Black DiamondPress

Thematically Speaking

This October’s Little Cities of Black Diamonds Day kicked off consideration of the theme: Coal Town Childhood: Growing Up in The Hocking Valley Coal Fields. There was no shortage of stories or artifacts to share, and most notable was the signifi-cant increase in the number of children and families that were drawn to the event and its many activities for children.

Though poverty and hard times are associated with grow-ing up in mining towns, elders shared rich stories of their child-hoods during roundtable discus-sions at this year’s annual event in downtown Shawnee. The discussions led by Ken Bowald, Heritage Interpreter and Dean of the School of Natural Resources at Hocking College, covered the themes of community life, schools, labor and play. Despite pleasant memories, participants made one thing made clear, however, and was that labor was part of their childhoods, and even more so their parents childhood’s which date back to the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

In the spirit of learning from our history and utilizing it as

an asset, area youth were exposed to heritage games, a travel-ing medicine show, calliope music, youthful criers in costume announcing events, hikes into the forest and a library program

on books. When not joining the youth, adults were able to browse a thematic exhibit packed with toys and artifacts from childhoods over the past century and a quarter, join in a sing along led by local pianist Fran Dunlap with songs from childhoods of a by-gone era as well as participate and listen in on the roundtable discussions.

The theme will travel to Nel-sonville during the Final Friday event in April 2014, including an exhibit opening in the lobby of

Stuart’s Opera House and a tentatively planned Kids Chautauqua and/or play that evening.

The use of themes has increasingly organized the work of the Little Cities of Black Diamonds Council over the past decade. Little Cities of Black Diamonds Day 2014 will mark the 20th Anniversary of that signature event, when many of the past themes will be remembered.

march 2014 Vol. VI, N0. 1

An Annual Update from The Little Cities

of Black Diamonds Council

Renew or Join Now!

•2014 Membership

Card Enclosed

Coal Town Childhood Is Current Consideration

Changing With The Times:Your Annual Update

Members have probably noticed that we have moved away from our quarterly newsletter format over the past year. This is for several reasons. One is the expense of printing and postage, and the other is the availability of our long-time desktop publisher, John Winnenberg, to devote the time necessary to create this product on a regular basis. As you can tell by visiting our web site, or reading the “Year in Review” in this report, we haven’t lacked news or activity to report. All things considered, we’ve made the decision to provide an annual update to members as more within our budget and personal capacity while creating a Facebook Page and exploring digital “constant contact” methods for keeping members up to date during the course of the year. Let us know what you think!

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Despite shrinking financial resources, the Little Cities Council main-tained operations at previous levels and continued to innovate in 2013 utilizing volunteer help and partnerships where ever available to keep alive the story of the microregion. Here is an impressive list of accomplishments for 2013:

•Grew the physical and on-line archive collection to well over 2,000 items.

• Grew the Miner’s Registry to over 6,000 entries, nearly 2,000 new alone in 2013 with data entry provided by Cheryl Blosser, pav-ing the way for publication of the Second Edition.

• Opened two-month long “Music of the Little Cities” exhibit in the lobby of Stuart’s Opera House in Nelsonville during Final Friday in March with accompanying Coal Town Supper. Music by Kay Carter accented the theme. Volun-teers loaned a significant number of artifacts for the exhibit.

•Hosted a two-hour stage show at Stuart’s Opera House on April 20 celebrating the Music of the Little Cities theme with a variety of musical acts including the Adelphi Community Band, Jack Wright, Tif-fany Rowland, Adam Remnant and Nelsonville Presbyterian Church Choir. Living history character George Stuart, portrayed by Bob Garbo, served as master of ceremonies with Kathy Devecka serving as producer and director, assisted by Dayton Willison.

•Enjoyed the largest ever paid participation in Tour de Forest Bicycle Ride with 68 riders raising over $1,000, in profit shared between the Little Cities of Black Diamonds Council and the Little Cities of the Forest Collaborative which joined the Council as volunteers in putting on this year’s ride for the first time.

