Heart of Ohio March/April 2019

SHARI NG TH E BEST OF OH IO

MARCH/APRIL 2019

RESTORING A

HISTORIC GEM Owner Steven McQuillin has given new life to the landmark Vermillion Institute

MARCH / APRIL 2019 1

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here’s a new and exciting addition to the Carousel District in downtown Mansfield at the corner of East Fourth and North Diamond streets. Hudson & Essex, a sleek and elegant restaurant, showcases a distinctive menu and pairs with our own Cypress Cellar Wine.

The name, Hudson & Essex, is a nod to the location’s distant past when it was home to the Heiber Motor Company which, in the 1920’s, sold Hudson and Essex automobiles.

We’ll be opening our doors this spring and we respectfully believe that Hudson & Essex will soon be known as the premier dining experience in North Central Ohio. However, we are much more than just an elegant restaurant. We are also an old world deli where you can enjoy fresh food at lunchtime, including in-house baked breads.

We now house the Cypress Hill Winery, a Carousel District destination for several years. If you’re looking for a unique event space, check out the Hudson & Essex

From left to right: Harvey Maness, Service Manager; Jamison Alford, Lead Chef; Ben Hoggard, General Manager

Caverns, built into the north side of the restaurant.

They’re perfect for any special occasion, from corporate meetings to wedding dinners.

All that goes into a memorable lunch or night out – impeccable service, local food purveyors, an in-house boutique winery, and an old world deli – can be found at Hudson & Essex in Mansfield.

Carousel District • 51 East 4th St. hudsonandessex.com • Mansfield, Ohio

CONTENTS Volume 10 . Issue 2

10

16

IN THIS ISSUE

MUST DO

8 A Historic Place to Rest Your Head

4 Must-Do Events

The Buxton Inn in Granville has a long and storied past

10 Mind Over Matter

University of Toledo’s Dr. Isaac Schiefer is at the forefront of Alzheimer’s research

14 Built to Last

A jewel in the heart of Hayesville is shining brightly again after decades of neglect

18 Pipe Dreams

Luke Tegtmeier has a rare and highly specialized skill in today’s world — organ tuning

23 Out of the Woodwork

Meet Ashland-resident Dennis Steele — a skilled woodworker who hones his craft creating wooden toys, furniture and gifts

26 Love Where You Live

Designer Julie McCready shares her vision for Kingwood Center Gardens’ Garden Gateway Project

25

Five things to do to melt away the winter blues this spring, from maple syrup to nature hikes

C O LU M N S 30 Keeping Score

As Ohio’s Mr. Football, Cade Stover has a bright future ahead of him in collegiate sports

34 Ohio History 101

Before Detroit was nicknamed Motor City, Cleveland had a claim to the title as well

B E S T S H OT S 35 Give Us Your Best Shot

We love to go along with our readers — take us on your next getaway

ON THE COVER: The historic Vermillion Institute in Hayesville has been completely renovated by current owner Steven McQuillin. Photo by Laura Watilo Blake.

2 HEARTOFOHIOMAGAZINE.COM

F RO M T H E E D I TO R

HEART OF OHIO

editor@heartofohiomagazine.com Editor Diana Coon Managing Editor Kelsey Wagner Art Director Jessa Moser Schneider Production Manager Alyson Moutz Editorial Advisor Diane Brown Business Development Manager Mike Greene Sales Associate Sarah Barker Contributing Writers Rhonda Davis, Alexandra Greenberg, Mike Greene, Cindy Jakubick, Julie McCready, Anne Miller, Bill Smith, Pam Spence Contributing Artists Laura Watilo Blake, Kendra Huspaska, Robert McCormick, Jeremy Wadsworth

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spring HELLO

THE HARSHEST OF THE WINTER IS BEHIND US AND THE PROMISE OF SPRING AND SUMMER STRETCHES BEFORE US. Is there any place better to be experiencing the beautiful contrasts than in the heart of Ohio? And, speaking of contrasts, this issue of Heart of Ohio magazine is a bouquet of very different stories!

You don’t want to miss Mind Over Matter, a story about Dr. Isaac Schiefer and his groundbreaking research to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Written by Cindy Jakubick, the story explains the tireless work going on right here in Ohio to turn tragedy into triumph over this dreaded disease.

The Vermillion Institute has been in Hayesville since the late 19th century. This beautiful three-story structure still stands in the middle of the small downtown, an ever-present asset to the community. Rhonda Davis visited to find out what’s going on behind the doors of this historical landmark and shares that with us in Built to Last.

Julie McCready had to do some homework before she joined the Garden Gateway Project design team. Look for her article, Designing for a Future of Welcomes, to learn what’s happening at Kingwood Center Gardens from the talented designer’s point of view.

You’ll also find articles from Bill Smith, Pam Spence and Anne Miller to round out what promises to be an issue that welcomes us to spring in the heart of Ohio.

John Daters Jessica Greathouse Daniel Klinzing Ben Margevicius

CORPORATE

George Sedlak Perry Zohos Carol Bennett

DIANA COON Heart of Ohio Editor

Geli Valli Julie Gill

1422 Euclid Ave., Ste. 730, Cleveland, OH 44115 216-771-2833 | fax 216-781-6318 | glpublishing.com ©2019 by Great Lakes Publishing. Heart of Ohio is printed and published bimonthly. Heart of Ohio is included with a subscription to Ohio Magazine to readers in Richland, Ashland, Huron, Crawford, Morrow, Marion, Knox, Wayne, Holmes and Wyandot counties. Reproduction or use of editorial or pictorial content is prohibited without written permission. Great Lakes Publishing is not responsible for errors, omissions or unsolicited material. Inclusion does not constitute an endorsement. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to HEART OF OHIO, 1422 Euclid Ave., Ste. 730, Cleveland, Ohio 44115.

