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Romanticon 2009

To contact me: ChristineMcKay@LSOL.net

Ellora’s Cave’s Romanticon 2009 was held Oct 9-11, 2009 in Richfield, Ohio. Spouse and I decided to make the trip via car from Wisconsin.

Wednesday, October 7, Day 1: Our destination is Ligonier, Indiana. We meandered through Shipshewana to get there. And guess what I found in Shipshewana? Wait for it. THE PETER STONE FACTORY!

 

If you had no reaction to that, you’re in good company. Spouse didn’t either. This is the only factory in the world where Peter Stone model horses are made. As a state certified 4-H model horse judge, this was a must see destination. When we arrived, it was closed. Bummed, I got a photo next to the sign. Day 2, however, I hit the jackpot. And after gushing like an idiot to Peter Stone’s wife, I spent more money here than the rest of the trip.

After lightly sightseeing—after all, we’re in the heart of Amish country here—we moved on to Ligonier, where a big ‘ole Victorian mansion, the Solomon Mier Manor, awaited us. In its hey day, this must have been a rich little town. Not so much today, but they are trying.

 

After checking in, we headed off to the cemetery to see if we could find Mr. Mier’s gravestone. And we did. (I have a fascination with cemetery/gravestone art.)

 

Some pix of the Solomon Mier B&B below.

And a few pictures of the other mansions being fixed up around town.

Thursday, October 8, Day 2: Our destination today was the outskirts of Mansfield, Ohio. Why Mansfield? I wanted to see the Ohio State Reformatory—home to movies like “The Shawshank Redemption” and “Air Force One”. Unfortunately, the only tour you could get was the haunted house tour and I didn’t want to have the beejezus scared out of me. Spouse did—but he didn’t want to deal with a cling-on.

 

Mansfield also has a cool little Carousel district and factory as well as a huge section of cemetery art. We drove through the old Victorian district and it was sad to see the unkempt houses crumbling away.

Here’s a few photos from the tour we took at the “Carousel Magic” company. We actually missed the shop the first time we drove through downtown. But after parking and consulting a map, we found the little shop, waited for the “on the hour” tour and headed off to see how real (wooden not plastic or metal) carousel horses are made. I wish I lived closer so I could take their Make-your-own-carousel-horse class.

The Kingwood Center is also located in Mansfield. It’s a 47 acre, beautifully manicured property in the heart of downtown. I wish we could have stayed a day or two later to tour the inside of the house, but we needed to get to the convention. Admission is free. I do admit to picking up a baseball cap full of giant acorns. Hoping to get one to sprout in spring.

Friday, October 9, Day 3: Onward to Richfield, Ohio!

 

I’m going to admit in advance that I didn’t take a ton of convention photos. I’m more of a landscape photographer than a people photographer. Though if you have any photos of me where I don’t look drunk/stoned/stupid—please pass them my way.