Columbus Neighborhoods | Must See Sites In Ohio | Season 8 | Episode 3

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>>> THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT SITES TO EXPLORE AROUND OHIO.

NOW, CHARLENE, IF YOU WERE TO SUGGEST A FEW MUST SEE PLACES TO SOMEONE WHO HAD NEVER BEEN TO OHIO WHAT WOULD BE AT THE TOP OF YOUR LIST?

>> I WOULD SAY THE NFL HALL OF FAME IN CANTON, THE ROCK AND RON HALL OF FAME IN CLEVELAND.

>> GOT IT.

>> AND ANY OF THE ARTS LOCATIONS AROUND COLUMBUS, WHETHER IT'S THE WEST SIDE OR THE SHORT NORTH, COLUMBUS MUSEUM OF ART, ALL OF IT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> WHAT ABOUT YOU, JAVIER, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

>> YELLOW SPRINGS, YOU HAVE TO VISIT YELLOW SPRINGS, THE SCIENCE CENTER AND THE LINCOLN CITY IN BRONZEVILLE.

>> EXCELLENT.

I LIKE ALL OF THOSE.

>> IN TODAY'S SHOW WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING A FEW ADDITIONAL SITES IN OHIO THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO ADD TO YOUR MUST SEE LIST.

WE HEAD TO SPRINGFIELD FIRST, TO VISIT A UNIQUE HOUSE DESIGNED BY FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT.

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>> SPRUNG FIELD, OHIO, HAS QUITE AN INDUSTRIAL HISTORY.

THERE WERE A LOT OF INDUSTRIES HERE THAT PEOPLE MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH, COLLIERS MAGAZINE WAS PRINTED HERE INTO THE 1950s, INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER HAD A MASSIVE PLANT, BUILDING FARM EQUIPMENT.

THERE WAS A CAR MANUFACTURER, TOO, A CAR COMPANY BY THE NAME OF WESCOTT, AND HE BUILT A VERY INTERESTING HOUSE EARLY IN THE 20th CENTURY.

WE'RE GOING TO VISIT TODAY AND LEARN ALL ABOUT IT.

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>> HELLO, MARTA, HOW ARE YOU?

>> I'M GOOD.

HOW ARE YOU, JEFF?

>> GOOD TO SEE.

>> YOU GREAT TO SEE YOU.

>> HERE WE ARE IN FRONT OF A REALLY WONDERFUL PIECE OF ARCHITECTURE.

TELL ME ABOUT THE HOUSE AND WHO DESIGNED IT.

>> WELL, IT'S REALLY TRULY REMARKABLE FOR OHIO TO HAVE THIS HOUSE.

IT WAS DESIGNED BY FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT WHO IS PROBABLY THE MOST FAMOUS ARCHITECT FOR SURE IN AMERICA.

SO IT'S A PRAIRIE STYLE HOME WHICH WAS HIS KIND OF SIGNATURE STYLE FOR THE EARLY PHASE OF HIS CAREER AND THE HOUSE WAS DESIGNED BETWEEN 1906 AND 1908.

>> NOW, WHY WAS IT CALLED PRAIRIE STYLE?

>> YOU KNOW, THIS ACTUALLY WAS NOT COINED BY FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT HIMSELF AND THERE WAS A GROUP OF ARCHITECTS WHO WERE KIND OF HAD THINGS IN COMMON IN TERMS OF STYLE OF THE ARCHITECTURE, SO THE BEAUTIFUL HORIZONTAL LINES THESE HOUSES HUG A HILL OR EARTH, HOW THEY KIND OF COME NATURALLY OUT OF THE LAND AS OPPOSED TO VICTORIAN ARCHITECTURE WHICH WAS MUCH MORE VERTICAL.

>> NOW, TELL ME ABOUT THE WESCOTTS.

THEY WERE DARING IN DOING THIS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THEY WERE VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN INNOVATION.

THEY WERE PURSUING THEIR OWN CAR COMPANY.

>> THAT WAS THEIR BUSINESS WAS BUILDING AUTOMOBILES, IS THAT RIGHT?