MARCH / APRIL 2019 3

MUST-DO

MUST-DO EVENTS NEAR

YOU

by Alexandra Greenberg

18TH MOHICAN WILDLIFE WEEKEND

Travel the Mohican trails by land or sea at the 18th annual Mohican Wildlife Weekend. Choose your own hiking path through scenic rivers and thick woods or stop to participate in one of the more than 30 available programs. With fishing, gold panning, archery and more along the way, this adventure-packed weekend is perfect for both the young and the young-at-heart.

4 HEARTOFOHIOMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTO BY OHIO IMAGES

April 26–28 Mohican State Park & Other Locations Loudonville 800-642-8282 mohicanwildlifeweekend.com

NATIONAL ROBOTICS CHALLENGE

Mark your calendar for a weekend of tests and trials unlike any you’ve seen before. Robotic creations will battle it out in tests of strength, autonomously navigating obstacle courses and much more at the National Robotics Challenge. The longest continually held robotics competition in the world, this event offers 12 contests for the brightest minds and entertainment for interested spectators.

April 11–13 n Marion County Fairgrounds Veterans Memorial Coliseum 220 E. Fairground St., Marion 740-361-6772 | thenrc.org

PHOTOS BY NATIONAL ROBOTICS CHALLENGE, DESTINATION MANSFIELD–RICHLAND COUNTY

HISTORYALIVE

CABIN FEVER FESTIVAL

The past is present at Spring Hill Historic Home.

Explore the 1820s farmhouse — once a stop on the Underground Railroad — as history is brought to life around you. Hear the stories of the influential men and women who played a part in our country’s history directly from those who paved the way for today.

Want to beat the winter blues after months of snow? The third annual Cabin Fever Festival in Ashland is the perfect cure. Your family can enjoy the vendors, crafts, music, food and more when the community comes together for a celebratory spring evening. The first 100 families to arrive get a souvenir bag, so don’t be late.

April 27 n Spring Hill Historic Home 1401 Spring Hill Ln. N.E., Massillon 330-833-6749 | springhillhistorichome.org

March 29 n Salvation Army Kroc Center 527 E. Liberty St., Ashland 419-281-4584 | visitashlandohio.com

MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL

Learn about the history of sugaring techniques and try some of the homemade maple treats — including maple cotton candy, popcorn and pure Ohio-made syrup — at the Maple Syrup Festival.

For 42 years, Malabar Farm has invited families to step back in time for two weekends of historical demonstrations and horse-drawn wagon rides with the beautiful state park as a backdrop.

March 2–3 and 9–10 Malabar Farm State Park 4050 Bromfield Rd., Lucas 419-892-2784 | malabarfarm.org MARCH / APRIL 2019 5

WE BELIEVE I N YOUR POWER TO BE H EALTHY

At OhioHealth, we believe health is more than just numbers on a chart. It’s about doctors and caregivers who meet you where you are on your journey. That’s why we offer a full range of care, including wellness programs designed to keep you healthy, urgent and emergency care facilities when you need immediate attention and compassionate primary care physicians who believe your best health is always within reach.

Find your partner in health at OhioHealth.com/FindADoctor.

© OhioHealth Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. FY19-Brand-PTBH. 01/19.

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IN THIS ISSUE

A HISTORIC PLACE TO REST YOUR HEAD

By Bill Smith . Illustration by Kendra Huspaska

The quaint village of Granville lies in the rolling hills of western Licking County, founded in 1805 primarily by Welsh immigrants from Granville, Massachusetts and Granby, Connecticut. The bucolic downtown area is reminiscent of a small New England town. Many of the downtown buildings date back to the 1800s and the village has 13 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. the lady in blue, because of her affinity for blue dresses. ne such site is the Buxton Inn. The inn, She resided in the inn in room nine along with her beloved originally called The Tavern, was built in cat named Major Buxton in honor of the previous owner.

1812 by Orrin Granger from Granville, Houston passed away in 1960 in her bed in room nine.

Massachusetts. The structure had four guest Shortly after her death, guests and employees started rooms, a ballroom and a dining room. It also reporting strange events. served as Granville’s first post office and as Those who have stayed in room nine report visions of a stagecoach stop for the line that ran from a lady dressed in blue appearing late at night at the foot Columbus to Newark. Coach drivers housed up overnight of the bed. Some say they can hear the meow of a cat and in the cellar where they slept on straw and fixed their own feel it jump on the bed and rub against their legs. There meals in the stone fireplace. are also claims of unexplained noises — foot steps in the Granger was good friends with Major General William vacant hallway, doors opening and closing, H. Harrison, who eventually went on to clanging of pots and pans when the kitchen be our ninth president. Legend has it is closed, and music and laughter coming that after one evening of heavy drinking, In 1850, the inn was renamed The Dilley from a closed dining area. The smell of Harrison rode his horse right up the steps House after its new gardenias and pipe tobacco has also been and into the ballroom of the inn, surprising owner James W. Dilley. reported, and it is known that Houston all of the guests.

Later in 1865, Major wore a gardenia perfume from France and Buxton purchased the Buxton smoked a pipe often.

Ghostly past business and it was The current general manager of the inn, Ethel Houston from Newark took over renamed once again to Jennifer Valenzuela, says strange events ownership in 1934. Houston was more its present day name — the Buxton Inn. still happen quite often. She herself has had commonly known as Bonnie Bournell, or 8 HEARTOFOHIOMAGAZINE.COM

an occurrence. One day, sitting in a dining room talking with a guest, the woman she was sitting with had become quite outspoken in her belief that ghosts and visions were total nonsense. As they spoke, Valenzuela’s fork fell to the floor. She and the guest saw it fall and thought it was quite strange that it had made no sound hitting the wood floor. Looking under and around the table, no fork could be found. But when the guest finally decided to leave, she reached into her purse that had been sitting on the table to get her keys, and there was the fork standing straight up!

