Loveland Things to Do

**update**

while walking on the Loveland Trail, the owner spotted us and he explained that the weekend was not going very well and he took it out on us and apparently a little girl saw us and ran behind the castle. I got a chance to explain to him why my son was jogging with the puppy and he apologized for his behavior towards us.

We called before we found the castle and asked if it was okay to bring our puppy. We had NO plans of taking him into the castle, just walking him on the grounds. We were told by a young lady "yes you can, he is well behaved?" "YES, we have in in training." It was 91* and so we asked our son to jog with him up to the shaded area, off of the black top (pavement), so that the puppies feet would not get burned. My husband walked into the gate, like asked on the sign, when you first get through the gate there were two lawn chairs beside of it. Walking up, we noticed a gas grill sitting out in the garden area for all to see. Before you could get through the front door, you could smell cigarette smoke and heard a dog barking and whining. As my husband handed him the money, the "owner" took a phone call and started talking in between the call and my husband. When I walked in, the guy pointed his finger and started yelling about how our dog was "out of control"! The whole time, our puppy was actually sitting, which was the command that we gave him. We TRIED to explain that we asked our son to jog to get the puppy off the black top and into the shade but the guy would not EVEN try to listen. He said that our dog was not trained and when we told him that we had him in classes and WAS in fact being trained and told him WHERE we were taking him, he told us that he was a PROFESSIONAL dog trainer and SLAMMED his card down and told us to put our dog in the car (if he was such a professional, he would have NEVER suggested putting an animal in a car in 91* weather) or that we could get off of his property and if we came back that we would be trespassing! Mind you, the WHOLE time our puppy was sitting and HIS dog/puppy (?) was barking and whining. This is just a tourist trap and and a way for this guy to promote his "dog training" business. A professional would NOT be smoking, wearing a t-shirt and pony tails and would not have both sides of his neck covered in hickies! We would have bought things from his store and he could have made some money but instead we went other places where NO ONE complained about our puppy and we were told how "well behaved he was"!

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The first few times I passed this memorial I didn't even stop to read the plaques. However, when I finally did, I found it to be much more interesting than I would have thought.

Just about everyone appreciates the courageous work of our firefighters. However, this memorial has two interesting features which have an even broader interest. First, there is a historic bell that was first used on the Steamboat Ruben Springer. Later it was a fog warning bell on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, and finally on the Loveland Town Hall as the town's fire alarm. When the fire alarm was replace by a siren, the bell was retired to this memorial.

Also, on a pedestal you will find a portion of a iron girder taken from the rubble of the World Trade Center in New York City, after the Tragedy of 9-11. It is a token which shows that not only New York, but all of America - and all of the civilized world - was affected by that evil act of barbarism by Islamic terrorists.

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Loveland, Ohio is a major trailhead for the Little Miami Bike Trail which runs more than 70 miles from the Ohio River in Cincinnati to Springfield, Ohio. The trail follows the Little Miami River which is a National Scenic Waterway. The bike trail passes through the center of Loveland providing easy access to restaurants, shops, bike rentals, canoe rentals, etc. The bike trail is paved its entire length and is well marked. It typically travels through wooded areas and generally within site of the Little Miami River.

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This restored log house, which sits beside the Loveland Historical Museum, is the oldest standing structure in Loveland. It was built in 1797 by pioneer settlers Thomas M. and Mary Ann (Berry) Rich, on a section of land awarded to Jacob Rich, an American Revolutionary War soldier from Fayette County, Pennsylvania.

The original site of the house was on Rich Road, about 1 1/2 miles from the museum. The house, which was restored and moved to this location in 1996, and an old fashioned herb garden was planted in front of it. The house is open for viewing on weekends, during regular museum hours, or by appointment.

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Loveland seems an appropriate addess for this amazing monument to unrequited love.

The Loveland Castle is said to be the only 10th-century style castle in America, and was built single-handedly by the late Harry D. Matthews, beginning in 1929. Harry served as a nurse in France during World War I, and later attended college there. The castle was authentically designed as a full-scale replica of a medieval Normanesque castle, Château Laroche, while the ballroom was designed one-fifth scale.

The castle is located in a picturesque setting, on the north bank of Little Miami River. Construction stones were provided from the river rock. The castle became Harry's life work, after he was rejected by the woman he loved and wanted to marry. Over the next half century, he poured his energies into building this 17-room castle, laboriously carrying each rock up the steep slope from the river. The architecture of the castle includes a great hall, a banquet hall, an armory, a master bedroom, a chapel, a small work office, a dungeon, and beautiful terraced gardens with exceptional plants and flowers.

Today, the Knights Of the Golden Trail (KOGT), a dedicated organization of volunteers, carry on Harry D. Andrews' dream and legacy. The Castle is a Historic Landmark and Museum and is open daily 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Admission: Adults - $3.00, Children - $2.00

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We Americans are a patriotic lot, especially those of us who live in smaller towns and rural areas. Almost every town has a park, or at least a monument, to pay homage to our brave young men who have served in the armed forces to defend our freedom. This is our Veterans Memorial in Loveland.

The Memorial is a pretty park, especially throughout the growing season when the flowers are in bloom. Special events are held here on Veterans Day and on other occasions. There are flags and plaques to commemorate each branch of the United States armed forces, as well as other displays. The central plaque in front of the park reads:

THE PEOPLE OF LOVELAND
HAVE BUILT THIS MEMORIAL
TO HONOR THE MEN AND WOMEN
THROUGHOUT OUR LAND AND HISTORY
WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE ARMED FORCES
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
MAY ALL WHO COME HERE BE REMINDED OF
THE DEDICATION AND SELF-SACRIFICE
OF OUR NATION'S VETERANS
SUNDAY 13 NOVEMBER 1994

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The Loveland Historical Museum uses period furnishings, photos, maps, prints, and artifacts to paints a vivid picture of Loveland's long and interesting history. The region's historic Indian tribes, the first pioneers, the arrival and growth of railroads, the Underground Railroad, and the process of Loveland's growth as a suburb and a city are all illustrated on a Time Line, in addition to permanent and rotating exhibits.

The museum building was built circa 1862 as the home of Dr. John S. Law, father of Loveland's first mayor. It is Italianate - a popular architectural style in the Victorian era. The estate originally contained 97 acres. The spectacular; view of the Scenic Little Miami River may have inspired the name "Bonaventure", which means good fortune. T

The Greater Loveland Historical Society bought the house in 1982 and the museum was opened to the public on July 7, 1984.

Open free to the public:
Saturday, & Sunday 1:00 to 4:30 and by appointment.