• Conducted Saints, Sinners & Cemeteries Tour in August with strong use of living history features including the addition of newsboy guide (Dayton Willison), Opera House owner George Stuart (Bob Garbo), and a dramatic reading by Richard L. Davis (Demetre Evans)

• Enjoyed the largest LCBD Day crowd ever since moving to Shaw-nee as the Coal Town Childhood theme launched with a large thematic exhibit, living history characters, music, period games and enter-tainment for children. Corning History panels were featured in the upstairs opera house in the Tecumseh Theater.

•Recognized James Cotter, Dayton (formerly Glouster), the late Elaine Burns Higgins, Shawnee and Dorothy Gettle, Nelsonville with Little Cities Spirit Awards.

• Greeted and provided tours to various school and community groups during the year, including Fullbright Scholars program, and the Study of the United States Institute featuring nearly 20 foreign journalists and civic leaders.

•Partnered with Brick Monkey Theater Ensemble on the second season of an Appalachian Christmas Carol which experienced significant audience growth.

•Maintained the Little Cities of Black Diamonds Council web page which enjoyed 10,874 hits.

•On-going research provided to assist authors with several historical biographies and books that are now in the writing and editing stages before publication.

•Collaborated with the Athens His-torical Society and Perry County Historical and Cultural Arts Society resulting in hosting guest speaker on Morgan’s Raid, provision of archival assistance, gaining archival resources and planning future interpretation project.

•Hosted service learning proj-ects with Hocking College, Ohio University, and United Campus Ministries.

•On-going collaborations with Little Cities of the Forest Collabora-

tive (Monday Creek Restoration Project, Sunday Creek Watershed Group, Buckeye Trail Association, Wayne National Forest and others), Ohio University, Hocking College and Ohio’s Hill Country Heritage Area led to increased numbers of tours, hikes, exhibits and children’s activities at our major events.

•Played active role in the creation of a Burr Oak Alive! friends group for the state park. Participated in designing and delivering an orienta-tion to the region’s resources for employees at the reopened Burr Oak Lodge.

•On-going partnership with Ohio History Corps Americorps member Dayton Willlison and the Tecumseh Commons in Shawnee resulted in seasonal programs for children with historic themes.

•On-going partnership with Historic Downtown Nelsonville As-sociation and Fullbrook’s Cafe in Nelsonville resulted in contribution for planters on the Square, a successful Appalachian Spring and tour visitation to the Square.

•Partnered with Ohio University to develop a 2014 learning event that recognizes the 50th Anniversary of President Lyndon B. John-son’s War on Poverty speech in southeast Ohio.

The Year in Review2013 Was A Year For Continued Investment In The Story

Albert Guess Murder Announced by Newsboy on Saints, Sinners & Cemeteries Tour

March 2014 Page 3

Seeking Perspective, Seeking VisionGathering Commemorates 50th Anniversary of LBJ’s War On Poverty Speech

The legacy of the boom-to-bust Hocking Valley Coal Boom Era (1870-1925) is deeply intertwined with the outmigration of jobs and wealth from the region beginning in the late 1920’s and argu-ably continuing into contemporary times. These circumstances led to a high inci-dence of poverty here, and in other coal producing regions of Appalachian when in 1964 President Lyndon Johnson declared a War On Poverty as part of his Great Society initiative. The effort was revealed in speeches at Ann Arbor, Michigan and Athens, Ohio in the spring of that year. A collaboration between Ohio University and the Little Cities of Black Diamonds Council has resulted in a two-day gather-ing in southeastern Ohio on April 3-4 to reflect on President Lyndon B. Johnson’s historic War on Poverty speech from the steps of Memorial Auditorium at Ohio University in Athens on May 7, 1964, some fifty years ago. the university com-munity and surrounding region. The gathering will reflect on the multiple strategies that have been employed since LBJ’s call to action, assess current circumstanc-es, and look towards the future of life in the Appalachian foothills of Ohio. The conference will feature speakers, par-ticipatory conversations, organized tours into the region, media presenta-tions as well as cultural programs that will not only look back in time but also look forward to the future of the region as it pertains to poverty, the quality of life for its citizens, education, environment and a changing culture. This gathering will include academic as well as community-based perspectives.