>> YES, THEY CAME TO SPRINGFIELD BECAUSE OF -- ACTUALLY PRODUCING AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY AND BURTON WAS PROMINENT BUT IT SEEMS LIKE HIS PASSION WAS THE CAR.

>> WELL, THE BUILDING HAS BEEN COMPLETELY RESTORED, BUT I UNDERSTAND IT HAD KIND OF A CHECKERED HISTORY, TOO.

>> YES.

WELL, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE TO SOME EXTENT THAT FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S HOUSE WOULD FALL IN SUCH DISREPAIR, BUT IT WAS IN PRIVATE HANDS AND FROM TIME TO TIME YOU HAD OWNERS THAT PERHAPS WEREN'T AWARE OF ITS SIGNIFICANCE.

SO AFTER WORLD WAR II IT WAS DIVIDED INTO APARTMENTS AND THAT WAS A BIG TRANSITION FOR THE HOUSE.

THANK GOODNESS IN EARLY 2000 THE TEAM WAS PUT TOGETHER AND RESOURCES BECAME AVAILABLE AND THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THIS MULTIMILLION DOLLAR RESTORATION.

>> SO IT'S A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WAS FORMED HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> SUPPORTED BY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR ALL THIS BACKGROUND INFORMATION.

I UNDERSTAND THE HOUSE IS A LOT BETTER BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THE ACTUAL PLACE.

>> OF COURSE.

>> OH, WOW.

YES.

THIS IS NOT YOUR GRANDFATHER'S VICTORIAN MANSION.

THIS JUST IS SO RADIANT.

>> SPECTACULAR.

>> TELL ME WHAT WAS HERE.

CLEARLY IT'S BEEN RESTORED TO THE CONDITION IT WAS WHEN WRIGHT FINISHED THE PLACE, BUT YOU SAID IT HAD BEEN CHANGED A LOT.

WHAT WAS HERE AND WHAT WASN'T?

>> THEY GOT RID OF THE TABLE, THEY GOT RID OF THE BASEBOARD, THEY COVERED THE ORIGINAL PAINT SO IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT PROCESS IN THE BEGINNING.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE RESTORATION CREW WAS A GROUP OF HOPEFUL DREAMERS THAT SOMEHOW MANAGED TO PERSEVERE AND IT WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLE EFFORT.

>> THEY MUST HAVE HAD SOME KIND OF GUIDANCE, PHOTOGRAPHS OR DRAWINGS OR SOMETHING.

WHAT DID THEY WORK FROM SO THEY KNEW THEY WERE DOING IT RIGHT WHEN THEY DID THE RESTORATION?

>> THEY HAD A BEAUTIFUL SET OF CLOSE TO 50 DRAWINGS INCLUDING A DRAWING OF THE TABLE AND SOME FURNITURE THAT HE DESIGNED FOR THE HOUSE.

>> WHERE DID THOSE DRAWINGS COME FROM?

>> THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT FOUNDATION MADE IT AVAILABLE TO US.

THERE IS A FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT BUILDING CONSERVANCY THAT IS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT ACTUALLY STEPPED IN AND PURCHASED THE HOUSE FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER TO SECURE IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND THEN THEY TRANSFERRED IT AND SOLD TO IT TO THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED NONPROFIT.

>> THAT'S THE NONPROFIT HERE IN SPRINGFIELD?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

BUT IT TOOK NATIONAL COLLABORATION TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

>> IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS A RESCUE AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME.

THIS IS THE DINING ROOM, THE SIDEBOARD, THE DINING TABLE.

TYPICAL WRIGHT, LIGHTING FIXTURES AS PART OF THE TABLE, THE CHAIRS THAT YOU CAN'T SIT IN UNLESS YOU ARE A ROBOT, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

>> WE SAY LADIES WERE WEARING THEIR CORESETS SO THEY WERE STILL ANYWAY.

>> I'M READY TO SEE ANOTHER SPACE.

>> LET'S GO TO THE LIVING ROOM.

>> OH, WHAT A FIREPLACE.

>> YEAH, IT'S AMAZING THAT IT SURVIVED.