Magnificent present After Houston’s death, Orville and Audrey Orr became the owners until 2014 when Robert S. Schilling and his family assumed custody of the Buxton Inn, now under the care of Valenzuela, Schilling’s daughter.

The inn today has been expanded to include 26 suites and guest rooms in five separate buildings. The main building has four suites. The Warner House, originally known as David Messingers Tavern, was built in 1815 and has five guest rooms. The Pearl Street House, built in 1880 when it served as a boardinghouse for the Granville Female College, has six rooms. Founders Hall, constructed in 1840, also served as a boardinghouse and has six guest rooms. Lastly, the Ty Fam Mam house, meaning “The Home of my Mother” in Welsh, was erected by a local Welshmen in 1900 and has five rooms. The entire house was ordered straight from a Sears catalog.

In total, the inn has four dining areas, a tavern, wine cellar and courtyard visible from all the buildings. Upstairs in the main building is a concealed door hiding a secret room where escaped slaves hid during their journey north on the Underground Railroad. Follow an escape tunnel in the cellar, and you’ll end up heading north towards what was once a wooded area.

Upstairs in the main building is a concealed door hiding a secret room where escaped slaves hid during their journey north on the Underground Railroad.

On November 10, 2018 the Buxton Inn was awarded the prestigious Preservation Merit Award by the Ohio History Connection’s State Historic Preservation Office, given annually to recognize extraordinary stewardship and preservation of historic sites.

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MARCH / APRIL 2019 9

IN THIS ISSUE

MIND OVER

MATTER University of Toledo’s Dr. Isaac Schiefer is at the forefront of Alzheimer’s research.

By Cindy Jakubick Photos by Jeremy Wadsworth

Schiefer is an assistant professor and researcher in the Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry at UT.

10 HEARTOFOHIOMAGAZINE.COM

Schiefer surrounds himself with reminders of both his research and of home at his lab and office at the University of Toledo.

Bucyrus-native Dr. Isaac Schiefer’s cutting edge research could literally change the world. He’s working hard to find a way to spare families the tragic consequences of Alzheimer’s disease. is research looks so promising that in 2018 the National Institute on Aging (a division of the National Institutes of Health) awarded him a nearly $2 million grant to continue work he advanced with the help of an earlier $100,000 grant from the Alzheimer’s Association. Both prestigious grants are highly competitive.

He’s doing his research at the University of Toledo (UT) where he is an Assistant Professor and researcher in the Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

...the person who runs the most experiments makes the most discoveries.

We’re working hard to do that every day.

PHOTO BY VICKIE SCHIEFER

–DR. ISAAC SCHIEFER

“The new grant makes it so we can finally do full scale drug development,” says Schiefer. The oral medication will be based on a molecule he discovered — the first of its type to reverse memory defecits associated with the disease in mice. Ultimately, it could mean human Alzheimer’s patients would have access to a safe and effective drug that would reverse dementia associated with the disease.

“The molecule was designed to activate brain signaling pathways which are known to be important for short and

long term memory,” he explains. “The target pathway is essential to maintain the health and survival of brain pathways responsible for learning and memory, which are down-regulated in those with Alzheimer’s disease.”

Currently there are fewer than a handful of drugs on the market, which temporarily treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. A new drug that could improve memory in humans would be welcomed by both those with the disease as well as those caring for them. “This disease is heartbreaking and not just for the patient,” he says.

Behind the brains Schiefer, now 33, credits his upbringing in Bucyrus for his pursuit of such an elusive goal, including his parents, Thomas and Vickie Schiefer of Bucyrus, coaches and biology, chemistry and physics teachers, along with world-class technical training. He is also inspired by his late grandfather, Virgil Schiefer, who gradually lost his memory and personality to Alzheimer’s, and by his grandmother, Mildred, who cared for him until his death in 2004, 11 years after diagnosis.

“Now that I look back, it’s hard to remember him not having Alzheimer’s,” says Schiefer, adding that his grandfather always seemed confused and grumpy — a stereotypical “grumpy

Schiefer was greatly inspired by his late grandfather, Virgil Schiefer (LEFT), who suffered from Alzheimer’s.

MARCH / APRIL 2019 11

Schiefer is one of the most well-funded researchers at UT, having attracted nearly $2.2 million in grants.

old man.” And it’s always in the back of Schiefer’s mind that another member of his family may develop Alzheimer’s disease. “In many ways, I feel as though my research is a race against time. We’ve found ways to fix the heart and to make cardiovascular disease manageable. We’ve cured some cancers and are on the doorstep to curing nearly all forms of cancer with the increased accessibility of personalized medicine. But with Alzheimer’s disease, we have failed completely. Diseases of the brain are the final frontier of medical research.”

No I in team And it all started with his Bucyrus teachers and coaches. “They gave me the confidence to explore the sciences, which led me to pursue pharmacy school at UT, where my proclivity for bench research allowed me to thrive in academic drug discovery,” he says of his science teachers “Bio” Bill Fisher and Robert “Chevy” Chevalier.

“Fortunately, the current funding climate is aligned with my personal research interests, specifically substance abuse and Alzheimer’s disease.”

He notes the teamwork and leadership qualities he acquired playing sports have also translated well to running the research lab, which is comprised of a team of individuals with similar goals and varying aptitudes.

