Piatt Castles: Mac-A-Cheek and Mac-O-Chee

9 April 202110 November 2024

Approaching the drive of Mac-A-Cheek Castle, I stopped in amazement of this beautiful limestone home located in West Liberty, Ohio. Built by Abram Piatt between 1864 and 1871, the three story home took seven years to build with its spectacular towers, spacious interior and gorgeous gardens. The home is exquisite both inside and out with an incredible exterior stone facade. Beautiful hand-painted murals by French artist Oliver Frey adorn the walls and ceilings, reminiscent of gothic European castles and halls.

The Piatts arrived in Ohio from New Jersey when Abram’s father, Benjamin M. Piatt, relocated his family to open his legal practice in Cincinnati. Later becoming a Federal Circuit Judge, Honorable Piatt would eventually resettle north of the city in rural Logan County until his death in 1867.

In 1828, Judge Benjamin Piatt purchased a large farm in West Liberty Salem called Macochee by the Shawnee Indians, the name of the Indian village that once stood here. Additional displays showcase Native American artifacts as well as war relics and weapons.

Judge Piatt’s sons Abram and Donn built homes on this property in the late 1800s. Abram’s brother Donn, completed his home ten years later and named it Mac-O-Chee located within a mile of Mac-A-Cheek.

Descendants of Judge Piatt lived in the castles up until 1985 where tours continued into the early 1990s. Tours are available today to include “The Family Haunt” which takes place on Halloween night where literary works by the Piatt women are performed and on display.

Mac-O-Chee, now an Ohio landmark listed on the register of Historic Places, was purchased by the Cole family in 2019 with the intentions of preserving its history. Mac-A-Cheek Castle holds a wealth of historical exhibits from the Piatt Castles to include family portraits, furniture, Civil War artifacts and works of art covering 200 years of Ohio history.

Have you visited the beautiful architecture of the Piatt Castles? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below.

What to See and What to Do:

Mac-A-Cheek Castle
10051 Township Road 47
West Liberty, OH 43357
Telephone: 937 465 2821

Admission Fee: $13 for adults; $7 for children ages 5 – 15; $11 for Seniors age 65+ and AAA discount. The grounds and outdoor exhibits is free.
Hours: Open seasonally, so check the venue’s website prior to your visit.
Amenities: Self-guided tours, Exhibits, Special Events
Length of Visit: 1 hour

Where to Stay:

The Cabins at Maple Grove
5040 OH-29
Urbana, OH 43078
Telephone: 937 620 4952

Where to Eat:

The Syndicate
213 South Main Street
Bellefontaine, OH 43311
Telephone: 937 210 5165

With an amazing brunch menu, try the Big Bad Burrito with a Jalapeno Mimosa.

The Garst Museum and Greenville’s Early Beginnings

4 March 202122 September 2024

As I entered the Garst Museum, it was eerily quiet as I passed through the threshold of a beautifully restored campus house. A table stood in the entryway with several flyers and maps to assist me with touring the galleries. To the left I began my exploration of Greenville’s history titled “Crossroads of Destiny” and found several materials pertaining to this venue.

Starting with the Paleo period are remains of prehistoric animals that once roamed this area of Darke County. On display are several bones and teeth of a Mastodon and Wooly Mastodon which were hunted by the Paleo Indians between 6,000 and 13,000 BC.

In addition to the animal finds are arrowheads dating back to the Paleo and Archaic Periods. Used for hunting and spearing fish, the Indians gradually improved their weapons and tools to include chisels and axes.

By the early 1600s, the English made their way to the New World and settled along the East Coast. In hopes of more opportunities, they began to move west, encroaching on Indian Territory. Fighting broke out between the Indians and the European Americans which eventually led to the 1795 Treaty of Green Ville. The “treaty of peace” included a cease fire between the Indians and Americans, provided compensation to the Indians in exchange for land that included two-thirds of southeast Ohio.

Additional treaties were signed and eventually the Indians were forced to settle in the West. At this point, Tecumseh, a Shawnee Indian from modern-day Columbus, Ohio was determined to fight against the loss of their land by the Americans, but his efforts failed. Eventually, Tecumseh joined the new Americans and fought in the War of 1812, where he died in October of 1813. The story of his life is depicted in an outdoor drama titled, “Tecumseh” which is performed during the summer months in Chillicothe, Ohio.

