July 25th, 2023

Sam and I got up this morning (July 25, 2023) and did what we love most in our travels...wandering small town America!  Having spent the night in our RV in Salem, Ohio, we wandered down the highway about six miles to a town we'd spotted the night before.  Lisbon, Ohio.  After a quick trip to the hardware store (don't ask…haha…Sam had to fix one of the hanging things in a closet that had fallen during the trip to Salem). Next, we went to a small store called "Almost Perfect".  A few quick items (books and jewelry), we struck up a conversation with the clerk (I forgot her name and I promised myself I wouldn't.  She was delightful).  After hearing about my books, she told me about the Historical Society in town as well as one trivia item of the fact that Lisbon is the second oldest town in Ohio (only second and not first due to someone suggesting that the responsible party did not get their paperwork in on time….HA).   The historical society was 'down my alley'.   What a great visit we had!!!  These ladies are rock-stars to me.  They've put together (along with the predecessors) a unique and unequalled preservation of the history of their beautiful and eventful town.
 
I felt the greatest rapport with the lady that headed the group. I asked her a question "Tell me the best and most memorable story you've heard or know about Lisbon, Ohio."  She gave me one immediately.  BUT, she gave me so many more stories equally as impressive that I will try to relate to you in subsequent postings.  
During the Civil War, a soldier of the Union army…A DOG, was captured.  Dogs were an intricate part of the army during the civil war.  Did you know that?  I had to study a bit on this, but they found water and food for the soldiers, crossed enemy lines to carry messages, and worked as prison guards to say nothing of their ability to raise morale among those that were far from home and needed something to take their mind off their homesickness.  Back to the dog in Lisbon…On the collar of the dog was an inscription.  To the best of my memory it said "Property of General John Hunt Morgan".  After some negotiations, the dog was traded back to him.

All of this was just the lead-in to some really great history of Lisbon that I hope to relate to you along the way on my FB author page.   For a teaser, the inventor of the straw was by two locals of Lisbon, H.J. Britton and H.W. Morrow, selling their rights to the company eight years later.  Who of us has not partaken of this great invention?  Their extensive museum had some originals of that straw. (see pictures).

More to come…
 
PS:  If you get the chance, take a trip to Lisbon, Ohio and see all this for yourself.  You won't be disappointed.  I found out that the yearly trek of the "Mini Coops" came through to tour their town.  I can only imagine 700-800 mini-coops in one place…in every nook and cranny.  My new-found friend didn't know that my new obsession is to find a convertible mini-coop (red preferably) to replace our Miata!!!!!

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