“Understanding the ideal role for each teammate and how to motivate them to fulfill that role to their maximum ability is a key leadership quality I took away from my time playing sports in Bucyrus,” he says.

12 HEARTOFOHIOMAGAZINE.COM

His lab at the University of Toledo also works on drug discovery for other brain disorders, including a project recently funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse to study the drug targets related to addiction and drug abuse. In total, Schiefer has attracted nearly $2.2 million dollars to support his independent research since returning to UT in late 2013, making him one of the most well-funded researchers at the university.

In particular, Schiefer credits his high school basketball coach, Todd Martin, who led the 2003 team to a share of the North Central Conference championship — the first basketball title for the school in 37 years.

I feel as though my research is a race against time ... Diseases of the brain are the final frontier of medical research. –DR. ISAAC SCHIEFER “I learned early on that the harder you work, the better things go for you,” he says. “The person who practices the most free throws makes the most free throws. Similarly, in science, the person who runs the most experiments makes the most discoveries. We’re working hard to do that every day.”

Schiefer, his wife Ashley and their three young children live in Perrysburg, just south of Toledo. He earned his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Toledo and his doctorate in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and was a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois before returning to Toledo to teach and conduct research.

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IN THIS ISSUE

A jewel in the heart of Hayesville is shining brightly again after decades of neglect.

By Rhonda Davis . Photos by Laura Watilo Blake

The Vermillion Institute, the historic brick landmark on Main Street in Hayesville, has undergone a major transformation. It’s been a long time coming and a labor of love for its new owner, Steven McQuillin, who is proud to call it home. t was in terrible shape. It hadn’t been really used for about 80 years,” says McQuillin, a preservation consultant whose office occupies the tower of the five-story building. “I took an abandoned, derelict place and made it an attraction.”

McQuillin, a graduate of Oberlin College with a degree in architecture and urban studies, first became fascinated with the Vermillion Institute back in 1978 when he was working as a regional preservation officer for the Ohio Historic Preservation Office. His district at the time covered Ashland County.

As an avid cyclist, he also pedaled by the Greek Revival-style building on one of his many cycling trips along the Old Lincoln Highway. It’s just a short jaunt 14 HEARTOFOHIOMAGAZINE.COM

“...if we did more rehabilitation, then these historic things could really be at the heart of the community.

They really set the example.”

–STEVEN McQUILLIN

from U.S. Route 30 in Mansfield down State Route 60 to Hayesville. He fell in love with the building and its rich history.

Glory days The Vermillion Institute, built in 1843, was one of the first institutes for higher education in north-central Ohio. But unlike his alma mater and other colleges from that era, which were torn down and rebuilt, it remained standing until McQuillin bought it from a private owner in November of 2011.

The iconic structure was originally designed by Ashland native Ozias S. Kinney and constructed by Edwin Hubbard. It was chartered on March 4, 1845 and, during its heyday, boasted an enrollment of 600 students from 13 states.

(ABOVE) McQuillin chose finishes true to the original building including hardwood finishes and stained glass. (BELOW) The exterior of the

building features the original brick architecture.

It produced many notable graduates including Loudonvillenative William Strong, who later became mayor of New York City; Capital College founder Frank Fox; and 1928 presidential candidate and United States Senator Atlee Pomerene.

Enrollment at the co-educational school declined during the Civil War. It became a preparatory academy, but closed in the mid 1880s. In 1886, the Institute re-opened at Hayesville High School until a new high school was built in 1929.

Restoring with integrity McQuillin, who has more than 40 years’ experience in the field of historic preservation, secured the windows and had the roof replaced, and then hired a contractor to plan the rest of the rebuild. The goal was to rehabilitate the entire 6,000-square-foot structure while preserving as much of its character as possible.

“It was a big project. I had a masonry contractor, a general contractor, assistants and others to help me out and, of course, I had my own work to do too,” he says of the four-year undertaking, which cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

He did receive a state preservation tax credit to help offset the cost. The entire project wasn’t completed until late 2015.

The interior was gutted, but McQuillin kept the original floor plan and room layout. New hardwood floors were installed throughout, along with cherry trim, crown molding and staircase railings crafted of mahogany — all in keeping with the building’s original appearance. Steel I-beams were installed for support, but some of the original wood beams were incorporated into the restoration as well.

A kitchen and main living space occupy the second floor, while the third floor features a sitting room and a library with matching built-in bookcases and an Italian porcelain

chandelier. The winding staircase leads to a fourth-floor loft with additional bedrooms. Topping off the structure is the tower, which had to be completely rebuilt. With its stained glass surround and view of the countryside, the tower was the perfect space for the office of McQuillin and Associates.

Since moving to Hayesville, McQuillin has also renovated the old Kelley Hardware on E. Main Street. Other notable projects include the rehabilitation of Cleveland’s Terminal Tower, the adjacent Higbee Building and others in the city’s Warehouse District.

McQuillin says he’s been pleased with the positive feedback from the community, and is thrilled to have a unique place to live and work in. “Many places people live in nowadays are so ordinary, but if we did more rehabilitation, then these historic things could be at the heart of the community. They really set the example and help inspire others.”

MARCH / APRIL 2019 15

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IN THIS ISSUE

PIPE DREAMS Luke Tegtmeier has a rare and highly specialized skill in today’s world — organ tuning.

By Pam Spence . Photos by Robert McCormick

18 HEARTOFOHIOMAGAZINE.COM

As an organ tuner for the Muller Pipe Organ Company, Tegtmeier is one of just a few with the unique skills in the state who travels around Ohio and the surrounding areas to service nearly 200 organs of different sizes, shapes and specifications.