There will be an opportunity to participate in a pre-conference bus tour of the Little Cities of Black Diamonds on Thursday, April 3 to be followed by an evening opening session in the Baker University Cen-

ter theater featuring LBJ’s speech, musical entertainment and speakers. Dr. Ronald Eller, historian of contem-porary Appalachia at the University of Kentucky, will give a keynote address on Friday morning, April 4th at The Patton College of Education at Ohio University. His book Uneven Ground, Appalachia Since 1945 provides insight into current circum-stances in the region. Eller’s speech will be followed by a series of 50-minute ses-sions that explore historical perspectives, lessons learned, current circumstances and visions for the future in eight key areas: Anti-Poverty Programs, Public Education, Economic Development, Environment, Higher Education, Cultural Heritage & The Arts, Innovation and the Role of National

Service and Public Health. The entire two-day event is free, however, pre-registration is re-quired. Generous support from the Ohio Humanities Council, the Hocking, Athens, Perry Community Action Agency, and various Ohio

University programs includ-ing The Patton College of Education, the Scripps Col-lege of Communications, University College, and the Office of Diversity are mak-ing the event possible and accessible to students and the general public. On-line registration will be avail-able as of March 1 at www.

lbjsoutheastohio.com where additional details of sessions can be found. Registration via phone is available by calling the LCBD office at 740-394-3011.

Thursday, April 3Regional Bus Tour through Athens, Hocking and Perry Counties

Thursday Evening, April 3Opening Session @ Ohio University’s Baker Center (6-8pm)

Friday Morning, April 4Keynote Speaker Ron Eller @ OU’s Patton College of Education (9:30am)

Friday, April 4-8 Thematic Workshops of 4 sessions each @Patton College of Education (10:30am-4:30pm)

Register On-Line: www.lbjsoutheastohio.com

LBJ speaking from the portico of Ohio University’s Memorial Auditorium in Athens in 1964

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Little Cities Spirit Awards PresentedCotter, Higgins, Gettle Honored for Outstanding Voluntary Service

Three individuals were recognized with Little Cities Spirit Awards at the 19th Annual Little Cities of Black Diamonds Day in Shawnee this past October. The award goes to in-dividuals for outstanding voluntary service contributing to the quality of life in the microregion by supporting efforts that promote the region’s rich assets of history, culture, and the natural environment or more generally, their inspiring contributions to the civic life of the community and region. The contributions of this year’s recipients were as diverse as their backgrounds and interests, but all three had one thing in common, they were born and reared in the microregion. This commonality gives our organization hope, be-cause we often find that newcom-ers to our microregion are often the most inspired to share our story and improve the quality of live for citizens here. When na-tives take on the task, they often inspire their families and life long friends to join in the spirit of community renewal.

The first award went to former resident Jim Cotter, who upon the death of his wife in 2011, de-cided it was time to reinvest in the appearance of his hometown of Glouster, which had declined a great deal since his childhood.

Cotter was born October 31,1930 in Glouster, son of James L and Inez Cotter. He was a graduate of Glouster High School where he was a member of the band and played football. After graduation Cotter went to Columbus to work at an outdoor advertising company where he learned about the trade. He was then drafted into the Army and was stationed in Germany where he was able to visit 13 different countries during his tour of duty. Upon return during the early 1950’s he started a sign company in Glouster while he was attend-ing Ohio University. His college career ended when a friend talked him into relocating to Dayton to work for him at his sign business.

Jim remained in Dayton and started and grew his own outdoor advertising company that eventually employed 17 people. Through the years Jim developed a deep apprecia-tion for music and art, utilizing his own artistic skills in the graphic arts component of his business. After 36 years in the business he closed shop to retire in 2010, Unfortunately a

year later his wife became ill and passed away.

After his wife’s death Cotter returned to Glouster to spend time with his sister Jody Cotter Moore. During these visits the two talked about doing things to revitalize the town. Given Jim’s appreciation for art and the visual elements of the landscape, they decided to start a campaign to paint many of the towns dilapitated houses and pubic buildings. Cotter used his contacts in the business and his skills in

communicating with others to gather paint, supplies and equipment necessary. The response in Glouster was excellent as tangible results on a few downtown properties spurred others into action as the group named loosely as the “Glouster Volunteers” painted nearly everyday dur-ing the summer of 2012. The results were so inspiring that Cotter’s story was picked up by the nationally aired CBS Evening News in late summer. From there con-tributions poured in from businesses and individuals around the country. Church groups and school groups brought bus loads of students to help. In all, by the end of the summer of 2013, over 100 properties in town had been repainted. Additionally funds were raised to purchase four billboard sized museum art prints that hang proudly on public buildings

