Appalachia

The name Appalachian comes from the Appalachee Indians. Appalachia is in the southeastern United States, which is located in North America. It is also the second largest mountain system of North America. Most students at Ohio University don’t know they live in Appalachia; they spend four or more years in Athens not knowing the culture around them. Appalachian people are considered a separate culture, made up of many unique backgrounds such as Native American, Irish, English and Scotch, all blended together across the region. The mountains also figure into the uniqueness of Appalachia. When we think of Appalachia we think of the mountains and not the people within the culture, Appalachian people are independent, nature bound, family oriented people. Appalachian culture is also reveled through its arts and crafts, traditional music, traditional foods, and its customs and traditions. After learning about Appalachia and its culture we interviewed three students from Ohio University to see what they knew about Appalachia.

Student # 1
Erin Eberhart Freshman at Ohio University (Alex's Friend)

What does living in Appalachia mean to you?
"I wasn't aware I was living in Appalachia. What is that? I guess it doesn't really mean much".

Do you consider yourself Appalachian?
"Nope"

Should there be more interaction/connection/communication between the university and the surrounding area?
"I don't know, but maybe we should be more educated in knowing what Appalachia is".




Student #2
Erin Harlow Freshman at Ohio University (Madison's Friend)

What does living in Appalachia mean to you?
"Hills in Ohio and some other states close to us like the Virgina's".

Do you consider yourself Appalachian?
"No, cbus is flat. But Athens is Appalachia I think".

Should there be more interaction/connection/communication between the university and the surrounding area? "Nah"










Student #3
Alexis Meyers Freshman at Ohio University (Madison's Friend)


What does living in Appalachia mean to you?
"I have no idea"

Do you consider yourself Appalachian?
"I don't even know what that means so no".

Should there be more interaction/connection/communication between the university and the surrounding area?
"Sure"

My Appalachia

It is so important to know where you come from and where you live. I have heard that if you don't know where you have been then how is it you can know where you are going? It is interesting to go around and see what people think about what it means to live in Appalachia. There were a wide variety of answers to the questions that I asked. Here are the interviews...

Interview #1
1. What does living in Appalachia mean to you?
I think it means to like be poor and stuff and maybe to be a “hillbilly”.

2. Do you consider yourself Appalachian?
Not really. I just go to college here so I don’t think that makes me Appalachian.

3. Should there be more interaction/connection/communication between the University and the surrounding area?
I am kind of indifferent about this question. I’m not so sure it matters if there is connection or not. If someone wants to be more connected than they can make their own efforts.

My Reflection
As I heard this I was wondering if it was a good thing or not that this person didn't consider themselves to be Appalachian. Did this person not want to be Appalachian because of a bad stigma of this area or did they truly not think of themselves this way?

Interview #2

1.What does living in Appalachia mean to you?
I think it means to be a blue collar worker, middle class living, and to be a hard worker.

2. Do you consider yourself Appalachian?
Yes

3.Should there be more interaction/connection/communication between the University and the surrounding area?
Absolutely. Given that this area is of a lower economic stance, if the University could branch out and tie in some of the surrounding communities it could ultimately help educate those communities.

My Reflection
This sounds very similar to my own thoughts of the area. I think that when you have connections being made, it allows you to start making differences and changes for the better.

Interview #3

1. What does living in Appalachia mean to you?
I really have no clue what this means

2. Do you consider yourself Appalachian?
I’m not sure

3.Should there be more interaction/connection/communication between the University and the surrounding area?
Well, I guess that would be a good thing.

My Reflection

I have lived here my entire life and couldn't imagine being anywhere else. And part of living here is knowing what your background is and where you came from.To me, being Appalachian is to be a hard worker, to always strive to do better, and to cherish the things that matter most: religion, family, and work.

Different Views of Appalachain Living

Q: What does living in Appalachia mean to you?

Answers:

Person 1: Big trucks, hunting.

Person 2: Slow Pace, small towns where everyone knows eachother. I think of the country.

Person 3: I think of the appalachian mountains and my first vacation which was in the mountains.

Person 4: Good place to get to know people, small towns.

Q2: Do you consider yourself Appalachian and why or why not?

Answers:

P1: No. Because even though I live here, I only think it applys to a group of people.

P2: I guess, yeah. I guess we have more of a country style living.

P3: Yeah, I've grown up in the country most of my life.

P4: No. because I have more interests than smaller towns have, I'm more of a big city person.

Q3: (Show them the Appalachian area on a map) After being shown the Appalachian area are you surprised?

Answers:

P1: Yeah I thought it only applied to then Ohio/West Virginia area.