When Luke Tegtmeier decided to apply for the position of organist at Asbury United Methodist Church in Delaware, he had additional skills to offer which made him a highly attractive candidate. Not only is Tegtmeier a highly skilled organist, he is also an experienced pipe organ tuner. grew up on a dairy farm in Wayne County, near Wooster,” he says. “Working on the farm, I was always interested in the mechanical side of farming — how things work.” Tegtmeier, however, was not interested in farming as a career.

Sharp skills “I always had an interest in music,” he says. In elementary school, someone gave his family an organ. His Great Aunt Dorothy, an organist at a nearby church, gave him his first lessons. By the time he was in his senior year of high school, Tegtmeier was serving as organist for his church. “It was a small congregation,” he says, “but it was a challenge in that I had to give a public performance every week.”

Tegtmeier left cows and farmland behind to attend Valparaiso University in Indiana, then on to Luther Seminary for a master’s in Sacred Music. He became a successful organist and music minister at churches in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Ohio. His road to becoming an organist followed a well-thought-out plan. The path that led him to becoming an organ tuner, however, was a bit more impulsive.

“I was in college and home for Christmas, thinking about what I was going to do during summer break,” says Tegtmeier. “On Christmas Day, I just decided to Google ‘English Organ Builders.’ The first name that popped up in my search was Henry Willis Organ Company in Liverpool.

I sent them an email asking about the possibility of working as a student intern.” The company answered right back, on Christmas Day, saying “come ahead.” So for two months, Tegtmeier travelled all over England learning the basics of organ building and maintenance.

He later had the opportunity to do some organ tuning at several churches in Minneapolis. “There are two technicians at a job,” explains Tegtmeier. “The keyholder, who sits at the organ console playing the keyboard, and the more experienced tuner, who goes into the chamber with

the pipes to perform the actual tuning.” The tuner uses a metal tuning wand to move a tuning collar that can make each pipe longer (flatter) or shorter (sharper).

A pipe organ is basically a wind instrument, so the pitch is affected by the temperature around it. The two big times of year for tuning are when churches turn on the heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer.

“Everyone starts as a keyholder. I finally got my chance at tuning in the chamber when the tech I was working with couldn’t fit through the narrow door of the chamber!” says Tegtmeier.

A major step He moved back to Ohio when he received an offer from the Muller Pipe Organ Company after being recommended by a classmate from high school who also worked for John Muller.

Based in Croton, the Muller Pipe Organ Company services nearly 200 organs in Ohio and the surrounding states. Fall tuning begins in October and doesn’t wrap up until Christmas Eve. After Christmas, there are an additional 2–3 weeks of tuning before Easter for some churches, and then typically in June things pick up again when the air conditioning gets turned on for the season.

“Organ building and tuning requires a wide range of skills,” says Tegtmeier. “Knowledge of music history, architectural design, engineering, electronics, woodworking and a musical ear are all needed. I certainly don’t have all of those skills, but I’m happy to be working with a team that shares these talents.”

His greatest joy as an organ tuner, as well as his greatest frustration, is that every situation is different: the visual architecture of the church, the musical acoustics of the room, the different roles the organ plays in each church and variations in the mechanical and musical styles of organ building.

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IN THIS ISSUE

woodwork OUT OF THE

Meet Ashland-resident Dennis Steele — a skilled woodworker who hones his craft creating wooden toys, furniture and gifts.

By Anne Miller . Photos by Laura Watilo Blake

MARCH / APRIL 2019 23

You’ve heard that old saying, “boys and their toys.” Dennis Steele of Ashland is a grown man with a sizeable toy collection that didn’t come from Toys ‘R’ Us or F.A.O. Schwartz. They came from his workbench and were destined for a showcase, not a toy box.

Steele has the fine motor skills one would expect from a former Marine Corps pilot who trained at the Navy’s Top Gun school during the Vietnam era. He’s been making his beautifully lacquered wood toys since he took up woodworking in 2000. His workshop would be the envy of any woodworking hobbyist with a tightly sealed, well-lit workspace.

The right species Miniature cars, planes, trains and heavy construction equipment are made of his favorite rough cut kiln-dried lumber in cherry, hard rock maple and black walnut from Keim Lumber in Charm or Mohawk Lumber east of Wooster.

The most exotic wood he’s ever used was a 2-foot-long ebony log brought home by his brother-in-law from a trip abroad for the U.S. Department of Defense. Steele later realized the ebony was literally too hard to work with, so he offered it to an artist he’d met who made bowls out of exotic wood. The artist was so thankful that he presented Steele with a sample of his work — a hand-turned serving bowl worth $400. Steele displays the bowl on bookshelves in his home’s great room and it has never held so much as a tossed salad. Steele did keep a few ebony scraps, though, and incorporated it into one of the many decorative pieces lining cabinets and shelves throughout the home he shares with his wife, Becky, an accomplished paper artist.

Steele enjoys challenging himself to create new pieces, like this checkerboard set.

24 HEARTOFOHIOMAGAZINE.COM

The beauty of making this stuff is that it keeps your brain turning. I am always thinking of sequences and how I should do this or that.

–DENNIS STEEL

His first completed toy project was a pair of locomotives and train cars that took him five months to finish.

“Someone once told me that it was just as easy to make two at a time, but they were wrong. It took a lot of extra time, but I didn’t want to give up so I just kept working on both trains,” says Steele. When the couple built a new home in rural Ashland, they had the Amish carpenters size bookshelves in the den to the exact width of the trains so they could be displayed properly.

Steele uses plans from Forrest Street Designs, which are excellent engineering-type drawings with accurate measurements and detailed instructions. He occasionally orders plans from Toys and Joys for inspiration, though they are not as detailed. “Looking at plans keeps my mind active and engaged. Some people do crossword puzzles — I like to think about the instructions and how I am going to make it happen,” he says.

