WAPAKONETA — The Auglaize County Historical Society’s September bus trip to Lebanon and Warren County has sold out, prompting the organization to schedule a second, identical trip for Oct. 31.
The cost is $88 for historical society members and $98 for nonmembers. Reservations must be received by Sept. 24. To make a reservation, call 419-738-9328.
The day’s itinerary will include Fort Ancient, the most spectacular and well-preserved of the Hopewell-era hilltop enclosures. Here, Hopewell era builders moved massive amounts of earth to create complex and monumental spatial effects. The early settlers, astonished by the place, decided it must be a fort. Yet no fort ever had 67 gateway openings or a moat on the inside. Today Fort Ancient and other hilltop enclosures like it are thought to have been places of special ceremony, their elevation perhaps signaling their relationship to the sky. The excellent Museum and Visitors Center provides an overview of the site and Ohio’s Indian cultures through the time of European contact. A garden and reconstructed Hopewell era house help visitors envision everyday life for the earthwork builders.
A step-on guide will then join the group to reveal more about Warren County. After a short journey on the bus, will have lunch at the Golden Lamb.
When Jonas Seaman traveled from New Jersey to Ohio in 1803 and spent $4 for a license to operate a “house of Public Entertainment” on Broadway in the newly-founded village of Lebanon, he could never have imagined that more than 200 years later, his establishment would still be offering food and lodging for travelers. Seaman’s establishment got its name from the sign hanging outside the business, an image of a golden lamb. At the time, it was not uncommon for a business to be associated with symbols, as many were unable to read. Since 1803, the Golden Lamb has been a community gathering place for neighbors, travelers, statesmen, presidents, families and friends. It is Ohio’s longest continually operated business.
After lunch, the group will hop on board the Lebanon Mason & Monroe Railroad to travel through the countryside of Warren County, followed by a tour of Glendower Historic Mansion. Located on a hill overlooking downtown Lebanon, Glendower is one of the finest examples of residential Greek revival architecture in Ohio. This home was constructed in 1845 and given the name, “Glendower,” by its original owner, John Milton Williams, to honor the Welsh prince and hero, Owen Glendower.
The signature, end-of-day ice cream stop will be at the Village Ice Cream Parlor, located in the heart of historic Lebanon. The parlor has appeared in the movies, “Harper Valley, PTA” and “Milk Money.”