Growing up about an hour east of Greenville, I was familiar with the historic figures from the area such as Blue Jacket and Simon Kenton. Blue Jacket was a Shawnee War Chief who fought against American settlers who were in pursuit of the Indian’s land. He was defeated in 1794 during the Battle of Fallen Timbers which resulted in his signing the Treaty of Greenville in 1795, ceding to the settlers. Each year, the city of Xenia hosts performances of the outdoor drama ,”Blue Jacket” in a gorgeous, scenic amphitheater in remembrance of this local celebrity.

Simon Kenton was also a key figure as a frontiersman who was a friend of Daniel Boone. Kenton also fought alongside George Rogers Clark during the Revolution. Kenton was kidnapped by the Shawnee Indians on several occasions. Impressing the Shawnee by his ability to escape, he was eventually adopted by the Shawnee as they lived harmoniously in what is known today as Champaign County. He is buried in Urbana.

Today, Greenville is known for its farming of corn and soybean. Visitors can take a step back in time to visit Bear’s Mill, a working gristmill that sells freshly ground flour in their gift shop. Greenville’s Main Street is a great way to spend the afternoon with a visit to the Anna Bier Gallery displaying the artwork of local artists. My favorite stop is the KitchenAid experience to browse the latest KitchenAid mixers and gadgets for sale. In addition, the store houses a museum that shows the evolution of the KitchenAid mixer since 1941. The Merchant House is a highly recommended stop for lunch or dinner or venture to nearby Versailles for a local winery experience and its charming downtown.

From its humble beginnings to its modern day advancement in kitchen appliances, Greenville is an incredible historic stop and one of America’s greatest examples of Main Street, America.

Have you visited Greenville? What activities and restaurants did you decide to visit? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reading about my lovely afternoon in Greenville and wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Garst Museum
205 North Broadway
Greenville, OH 45331
Telephone: 937 548 5250

Admission: $12 for adults, $11 for seniors, $9 for youth, $9 for Darke County Genealogy Society Members, Free for children aged 5 and below and for DCHS Members
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday from 10AM to 4PM & Sunday from 1PM to 4PM, Closed Mondays, Major Holidays and the Month of January
Amenities: Historical exhibits, educational exhibits, research center, historic figures, museum store and special events
Tips: Allow yourself plenty of time to visit each of the exhibits and wear comfortable shoes.

Where to Stay:

The Inn at Versailles
21 West Main Street
Versailles, OH 45380
Telephone: 937 526 3020

Where to Eat:

The Merchant House
406 South Broadway
Greenville, OH 45331
Telephone: 937 459 4405

Pig candy and the Monte Cristo sandwich….absolutely amazing!

Where to Drink:

Kennedy Vineyard
3911 State Route 722
New Madison, OH 45346
Telephone: 937 273 8381

What to Read:

Annie Oakley, by Charles J. Shields
Annie Oakley: A Captivating Guide to an American Sharpshooter Who Later Became a Wild West Folk Hero, by Captivating History
Life and Legacy of Annie Oakley, by Glenda Riley

step back into timw
historical destination with over 300,000 artifacts on display over 35,000 square feet of exhibit space within six building wings
Major Exhibit Venues include:
- Crossroads of Destiny: The story of General Anthony Wayne, Little Turtle
- Lowell Thomas – pioneer broadcaster
- Military History – 1812 to War in Iran
- Commander Zachary Landsdowne – Captain of the Navy Airship USS Shenandoah and early advocate of military air power
- Early Pioneers & Period American Furnishings
- Early Village Settlement Shops
- Currier & Ives Collection
- Darke County Research Center

Devil’s Tower and the Legend of the Bear

8 December 201817 September 2024

My ten-day journey out west was proving to be one of the most fascinating trips I had ever taken. I had seen the beauty of the Badlands, the patriotic carvings of Mount Rushmore and traveled miles on picturesque, scenic drives.

In the distance, a monolithic rock of colossal proportions arose from sacred ground. I knew that I would soon be approaching the Devil’s Tower, a hollowed location of the local Indians. Reaching high towards the heavens, I imagined this would have been an awesome site for early settlers.

The Lakota Indians and other tribes believe that there is a strong spiritual connection here. Evidence of this land’s significance to Native American tribes is proven by the prayer ribbons tied on the trees at the base of the Tower.