downtown, two wood sculptures depict-ing a miner and a Native American were

installed in a revived green space on Main Street, stone gates at the en-trance to the village were either restored or constructed, and a series of small inspirational plaques on public buildings were place various locations around the village. These developments have been compli-mented by others in town restoring the public clock at the former Glouster Depot, the start of an Appalachian Color In The Hills Festival in the village and the installation of community pride fabric banners on the light posts throughout the downtown. The progress has been so significant, that CBS Evening News made a return visit last year. Although Cotter still makes his home in Dayton, his second home is in Glouster during the warm months, where he directs what is a truly amazing project that is inspirational to all in the region!

Bright colors can be associated with the second 2013 Spirit Award re-cipient, the late Elaine Burns Higgins of Shawnee. Higgins com-mandeered the Southern Perry Quilt Show for over 20 years, bringing color and authentic craft to the LCBD Council’s Little Cities of Black Diamonds Day where the event was held for most of those years. Hig-gins was born in 1943, the fifth child of eight born to Lawrence D. and Bernice (Moody) Burns at the family home in Shawnee. She was a 1961

Jim Cotter and his “Glouster Volunteers” have transformed the visual landscape in Glouster

continued on page 6

March 2014 Page 5

Approaching 20, Council Seeks Continued RelevanceLeaning to the Future in 2014, Learning and Changing As We Go

The Little Cities of Black Diamonds Council seeks to remain relevant as we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Little Cities of Black Diamonds Day this year and ap-proach our 20th Anniversary as an organization in 2015. We certainly must celebrate our successful creation of a

“cultural district” utilizing our unique and nationally sig-nificant story as an asset over the past two decades. From a name given to a doctoral thesis on the Hocking Valley Coal Fields by Dr. Ivan Tribe in 1976 (borrowed from a late 1800’s Athens Messenger account of boom mining town Nelsonville), the moniker ‘Little Cities of Black Diamonds’ has evolved to be widely recognized as the name of an intriguing ‘boom-to-bust’ mining region in southeastern Ohio that is rich in history, home to Ohio’s only national forest and a place where people are working to redefine their im-age around their historical, cultural and natural assets. Yes, that is cause for celebration!

Over the past 19 years we’ve collected oral histories, published local histories, created an archive and a directory of miners, organized successful cultural and educational events, hosted tour groups, developed living history characters, served as a classroom for regional colleges and, in general, dabbled in develop-ing tourism products. Our parent organiza-tion Sunday Creek Associates has taken on the

restoration of a handful of historic buildings in Shawnee and New Straitsville as the battle between restoration and decay continues in our remnant mining towns. We’ve done our best with limited resources to support local history groups, though the hands of time have caused most of those

groups to become mostly extinct, excepting the stubborn and inspiring New Straitsville History Group. The world has changed a lot since the mid-90’s, our core membership is older and a good number of friends have passed to the other side. Technology is incredibly different, and money from grants and foundations has grown scarce.We’ve “done a heap of living” over the past twenty years and we must ask ourselves, what next? More of the same? Probably not. We don’t have a clear answer about direction, but, rest assured, our motto of “keeping alive and sharing our story for the benefit of current and future generations’ still makes perfect sense. An thus, we are leaning toward the future with the notion of “remaining relevant” while we continue to keep our story and place alive. In that spirit here’s what we have planned for 2014. First, we’ve learned over and over again, that collaboration with others can

strengthen our effort and the efforts of others, whether it be a joint project with the Little Cities of the Forest Collabora-

For the third year, the Study of the United States Institute was given a tour of the Little Cities Region this summer bringing

journalists from around the world to the region.

The Little Cities Archive has over 2,000 images, artifacts and docu-ments that record the story for future generations. This class picture

from Rendville School in the early 1900’s help tell the fascinating story of racial integration in this historic community.

continued on page 7

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graduate of Shawnee High School and a 1989 graduate of Hocking College. She married and moved to Columbus where she raised her son Vance R. Higgins, II, and daughter Erin S. Higgins.

