Miller(sburg) Time

57°f/14°C, clear.

Holmes County Courthouse, as seen from our hotel room.

We took a quick break this weekend, driving over to Millersburg, Ohio, for an overnight stay. What's in Millersburg, you might ask? Not a lot actually. But about 10 years ago Larry had had a beer made by the Millersburg Brewing Company,  and we have always intended to find that brewery because he really liked that beer. And I had learned about the historic hotel in the town (that is supposedly haunted) and I was intrigued enough to book us a room.

Millersburg is in the heart of Amish country. Indeed, Holmes County, of which Millersburg is the county seat, is home to largest number of Old Order Amish in the world. The county is a hot tourist destination these days, and especially at this time of year. Fortunately,  Millersburg is a bit away from thr hig tourist areas so it was much quieter even though they were having their annual Antiques Festival. Sugarcreek and Walnut Creek, though, were crazy with people and traffic, and we avoided both for the most part.

We did get into a bit of traffic, because one place we wanted to visit was the German Culture Museum in Walnut Creek. 

This is a small, community-run museum that explored the history of the Amish settlement in that area. I learned a good bit about the differences between Amish, Mennonite, Anabaptists, and Moravians. Whew. Religions can ger so complicated! And then, even within the Amish there are different seats, just as with the Baptists, at least around here. The little churches are constantly disagreeing over something and splitting off to start a new church,  and that's how it is with the Amish too. I also learned that the language is a blend of Swiss, German, and some English. (*We were in one restaurant and the man beside us was speaking English but switched to a different language to talk to some young men who had come in.  I asked him what he was speaking and he said Amish. Neither he or the young men were dressed in traditional Amish attire so I was puzzled. He explained that lots of people in the area speak Amish even if not part of a sect, but that they had Amish somewhere in their background.)

It was fun to see so many things in the museum that we have owned, used, and/or sold over the years.  

This "room" is the museum's McKinley room, as President McKinley spent part of his childhood in a house just across the street from the museum.

Bikes and buggies used in the area.

A buggy footballer. I kinda wish I had one to use in winter as my feet are always cold.

I was amused by this display of the history of irons. Have you ever used any of these, not including the new electric one? The one with what looks like a ball attached is a kerosene iron.

This large mural depicting rural Amish life extends across one portion of the museum.

We drove through beautiful,  rolling countryside. Most people think of Ohio as flat, but eastern Ohio is not unlike western West Virginia, except that the hills become gentler as they roll westward toward the plains. These were taken through the dirty windshield, so i apologize for the quality.

This farm market was so busy they had a policeman directing traffic!