A gift for others Steele’s 10-year-old grandson, Gavin, appreciates his creations as well. “Gavin asked if he could have the Duesenberg car when I die,” laughed Steele. “I told him he could have all of the toys.” The highly detailed replicas like the “Duese” and a stagecoach worthy of the Wells Fargo logo are showcased in cherry and black walnut display cases, also made by Steele.

He has also tried his hand at furniture making. “I have made furniture for our family, but I also like to make things for people who can’t afford fine furniture,” says Steele, citing examples of a full-size desk, kitchen island and television cabinets.

In fact, the list of his non-toy creations is wide and varied: rolling pins of cherry and black walnut, keepsake boxes, cutting boards, inlaid trays, an old-fashioned candlestick telephone, a kaleidoscope, fern stands and even a scalloped game table with an inlaid checker board are just a few of his many pieces. “Though I really enjoy making these things for people I know, I’m not interested in selling pieces or displaying them publicly at art shows.”

Steele finds joy in making and giving his work as gifts for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and gift exchanges. He has a drawer full of rolling pins ready to give away when the occasion arises. “The beauty of making this stuff is that it keeps your brain turning. I am always thinking of sequences and how I should do this or that,” says Steele.

TOP LEFT:

Steele uses plans from Forrest Street Designs — engineeringtype drawings with accurate measurements and detailed instructions.

TOP RIGHT:

Steele has a drawer full of custom rolling pins ready to give away as gifts for special occasions.

LEFT:

Steele uses his gift to craft beautiful pieces for family and friends — from toys to furniture and decor.

MARCH / APRIL 2019 25

IN THIS ISSUE

PHOTO BY DESTINATION MANSFIELD–RICHLAND COUNTY

26 HEARTOFOHIOMAGAZINE.COM

DECORATING FOR …

A FUTURE OF

WELCOMES Love Where You Live . By Julie McCready

Having grown up in Richland County, I’ve enjoyed many seasons of life and nature on the grounds of Kingwood Center Gardens — from picnicking there as a child to posing for senior pictures at the gazebo, and then watching my own children enjoy the duck pond and grounds.

MARCH / APRIL 2019 27

If you would like more information about Kingwood’s Honoring the Past — Growing the Future campaign and how you can contribute, contact Brenda Nelson, director of development at bnelson@ kingwoodcenter.org or visit the gardens and inquire. A special thank you to EMD Consulting and Terra Design Studios for their important contributions.

The 47-acre Kingwood Center Gardens has been an Ohio destination since 1953. Kingwood opened as a public garden upon the death of the estate’s owner, Charles Kelley King, who in 1926 brought the influences of France to his stately mansion and grounds. King established a trust to assist with the operating funds of the gardens and a private foundation has a mission to create beautiful gardens that provide enjoyment, education and inspiration for its visitors. As a charitable, not-for-profit organization, Kingwood operates through admission fees, membership dues, donations and other sources of revenue.

In 2017, Kingwood launched a capital campaign, Honoring the Past — Growing the Future, to raise money for funding its multiphase master plan to expand, improve and add to the already amazing grounds and experience. Phase one of the plan began in 2018, and in the spring of 2019 the Garden Gateway Project will add the nearly 15,000-squarefoot Garden Gateway Center. The facility will welcome visitors and provide a café, gift shop, greenhouse, exhibition hall, exhibit gallery and ballroom to host large and small corporate events, weddings and other celebratory occasions.

Branching out

28 HEARTOFOHIOMAGAZINE.COM

Correction: The January/February Love Where You Live article did not correctly credit trends reports to Norwalk Furniture.

About Julie McCready . Julie McCready

is a residential/commercial designer with over 20 years of furniture and design experience.

McCready, along with a talented team of designers offer complimentary in-home design services for clients purchasing furniture at McCready Interiors/ Norwalk The Furniture Idea, which she and husband Tom have owned since 1996. In 2019, the McCready family celebrates 95 years in the furniture business.

PHOTO BY DEPICTION, LLC 2017

Last March, I received a call from Dan Seckel, principal of The Seckel Group Architects and member of the Garden Gateway Center design team. Seckel and the other members invited me to join the team to assist in the interior design of the new building. A few weeks later, I received a set of blueprints and a swirl of creativity began formulating in my mind!

Creativity is one thing, but good design also requires study and research. Over the next several months, I read extensively on Kingwood’s owner, the architecture of Kingwood and the influences of French design found throughout the home and grounds. Though I have walked the center grounds countless times over many years, I found myself spending hours ambling through the house, greenhouse and grounds focusing on the minute details: the repetitive scroll design found in the corners of the windows and brick walls, the Mansard roof, the inlay of the home’s entry floors, the crown

and applied moldings in the drawing and library rooms, the wood beams in the greenhouse, the curved eyebrow design in the walls of the formal gardens and, of course, the peacocks that wander throughout Kingwood.

Those details and the commentary from Seckel about how he designed the interior and exterior of the Garden Gateway Center guided the final design and product selections. Luke McFrederick of The Olde Parsonage helped me to find the perfect lighting for above the entry’s welcome desk and for the walls and ceiling of the Kingwood Ballroom. Steve Frankhouse of My Floors in Galion assisted in guiding me to beautiful, durable European tile that will create amazing designs on the floors of the building’s central and exhibit hall areas. Anna Salvati, one of the talented designers at McCready Interiors, helped organize, co-design and create the rendering that you see in this article to help bring the vision of the Garden Gateway Center, scheduled for completion in 2020, to life.

