This isn’t a picture from out west. It’s Grove City before the auto became the principal means of transportation. Would you believe the village council once passed a law that prohibited a horse or mule from being raced on the village streets? The man is the photograph is identified as William Flach.

The Chenoweth family are considered the first settlers in what was once known as Harrisburgh; yes, the “h” is correct. They came from Kentucky and first settled in Pike County before moving north. This sketch is by Pike County artist Jim Henry. His work used to appear weekly in the News-Watchman newspaper in Waverly. They built a home similar to this just north of Harrisburg.

There was no such thing as returned mail in 1894. This letter mailed from the Zuber Post Office once located off London-Groveport Road in southeast Jackson Township was mailed to West Mansfield, then forwarded to East Liberty before being delivered to John Haines in Logan, Ohio.

Deaths that occurred in the winter months often prevented burials and to resolve the problem, the Scioto Cemetery and the Borror and Strader families built a house for the dead in 1878. Bodies were kept in the brick structure until a ground thaw occurred. An exhibit at the Grove City Welcome Center and Museum, 3378 Park Street in the Town Center, has an exhibit explaining details. Hours are Tuesday through Friday 10-4 and Saturday 9-noon.

Melvin Girbert was a prominent contractor, home builder and realtor in Grove City but there was another side not as well remembered. He was unhappy when the downtown Grove Theatre closed its doors. In an effort to provide movies for children, he purchased the building with the intent to show movies for children on Saturdays. He renamed the business the Grove City Community Theatre. Girbert was also instrumental in organizing the creation of Windsor Park, the Grove City Babe Ruth League, and he made an effort to relocate the Ohio National Guard Armory to Grove City.