IT WAS NOT TOUCHED MUCH EXCEPT WHEN THIS WAS TURNED INTO APARTMENTS, YOU CAN SEE SOME VERTICAL MARKS HERE AND THERE, BUT THE BRICK IS ORIGINAL, IT'S CALLED ROMAN BRICK SO IT'S SLENDER AND LONGER.

THAT'S WHAT WRIGHT REALLY FAVORED FOR HIS HOMES.

SO, AGAIN, THAT EMPHASIS ON HORIZONTAL LINES.

>> THESE BENCHES WITH THE LONG CUSHIONS, TALL BACKS, THEY ARE NOT ORIGINAL.

>> THEY WERE A PART OF ORIGINAL SETUP.

OVER TIME, AGAIN, A LOT OF CHANGES HAPPENED AND THEY WERE AT SOME POINT GONE, REMOVED, BUT, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO ORIGINAL DRAWINGS, THEY RECREATED EVERYTHING AS FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT PLANNED AND THAT WAS KIND OF THE HALLMARK OF HIS DESIGN, HE CALLED THEM INGLE NOOK BENCHES AND THOSE WERE THOSE COZY PLACES WHERE THE FAMILY COULD SIT AROUND THE FIREPLACE AND THE FIREPLACE WAS SO IMPORTANT.

THAT WAS A SYMBOLIC CENTER OF THE HOME.

>> SO THESE WERE BUILT IN BUT THERE WAS MOVABLE FURNITURE AND YOU REALLY HAD TO HAVE -- DID YOU HAVE TO HAVE REPRODUCTIONS MADE OF ALL OF THE MOVABLE FURNITURE?

>> YES, THOSE BEAUTIFUL PIECES LIKE THE DINING TABLE, LIKE THE LIBRARY TABLE IN THE RECEPTION ROOM, THEY WERE ALL RECREATED FROM THE DRAWINGS.

>> THE RECEPTION ROOM IS THE THIRD SPACE HERE ON THE FIRST FLOOR, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> YES.

>> WHY DON'T WE TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AS WELL.

>> OF COURSE.

>> LEAD THE WAY.

SO THIS IS THE RECEPTION ROOM, GUESTS WOULD VISIT.

>> YES, THAT'S WHERE THEY WOULD ENTER THIS HOUSE AND THERE WAS THIS BIG WOW FACTOR HERE.

>> I NOTICE THERE'S LEADED GLASS, THAT'S ALL REPRODUCTION, TOO, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> YES, ALL FROM THE DRAWINGS.

THERE WAS ONE PHOTO, A HISTORIC PHOTO THAT SHOWED A CHINA CABINET THAT HAS THE SAME PATTERN, BUT ALL OF THAT WAS RECREATED BY REGIONAL AND LOCATED AT CRAFTSMEN.

>> WE HAVE HAD A GOOD LOOK AT THE DOWN STAIRS BUT THERE IS AN UPSTAIRS.

CAN WE TAKE A LOOK?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

LET'S GO.

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>> THAT'S QUITE A SKYLIGHT.

I ASSUME THAT WAS MISSING, TOO, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.

>> WELL, SO THIS WAS THE BIG SURPRISE THAT IT ACTUALLY SURVIVED ALL THOSE YEARS AND THEY WERE ABLE TO JUST, YOU KNOW, FIX A COUPLE THINGS, BUT THE GLASS WAS IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE AND THANK GOODNESS.

>> WE ARE ON THE SECOND FLOOR.

TELL ME WHAT THE ARRANGEMENT IS HERE.

WE HAVE BEDROOMS.

>> YES, WE HAVE SIX BEDROOMS AND AS YOU GO FROM THE BIGGEST ONE, YOU GO THROUGH SMALLER AND SMALLEST OF COURSE ARE FOR SERVANTS.

THEY HAD TWO LADIES LIVING HERE FULL-TIME WITH THEM TAKING CARE OF THEM.

>> LET'S HAVE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE MAJOR ROOMS.

>> SOUNDS GOOD.

>> WELL, THIS CERTAINLY IS ONE OF THE MAJOR BEDROOMS.

NOW, THIS WAS AN ERA WHEN HUSBANDS AND WIVES DIDN'T NECESSARILY SHARE THE SAME BED, SAME ROOM.