Oh, and those Kingwood peacocks? Well, they inspired me to find fan-shaped vibrant blue ceramic tiles made by Seneca Tiles in Attica to be inlaid in the welcome desk that will greet guests for many, many decades to come — something that those peacocks, Mr. Charles Kelley King and Kingwood Center Gardens would and will be proud to share.

Now that’s what I call designing for a future of welcomes.

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C O LU M N S

OHIO’S MR. FOOTBALL Keeping Score . By Mike Greene

About Mike Greene Since graduating from Muskingum College, Mike Greene has spent most of his working life in sports media. He has worked at radio and TV stations around Northeast and Central Ohio, including as a sports talk show host for WMFD-TV in Mansfield. He has been writing his Keeping Score column for Heart of Ohio for the past 10 years.

Cade Stover led the Lexington Minutemen to win five of six final games in the 2018 season, helping secure a spot in the playoffs.

Would it surprise you to know that the young man who was named Ohio’s Mr. Football this past fall actually prefers playing basketball over the gridiron sport? It’s true, and Cade Stover told me that himself. He’s a senior at Lexington High School and, if you had the opportunity to watch the 6’5” 230 pounder on the hardwoods, you would see that he has a bright future at the next level on the court.

30 HEARTOFOHIOMAGAZINE.COM

admitted to being just a bit intimidated by the 17- and 18-year-old giants against whom he was matched. But once they put the pads on, Stover was surprised to find out that he could hold his own.

A rare talent

Each year saw him become a more skilled and physical player, and since the larger Div. I college programs begin following their future recruits almost as soon as they can hum “Hang on Sloopy,” Stover has appeared on their radar as a player of interest. Most prominent among those potential suitors is The Ohio State Buckeyes.

They knew all about Lexington and had followed Stover’s progress all four years that he played, though they are just one of many big-time football programs that have visited Lexington High School’s offices to talk about him as an athlete and student. To boot, Stover has been able to maintain a 3.4 GPA. You can tell just how much a football player is coveted by the level of staff sent from schools in contention to do the persuading. Stover attracted some big names — or rather, head coaches.

Penn State’s James Franklin, Paul Cryst of Wisconsin and Lincoln Riley of Oklahoma each made multiple visits to Lexington, and Stover took official visits

PHOTO BY GREATSPORTSHOTS.COM

However, Stover’s athletic future at the collegiate level was probably predestined by the time he began playing tackle football as a fourth grader. His dad was a 6'4" quarterback at Big Walnut High School who then moved on to Bowling Green State University, where he added about 40 pounds of muscle and grew himself into a tight end.

By the time Stover was an 8th grader, talk of his football exploits was preceding him and he became a 14-year-old freshman starter in the defensive backfield for the Minutemen varsity. He described himself as a 6'3", 180-pound string bean youngster and

PHOTO COURTESY OF CADE STOVER

Though his football reputation preceeds him, Stover will not be graduating early to jump start his high school football career. With basketball as his true passion, he’s determined to finish out his final season.

to their campuses. Notre Dame was another big program to host him for an official visit where he met with head coach Brian Kelly, as he did at each school he visited.

Some of the coaches were surprised to learn that this special recruit grew up on a farm and spent hours each day working it with his family. One coach, who shall remain nameless, told Stover that he didn’t think that he (the coach) could work that hard. He ended up ruling out playing for a team with a head coach who admitted to not being hard working but still wanted his players to be just that.

Of course, while all these out-ofstate recruiters were descending on Lexington to talk with young Mr. Stover, that school 65 miles to the south of Richland County was not just sitting idly by, doing nothing to get Ohio’s 2018 Mr. Football to give them a verbal commitment. He did just that almost a

year ago and, while it was not a binding decision, it did remove a lot of the pressure of having to deal with phone calls, emails, texts and home visits all designed to change his mind.

Ending on a high note

In game one of Lexington’s 2018 football season, Stover gave a pressurefree performance with 29 tackles, setting a school record. The bad news was that the Minutemen won only one of the next three games. But it should be noted that Stover didn’t contribute much offensively during those first four games and was used mainly as a blocker. While he didn’t complain, he had to be thinking that his talents as a runner could’ve helped turn things around. Apparently, the coaching staff came to the same conclusion because with Stover leading the way as a ball carrier, Lexington won five of their final six games and secured a spot in the playoffs.

While the recruiting pressures had lessened, Stover had some unfinished business that needed his attention once the high school football season ended.

First, he had to tell those unsuccessful

In game one of Lexington’s 2018 football season, Stover gave a pressure-free performance with 29 tackles, setting a school record. recruiters thanks, but no thanks. As often happens, he had become friends with some of the college talent seekers.

Stover said that delivering that message to Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley and his assistant coach was the most difficult thing he has ever had to do.

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Next Stover had to let Ohio State know that he would not be graduating early to enroll for spring semester in Columbus to get a head start with the off-season Buckeye workouts. Why did he say no?

He was determined to play his senior season of basketball at Lexington.

He became Lexington’s all-time score leader this past January and would like to be a part of another Minutemen team that takes a deep run at tournament time. They made it to the final four last year. Most of all, Stover has been with essentially the same group of teammates for the past five years.

They are all best friends, and that takes on a special meaning for Mr. Football.

Stover will be joining the Ohio State Buckeyes at the start of his freshman year this fall.

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Looking forward

Stover will also use his basketball skills to stay in shape so that once that sport has run its course, he can focus on becoming a Buckeye. He’ll likely be spending a lot of time in the weight room, working hard to transform any non-muscular bulk into football strength. And while Stover is on a mission to build his body into a football temple, he is not the type of athlete in danger of getting a big head from all the pats on the back. He is not impressed by all the compliments that come his way. In short, and to tweak an often used sports phrase, “there is no I in Mr. Football.”