After years of working as a hair dresser at the Union and Madison’s at Kingsdale Shopping Center in Columbus, Elaine moved back to her hometown to care for her ma-ternal grandmother, Ellen Eliza-beth (Nell) Moody. Elaine loved Shawnee and decided to stay there after Mom Moody died in 1988. She received a Medical Records degree from Hocking College in 1989. She worked in the radiology department at Bethesda Hospital in Zanesville in the early 90s.

Elaine was committed to see-ing Shawnee and Southern Perry County thrive and became a VISTA volunteer in 1995. Elaine helped organize the Southern Perry Quilt Show and managed it for over 20 years although she confessed to nev-er making a quilt. She was the past president of the Shawnee Historical Preservation and Business Devel-opment group which organized many events in town that celebrated its rich history and attracted visitors. Elaine was a founding member and current board president of the Southern Perry Incubation Center for Entrepreneurs (SPICE) which has helped dozens of people start their own business and provided over $100,000 in micro-loans. She was a 20-year member of the Order of the Eastern Star and Worthy Ma-tron of the Bluebell Chapter #151 in Shawnee.

Elaine passed away on May 5, 2013 survived by 2 children, 3 sisters and 3 brothers, 18 nieces and nephews, many grand-nieces and -nephews, a sprinkling of great-grand-nieces and-nephews, too many friends to count, and 85 tea pots

Dorothy Rosalie Gettle is the third recipient of the Little Cities Spirit Award for 2013. She was recognized for her devoted service to saving and sharing the history of Nelsonville. Born and raised in Nelsonville, Ohio, Dorothy gradu-ated from Nelsonville High School Class 1957. She retired from Ohio University in 1998 working in the Office of the Registrar as Administrative Assistant with 41 years of service. Employed at the Souers-Cardaras Funeral Home in Nelsonville beginning January 1999 and currently. Employed at Rocky Outdoor Gear Store with the Nelsonville Area Chamber of Commerce/Tourism Center was

elected Nelsonville City Treasurer in 2009 and served in that post until December 2013 while volunteering at the Nelsonville Police Department.

Dorothy’s service to her community goes well beyond her em-ployment. A member of the Nelsonville First United Methodist

Church she has served as Presi-dent of the United Methodist Women, Sunday School Teacher Junior High Class and Church Membership Secretary. She has held many leadership positions including Treasurer of the Nelson-ville Service Organization (for-mally Business and Professional Women Club), Past President of the Nelsonville Alumni Associa-tion and currently on Board of Directors, Past President of the Stuart Opera House Guild and Past member of Nelsonville Rotary Club serving as Recording Secretary. She has been a mem-

ber of the Appalachian Regional Commission Steering Committee (Team Nelsonville) and served on the Nelsonville Planning Commission.

Gettle’s love for her community’s history is abundant. Dorothy is trustee and Chairperson of the Nelsonville High School Restora-tion Foundation, Inc. which has purchased the two vacated school buildings from the Nelsonville-York School Board. The buildings

are currently home to Global Gymnastics and the Nelsonville High School Museum. The Foun-dation was formed to preserve the last remaining Nelsonville Schools located on Fayette St., Nelson-ville.

Her community has recognized her service as well. She was awarded the Outstanding Com-munity Service Award in May 2001, the the VFW Post 5467 Roland Pierce Citizenship Award in 2004, the Outstanding Athens County Women by the Women’s

‘Herstory’ Celebration in 2005. the Nelsonville Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year in 2005, the R.

Victor Oakley Community Award in 2010 given by the Nelsonville Chamber of Commerce.

Dorothy’s home life centers around her volunteer role with the Avalon Animal Rescue group. Currently she shares her home with four rescued dogs, giving her much deserved joy after her busy days in the Nelsonville community.