THEY HAD SEPARATE BEDROOMS.

DO YOU SUSPECT THAT'S THE CASE HERE?

>> WE BELIEVE THAT THAT'S THE CASE AND IT'S REALLY AMAZING IN TERMS OF ARCHITECTURE HOW THESE TWO BEDROOMS ARE LIKE A MIRRORED IMAGE.

>> THERE IS A BATHROOM HERE AND THEN THERE IS A DOOR OUT ON TO A PORCH.

YOU SAID THAT'S A SLEEPING PORCH?

>> SLEEPING PORCH, YES.

AND THEY ACTUALLY APPARENTLY AT THE TIME THEY WERE PROMOTING THE IDEA OF SLEEPING PORCH AS A HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVE TO SPEND THE NIGHT SO THAT WAS DEFINITELY USED BY THE FAMILY.

>> I ASSUME IN THE SUMMER WHEN IT WAS HOT, THERE WAS NO AIR CONDITIONING IN THOSE DAYS.

>> YES.

>> OUTSIDE IT COULD BE A LITTLE COOLER.

YOU'VE DONE A FABULOUS JOB HERE, IT IS A WONDERFUL RESTORATION OF A GREAT HOUSE.

NOW, THE HOURS IT'S OPEN ARE WHAT?

>> IT'S BEST TO REFER TO OUR WEBSITE, SIGN UP FOR A TOUR, BECAUSE WE OFFER GUIDED TOURS AND THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO EXPERIENCE THE HOUSE.

OF COURSE, IN ADDITION WE ALSO SERVE AS A CENTER FOR ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN SO WE DO ALL KINDS OF PROGRAMMING WITH SCHOOLS, WITH KIDS AND ADULTS, DOING ALL KINDS OF WORKSHOPS THAT FOCUS ON DESIGN EDUCATION.

THAT'S JUST AN EXTENSION, I THINK, OF THE SPIRIT OF INNOVATION THAT THE FAMILY LEFT US.

>> I THINK THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO PUT IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR A REALLY GREAT TOUR.

>> WELL, I HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR YOU TO FINISH THIS OFF.

>> I LIKE SURPRISES.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SHOW ME?

>> WELL, LET'S GO.

>> OH, MY.

IS THIS A REAL WESCOTT?

>> YES, IT IS.

>> TELL ME THE TRUTH.

>> THAT'S OUR SURPRISE.

>> I HAVE NEVER SEEN ONE OF THESE.

THIS IS WONDERFUL.

>> IT IS.

IT'S VERY RARE.

IT'S 1920, WESCOTT CAR, SO IT WAS PRODUCED RIGHT HERE IN SPRINGFIELD WHEN THE WESCOTTS LIVED AT THEIR FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT HOME.

>> WHAT A WONDERFUL MACHINE.

>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE A RIDE?

>> OH, WELL, NO, I'M NOT INTERESTED.

I WOULD LOVE A RIDE.

I REALLY WOULD.

JUST HOP IN?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

GO AHEAD.

>> HELLO.

>> HEY.

>> OH, THIS IS WONDERFUL.

>> THE SEATS ARE KIND OF HARD.

>> OH, THAT'S OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S GO.

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>> ARCHEOLOGISTS AND HISTORIANS HAVE MADE GREAT EFFORTS IN THE LAST CENTURY TO PRESERVE OHIO'S NATIVE-AMERICAN SITES AND ARTIFACTS.

AND IN RECENT YEARS, THE HOPEWELL CEREMONIAL EARTHWORKS SITES HAVE NOT ONLY DRAWN LOCAL ATTENTION, THEY'VE ALSO CAPTURED AN AUDIENCE AROUND THE WORLD.

>> IN FACT, THE EIGHT CEREMONIAL EARTHWORKS SITES WERE RECENTLY INSCRIBED AS UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES WHICH PUTS THEM ON THE SAME LEVEL OF IMPORTANCE AS THE GRAND CANYON, YELLOWSTONE PARK, OR EVEN THE >> AND EVEN THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA.

CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT?

THE HOPEWELL SITES ARE OHIO'S FIRST EVER WORLD HERITAGE SITES.

