorge that it sits over and a nearby grist mill (1824).

Most of the still-standing bridges have been moved to private and public properties. But, you are able to visit bridges at Run Park, Johnson Covered Bridge Park, and Lockville Park.

Wide open fairways, young-growth trees, 5500 yards to 5900 yards, $30 (cart and 18holes).
The greens are bent grass and fairly well maintained. The fairways are rye and not well kept up during the week (maybe better on the weekends) and the rough is thick. Water hazard on two holes but not significant; cart paths do cut across fairways so can be a free-ball hazard. Small bunkers near the green and the greens are mounded.

Dress code is collared shirt and no sandals; shorts or long pants, no cutoffs.

All in all, this is a fairly good course for non-expert golfers (like me).
The course is fairly hilly with elevated tees and greens; some nice panoramic views on the hills.

This is a semi-private club so call ahead for tee times.