P2: Larger than I thought. I thought it was only in Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

P3: I'm surprised how big the area was. I didn't know it was that vast.

P4: I'm surprised of all the places in it, bigger than I thought.

All of these answers for the first two questions are pretty different. But one thing is true, most people don't really know that the Appalachia area actually covers a lot. What they also dont know is that just because Appalachia does have a lot of small town, doesn't mean we dont have big cities in the area as well. Seems like people just don't know much about the Appalachian area they're living in.

Alanta Georgia Appalachian area(pic on the right)

Appalachian area in NY (pic on the left)

Appalachia what?

While making the big transition from high school to college life, many do not consider where they are actually going. Students that attend Ohio University are not always aware that they are moving to Appalachia. This term can be described as a cultural region that encompasses the southern part of New York through the northern parts of Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. After talking to three freshman students who just started attending Ohio University, we found that all three came up from different backgrounds. Coming from Pittsburgh, Celina, and Cincinnati all three of the students have different opinions on what they think Appalachia is.

Interview One

Cody Powell: Cincinnati, Ohio

1) What does living in Appalachia mean to you?

It means I live near the Appalachian mountains.

2) Do you consider yourself an Appalachian?

No I do not because I didn't know I lived there until about 20 minutes ago.

3) Should there be more interaction, communication, or connection between the university and the surrounding area?

I think it is fine the way it is because my high school lacked diversity so not having major diversity at my university is not very important to me and is not something I would want to pursue.

Interview Two

Lauren Lippert: Pittsburgh

1) What does living in Appalachia mean to you?

Is this multiple choice? .... Even though I know I live in Appalachia, I have never really thought about this before so it doesn't mean all that much to me.

2) Do you consider yourself Appalachian?

I do not consider myself Appalachian because I live in a city atmosphere.

3) Should there be more interaction, connection, or communication between the university and the surrounding area?

I think it would be great to get to know people who consider themselves Appalachian because it is always good to get to know people who view things differently than you do.

Interview Three

Taylor Brandon: Celina

1) What does living in Appalachia mean to you?

It means getting used to all of the hills that I was not used to before moving to Athens.

2) Do you consider yourself Appalachian?

Yes because now I am living in a different environment than I did before.

3) Should there be more interaction, connection, or communication between the university and the surrounding area?

No because I am not used to the lifestyle so changing very quickly is hard for me to adjust to.

Overall, most people who live in Appalachia do not even know they live in the area. Part of the problem with this is because people do not want a connection to Appalachia. It is unfamiliar to them and many people are not even aware they live in the area. Hearing the three different points of view shows how little people know about this culture.

(Cody Powell, Taylor Brandon, and Lauren Lippert)

Appalachia in the OU Community

We journeyed back to Whit's Frozen Custard to interview some people about the Appalachia culture. The term Appalachia was familiar, but no one could tell us exactly what if meant. Here is what they said:

"What does living Appalachia mean to you?"

"I am not originally from here I am from New Jersey this is my first year living in Ohio. For me living here as a student I am kinda isolated, outside of Athens there is poverty which is what I associate with Appalachia."

- Christine

"I actually have personal ties to Appalachia my Dad's side is Appalachian."

-Elleene

"I had a teacher one time to say Appalachia like the natives, I never really thought about what it meant before"

-Glenna

"Do you consider yourself Appalachian?"

"No."

-Christine.

"Partially Appalachian but technically not because I was born is Wisconsin. But my dad and Grandpa were from Appalachia. I identify myself as German.

-Elleene.

"I don't."

-Glenna

"Should there more interaction/connection/communication between the university and the surrounding area?"

"The University has a responsibility to give back to the community. OU Students should be more active with the community."

-Christine

"I think so a lot of my close friends do not know that Appalachia exist outside of OU. We can not just ignore the surroundings."

-Elleene

"Definitely, it makes me really sad that there are families ten minutes down the road who can not feed their children while restaurant throw whole pizzas out."

-Glenna

The true meaning of being Appalachian is "a bioregion and political unit in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Ohio characterized by the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains" It was interesting to hear the different points of view, there a commnity outside of campus and we should explore more of the sourrounding area. Overall the experience was eye opening so see what people on campus consider themselves to be.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Ohio

Appalachia?

When you hear the term Appalachia what comes to mind? I'm sure your answer will vary from the person sitting next to you and so on. From what we've concluded, each person's definition of Appalachia varies greatly upon where each person came from. For example, the four of us in our group are from big cities where we are mostly unaware of rural living conditions. Being from areas other
than Appalachian ones allows for a lot of stereotypical views on Appalachian societies. In conducting these interviews, we asked people from three very different areas to see the wide range of responses we would receive.