JAVIER, I THINK I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING TO VISIT NEXT.

I'VE NEVER BEEN THERE.

>> ME, NEITHER.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING, TOO.

TO LEARN MORE WE HEAD TO THE OHIO HISTORY COLLECTION WHO LED THE EFFORT IN THE NOMINATION.

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>> THE OHIO HISTORY CONNECTION HAS BEEN WORKING FOR YEARS WITH OUR PARTNERS AT HOPEWELL CULTURE AND NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK TO HAVE THE HOPEWELL CEREMONIAL EARTHWORKS INSCRIBED ON THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST.

THE OHIO HISTORY CONNECTION HAS THREE SITES, THE GREAT CIRCLE AND THE OCTAGON HERE IN NEWARK AS WELL AS THE FORT ANCIENT EARTHWORKS IN WARREN CULTURE.

THE HISTORICAL PARK HAS FIVE MORE SITES.

WE THINK THAT TOGETHER THESE EIGHT SITES THAT MAKE UP THE HOPEWELL CEREMONIAL EARTHWORKS TELL A COMPLETE STORY.

IT'S NOT JUST ONE SITE HERE AND ONE SITE THERE.

THIS WAS A SPRAWLING CULTURE THAT HAS CONNECTIONS ALL OVER EASTERN NORTH AMERICA.

>> THE WAY WORLD HERITAGE WORKS IS IT'S AN INTERNATIONAL TREATY SO THERE IS A PRESCRIBED PROCESS AND EACH COUNTRY KEEPS A TENTATIVE LIST OF SITES THAT COULD BE ON THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST IN THE FUTURE.

THE FIRST STEP IS TO GET ON THE TENTATIVE LIST FOR YOUR COUNTRY AND THIS NOMINATION, THESE EIGHT SITES, WERE ADDED TO THE UNITED STATES TENTATIVE LIST IN 2008.

IN 2018 THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALLY AUTHORIZED US TO PREPARE THE NOMINATION.

SO WE HAVE SUBMITTED IT AT THE END OF 2021 TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THEY SUBMITTED IT TO UNESCO IN PARIS.

THE NEXT STEPS ARE WE FIND OUT WHETHER IT'S RECOMMENDED TO BE INSCRIBED.

SO INSCRIBED MEANING ADDED TO THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST.

THEN IN THE SUMMER OF 2023 WE WOULD HOPE TO BE IN FRONT OF THE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE THE 21 COUNTRIES THAT MAKE UP THAT COMMITTEE AND HAVE A VOTE ON WHETHER TO INSCRIBE THIS NOMINATION OR NOT.

>> I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE DESCENDENTS OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTED THESE EARTHWORKS ABLE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY MEAN, THEIR SIGNIFICANCE TO THE TRIBES TODAY AND WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR HISTORICALLY FOR CEREMONIAL PURPOSES TO HELP EDUCATE THE BROADER PUBLIC.

>> I HAD TAUGHT AT A COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN MISSOURI FOR 38 1/2 YEARS AND AT THAT COMMUNITY COLLEGE ONE OF MY DUTIES WAS TO INCREASE AWARENESS REGARDING ARTS AND THE HUMANITY'S.

I WAS TRAVELING TO PLACES LIKE THE ACROPOLIS AND TO THE GREAT BARRIER REEF IN AUSTRALIA AND TO PYRAMIDS IN EGYPT, THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA AND ONLY LATER DID I REALIZE THESE WERE WORLD HERITAGE SITES.

MY TRIBE IS LOCATED IN OKLAHOMA AND WE ARE THE EASTERN SHAWNEE TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA.

SO FOR THREE YEARS IN STUDYING THE SHAWNEES OBVIOUSLY I HAD STUDIED A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE STATE OF OHIO AND HAD READ EVERYTHING AND ALL THE PUBLISHED MATERIALS I COULD, I HAD COME HERE TO VISIT, I HAD TALKED WITH PEOPLE, INTERVIEWED PEOPLE, BUT NEVER ONCE HAD I SEEN ANY MENTION OF NEWARK EARTHWORKS.