MARCH / APRIL 2019 33

C O LU M N S

CITY OF ENGINES Ohio History 101 . By Bill Smith

About Bill Smith

Bill Smith was born in Fremont and graduated from Tiffin Calvert High School to attend Tiffin University. He recently retired from RFME Insurance in Mansfield after being in the insurance business for 40 years. He was previously board president of the Ohio Bird Sanctuary and enjoys drawing and watercolors in his spare time.

The National Packard Museum in Warren pays tribute to the company.

Detroit has been known as the “Motor City” since 1913 when Henry Ford streamlined auto manufacturing on the new concept called the “assembly line.” But the real “Motor City” moniker goes to Cleveland, Ohio. Between the 1890s and the 1930s, some 115 auto makes were produced in Cleveland, along with several precedent-setting inventions that changed the auto industry forever.

34 HEARTOFOHIOMAGAZINE.COM

steering wheel, aiding in replacing the single lever tiller.

The largest manufacturer was the Winton Motor Carriage Company founded by Alexander Winton. The company was the first in the U.S. to build a diesel engine and in 1903, manufactured the first eight-cylinder automobile. Winton Motor Carriage Company is also credited with producing the first U.S. postal service mail truck.

Cross-country feat

A Winton car was also the first to be driven across the country in 1903. Vermont physician Dr. H. Nelson Jackson and Sewall Crocker drove

from San Francisco to New York, spanning from May 23 to July 26.

Because road systems were just being developed, Jackson and Crocker racked up 4,500 miles zig-zagging his way across America. And since gas stations were not around yet, they would purchase petrol at hardware stores in towns and villages they passed through.

The trip cost over $8,000. To put it into perspective, a common laborer at that time earned around $11 per week and a high-paying trade job such as a blacksmith earned around $20 per week. Factoring inflation, that trip today would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

PHOTO BY LAURA WATILO BLAKE

The first all-steel and pressedsteel car frames both came out of Cleveland, as well as the glasssealed beam headlight developed at Nela Park laboratories. In 1900, the Cleveland Auto Club was founded — the second of its kind America. In 1901, they joined forces with nine other clubs around the country and founded the American Automobile Association, now commonly known as AAA. One of the largest auto companies was Packard Motor Company in Warren, rivaled only by the Winton Motor Car Company in Cleveland.

Eventually, Winton and Packard joined forces and developed a commercial

B E S T S H OT S

Send us your photos. We love to go along with our readers.

Please remember these are published in the order in which they are received. Keep watching for your photo in a future issue!

Two-and-a-half-year-old Rudy Alt checked out the 2018 November/ December issue of Heart of Ohio in Bellville. He is the son of Shawn and Jennifer Fleiner Alt from Shelby.

Send us your photo at editor@heartofohiomagazine.com

See our Social Side.

Find out about giveaways & events, see Ohio travel photos and experiences, and learn what others love about the beauty, the adventure and the fun of Ohio.

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Kuhn’s Bridal & Formal Outlet

At our prices, every day is a sale!

703 Taylortown Road, Mansfield 419-522-0048 www.kuhnsbridalandformaloutlet.com

Mon 12-9pm, Tues & Fri 12-6pm, Wed 12-4pm, Sat 10am-2pm

Tara,s Floral Expressions

On the Creative Edge 48 W. 4th St., Mansfield 419-529-0600 In the Carousel District www.tarasfloral.com Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:30pm, Sat 8:30am-1pm Complete Floral Services • Fruit & Gourmet Baskets • Gift Certificates Available The Chill Downtown Ice Cream parlor!!!

Interested in advertising in E M P O R I U M email sales@heartofohiomagazine.com

Unwind in part of the world’s largest Amish community. We are home to Lehman’s, P. Graham Dunn, The J.M. Smucker Company Store and Café, The Ohio Light Opera, Everything Rubbermaid, Downtown Wooster, Secrest Arboretum and more!

Lehman’s

P. Graham Dunn The Ohio Light Opera

KIDRON

DALTON

Offering creative solutions, for a simpler life – cooking, gardening, heating with wood, non-electric lighting and more.

Manufacturer of inspirational art, home décor, gifts and more.

800.438.5346 www.Lehmans.com THE J.M.

Smucker

COMPANY STORE & CAFE

ORRVILLE

Secrest

Arboretum & Gardens WOOSTER Look at, learn about and love the plant life. An expansive 110 acre outdoor laboratory and landscape garden.

All the Goodness of Smuckers –and More – in a Store! The store features unique gifts for family and friends.

330.263.3761 www.secrest.osu.edu

330.684.1500

www.jmsmucker.com/storeandcafe

The Place to Be… Shop, Dine, Enjoy!

866.922.0306

www.pgrahamdunn.com

Hampton Inn

MAIN STREET

Wooster

WOOSTER 330.345.4424 www.wooster.hamptoninn.com

Historic Downtown Wooster 330.262.6222

www.mainstreetwooster.org

Residential Professional Company of The College of Wooster

A world renowned lyric theater company celebrating its 41st season in 2019.

330.263.2345

www.ohiolightopera.org

SCheese hisler's House ORRVILLE

Cheese, meat, chocolate, snacks and more.

Family operated since 1958

330.682.2105 www.cheesehouse.com

Best Western

Wooster Hotel & Conference Center

Making you happy makes us happy.

Hilton Garden Inn WOOSTER 330.202.7701 www.wooster.hgi.com

Conveniently located on the south side of Wooster.

Conveniently located in Historic Downtown Wooster.

330.264.7750

bestwesternwooster@gmail.com

#getawayne www.wccvb.com 1.800.362.6474

Just Say, “Alexa, enable Visit Wayne”