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The City of Amherst was founded in 1811. Beginning in 1847, Amherst developed and prospered around the sandstone industry and its associated quarries. This sandstone proved to be an important economic blessing to our early settlers and is the foundation of Amherst’s existence. Amherst sandstone shows lines of stratification or bedding when exposed in sections. Its natural beauty is enhanced by a virtual spectrum of rich and unique colors including deep reds, browns, yellows, and shades of gray. Amherst sandstone is well known for its quality, durability, and rich texture and has been utilized across our nation and throughout the world. Amherst is literally and figuratively built upon a rock, which extends deep in the earth.
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The William Lafferty Memorial Funeral and Carriage Collection shows the development of the funeral business since the mid-1800s through an exhibit of caskets, funeral clothing, and hearses collected and preserved by James William Lafferty (1912 – 1987). William was a member the fourth generation of Laffertys to serve West Union and Adams County. Characteristic of the early history of the profession, William Voris (W.V.) Lafferty (1830-1922) founded the business in 1848 to meet the demand for caskets, which he, as a furniture and cabinetmaker, was often asked to build. (Continued on other side)
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Labeled “Union Square” on the first village maps, block 12 of the City of Bellaire was formed by joining portions of the Harris and Rodefer Farms in 1857. Used for tent shows, circuses, political meetings, and playing baseball, the land during the Civil War was used as a canteen for feeding Union recruits from nearby Camp Jefferson. Stonemasons cut sandstone blocks here that make up “Great Stone Viaduct” railroad bridge. A steam derrick and stable for horses that helped to move the sandstone to the bridge’s construction site were also placed temporarily on this land. In 1882, a monument was erected to honor Civil War veterans as “Union Square” became a city park. Former President Theodore Roosevelt delivered a speech here to the citizens of Bellaire in 1912.
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James R. Hopkins was born May 17, 1877, in Irwin and graduated from Mechanicsburg High School in 1895. As a child, he gained exposure to art through his mother, Nettie, an accomplished self-taught water colorist. Hopkins enrolled at The Ohio State University to study electrical engineering, but realized a strong desire to study art. In 1898, Hopkins entered the Art Institute of Cincinnati, studying under noted artist Frank Duveneck and acquiring the academic draftsmanship that is prevalent in his work. After two years, he moved to New York City to work as a medical illustrator. To hone his skills, Hopkins moved to Paris, enrolling in the Academy Colarossi and opening a studio at 55 Rue de Dantzig. Hopkins flourished in Paris, marrying Edna Boies, who he had met at the Cincinnati Art Institute, and establishing friendships with such French Impressionists as Pierre Renoir, Edgar Degas, and Claude Monet. [continued on other side]
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On May 1, 1950, the Akron Community Service Center and Urban League building opened to the public. The Center was a gathering place for African Americans of the community, where they addressed workplace, education, and other issues dividing the city. Directors included the late George W. Thompson, Raymond Brown, and Vernon L. Odom. The Center provided space for meetings, classes and receptions and had a swimming pool and gymnasium. The Center also hosted talent shows, which included the musicians who became Ruby and the Romantics. The group scored a #1 hit in 1963 with “Our Day Will Come.”
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Ruth Lyons, born in Cincinnati’s East End, was a broadcaster and businesswoman known for her radio and television show, The 50-50 Club and her charity, The Ruth Lyons Children’s Fund. Lyons was considered a creator of talk television and she was one of the first to turn the camera on her audience, now a common practice on TV talk shows. Lyons is credited with influencing generations of broadcasters, such as Nick Clooney, Bob Braun, David Letterman, and Jane Pauley. In 1858, she was invited to join NBC’s Today Show for a week. Lyons was a resident of 332 Tusculum Avenue and 3614 Morris Place. Her first husband, John lived at 420 and 427 Tusculum Avenue and they were married at the Morris Place residence.
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The Shiloh Baptist Church was completed in 1923. Founded in 1869, Shiloh is the third oldest African-American church in Columbus and is a descendent of the Second Baptist Church. The church is located in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood, which is adjacent to the central businesses of Columbus and Interstate 71. The dominant physical presence of Shiloh Baptist Church shows its importance as a religious and social institution for more than one hundred years in the Mt. Vernon area.
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“…on Sunday morning, especially in the African American community, you could go down the street and hear The Wings Over Jordan just coming from everybody’s house….” Glenn Brackens, 2017. Upholding the sanctity of traditional African American spirituals, believing in the power of radio to uplift listeners, and recognizing his choir’s rich talent, Rev. Glenn T. Settle (1894-1967), pastor of Gethsemane Baptist Church, originated the “Negro Hour” on Cleveland’s WGAR in 1937. The Sunday morning radio show featured the choir’s moving renditions of spirituals and was originally directed by James Tate (1918-1986). Williette Firmbanks Thompson (1910-1992) was assistant director and a soloist (Continued on other side)
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