THE ONLY MOUND THAT HAS EVER BEEN MENTIONED AT THAT TIME WAS CERTAIN ENT MOUND.

WELL, AT THAT TIME NEWARK EARTHWORKS WAS OPEN ONLY ONE DAY A YEAR WHEN NATIVE AMERICANS AND OTHERS COULD GO AND ACTUALLY WALK AROUND AND VIEW THE EARTHWORKS.

I WAS ABLE TO GO TO THE WOODEN PLATFORM VIEWING AREA AND CLIMB UP AND BECAUSE OF ALL OF THOSE PLACES THAT I HAD SEEN THAT WERE WORLD HERITAGE SITES THE MINUTE THAT I LOOKED OUT AND SAW WHAT I SAW, I KNEW THAT I WAS VIEWING EITHER THE EQUIVALENT OR IN MANY CASES SOMETHING EVEN SUPERIOR TO PLACES THAT ARE DESIGNATED WORLD HERITAGE SITES.

WITHIN THREE MINUTES' TIME I EXPERIENCED SO MANY DIFFERENT EMOTIONS.

I WAS JUST SHOCKED AND AMAZED AND SO PLEASED THAT THEY WERE IN EXISTENCE AND THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN DESTROYED BECAUSE MANY MOUNDS IN OHIO HAVE BEEN DESTROYED.

>> THE HOPEWELL CEREMONIAL EARTHWORKS WERE BUILT BY WHAT ARCHEOLOGYIST GISTS CALL THE HOPEWELL CULTURE, ANCIENT INDIGENOUS AMERICANS THAT LIVED HERE BETWEEN ABOUT A.D. 1 AND 400.

THEY WERE HUNTERS, FISHERS, GATHERERS AND GARDENERS, THEY LIVED IN SMALL COMMUNITIES, SCATTERED ALL OVER HERE.

THEY DIDN'T LIVE IN CITIES.

THEY DON'T SEEM TO HAVE HAD ANY KIND OF RULER, ANY KIND OF KING OR PHARAOH THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ORDER THEM TO DO THIS.

IT SEEMS THAT THESE COMMUNITIES CAME TOGETHER FOR PROBABLY HUNDREDS OF MILES AROUND AND PARTICIPATED IN BUILDING THESE EARTHWORKS AND THEN LATER WORSHIPPING AT THEM.

THESE ANCIENT INDIGENOUS AMERICANS BUILT THE EARTHWORKS WITH VERY SIMPLE TECHNOLOGY, POINTED STICKS, CLAMSHELL HOES AND BASKETS.

BUT THE SIMPLICITY THE KNOWLEDGE EN KOIDED IN THESE EARTH WORVGS IS ANYTHING BUT SIMPLE.

>> SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, ARCHITECTURE, GEOMETRY, ALL TYPES OF INFORMATION THAT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE THAT THEY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MOST INTELLIGENT PEOPLE.

>> THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE GREAT CIRCLE HERE IS EQUAL TO THE PERIMETER OF THE SQUARE EARTHWORK THAT IT WAS ATTACHED TO.

THE AREA OF THE SQUARE THAT THE GREAT CIRCLE WAS ATTACHED TO IS EQUAL TO THE AREA OF THE OBSERVATORY CIRCLE AT THE OCTAGON EARTHWORKS, ALSO THE CIRCLE AND OCTAGON ENCODES IN ITS ARCHITECTURE ALIGNMENTS TO ALL OF THE KIA LINE MTS THAT DEFINE THE LUNAR CYCLE OF RISING AND SETTING THAT TAKES 18.6 YEARS TO COMPLETE.

SO JUST LIKE THE SUN WITH THE NORTHERNMOST RISE OF THE SUN BEING THE SUMMER SOLSTICE AND THE SUMMER MOST RISE BEING THE WINTER SOLSTICE, AT LEAST IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE THE NOON MASS A NORTHERNMOST AND SOUTHERN MOST RISE BUT EVERY MONTH AND THAT ANGLE CHANGES FROM MONTH TO MONTH.