Rising 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River, the Lakota named this gargantuan “tree stump” Matho Thipila and Ptehe Gi meaning “Bear Lodge and “Brown Buffalo”. The tribes congregate here for sun ceremonies and rites of passage.

The Kiowa Tribe legend tells of seven small girls who were playing far away from their home when they encountered a bear. The girls reached a rock standing about three feet high and prayed to the rock to save them. The rock began pushing itself up from the ground away from the bear. In an effort to reach the girls, the bear tried to climb up the rock. Leaving only scratch marks as the rock continued to rise higher and higher into the sky, where the girls now reside in the heavens as the Pleidades constellation.

Devil’s Tower is known as the United State’s first National Monument, dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906. It is a popular place for experienced rock climbers who long for the challenge of climbing between the rock’s “scratch marks”. For those that do not climb, there is the Tower Trail that encircles the base of Devil’s Tower, which takes about one hour to complete. Just be aware of bears…

If you have visited Devil’s Tower, hiked the trail or climbed this fascinating monument, I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reading my post about Devil’s Tower! Wishing wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Devil’s Tower
WY-110
Devil’s Tower, WY 82714
Telephone: 307 467 5283 x635

Admission Fee: Each entrance fee covers 7 days of park entry. Private Vehicle: $20; Motorcycle: $15 and Hiker/Biker: $10 which only applies to visitors 16 years old and older entering the park by foot, bicycle, etc. An annual Pass for Devil’s Tower National Park is $40 which is valid for one year through the month of purchase. Devil’s Tower National Park accepts the America the Beautiful Pass which allows access to over 2,000 federal recreation sites for a cost of $80 which is valid for one year through the month of purchase. Check out their website for more information: https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm
Hours: Open daily, 24 hours; Refer to the Devil’s Tower website for the operating hours of the Visitor Center.
Amenities: Hiking, cross country skiing, climbing, scenic drives wildlife viewing, Visitor’s Centers which provide interpretive exhibits and park information and Ranger-led programs.
Scenic View: Take in the view of this ecological phenomenon from miles away.
Length of Visit: Three days is recommended to see all of the attractions at Yellowstone.
Tips for Your Visit: It is recommended that hikers bring 1 liter of water per 2 hours of hiking. Wear proper footwear and in the winter, ice cleats, snowshoes or similar are recommended. The park is open year around, but winter time can be a challenging during snow and ice. If you are looking for animals, winter is the time that they hibernate. Spring is a wonderful time to visit because you can see newborn babies. When viewing wildlife, you must stay 100 yards from bears and wolves, and 25 yard from all other animals in the park. For photographers, you may already know that dawn and dusk are the best times to photograph animals and you will want to bring a telephoto lens for capturing them from far distances. Do not feed the animals. Be respectful of this site as it is a sacred place for indigenous people. Do not disturb prayer bundles or other cultural artifacts.

Where to Stay:

Devil’s Tower Lodge
#37 West Road, WY-110
Devil’s Tower, WY 82714
Telephone: 307 467 5267

Where to Eat:

Devil’s Tower Gulch Restaurant
601 WY-24 Devil’s Tower
Devil’s Tower, WY 82714
Telephone: 307 467 5800

They had a special for a hot roast beef sandwich with gravy and mashed potatoes. Some down home cooking, which was absolutely amazing.

What to Eat:

Buffalo
Chicken Fried Steak
Chuck wagon-style meal cooked over a flame
Elk
Fry Bread – puffy taco base usually used for taco salads
Old Fashioned Soda from Annie’s Soda Saloon and Cafe in Cody
Pig Candy – sweet spiced bacon
Prime Rib
Rocky Mountain Oysters – calf testicles
Soda Bread discovered by the American Indians which is a mix of soda and flour
Wyomatoes – gourmet tomatoes with a sweet taste
Wyoming Whiskey

What to Read:

Cody (Then and Now), by Lynn Johnson Houze
A River Runs Through It, by Norman Maclean
Colter’s Run, by Stephen Gough

Photo Guide for Cody, WY:

Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark
Castle Gardens near Riverton, WY
Old Trail Town
Yellowstone National Park

Phenomenal Cliff Dwellings at Montezuma Castle National Monument

19 January 201531 August 2024

Well-preserved and protected from the elements, an ancient Indian cliff dwelling is said to have been built between 1100 to 1425 AD. Standing five stories tall, an estimated forty-five to sixty rooms have been built into an alcove of limestone.