Elaine Higgins organized the Southern Perry Quilt

Dorothy Gettle helps collect Nelsonville School History one of the leaders of the Nelsonville High

School Restoration Foundation

Little Cities Spirit Awards (continued from pg. 4)

March 2014 Page 7

tive such as the recently completed and well attended Brrrrr Oak Winter Hike or merging our Appalachian Spring activi-ties with Nelsonville’s Final Friday event as we’ve done the past several years. In this collaborative mode we’ve continued to build our relationship with Ohio University faculty and students and will bring together some 30-plus contributors for our A Region Reflects event on April 3-4 commemorating the 50th Anniversary of LBJ’s War On Poverty speech in Athens with a day-long tour of the Little Cities and a day of workshops and speakers that seek perspective and vision for the region’s future. We hope to see community members, visi-tors from elsewhere, university and social program faculty and staff, and students gathered together in consideration of this story. We have learned that there is an audience for our “tourism products” and that these products can engage younger people if we keep their interests in mind. Thus, we will continue to engage children and their families in our current Coal Town Childhood theme by staging a Coal Town Children’s Chau-tauqua as the anchor for our Appalachian Spring celebration this April 25th as part of Final Friday in Nelsonville. We’ve also learned, that the Facebook/Instagram/Twitter world likes “quirky” and thrives on being surprised, so rather than a stage show in Stuart’s Opera House this year, we’ll move outside and stage the Chautauqua in a tent, just as was done a century ago when Chautauquas and Traveling Medicine Shows trav-eled from town to town in the region. As always, we know that food is vital, and thus our Coal Town Supper will take place in the lobby of Stuart’s Opera House and be surrounded by the

Staying Relevant in 2014 (continued from pg. 5)

second showing of our Coal Town Childhood Exhibit. Over the years we’ve learned that our strikingly beau-tiful forests and hills are highly valued by visitors, particularly those with young and able bodies. Thus on April 24th and 25th we will provide Little Cit-ies Appalachian Spring Tours in collaboration with the Buckeye Trailfest that is being celebrated in the southeast quadrant of the state this year at Camp Akita in Hocking County. In that same outdoor spirit our 9th Annual Tour de Forest Benefit Bicycle Ride departs and returns at Nelsonville’s Public Square on Saturday, May 3 to close out our Appalachian Spring season. This event raises funds for our heritage educa-tion efforts and is organized is co-sponsored by the Little Cities of the Forest Collaborative which will use proceeds for environmental education efforts in the region. At the same time, we’ll work with partners at OU to submit an 1804 grant to formalize our collaboration with a “Little Cities As A Classroom” proposal that will provide funds that will develop resources (down-loadable audio, printed materials, work space, field trip funds, speakers) that makes it easier for faculty to do mutually beneficial service learning in our region. We and area tourism partners will also be meeting with partners at Burr Oak State Park and the Wayne National Forest as part of a Gateway to Public Lands project that enhances and brands the Little Cities region as a geotourism destination option that provides a laid back, high learning content option for tourists to the close-by, very popular and very busy Hocking Hills region. This summer and early fall we’ll be working to plan our 20th Annual Little Cities of Black Diamonds Day and completing the Women of the Little Cities Registry project in time for publication prior to this annual event set for Sunday, October 21 in Shawnee. We’ll also be collaborating with Ohio’s Hill Country Heritage Area who will be organizing a Finely Craft-ed in Ohio’s Hill Country bus tour through our region in late September.

Does this sound relevant? Let us know with questions and comments via e-mail or snail mail (see contact info on back page). Also, let us know by becoming a 2014 member by sending your membership card included with this mailing to provide us with much needed finan-cial and/or volunteer support throughout the year.

Living Historian Bob Garbo portrays Stuart’s Opera House founder and showman George Stuart

Membership Form EnclosedPlease Invest In The Story!!

Black Diamond Press

is published by:

Little Cities of Black Diamonds

Council•

P. O. Box 128 Shawnee, OH 43782

740-394-3011

www.littlecitiesofblackdiamonds.org

Page 8 Black diamond press • march 2014

News Briefs from the CouncilMembership Form Enclosed: Please Invest In The Story!!Membership is a critical component of our annual budget and grows more so with each pass-ing year as resources for heritage education and preservation shrink. Please find enclosed a member-ship card with this Annual Update. We ask that you return it with your contribution and/or pledge of vol-untary assistance. “Investing in the Story!” is an investment in the future of this storied region of Ohio!