OVER THIS PERIOD OF 18.6 YEARS SO THESE ANCIENT INDIGENOUS AMERICANS MUST HAVE BEEN VERY CAREFUL SKY WATCHERS, RECORDING THOSE MOVEMENTS AND ENCODING THEM INTO THEIR ARCHITECTURE.

I THINK BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT BY LINKING THE EARTHWORKS TO THE RHYTHMS OF THE COSMOS THEY WERE MAKING WHAT HAPPENED HERE EVEN MORE SACRED.

>> I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT A PERSON CAN COME HERE TO A PLACE LIKE THIS AND NOT FEEL A KINSHIP WITH NATURE, A KINSHIP WITH THE SPIRIT AND WOULD HOPE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A REVERENCE FOR THIS PLACE.

THEY ARE ENTERING THE REALM OF NATIVE-AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY.

>> ONCE THEY ARE INSCRIBED THERE WILL PROBABLY BE AN INFLUX OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD THAT WILL COME AND I THINK THERE WILL BE A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED, WHETHER IT'S ROADS OR WHETHER IT'S HOTELS, PLACES TO STAY BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO THE SPILLOVERS OF WHAT ARE PEOPLE GOING TO DO WHEN NOT AT THE SITES?

WHAT ELSE CAN THEY SEE?

THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING AROUND OHIO.

>> IT WILL INCREASE AWARENESS OF OHIO FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORLD HERITAGE TRAVELERS.

THERE REALLY ARE PEOPLE WHO CHECK THE BOXES OF THE LIST AND THAT'S HOW THEY PLAN THEIR VACATIONS.

>> THIS IS JUST THE FIRST STEP OF THE JOURNEY.

THERE'S AN ASPECT OF IT BEING CONTAGIOUS THAT NOW IT'S LIKE THE FLAME HAS BEEN LIT AND THAT OTHERS ARE AWARE OF OTHER THINGS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE MOUNDS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, BUT THEY HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT HAD TO DO WITH NATIVE AMERICANS AND THEY ARE RECOGNIZING THAT AND BEGINNING TO BECOME ACTIVE IN PROMOTING THAT.

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>> OHIO WILL ALWAYS BE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART.

WE'VE BEEN IN OKLAHOMA SO LONG THAT, YES, OKLAHOMA IS HOME, BUT OHIO IS OUR HOMELAND AND WILL ALWAYS HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE.

SO I CAN GET VERY EMOTIONAL AND TEARY-EYED ABOUT THIS AND JUST CAN'T WAIT TO STEP OVER THAT FINISH LINE.

>> WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED A FEW MUST SEE PLACES TO VISIT AROUND OHIO.

PLACES YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AWARE ABOUT.

CHARLENE, WHAT'S NEXT ON THE LIST?

>> THIS TIME, WE'RE HEADING TO DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND TO VISIT PLAYHOUSE SQUARE, WHICH BOASTS 11 PERFORMANCE SPACES, INCLUDING FIVE HISTORIC THEATERS THAT ALL OPENED BETWEEN 1921 AND 1922.

>> WHOA.

11 THEATERS WITHIN BLOCKS OF EACH OTHER?

AND THEY WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN AND PRESERVE THEM FOR OVER 100 YEARS?

>> YEAH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

THE COMMUNITY REALLY CHERISHES THESE PERFORMANCE SPACES, ALMOST LIKE THE CITY'S CROWN JEWELS.

SO ON TO CLEVELAND NOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF PLAYHOUSE SQUARE.

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>> MY NAME IS MARCI RICH, I WROTE THE ARTICLE ABOUT THE PLAYHOUSE SQUARE THEATERS DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND THAT APPEARS IN THE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ISSUE OF ECHOS MAGAZINE.

THE FEELING THAT I GET WHEN I WALK INTO PLAYHOUSE SQUARE TO THE GRAND LOBBY, I SEE THE SHIMMERING CHANDELIERS AND THE ORNATE CEILINGS, IT'S MAGICAL.

IT'S A FEELING OF BEING TRANSPORTED AND LIFTED UP AND OUT OF MY ORDINARY LIFE INTO PLACE EXTRAORDINARY.

