January-10---Photos-+-Words---My-Home-Town

JOURNALING – In 2006, a local newspaper columnist, Joe Blundo, created a “digital Easter egg hunt”. He posted a riddle each day for ten days describing locations around Columbus OH, my hometown, where he had digitally “hidden” eggs. Readers were asked to figure out the location by deciphering the riddles and sending their answers to the paper. Close to Easter, a winner would be chosen from those submitting all the correct answers. My sister called me where I was living in Florida, described the game, and asked me to work with her to answer the riddles. It sounded like a lot of fun and, thanks to the internet for research, we joined the hunt. Each year, when I would visit my sister, we’d travel to each of the places, take pictures, and scrap pages about the fascinating history and little known places that make my home town so special. Little did I know I’d be moving back to Columbus in 2020 so these “hunts” have even more meaning to me now. I’ve chosen three from throughout the years to highlight on this page.

2010 – Frank Fetch Park – Opened in 1966, this park is only .2 acres, but is such a treasure in the German Village area of Columbus. This place is one of my favorite “finds” from the Easter Egg Hunt.

2016 – Everal Barn and Homestead – This is a beautiful venue that now serves as a reception and event space for the area. It is on the National Register and visitors can learn about the history of the area by strolling among the farmhouse and outbuildings.

2021 – This is a living room in a Lustron Home located within the Ohio History Center. These homes were prefabricated steel houses developed right after WW II to help solve the housing shortage. Columbus not only has this recreated home on view, there are a handful of these homes still occupied around the city.

CREDITS: PHOTOS – by me; KITS – “Home” and “For Peeps Sake”, Kristin Aagard; FONT – Complete in Him