Second Print Edition of Miner’s Registry AvailableThe second edition of the Miners of the Little Cities Registry is hot off the presses and available for purchase from the Council at $15 per copy. It contains over 6,000 names of miners of the region (Athens, Hocking, Morgan, Perry Coun-ties) past and present, living and deceased. This edition includes a sampling of photos and quotes from the more detailed on-line registry and Little Cities Archive. To get your copy visit the Little Cities of Black Diamonds Office in Shawnee, pick it up at an upcoming event, or give us a call at 740-394-3011 to arrange pick-up or delivery.

Ohio Humanities Council GrantThe Council is happy to report the award of a $4,000 grant from the Ohio Humanities Council for partial support of The Region Reflects: 50th Anniversary of LBJ’s War on Poverty Speech event set for April 3-4. We thank the Council for their on-going support of Humanities programming in the region.

Down The Home Stretch: Women of the Little Cities Registry“Don’t ever give up!” can be a quote attributed to many women of the region when stiff challenges have come before them. We borrow this ethic with our Women of the Little Cities Registry project which has stalled, but is still alive in our “summer projects” file. Won’t you help us by making sure that inspiring women you know from the region are included in this project. With a little luck, we hope to have it done by the end of the year!

The 12th Annual Little Cities Appalachian Spring is blossoming into a month long series of events. Highlighting this year’s event is the Final Friday on The Square in Nel-sonville on April 25 where Coal Town Children’s Chautauqua shows will take place in outdoor tents on the Square while the Coal Town Childhood Exhibit will be on display in the Stuart’s Opera House lobby and a Coal Town Supper will be served. The hour-long Chautauquas are set for 6:30 and 8pm, with in the Stuart’s lobby are set for 6-9pm. Advanced tickets ($4 children, $6 adults) are available on-line at www.littlecitiesof-blackdiamonds.org. The Chautauqua is geared to youth featuring jugglers, fire breath-ers, live music, story telling, puppetry and an old time medicine show. Sponsorship of tickets is being solicited, so that families with modest incomes will be able to participate. Give us a call 740-394-3011 if you’d like to help!

Little Cities Appalachian Spring Tours will premiere on April 24-25, held in col-laboration with the Buckeye Trail Fest at nearby Camp Akita in Hocking County (visit www.buckeyetrailfest.org). Although Trail Fest registrants will have first dibs on tour seats, they are also available to the public with pick-up on Nelsonville both days. The Council is also packaging other LCBD and partner events into the marketing for this year’s event. The A Region Reflects: 50th Anniversary of LBJ’s War on Poverty Speech event kicks off the month on April 3-4 (see story page 3 and visit www.lbjsoutheastohio.com). The Appalachian Spring season ends with the 9th Annual Little Cities Tour de Forest Benefit Bicycle Ride on Saturday morning, May 3 departing from Nelsonville’s Public Square. Registration is $25 for adults and $10 for children with a commemorative bandana and lunch provided as part of registration. 6 routes ranging from an easy ride on the Hock-Hocking Adena bikeway to Century Route, traversing 100 hilly miles through the region are available. Departures begin at 7AM and conclude at 10AM for short rides, with lunch being served at 11AM. Proceeds benefit both the LCBD Council’s heritage education efforts and the Little Cities of the Forest Collaborative’s environmental educa-tion initiatives.

Appalachian Spring ArrivesMonth Long Celebration Features Tours, Chautauqua and Bicycle Ride

Little CitiesAppalachian Spring 2014Spring to Life in the Little Cities!

April 3-4: A Region Reflects: 50th Anniversary of LBJ’s War on Poverty Speech allows residents, students and visitors to learn about, reflect upon and look forward to the

future in the region with presentations, tours, music and conversation.

•April 24-25: Little Cities Appalachian Spring Tours allow participants to experience first hand this historically and environmentally pro-vocative region of Ohio which is rich in stories of a

nationally significant past and inspiring contemporary efforts to redefine itself around its national forest,

arts and heritage assets.•

April 25: Appalachian Spring @ Nelsonville Final Friday provides a Coal

Town Children’s Chautauqua, a lively tent show with education and entertainment for kids & their

families, and a Coal Town Childhood Exhibit and Coal Town Supper in the lobby of Stuart’s

•May 3: Tour de Forest Benefit

Bicycle Ride exposes bicyclists to the region via six routes (easy/flat to challenging/hilly) departing

from Nelsonville’s Public Square, where upon return a delicious lunch is included with registration.

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