>> PLAYHOUSE SQUARE IS A COLLECTION OF 11 STAGES, FIVE HISTORIC THEATERS, FIVE NEW SPACES AND AN OUTDOOR SPACE.

WE SERVE ABOUT A MILLION GUESTS A YEAR AND WE HAVE ABOUT 1,100 PERFORMANCES EVERY YEAR.

>> THE FIVE THEATERS THAT ARE, SO TO SPEAK, THE JEWELS OF THE CROWN WERE ALL BUILT IN A SPAN OF 14 MONTHS BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY OF 1921 THROUGH NOVEMBER OF 1922.

>> SO HERE WE ARE ON EUCLID AVENUE STANDING OUT IN FRONT OF THE CONNER PALACE, THE KEY BANK STATE THEATER, THE MIMI OHIO, THE ALLEN THEATER AND THE FAMOUS GE CHANDELIER.

LET'S TAKE A WALK INSIDE.

THIS IS HOW THE ROOM LOOKED IN 1921 WHEN IT WAS BUILT AND IN 1964 THERE WAS A FIRE.

AFTER THE FIRE, IT HAD RED DRYWALL, WHITE LINOLEUM FLOOR AND A WHITE DROP CEILING AND WHEN I STARTED HERE THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE.

AND I THOUGHT, WOW, IT MUST HAVE BEEN SO COOL SOMETIME AND THEN I SAW A PHOTOGRAPH, THIS PHOTOGRAPH HERE AND I THOUGHT, OH, THAT MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING.

I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW WONDERFUL IT MUST HAVE BEEN TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT.

AND THEN IN ABOUT 2013 I WAS GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECREATE THE ROOM.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND AT THE ROOM AS IT IS TODAY, THIS IS A TOTAL RECREATION THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE IN 2014 OF SOMETHING THAT WAS TOTALLY GONE SINCE 1964, BUT TOTALLY RECREATED, HAND SCULPTED, IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL PROJECT.

>> THE PLAYHOUSE THEATERS ARE AND AREN'T A TIME CAPSULE OF THE PAST IN A WAY.

FENG OF WHEN THEY WERE BUILT IN 1921 AND 1922 WITH EXTRAORDINARY CRAFTSMANSHIP AND ARTISTRY, OVER TIME, OVER DECADES THINGS FALL APART.

THE AMAZING THING TO ME IN RESEARCHING THIS STORY WAS WHEN THE RENOVATION, THE REJUVENATION OF PLAYHOUSE SQUARE WAS HAPPENING, THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS EFFORT UNDER WAY TO PRESERVE THE PAST.

IT'S SORT OF A COMPRESSION OF THE PAST, IT'S AN ENERGY THAT'S PALPABLE.

YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE PART OF SOMETHING THAT HAS GONE ON FOR DECADES, FOR A CENTURY, AND IT'S -- IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE.

>> WHERE WE ARE TODAY IN 2022 IS REALLY A STRONG REFLECTION ON WHAT THESE PLACES WERE INTENDED TO BE.

YOU GO BACK TO MARCUS LONG, HE SAID I DON'T SELL TICKETS TO MOVIES, I SELL TICKETS TO THEATERS, SOME QUOTE LIKE THAT, IT'S A FAMOUS QUOTE, BUT THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WAS BUILT IN ALL OF THESE THEATERS WAS MAGIC.

IT WAS AN ESCAPE.

IT WAS GOING TO ANOTHER WORLD, ANOTHER TIME.

AND TODAY OUR GUESTS COME HERE IN DROVES, NOT ONLY TO SEE AMAZING THEATER AND CONCERTS AND DANCE AND MUSIC, BUT THEY COME FOR THE BEAUTY AND THE AUTHENTICITY OF WHAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY.

>>> THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

AND REMEMBER, YOU CAN CATCH ALL OF OUR EPISODES ON COLUMBUSNEIGHBORHOODS.ORG.

>> PLUS, SEE OUR STORIES ON THE WOSU MOBILE APP.

AND YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM AND X, FORMERLY TWITTER.

WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK ON "COLUMBUS NEIGHBORHOODS."

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COLUMBUSNEIGHBORHOODS.ORG.

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