Our first interviewee, Gidget Marrison, is from Ashtabula, Ohio, a region that has recently been added to the Appalachian territories. When we asked her what living in Appalachia meant to her she responded by saying that it is a big part of her life because it was how she was raised and how her family still lives today. Furthermore, when asked if she considers herself Appalachian she said "only by birth because it's where I have always lived, but I consider myself as more of a city girl". Gidget continued to say that she feels there is enough interaction between Athens and the surrounding area, and that we, as students, are receiving the perfect amount of knowledge and communication from the outside communities.

At the end of our talk with Gidget she stated that she was not even aware she was raised in Appalachia territory until recently when her Grandmother was speaking of their living area. I think the conclusion to our interview with Gidget says a lot about what people think of the Appalachia areas, being that she has lived in it all her life and never noticed a difference or even heard the term. As a group we felt that this ultimately means there isn't enough communication or interaction with the outside communities, being that it's Appalachian or not.

Our second interviewee, Katie Quinn, is from Worthington, Ohio. When we asked her if she considered herself Appalachian she said "I really don't know anything about it, except that we live in that region". Her response to this question compared a great deal to Gidget in that all she knows is she lives in it, not exactly what it is. Following up the first question, we asked Katie what living in Appalachia meant to her and she responded by saying "I don't know, it doesn't really mean anything to me". Lastly, when asked if there should be more interaction between Ohio University and surrounding areas she said that it would be beneficial so more people would be aware of Appalachian areas. To an end of this interview, we concluded that Katie was not very knowledgeable of where she has been living, and we feel that this isn't uncommon among the rest of the students at OU.

Last, but not least, we interviewed Mike Greenberg, a student here at Ohio University. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Greenberg is now living in a very different atmosphere than the one at home. When we asked Mike what living in Appalachia means to him he answered by saying "I haven't noticed it much because Ohio University is such a highly populated area in a small town area". Again, this response goes hand-in-hand with the other responses given by Gidget and Katie. Next, when asked if he considers himself Appalachian he responded by saying "absolutely not, Athens is not my hometown, I'm only here temporarily". To conclude the interview, Mike said he does not feel Ohio University needs to have more interaction with outside communities because "Athens is perfect the way it is".

Conducting these interviews was a learning experience for us all in more ways than one. We concluded that basically no students at Ohio University truly know what it is to be Appalachian or to even live in Appalachian territory. Also, we noticed that nobody cares enough to incorporate more of the outside world into Ohio University. Everyone seems to be quite content with how Athens is and always will be. The only people that seem to be interested in Appalachia are the people who come from and embrace the region they were raised in. To us all, personally, Appalachia is still a foreign way of living and none of us truly know what it would be like to live an Appalachian lifestyle unless we were previously used to it.

"This is Appalachia?"

INTERVIEW ONE
Q: What does living in Appalachia mean to you?
A: "This is Appalachia? I went on a service trip during senior year and that was Appalachia, they were very poor."

Q: Do you consider yourself Appalachia?
A: "No, because I don't consider OU my true home. I don't think I would ever consider myself Appalachian because I'm not from here."

Q: What do you consider a stereotypical Appalachian to act/dress/be like?
A: "I think of the 'Mountain Dew Mouth'...They drink a lot of Mountain Dew and not milk or water. They live in trailers and are hick like. That's what I saw when I went on my service trip. They wore like jeans and plaid shirts"

• This interviewee had a bit of understanding about Appalachia but thought it was part of Tennessee and Kentucky, not Ohio. The area where she is from is not considered Appalachia. She knew Athens County was poor but her view of Appalachia was extreme poverty because that was what she saw on her service learning trip.

INTERVIEW TWO
Q: What does living in Appalachia mean to you?
A: "Living in the Western part of the United States"

Q:Do you consider yourself Appalachian?
A: "No because I've never lived in Western United States"

Q: Should there be more interaction between the university and surrounding areas?
A: "Yes because a lot of the businesses are local and we do a lot to help the Athens community but there is always room for more and to increase interaction."

• This interviewee has very limited knowledge that she currently lives in Appalachia. Although she agrees the university and surrounding areas should increase interaction, she doesn't seem to know much about those areas that surround it.
  

INTERVIEW 3
Q: Do you consider yourself the be Appalachian?
A: "No, why?"

Q: What does living in Appalachia mean to you?
A: "It's the region where you grow up, where we grew up from the north to south. But I infer it as a way of being like you're a hick even though thats not what it means"

Q: Do you think there should be more interaction between the university and the surrounding area?
A: "I think there should be as much interaction between universitys and surronding areas so that both are respectful of one another but it can also econmically benefit one another by tourism brought by students and familys, and vice verse from the residents of surrond areas"

• This interviewee feels like Appalachia needs more communication and interaction because of the poverty associated with Appalachia. She knows it could greatly impact the poorer regions around OU if there was more communication between the two.

From these three interviews of Ohio University students, its safe to assume many students living in this area do not realize they are in Appalachia. Most probably know that Athens is the poorest county in Ohio, but they don't see any relation between the two. It would be more beneficial to help the economic status of Appalachia if people were more aware of where and what it is.

Appalachia Smappalachia

Did you know that Ohio University is technically Appalachian? Most students don’t. As college students, we don’t typically identify with the county or city we’re living in. We identify more with the university and what benefits us. We do not take the time to acknowledge our surrounding community. They created this university so why shouldn’t we interact with them?

Out of the three people I interviewed, all of them did not identify as Appalachian because they were not born here. Kenny McNulty said, “No I wasn’t born in Appalachia. I’m an Ohioan if that counts.” They realize that they attend a university in an Appalachian area, but technically that does not make them Appalachian.  When asked if they knew they lived in Appalachia, two said no and Erin Wible said “It feels like living in the middle of nowhere. If you could bring the south to Ohio, it’d be Appalachia. Like, the fact that they have spit jars.” The other two interviewers didn’t even know and did not care to know that they live in Appalachia.

The one factor all the interviewers had was that they all believed Ohio University should be more involved in the surrounding community. Ben Clos said “Living here at the university, we should know about the culture around us.” Most students feel this way. Appalachia is a very impoverished area and we are lucky to have the opportunity to help. Students feel that we need to give back to the community because they allow us to study and live here for four years, maybe longer.

Overall, students do not feel as if they are Appalachian, but they do feel that they need to help their surrounding community.

Obama: For or Against Civil Rights?

Barack Obama has been questioned for his patriotism, citizenship, and, now, his opinion towards civil rights. The Republican Party is attempting to attack Obama by promoting this anti civil rights stance. But, is this based on fact or fiction?

Obama has displayed his advocacy for civil rights through his repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, constant support of the homosexual community, and his belief that every American has the right to a job. The repeal of DADT was a turning point in American history. It displayed that the United States is beginning to become prepared to accept equality for all, no matter their sexual orientation. The repeal of DADT also showed Obama’s support of the LBGTQ community.  He allowed for them to serve openly without the fear of dishonorable discharge. This allows them to maintain their jobs, much like his new proposition of The Jobs Act. The Jobs Act will create jobs and hopefully bring American families out of this economic downfall. Obama has greatly displayed his attempts to support the United States through his civil rights reforms and laws. He wants every American to feel like an American and not like an outsider that is being discriminated against.

Although not all of Obama’s propositions have been passed, he is still putting in the effort. Obama is trying to better the government by promoting the people, rather than himself. 

Beyond the Bricks

This past Saturday in Athens, Ohio, students of Ohio University filled the streets of the small city to celebrate the their much anticipated Homecoming! Floats and marchers from all different clubs and organizations walked proudly down Court Street in honor of the event.

Saturday at 10 in the morning, the band kicked off the parade playing enthusiastic music pumping up the city for the big game! Members from greek life, student council, political candidates, different clubs, and residents from all the unique halls walked in the parade. Not only were there participants from Ohio University there, but the townspeople of Athens were represented as well. The parade ended with the Alumni Band showing off their age and talent.

Later that evening, students and alumni joined together in tailgating before the big game against Ball State. Food and activities were available to entertain before the game. The Ohio University's men's glee club honored our country and school by singing the National Anthem and our Alma Mater. Starting the game, there was a sense of promise, but it slowly faded at half time. To pump up our spirit, 110 and the Alumni band played great hits such as "Raise Your Glass" and "Play that Funky Music" and showed off their dance moves. However, the great music didn't change the fate of the game, the Bobcats lost by 3 in a nail biting ending.

Overall, Homecoming 2011 was a great way for the university and the community to get together and celebrate.

Ohio University Homecoming Weekend

"People felt like they were home again when they get back to town; that feeling is so unique to Athen." "It's a chance for us to celebrate OU's Alumni, these beautiful old buildings and streets-all of these people shaped it." -Dean Of Ohio University Students, Ryan Lombardi

Being the eldest college in Ohio, we've earned 207 successful years worth of celebrating. Homecoming weekend is a special weekend in Athen for faculty, students, and alumni. Not only are we pumping up school spirit for the football game, but we are also welcoming home our very own OU alumni!

This past weekend, the universtiy put together a variety of events and activities to bring the OU community together. OU kicked it off the weekend right, with the studly musician, Mike Posner, on Thursday. The "Yell like Hell" pep rally followed that Friday, where more than 200 alumni and students gathered; Seniors Harrison Hill and Faye Miller were crowned Homecoming King and Queen. "Rock the Block" and hayrides to the ridges were also some other activites that were offered.

Saturday started off bright and early with Kegs and Eggs, followed by the annual Homcoming Parade. With some time to kill, twenty-five alumni couples renewed their vows at the Galbreath Chapel during the "OH I dO" before the bobcat kickoff! Our bobcats came so close to a victory, with a score of 20-23 against Ball State.

Homecoming weekend at Ohio University is a unique tradition and, something you have to experience to understand. We'll see you next year to boggle your mind at the 208th year of Bobcat Homecomings!

Fawle, Sabrina. "Students, Grad Celebrate 207 Years of OU." The Post. 17 Oct. 2011. Web. 17 Oct. 2011. http://thepost.ohiou.edu/content/students-grad-celebrate-207-years-ou.

The Ridges

As the years progress there has been a great amount of history accumulated throughout the Athens area. Among this history is the well-known insane asylum known as the Ridges, which is now a part of the Ohio University campus.

The Ridges, originally known as the Athens Asylum for the Insane, opened on January 9, 1874 as a hospital for the mentally ill. It was known for being a beautiful and peaceful place for the patients to relax and overcome their diseases.

However, this reputation changed in the 1900s when the asylum became overpopulated and the patients were treated horribly due to a lack of caregivers. Treatments that were performed include electroshock therapy, ice baths and even lobotomies.

When you have a good background of the Ridges, there comes a time when you have to look at all of the facts and determine for yourself whether or not you believe in the hauntings associated with it. It has been said that ghosts of various patients of the asylum wander the halls to this day.

One of the most prominent is the dreadful story of Margaret Schilling, which occurred in the year of 1978. The way the story goes is that she disappeared one day after wandering into an abandoned part of the hospital. She was trapped and could not call for help because she was deaf and mute.

Margaret’s body was found one month later. She was laying on the floor in front of a window with her clothes folded beside her. It has been said that the cold temperature and the sunlight that reflected through the window caused an imprint of her body to be left on the floor. Even to this day, the stain still exists no matter how hard people try to remove it.

By 1981, the number of patients within the asylum was dwindling due to improved federal regulations of the mental health care system enforced by President Reagan. In 1993, the last of the patients in the asylum were released. This marked the end of an era where mental patients were harshly mistreated. The hauntings of the Ridges have had a strong impact on the city of Athens and will for many years to come.

Haunted Hall 0_o

Imagine this: You're an out of state resident coming to Ohio University. You are so excited for school to begin and you become antsy as you start receiving items in the mail, including your academic schedule and your housing assignment. You've been looking forward to these two things for a while now. You stalked your room mate on facebook, he/she looks like the coolest person in the world, giving you another reason to get excited for the school year. The room you are assigned is Wilson room 428. You do your research, find out that this dorm is relevantly new, being built in 1965, and you become even more enthused. Move in day comes and you finally arrive in Athens to find out all the following information:

We're sure that you guys have heard this story told in many different forms, but the most common known tale about this room is regarding the student who committed suicide in the dorm, specifically room 428. It's been told that the young girl who lived there practiced astral projection, a method when the human spirit separates from the body and travels on it's own. From there, it only gets worse....

Residents began to report hearing chanting during the middle of the night, doors slamming themselves shut, and objects (hair brushes, books, etc.) would fly across the room spontaneously.

After not hearing or seeing from the girl for a period of three to four days, the resident assistant opened the door to 428 to check on her. To the RA's surprise, she found the girl had committed suicide. Before she did this though, she smeared letters and symbols all over the walls of her dorm in her own blood.

Ohio University did the bet they could to keep the story out of the public eye in hopes that they wouldn't receive press off of this story. They immediately cleaned the dorm room, and were assigning new students to this ro

om shortly after the accident. Not long after though, residents were beginning to report strange happenings again, including the blood seeping through the walls where she had left her mark. No matter how many times, the university painted it, the blood continued to appear. Also, there appears to be a demonic face on the wooden door going into the room that's said to still be there today.

So: How are you feeling about your newest dorm room now? Still so excited to be the newest resident of Wilson

room 428? Didn't think so! The room has now been transformed into a boiler room in hopes of leaving this crazy story behind us. As we're sure you've all heard, this story has been featured on Syfy's Scariest Places on Earth, and sure enough, Athens was listed as the 13th scariest place. Attached is the portion of the episode that was focused on Wilson Hall, so be sure to check it out!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxzf26Aw5iQ&feature=related

Haunted History

On Janunary 9, 1874 The Athens Asylum for the Insane opened its doors for business to the mentally ill of southeastern Ohio. This 1000 acres of land was primarily, at first, home to many Civil War soldiers due to a wide spread problem of post traumatic stress disorder. This project was a great profit to the community of Athens, Ohio. Because Athens has been known as impoverished, the people of Athens welcomed this money making business to their town.

Serving around two hundred patients, the building had the capacity to house over 500 people. Although the stereotype of an insane asylum is creepy and scary, the patients at The Athens Asylum for the Insane were offered many activities including plays, church services and many more. Some were even allowed to farm and tend to the orchards around the grounds. These tactics were modeled after the European style of mental hospitals where family members were convinced their loved one was in good hands.

Although most people who were in need of the assistance were granted this, many who did not need to be at the asylum were also there. Many times, elderly people were dropped off by their children who no longer cared to provide for them. Teenagers, who acted rebelliously were often sent to the asylum. Homeless people took advantage of the free shelter provided by the asylum and often admitted themselves just so they would have a roof over their head. From these problems within the asylum, overcrowding became an issue. This forced two patients into one room, and less care to be granted to each patient.

With limited technology and research on the mentally ill, many extreme methods of treatment were used, sometimes resulting in death or sickness. Water treatment, shock therapy, and two types of lobotomies were often preformed on patients (click here for more information)

• In the 1960's humanity was incorporated into treatments of the mentally ill, gradually replacing brain surgery with medicine.

• 1972 was the last year patients from the asylum were buried in the backyard cemetery.

• In 1977 a rapist with multiple personality disorder , who had been raping girls at Ohio State, was sent by a Franklin County judge to the Athens Asylum for the Insane after his insanity plea was accepted. This was the first time in United States history that someone was admitted to an asylum instead of facing jail.

• 1981 the hospital had less than 300 patients. 344 acres of land were given to Ohio University to expand campus
  

1874-1911: Athens Lunatic Asylum

1911-1944: Athens Asylum for the Insane

1944-1968: Athens State Hospital

1968-1969: Southeastern Ohio Mental Health Center

1969-1975: Athens Mental Health Center

1975-1980: Southeastern Ohio Mental Health and Retardation Center

1980-1981: Athens Mental Health and Developmental Center

1981-1991: Athens Mental Health Center

1991-: The Ridges

In 1993, The Ridges was closed down and the final patients moved to smaller hospitals around the state. OU took over the building and had plans to renovate it into what is now a museum, classrooms and office space. Many students explored the land and property throughout this time. The Ridges was featured on Scariest Places on Earth due to a story of one girl's visit, apparent haunting, and then her death. To this day, the ridges is the only original Ohio mental hospital that still stands in a similar quality as it once had.

So what makes the Ridges Haunted?

"The Athens Lunatic Asylum, or The Ridges, has been considered one of the more haunted places on Earth ever since an incident in 1978, in which the lifeless, naked body of a missing female patient was found in an unheated room that was locked from the inside. Her corpse left a stain, and legend has it this darkened silhouette has remained ever since, despite numerous attempts to scrub it away"

from: http://www.asylum.com/2010/02/02/famous-notorious-abandoned-haunted-insane-asylums/

Scary History

THE RIDGES

1874-1993

Many hospitals started up at this time because many war vets going through post-tramatic stress. If you take a look at the Ridges cementary you'll notice a large number of nameless graves with vets plaques from the civil war.

When The Ridges opened it had 200 patients. In early 1900's it went from 200 to 2000 patients. This is when treatments became primitive and Dr. Freeman became known as Dr. Labotomy.

Some of the cruel "treatments" were:

• Shock therapy- shocked patients in water tanks or directly to temples.
• Labotomy (original)-had their skulls opened and would separate the neural passages midway through the brain.
• Labotomy (trans-orbital)- they would knock patient out by electric shock, then would insert an ice pick utensil through a tear duct and use a mallet to tap it through the proper depth of the brain.

Obviously, the labotomy treatments killed many.

In 1980 Reagan redefined the standard for mental illness. So in 1981 the hospital had fewer than 300 patients. The result was thousands of mentally ill were simply released and the homeless rate shot way up. Final patients left in 1993 to a smaller hopital. And 344 acres were transferred to Ohio University. Athens Post actually found out during a routine examination that Wilson Hall had been built on the exact same location as the original site of an earlier grave yard used by the institute.

http://www.forgottenoh.com/Ridges

The Bobcats

FUN FACT:
Before the year 1925 Ohio University did not have a mascot.

In 1925 The OHIO athletic board decided that we needed a mascot and nickname to represent Ohio University. The athletic board held a contest where students sent in name suggestions. The contestant who sent in the best idea would win ten dollars;
ten dollars wouldn't even buy us a tank of gas these days. Anyway the idea of "The Bobcats", submitted by former student Hal H. Rowland, won the contest.


The Bobcat mascot was first introduced at a football game against our rivals, the Miami Redhawks, which we won! The first mascot costume was designed by Tom Schantz and it consisted of a green sweater with "Ohio" written on the front, and a big paper mache head.












The first person to wear the outfit was a student who lived in Lincoln Hall. After that it was a tradition for several years that whoever wore the mascot outfit had to be a resident of Lincoln Hall. That tradition is no longer followed.
The mascot outfit has changed numerous times over the years.
Our mascot now is called Rufus, who was named in 2006 after one of our founders Rufus Putnam.


Info and pictures from:
http://www.ohioalumni.org/bobcats-mascots

For future refrence anyone who becomes Rufus should not tackle Brutus the Buckeye
You will get in trouble! ---------> youtube video

Whit's Frozen Custard and Coffee House

This cozy little coffee shop was established in Athens, Ohio two and a half years ago. It's previous name was Perks, but it is now part of the Whit's Frozen Custard chain. Also, it is one of the few Whit's Frozen Custard's to serve coffee.

Whit's is located right off of campus across from the college bookstore. It's easy-to-find location is convenient for anyone looking for a frozen treat, warm cup of coffee, or a nice relaxing view of downtown Athens. Whit's gives you that homey feeling with its unique since of style. It is full of local and unique artwork, a window side bar, and a variety of furniture. The mis-matching of the furniture gives it a creative vibe, you won't see anywhere else. The employees are casually dressed, with a helpful, friendly attitude.

What makes Whit's so special is it's all seasonal menu. In the winter you can pick up a warm cup of tea, hot chocolate, or coffee; while in the summer you can enjoy a cold, tasty treat all at a reasonable price! All year long, non-coffee drinkers can enjoy a variety of snack-like foods which are advertised in and outside of Whit's store.

Whit's attracts any type of person, whether it be a family, college student, or a town visitor appreciating Athens' small town atmosphere. They offer many amenities such as dollar coffees, wifi access, outlet strips, kid's menu, and grab n' go ice cream.

You can check this out-of-the-ordinary shop off you "to-go" places any time of the year, Monday-Friday 7am to 10pm and Saturday and Sunday 8am to 10 pm. If you want to know more about Whit's Frozen Custard and Coffee, you can visit them at 49 S. Court Street, Athens, Ohio, or give them a call at (740)594-7375. This place is a must see!

Want a drink?

Want a drink?
Try a caffe mocha.

Ohio University might be known as the #1 party school, but it's way easier to score a medium latte than a beer.

There are so many coffee shops on campus, all of them in walking distance.


One of the coffee shops we explored was Court Street Coffee, located at 67 South Court St. The atmosphere is very modern and clean. It also has a cozy aspect, because inside the shop there is a place where students can sit and study, or just socialize over a yummy beverage. The coffee shop is fairly new and modern looking because it just opened in 2009. The employees who served us our drinks were extremely nice. There is also quite a bit of art displayed around the shop, which is nice to look at.We agreed that the prices are normal, it is not overly priced or extremely cheap!
We recommend the Caffe Mocha, it was delicious.


They also have tea, hot chocolate, scones and sandwiches for people who don't like coffee.
They offer free WiFi, which is nice for students who want to study, or just get on Facebook, or even maybe blog a little.
We definitely will be revisiting Court Street Coffee a lot within the next four years.





There hours are :
Mon-Friday 7am-8pm
Sat-8:30am-6pm
Sun-9am-6pm

Alex, Brooke, Madison

Donkey Cafe

If you are looking for a nice, homey place to sit back and relax, get some homework done, or just want some good coffee, then Donkey Cafe, located on West Washington Street ( off of Court Street), is where you should be. Although its experiencing a renovation, it still lives up to its potential of being named "Ohio's Best Coffeehouse."
The moment you walk in you smell the sweet aroma of fresh coffee being brewed, muffins being heated, and the baked goods that are located at the front desk. You get a peaceful and relaxing ambiance from the indie music playing softly in the background, the dimly lit rooms, the cozy sitting area. You may find yourself staring at all of the art work on the walls, and whether you like it or not you'll admit its an attention grabber.
Customers sit casually amongst themselves chatting quietly or sit alone getting last minute studying done. If you need a place to yourself there are plenty of areas for you to settle and get work done; it is much more spacious than you would think given that it has an entire upper floor available. So you dont have to worry about getting too cramped or crowded.
Before you find a seat, you should head over to the front counter to place an order. Taking a look at the menu you would find that the prices are relatively high compared to other coffee shops. However, the friendliness of the casually dressed employees and the numerous items basically outweighs the prices.
On a side note, on Thursdays at 9 pm, local bands come in and play during open mic night and all are welcome!
So get out there and experience Donkey Cafe, you will not regret it!

http://donkeycoffee.com

Court Street Coffee

Do you know a place where you can get your caffeine fix, study, and not be surrounded by a ton of people? Court Street Coffee is just that place. This is a great place for relaxing after a long day of classes.

It is separated into two different rooms with two different atmospheres. The first room you walk in is filled with different sized tables and a ton of chairs for people to study, relax, or get together with a big group. The walls are lined with art pieces created by students of Ohio University. This room leads into where you can actually order your coffee. The second room is more social and has couches and comfy chairs for students to wait for their coffee and socialize with other students. The dark walls and soft music provide a relaxing atmosphere.

The menu is more directed towards your average coffee drinker. There are plenty coffee and tea based drinks including caramel latte, cappuccino, and organic black tea. You can get these drinks served hot or cold and accompanied with a muffin, scone, or bagel. For the non-coffee drinkers, hot chocolate and smoothies are available. Court Street Coffee is reasonably priced for an average college student. Nothing is over $5 and is of good quality. Workers at the coffee house are

very friendly and polite. Although their work space seems small, most always had smiles on their faces. Overall, this is a great place to meet new people, get a lot of work done, and enjoy a good cup of coffee.

Court Street Coffee offers a lot to Athens. First, the location is extremely convenient and allows students and other towns folk to grab a quick drink in between classes. The hours also provide students ample amount of time to stop in. Court Street Coffee is open every day of the week; Mondays through Fridays 8am to 7

pm and Saturday through Sunday 8am to 6 pm.

Although it is on campus, it feels almost like it is located off campus because it was not very crowded and provided a quiet environment for students to gather. It also provides a wide variety at affordable prices, which is something every college student needs. Finally, it is a great place to either meet up

with friends or just get some homework done. I would definitely recommend this place to every student on campus for its many good qualities.

For more information visit:

www.courtstreetcoffee.com

Court Street Coffee

“Court Street Coffee appreciates your dedication to support this Crinson Cup community store. We focus on bringing people together through quality, great tasting coffee; we’re a coffee house committed to serving you, as we believe the business we’re in is leaving people feeling better”

As a newer coffee shop located in the heart of campus, Court Street Coffee is unlike any other shop in town. Located at 67 Court Street this shop will leave you with a different experience than any other coffee shop in Athens. The shop, with walls decorated in all different kinds of art gives off a homey feeling. Walking through the door, your eyes are greeted with a comfortable, well lit, spacious coffee shop that offers the consumer much more than just coffee. The employees dress casually in their own style and are very welcoming and informative of information regarding their shop. Like Starbucks, Court Street Coffee offers a variety of treats and other drinks but still maintains a unique menu that stands on its own. Featured on the non-edible portion of the menu, is a variety of small plants for you to take home and grow.

Although this may not be the best place to study due to the friendly, talkative atmosphere, it’s a well suited environment to catch up with and meet new friends. There are plenty of tables inside where wireless internet is accessible for students to sit and work on group projects. In addition to a comfortable couch and chairs, there are also tables outside to sit at and enjoy coffee while chatting with some friends.

Court Street Coffee is open seven days a week, with convenient hours for coffee lovers! As fall approaches and temperatures decrease, coffee will soon be on everyone’s mind. The specialty flavor of the season is pumpkin spice. These are advertised throughout the store along with real pumpkins decorating the store for the upcoming holiday.

Not being coffee lovers ourselves, this shop goes above and beyond a typical coffee shop. This is a place for good treats, drinks, and relaxing with friends or classmates. It's a great place to do various activities that gets your out the library and introduces you to a new working environment or just a aspect of Athens you've been unable to explore.

ADDRESS 67 South Court Street Athens, Ohio 45701 (740) 594-6777 HOURS Mon: 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM Tues: 7:30 AM - 8:00 PM Wed/Thurs: 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM Fri: 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sat: 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM Sun: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Courtstreetcoffee.com or find them on Facebook -Sarah, Kelly, and Emily