When I arrived in the small town of Camp Verde, Arizona, I could not have imagined the beauty of the Montezuma Castle National Monument. What I found most impressive was the craftsmanship of the Sinagua and the incredible cliff dwellings they had built nearly 100 feet above Beaver Creek Canyon.

Approaching the site, I immediately noticed the detail of Montezuma’s construction and how the large stones were held together by a primitive mix of clay and mud. The walls were built from layers of mud measuring about an inch thick protecting the interior rooms and providing a barrier from the wind and heat. The thatched roof was constructed of local Arizona sycamore intertwined with mud. According to the artifacts found at the site, these rooms were used for both living space and storage.

Researchers believe that the Indians may have fled in the mid-11^th century when nearby Sunset Crater Volcano erupted. They would later return in the late 1100s as the area was then perfect for growing crops following the event. The aftermath of the eruption gave the Indians a strong, reliable watershed for irrigation and a much richer soil.

Montezuma Castle National Monument became a US National Monument in 1906 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. Early visitors could climb up into the ancient apartment complex through a series of ladders until it was prohibited to do so in 1951. While the interior of the settlement is not accessible today, the site is a spectacular example of Indian life of the Southwest. There are approximately 400,000 visitors that tour the park and visitor’s center each year. The Visitor’s Center displays artifacts and provides a historical account of the lives of the Sinaguan culture. Even today, this location remains a place of religious ceremonies for the local Hopi and Yavapai Indians.

Have you had the opportunity to visit Montezuma Castle National Monument in Arizona? What did you think of your experience? I would love to hear about your visit if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reading about my visit to Montezuma and wishing you many Happy Travels!

Disclosure: Please refer to our blog disclaimer tab for more information.

What to See and What to Do:

Montezuma Castle National Monument
Montezuma Castle Road
Camp Verde, Arizona 86322
Telephone: 928 567 3322

To reach Montezuma Castle National Monument, follow these directions:

Follow I-17 to exit 289 (90 minutes north of Phoenix, 45 minutes south of Flagstaff). Drive east (through 2 traffic circles) for approximately ½ mile to the blinking red light. Turn left onto Montezuma Castle Road.

Admission Fee: Montezuma Castle Entrance fees are Adults (16 and older): $10 which is good for seven days for the castle as well as the Tuzigoot National Monuments; Children under 16 can enter at no charge. There are several holidays where entrance is free to include Martin Luther King Jr. Day, First Day of National Park Week/National Junior Ranger Day, National Service Park Anniversary, National Public Lands Day and Veterans Day
Hours: The visitor center, museum and trail are open daily from 8AM to 5PM; Montezuma Well Trail is also open daily from 8AM to 5PM and for all attractions, the last vehicle admission is 4:45PM. For additional discounted fees visit the park’s website.
Amenities: Educational opportunities and bookstore
Scenic View: Montezuma Castle is spectacular dating over 800 years
Length of Visit: 1 – 2 hours
Tips for Your Visit: Bring water and sunscreen as the site is in the middle of the desert. Consider arriving early (around 9AM) when the sun will be behind you. Parking may be difficult because it is small, but spaces are more available after lunch on most days. Don’t forget that your entrance fee also includes the Tuzigoot Ruins!

Where to Stay:

The Lodge at Cliff Castle Casino
333 Middle Verde Road
Camp Verde, AZ 86322
Telephone: 866 925 7881
Website: https://www.cliffcastlecasinohotel.com/

Where to Eat:

Mountain Springs Buffet at Cliff Castle Casino Hotel

What to Eat:

Avocado Fries are sliced avocados dipped in spiced bread crumbs and deep fried.
Chiltepin Peppers….very hot!
Cholla, a cactus found in the area, that is boiled and the gooey acid is removed to eat directly or added to salsas.
Cochinitos are a puffy, doughy cookie usually found in the shape of a pig. This light dessert is seasoned with molasses and cinnamon.
Prickly Pear Cactus which is made into a candy and a sweet syrup
Sonoran Hot Dog, popular in Phoenix and Tucson, this Mexican creation is topped with beans, onions, and tomatoes along with mayonnaise and mustard.
Tamales!

What to Read: