What Local Artifacts Tell Us

>>> YOU CAN GO INTO ANY MUSEUM AND SEE ARTIFACTS FROM ANY PERIOD OF TIME THAT CAN HELP.

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>>> YOU CAN GO INTO ANY MUSEUM AND SEE ARTIFACTS FROM ALL PERIODS OF TIME THAT CAN HELP ARCHAEOLOGISTS AND HISTORIANS PIECE TOGETHER HISTORY.

>> BUT SOMETIMES, REALLY IMPORTANT ARTIFACTS ARE TUCKED AWAY IN ORDINARY PLACES UNTIL SOMEONE DISCOVERS THEM.

>> THIS IS THE CASE IN OUR NEXT STORY, WHERE A DESCENDANT OF THE FAMOUS SELLS CIRCUS FAMILY UNCOVERED SOME DIARIES AND TRAVELOGUES FROM THEIR TIME IN AUSTRALIA BETWEEN 1891 TO 1892.

>> NOT MUCH WAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS TRIP UNTIL THESE ITEMS WERE FOUND.

LUCKILY, THE COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN LIBRARY GOT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THEM, AND THEY SHARED THEIR FINDINGS WITH US.

>> HI, DON, HOW YOU DOING TODAY?

>> FINE, THANK YOU.

>> SO, CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS COLLECTION AND HOW YOU OBTAINED IT?

>> OKAY.

THE COLLECTION THAT I TRANSFERRED BASICALLY INCLUDES A LOT OF MATERIAL THAT I HAD INHERITED FROM MY STEPMOTHER.

I THINK THE BEST WAY TO START IS THE PICTURE OF THE LADY OVER MY LEFT SHOULDER.

I THINK YOU CAN SEE IT THERE.

IS A PICTURE THAT WE HAVE INHERITED, AND IT IS OF ALICE SELLS.

SHE WAS BORN IN 1870 AND DIED IN 1890 DURING CHILDBIRTH.

ALTHOUGH SHE DIED DURING CHILDBIRTH, THE CHILD SURVIVED, AND THAT CHILD WAS NAMED HESTER, AND SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF MY STEPMOTHER, HEKTER MOYER, THE PERSON WHO GAVE ME THE COLLECTION HERE, THAT INCLUDES A LOT OF MATERIAL ABOUT THE SELLS BROTHERS.

I KNEW FROM MY STEPMOTHER SHE HAD A CONNECTION TO THE FAMILY AND THE CIRCUS.

SHE OFTEN USED TO TALK ABOUT IT.

I ALWAYS THOUGHT, I'LL LOOK INTO IT, SEE WHAT'S AVAILABLE, AND TRY TO FIND A HOME FOR THE VARIOUS PIECES OF IT.

>> CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU SENT TO US?

>> WHEY SENT WAS SEVERAL BOXES OF MATERIAL.

IT INCLUDES SOME PHOTO ALBUMS.

ONE PHOTO ALBUM WAS OF THE SELLS BROTHERS.

THERE ARE A BUNCH OF LOOSE PHOTOGRAPHS IN THERE AS WELL.

AND THE MATERIAL I THINK WAS OF MOST INTEREST TO THIS DISCUSSION INCLUDED MATERIAL THAT WAS RELATED TO THE SELLS' BROTHERS CIRCUS TRIP IN 1891 AND '92 THROUGH AUSTRALIA.

THAT MATERIAL INCLUDED A ROUTE BOOK.

IT INCLUDED MATERIAL THAT WAS IN THE FORM OF A DIARY.

THERE WERE THREE DIARIES.

AND THAT IS THE MATERIAL I THINK THAT IS MOST SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THESE ARE FIRSTHAND DESCRIPTIONS OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE, PICKING UP, LEAVING COLUMBUS OHIO IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON THAT TOOK HER OUT -- TOOK EVERYONE OUT TO CALIFORNIA.

THEY CAUGHT A STEAMER.

THE STEAMSHIP WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO AUSTRALIA.

I BELIEVE IT CARRIED THE WHOLE FAMILY AND ALL OF THE CIRCUS CREW, TOO.

>> SO, DON, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET OUT OF THIS COLLECTION?

WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THE COLLECTION?

>> WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IS TO SEEING THE MATERIAL THAT I HAVE IN A LARGER CONTEXT OF THE WHOLE SELLS BROTHERS OPERATION AND GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE TO ORGANIZE A CIRCUS AND THEN TAKE IT ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE ANIMALS.

TO ME IT'S JUST AMAZING TO THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH FORTITUDE THEY HAD TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL THIS, MORE THAN 130 YEARS AGO.

>> GREAT.

WE'RE GOING TO DO MORE RESEARCH ON AND IT WE'LL FILL YOU IN ON WHAT WE FIND.

>> GREAT.

>> GREAT, THANK YOU.

>> WOW, AARON, THIS IS A COOL DONATION.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE HERE?

>> THIS IS A SELLS FAMILY COLLECTION THAT DON SNIDER DONATED TO US.

THE FIRST THING HE DONATED WERE THE SELLS BROTHERS' ROUTE BOOKS IN 1891 AND 1892.

THE THING I LOVE ABOUT THE ROUTE BOOK IS IT HAS A MINI SCHEDULE AT THE BEGINNING.

FIRST THING I OPENED UP, I NOTICED THERE WAS AN INSERT, AUSTRALIAN TOUR.

AND IT TELLS YOU WHAT CITY THEY WERE IN AND HOW LONG THEY WERE THERE.

>> THAT'S AMAZING.

>> THIS IS REALLY COOL.

AS I STARTED LEAFING THROUGH IT, I REALIZED NOT ONLY WAS THERE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SHOWS AND TRAVEL, BUT INFORMATION ABOUT ALL THE PERFORMER IN THE CIRCUS, SO YOUR ACROBATS, YOUR CLOWNS, YOUR DAREDEVILS.

SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE BOOK THERE ARE ADVERTISEMENTS ABOUT THE CERTAIN ACTS THAT WERE A PART OF THAT PARTICULAR SEASON.

>> YEAH.

SO WHAT WOULD IT HAVE BEEN LIKE TO TRAVEL FROM COLUMBUS, OHIO, WITH THE CIRCUS TO AUSTRALIA?

>> YEAH, SO THE OTHER INTERESTING THING WE GOT THAT DON SENT TO US FIRST WAS THIS DIARY THAT NELLY THORPE WROTE.

NELLY THORPE WAS -- >> THAT NAME SOUNDS FAMILIAR.

>> NELLY THORPE.

THIS IS HER WHEN SHE'S PROBABLY IN HER 20s.

SHE WAS MARRIED TO A MAN NAMED HENRY THORPE, WHO WAS THE SECRETARY AND TREASURER OF THE SELLS BROTHERS CIRCUS.

THEY LEFT SEPTEMBER 3rd, 1981, AND GET IN NEW SOUTH WALES NOVEMBER 13, SO TWO MONTHS TO GET THERE THROUGH TRAIN AND BOAT, SO -- WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THESE, THEY START IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THE MOST INTERESTING PARTS ARE THE TRIPS INTO CALIFORNIA, ACTUALLY.

WHEN THEY'RE IN CALIFORNIA, SHE MENTIONS VISITING SAN FRANCISCO, AND ONE OF THE STRANGE THINGS IS ONE OF THE TOUR GUIDES TAKES HER THROUGH THE MEAN STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO OF THE 1890s, AND THEY END UP IN AN OPIUM DEN, AND SHE DESCRIBES TO OPIUM DEN IN GREAT DETAIL, ABOUT THE SMELL.

INTERESTING TO HEAR THIS SOCIALITE FROM COLUMBUS GO INTO THE MEAN STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO AND DESCRIBE HER EXPERIENCES THERE.

THE OTHER COOL THINGS THAT I FIND INTERESTING ARE WHEN SHE'S ON THE SHIP, SHE TALKS ABOUT RECIPES.

SHE'S TALKING ABOUT LANDING AT DIFFERENT PORTS AND ISLAND.

SHE TALKS ABOUT LANDING IN HAWAII AND MEETING TO QUEEN AT THE TIME.

YOU CAN IMAGINE SHIPPING A GIANT CIRCUS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IT'S QUITE EXPENSIVE.

SO JUST HEARING ABOUT THE ANIMALS ON THE SHIFT AND HOW ROUGH IT WAS FOR THEM AND HOW SICK THEY GOT AS WELL.

>> CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE TOUR, HOW MANY STOPS DID THEY DO IN AUSTRALIA?

>> THEY STOPPED AT 50 LOCATIONS AND EVERY TIME THEY HAD TO PULL UP STAKES AND RESET UP.

A LOT OF THE DIARIES TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH IS INVOLVED IN THAT.

A LOT OF IT IS TALKING ABOUT HOW SOME OF THESE USED TO BE BIG TOWNS.

THEY'RE OLD MINING TOWN THAT ARE EMPTY NOW, SO THE SHOWING'S NOT GREAT, BECAUSE THERE USED TO BE 25 THROW PEOPLE AND NOW THERE'S ONLY 3,000 PEOPLE IN THE TOWN.

THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THESE DIARIES IS THEY'RE VERY MATTER OF FACT.

I CAN GIVE YOU AN INSTANCE WHERE SHE'S TALKING ABOUT WINDOW SHOPPING IN SYDNEY BUT ALSO TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THE HORSES GOT FRIGHTENED WHEN THE ELEPHANTS DROPPED BY AND ONE OF THEM DROPPED DEAD FROM FRIGHT AND ACTS LIKE IT'S A NORMAL THING THAT ELEPHANTS ARE AN EVERYDAY PART OF LIFE AND HORSES ARE DROPPING DEAD AND RATTLESNAKES ARE BITING THE TALL MEN IN THE DESERT.

JUST VERY STRANGE THIS DICHOTOMY BETWEEN NORMAL LIFE AND CIRCUS LIFE.

SHE ACTS LIKE IT'S A NORMAL THING.

THEY DECIDED TO GO TO AUSTRALIA WHEN IT'S THE HOTTEST PART OF THE YEAR.

OUR WINTER BEING THEIR SUMMER.

SO THEY'RE THERE IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, AND SHE TALKS ABOUT IT'S SO HOT, SO DRY.

SEEMS LIKE THERE'S ALWAYS A HEAT WAVE THEY'RE DEALING WITH.

CAN DEFINITELY TELL IT'S A PERSON THAT HAS MONEY, FROM THE UPPER MIDDLE CLASS, BUT IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A NECESSARILY EASY TRIP.

>> WHAT'S THE PHOTO ALBUM UP HERE?

ARE THESE PICTURES OF THE ACTUAL PERFORMERS?

>> YES, SO I THINK THIS IS DON'S SIDE OF THE FAMILY, THE MOYERS, BUT I THINK THERE ARE SOME ACROBATS IN HIS FAMILY AS WELL.

THIS IS MAINLY THE SELLS BROTHERS FAMILY HERE, AND MOST OF THESE PEOPLE ARE COLUMBUS RESIDENTS.

>> SO THESE ARE REALLY FAMILY PHOTO ALBUMS THAT ALSO CAPTURE THE BUSINESS THAT THE FAMILY WAS IN.

>> YES.

>> THE PHOTOS REALLY BRING THE DIARY TO LIFE AND EVEN VICE VERSA, REALLY.

>> THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE COLLECTION IS WE CAN USE THE ROUTE BOOK, THE PHOTOS IN HERE IN TANDEM WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND TELL WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE.

>> WHICH IS UNUSUAL TO HAVE THESE PHOTOGRAPHS ALL TOGETHER, BUT THEN TO HAVE A WAY TO TRAY TO IDENTIFY THEM.

>> JUST A GREAT COLLECTION OF THINGS THAT ARE SORT OF CROSS REFERENCED FROM ONE ANOTHER.

>> WOW, AARON, THIS IS SO COOL THAT THIS CAME TO THE COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN LIBRARY AND WILL BE PART OF THE COLLECTION.

HOW WILL PEOPLE BE ABLE TO SEE THIS.

>> WHAT WE'LL BE DOING IS SCANNING IT AND DOING RESEARCH ON IT TO GET IT AVAILABLE ONLINE.

IT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON OUR MY HISTORY SITE, COLUMBUS.ORG/MY HISTORY.

WE HAVE OVER A MILLION PIECES AND WILL KEEP ADDING TO IT.

SELLS BROTHERS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR HISTORY, SO WE'LL KEEP ADDING TO IT.

>> ALWAYS AMAZES ME THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE IN THEIR HOMES AND ATTICS AND BASEMENTS AND EVENTUALLY THEY WILL DONATE TO THE LIBRARY.

AND I JUST LOVE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BRING ALL THIS TOGETHER AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO SEE HERE AT THE LIBRARY.

>> YEAH, I AGREE, AND I THINK THE INTERESTING PART ABOUT THIS IS JUST WHEN YOU THINK ALL THE OLD STUFF HAS ALREADY BEEN DONATED OR GIVEN OR DESTROYED IN SOME CASES THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU STILL FIND PHOTO ALBUMS WITH TIN TYPES IN THEM FROM 150 YEARS AGO.

>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS AARON.

THANK YOU FOR SAVING IT, GETTING IT ALL DIGITIZED AND SAVING THE STORY FOR COLUMBUS.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> JUST ABOUT EVERY CITY OR SMALL TOWN HAS AT LEAST A FEW BEAUTIFUL, OLD HOUSES THAT HAVE UNIQUE STORIES.

YOU KNOW, JAVIER, IT KIND OF REMINDS ME OF THAT SAYING, IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK.

>> MM-HMM.

THAT'S A GREAT SAYING, CHARLENE.

AND TODAY YOU'RE IN LUCK, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO VISIT ONE OF THOSE BIG, OLD, BEAUTIFUL HOUSES IN GRANVILLE.

ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN JEFF DARBEE TOURED BRYN DU MANSION TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ITS HISTORY.

>>> THE LINCOLN COUNTY VILLAGE OF GRANVILLE WAS SETTLED IN 1805, PRETTY EARLY, TWO YEARS AFTER OHIO BECAME A STATE.

IT'S A TOWN WITH WONDERFUL HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE.

THERE'S TWO HISTORIC INNS, THE BUCKSTON INFROM 1812, THE GRANVILLE INN FROM 1924, BUT ONE OF THE BEST BUILDINGS IN TOWN IS KNOWN AT BRYN DU MANSION.

BRYN DU IS WELSH FOR BLACK HILL, PROBABLY DUE TO THE DENSITY OF THE TREES AND HILLSIDES.

I LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE PLACE, HOW IT WAS USED AND PRESERVED, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD TIME.

>> HELLO, WELCOME.

>> BRUCE.

>> THANK YOU, HOW ARE YOU?

>> WELCOME TO BRYN DU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

EVERY TIME I COME TO TOWN, DRIVE THROUGH HERE, IT'S SUCH A WONDERFUL PLACE.

>> WE LOVE IT, TOO.

>> TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT THE STORY.

>> IT'S AN INTERESTING STORY.

AN ITALIANATE STORY WAS BUILT IN 1865.

MR. JONES BUILT THIS STRUCTURE WE SEE NOW INCLUSIVE AND ON TOP OF AND SURROUNDING THAT STRUCTURE.

>> LET'S TOUR THAT.

>> COME ON IN.

>> NICE HALLWAY.

>> THANK YOU.

ISN'T IT BEAUTIFUL?

>> OH, AND AN EVEN BETTER.

>> THIS WAS THE JONES FAMILY LIVING ROOM.

>> LOOK AT THE TRIM, THE DETAIL, THE ORNAMENTAL CEILING, THE WOODWORK.

WHAT A GREAT SPACE.

>> TWO FIREPLACES.

THIS IS ALL MAHOGANY ON THIS SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

>> WOWLE TELL ME ABOUT MR. JONES.

HE WAS OBVIOUSLY WELL OFF.

>> MR. JONES MADE HIS FORTUNATES IN RAILROAD AND COAL.

HE USED TO LIVE IN A HOUSE IN DOWNTOWN GRANVILLE, BUT URBAN DOWNTOWN, I GOT TO GET OUT OF THERE.

>> BUSY AND CROWDED.

>> YES.

HE BOUGHT THIS ITALIANATE STRUCTURE, AND PUT ON THE WINGS.

>> IT'S AN ADAPTATION FROM AN EARLIER STRUCTURE PROBABLY FROM 1850s?

>> 1865 IS THE DATE WE HAVE FOR THAT.

THE CEILING.

>> IT'S MOLDED PLASTER?

>> THEY CALL IT A -- NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN REPAIR THIS.

WE HAD TO HAVE SOME WORK DONE IN HERE, AND -- >> THIS IS NOT QUARTER INCH DRY WALL.

I'M SURE THERE'S MORE.

SHOULD WE CONTINUE THE TOUR?

>> OH, YEAH.

LET'S SEE THE REST OF THE HOUSE.

WELL, THIS IS THE EAST WING OF THE HOUSE, JEFF.

>> OH, THIS IS A LIBRARY THEN, A SMALL LIBRARY?

>> MM-HMM.

>> BEAUTIFUL WITH THE FIREPLACE AND QUARTER SAWN OAKWOOD.

>> BEAUTIFUL ROOM.

>> VERY NICE.

>> THAT LEAD US INTO THE BAR.

>> LOOK AT THIS.

NOW, THAT LOOKS LIKE A REAL ICEBOX, LIKE A BOX FOR ICE TO KEEP THINGS COOL.

>> MAY HAVE BEEN AT THE TIME BUCK NOW IT'S AN ACTUAL REFRIGERATOR, AND IT'S COOL IN THERE, AND WE USE IT.

>> WOW.

THAT'S GREAT.

NOW, IS THIS AS IT WAS WHEN THE VILLAGE ACQUIRED THE BUILDING?

>> IT WAS.

>> WOW.

AND THIS ROOM.

>> ON THE ORIGINAL FRANK PACKARD PLAN, THIS WAS THE BILLIARD ROOM.

>> OF COURSE.

IT'S THE RIGHT SHAPE AND PROPORTION FOR THE TABLE.

>> THIS WAS THE BILLIARDS ROOM.

THAT WAS THE STUDY.

THIS WAS THE BAR.

I'M THINKING THIS WAS THE MAN CAVE OF 1905.

>> THAT'S WHY THE BAR IS NEXT TO IT.

THE BAR, THE BILLIARD ROOM, THEY GO TOGETHER.

SO, THERE'S MORE TO THE HOUSE, MORE STORIES.

THERE'S AN UPSTAIRS.

>> THERE IS, THREE FLOORS IN THE MANSION.

>> WE CAN SEE THOSE, TOO?

>> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AND SEE THEM.

>> NOW WE'RE GOING TO THE THIRD FLOOR.

NO ONE GETS TO COME UP HERE.

>> WELL, FOR ME, THE FORBIDDEN SPACES ARE THE BEST.

>> THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

COME ON IN.

THESE WERE ALL BEDROOMS PROBABLY.

>> SURE.

YOU CAN SEE THE FIREPLACE.

>> UP HERE A BATHROOM THAT WOULD SERVICE TWO BEDROOMS AND A BATHROOM THAT WOULD SERVICE TWO BEDROOMS AND THEN A BIG KIND OF OPEN SPACE.

>> WHEN DID THE JONES FAMILY LEAVE THE PROPERTY, AND HOW DID IT END UP IN VILLAGE OWNERSHIP?

>> FAMILY LEFT IN THE MID TO LATE '70s.

A GUY PURCHASED IT, PUT A RESTAURANT IN HERE FOR A WHILE.

>> I REMEMBER THAT, QUESTION.

>> THEN A COMPANY CALLED QUEST.

THE CURRICULUM WRITING COMPANY.

THIS WAS THEIR WORLD HEADQUARTERS.

THEY WERE IN HERE FOR TEN YEAR OR SO.

THEY SOLD IT TO DAVE LONGABERGER.

>> THE BASKET GUY.

>> BUT FOUR YEARS LATER, HE DIED.

>> RIGHT, I REMEMBER WHEN THAT HAPPENED.

>> IT SAT EMPTY UNTIL 2003 AND, THE VILLAGE OF GRANVILLE SAID, WE CAN'T LET THIS GO AWAY.

>> IT'S A HECK OF A RESOURCE.

>> YEAH, SO THEY BOUGHT IT, DEVELOPED THE 501-C 3 CORPORATION, NONPROFIT.

ALL THE MONEY THAT COMES IN THROUGH VARIOUS WAYS STAYS HERE, AND OUR MISSION IS TO KEEP IT HAPPENING, DEEP IT VIABLE.

>> DO YOU HAVE PLANS FOR THE SPACES HERE ON THE THIRD FLOOR?

THERE ARE SEVERAL ROOMS.

>> NOT SPECIFICALLY.

>> THEY'RE BANKED FOR FUTURE USE.

>> YEAH.

>> BUT I KNOW THE SECOND FLOOR YOU HAVE DONE SOME WORK.

YOUR OFFICES ARE THERE.

CAN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THAT?

>> LET'S GO DOWN TO TWO.

>> SO, THIS IS THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE MANSION.

A LOT OF SPACE UP HERE THAT IS NOT USABLE.

>> DEFINITE MIX OF FINISHED AND UNFINISHED.

>> THEN THERE ARE -- >> A LITTLE SPOOKY LIKE THE ADAMS FAMILY HOUSE.

>> I HOPE NOT.

>> LOOK AT THE -- THESE ARE PICTURES OF THINGS YOU DO HERE?

>> YES, WE DO A LOT A COMMUNITY THINGS.

WEDDINGS AND FAMILY GATHERINGS.

THINGS LIKE THAT THAT HELP SUSTAIN US.

>> SO, GO THROUGH THINGS YOU DO HERE.

>> SPRINGTIME WE HAVE GRANVILLE DAFFODIL SHOW.

MARCH, THE ART SHOW.

ENTIRE FIRST FLOOR FILLED WITH ART NOT ONLY ALL OVER THE STATE, BUT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

IN THE SUMMERTIME OF COURSE ON OUR GREAT LAWN IS OF COURSE POLO, WHICH IS FUN.

BEHIND US WE HAVE OUR ART CENTER, SO WE DO ART CLASSES, KIDS THROUGH ADULT, ALL DIFFERENT MEDIUMS WE TRY TO BE EDUCATIONAL, CULTURAL, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ON THE 52 ACRES.

>> WHAT A GREAT CHANCE THIS HAS BEEN TO LEARN ABOUT BRYN DU AND HOW IT'S DEVELOPED OVER TIME AND HOW YOU USE IT TODAY.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.

>> THANK YOU FOR COMING.

THANK YOU.

>>> DRIVING AROUND COLUMBUS, YOU CAN SOMETIMES SEE AN OLD, ICONIC SIGN WHERE THE BUSINESS IS NO LONGER LOCATED THERE OR EVEN AROUND ANYMORE.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH SIGN DOWNTOWN.

>> RIGHT, OR THE JERRY'S DRIVE INN SIGN WHICH WAS ALSO TEE JAYE'S AT HIGH STREET AND MORSE ROAD.

YOU COULD ALMOST SAY THEY ARE SIGNS OF THE TIME.

>> GOOD ONE, CHARLENE.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WORK WENT INTO MAKING THESE TYPES OF SIGNS AND ALSO MAKING THEM LAST.

TO LEARN MORE, WE VISITED THE COLUMBUS SIGN COMPANY WHICH HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS SINCE 1911.

>> MY GRANDFATHER STARTED OUT AS A PERSON THAT HAND LETTERED AND DID GOLD LEAF WORK.

NOWADAYS EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS FONTS AND EVERYBODY HAS FONTS ON THEIR COMPUTERS.

WASN'T THAT WAY IN THE OLD DAYS.

IN FACT, THERE WERE VERY FEW FONTS OR DESCRIPTIONS.

IT WAS EITHER SERIF OR SANS.

>> I WORKED WITH THEIR GRANDFATHER.

WE WOULD WORK DOWNTOWN, GOLD LEAFLETERS.

I HAVE BEEN HERE 54 YEARS.

I LOVE IT.

>> OBVIOUSLY IT'S BIG BANNERS GOING SOMEWHERE BANNER WORSE A BIG PART.

>> THIS LOCATION WAS ON STRAIT STREET CLOSE TO FRONT STREET.

OVER THE YEARS WE HAD A BIG TALL PROJECTING SIGN THERE AND THEN IT CHANGED TO A SMALLER ONE.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS THE LOCATION OF 320 EAST MAIN STREET.

BACK IN THE '30s AND '40s, NEON WAS VERY PREVALENT, AND AT OUR SHOP ON EAST MAIN STREET IN THE BACK PART OF THAT SHOP WAS A BIG NEON SHOP, AND THE PROCESS OF NEON AND YOU ACTUALLY BLOW INTO THE TUBE AND HEAT THE TUBE.

IT'S QUITE AN ARTISTIC FORUM.

BUT THAT NEON WAS JUST SO SPECTACULAR AND SO BRIGHT, AND FOR THE CUSTOMER, WANTING TO GET HIS NAME OUT AND WANTING TO IT SHOW WAS A BIG COMPETITION.

THIS PARTICULAR SIGN ACTUALLY IS STILL DOWNTOWN ON HIGH STREET, AND IT'S ON THE SAME BUILDING.

BACK IN THE '60s, THEY WOULD -- PART OF THE BUILDING WOULD GET CONDEMNED, SO, LIKE, THE TOP THREE FLOORS WERE TORN DOWN, AND THAT SIGN REMAINS THERE.

THIS HERE WAS A DOWNTOWN LOCATION OF ONE OF THE DRUGSTORES.

WE HAD SEVERAL DRUGSTORE PHOTOS.

THIS PARTICULAR ONE WAS A FURRIER.

BACK THEN, THE MINKS WERE A BIG DEAL, AND THIS PARTICULAR CUSTOMER JUST WANTED TO REALLY HAVE SOMETHING STAND OUT.

I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAD A GRIZZLY BEAR MADE INTO A COAT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

THIS ONE WAS BEACON AUTO INSURANCE.

A LOT OF THE SIGNS WERE PROJECTING SIGNS.

THEY CAME OUT, AS THE TRAFFIC GOES BOTH WAYS, YOU CAN REALLY SEE IT.

REEVES, A FAMOUS RESTAURANT ON THE EAST SIDE, THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL SIGN WE PUT UP, AND LATER ON WE ADDED THE SHAFT PART OF IT, AND THAT WAS PROBABLY BACK IN THE MID '40s.

>> OHIO AND LIVINGSTON AVENUE.

AT PORT COLUMBUS IN ITS EARLY DAYS WHEN IT WAS VERY SMALL, THEY HAD A PLACE CALLED THE DOBBS HOUSE, SO MY GRANDFATHER AND DAD ACTUALLY LETTERED THE GLASS THAT'S IN THERE.

IT'S ALL GOLD LEAF.

WE DID AN AWFUL LOT OF WORK FOR NATIONWIDE BEAUTY.

THEY HAD A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.

>> SENECA HOTEL WAS RIGHT THERE.

>> YEAH.

BUT IF WE ALL REMEMBER THE GREAT STORM OF 1978, THIS WAS THE GOLDEN JUBILEE FOR OHIO THEATER.

IT WAS ITS 50th YEAR.

SO WE MADE ALL THESE LOGOS.

FORTUNATELY, COLUMBUS SIGN COMPANY DID NOT INSTALL THEM.

THIS WAS PUT UP MAYBE WEEKS BEFORE IT OCCURRED.

CLIVE DAVID CALLS MIKE UP RIGHT WHEN THE STORM'S GOING THROUGH AND HE GOES, THEY'RE FLYING THROUGH THE AIR LIKE MISSILES.

THEY'RE GOING THROUGH WINDOWS.

AND WE'RE GOING, WHOA.

>> THIS ONE HERE IS AT BROAD AND HIGH.

THE ORIGINAL HOTEL THERE WAS THE DASHLEER HILTON.

>> MY DAD'S BROTHER WAS THE INVENTOR OF A PROCESS CALLED VACUUM FORMING, WHICH TOOK PLASTIC AND MOLDS AND CREATES FACES FROM THERE.

AS A RESULT CREATE ADD VACUUM FORM, DID WENDY'S.

>> THE BIG SWEEPING ARROW.

>> WHEN AMERIFLORA WAS HERE, WITH DID ALL THE SIGNING.

WE DID SANTALAND.

WE FORMED WHAT LOOKED LIKE CONCRETE, USED THE SPECIAL PROCESS TO GO THROUGH THERE, SO KIDS WOULD LOOK LOOK THEY WERE GOING THROUGH A TUNNEL.

>> WE WORK ON THE OHIO THEATER, WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES.

WE DID THE MARQUEE.

IT WAS ALL RUSTED.

AND PUT NEW STEEL IN IT.

CHANGED THE LETTERS.

JUDY GARLAND AND FAMOUS PEOPLE WOULD COME, THEY LOST THE FONTS.

WE HAD THEM PRESSED.

A LOT OF PEOPLE THREW THEIR HANDS UP.

YOU CAN'T BUY THAT NO MORE.

WE MAKE IT.

>> WHEN THE SOUTHERN THEATER CAME BACK WE WERE CHARGED WITH CREATING A REPLICA OF WHAT THE OLD SIGN LOOKED LIKE.

MIKE WORKED WITH THEM ON THE DREXEL THEATER AND REWORKED THE FACADE ON THAT.

WE'VE DONE THE PALETTES, THE LINCOLN THEATERS.

AT THE ZOO WE DID A NUMBER OF THINGS.

CREATED A SKELETON OF A SNAKE THAT YOU WALK THROUGH THERE.

WE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY OVER THE YEARS.

MIKE STARTED WORKING WITH THE -- OUR DAD TO ACTUALLY GRID OUT THE END ZONES.

>> AS I LOOK DOWNTOWN, YOU KNOW, THE ELEVATOR BREWERY, WHICH, YOU KNOW, USED TO BE THE CLOCK AND REWORKING THAT.

>> LOOKS LIKE A PILSENER GLASS.

REALLY BROUGHT TO VIBRANCY BACK TO DOWNTOWN.

>>> THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

AND REMEMBER, YOU CAN CATCH ALL OUR EPISODES ON COLUMBUSNEIGHBORHOODS.ORG.

>> PLUS, SEE OUR STORIES ON THE WOSU MOBILE APP.

AND YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK ON COLUMBUS NEIGHBORHOODS.

JUST ANOTHER DAY ALL I COULD HOPE IS THINGS WILL CHANGE