Coney Island, Cincinnati, Ohio

Next we headed over the Kentucky border.

Then we headed back over the Ohio border.

We landed at one of America's oldest amusement parks, Coney Island.

Not to be confused with Brooklyn's Coney Island, this park opened in 1886 on the shores of the Ohio River.

We waited in line while guests enjoyed the Ferris Wheel.

The 120-year old park has been ravaged by flooding many times during its history, but has always managed to rise from the water.

The largest flood in its history occurred in 1937.

This is not a pretty picture.

Visitors to the current Coney Island can be entertained by three different live shows daily. Here we are Stuck in the 80's.

The Python is one of several thrill rides still running at the park.

Back to the show for Island Beats.

Funhouse mirrors make Marlon believe he has lost a lot of weight...

and Doug look much taller.

Get a peek inside the circus in Under the Big Top.

Watch this video of Coney Island.

After leaving Coney Island, we drove across the "Big Mac Bridge".

Near the Olive Branch Campground in Oregonia we came across the Caesar Creek Gorge.

For more pictures, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/july/taft-museum-police-/ pictures 79-150.

To be continued...

Greater Cincinnati Police Historical Society Museum

Next we headed to The Greater Cincinnati Police Historical Society Museum.

Entering visitors are greeted by what appears to be a stuffed police dog named Handsome who was found as an abandoned puppy and spent 14 years assisting the Cincinnati Police.

Displays include those showing a wide variety of guns used throughout the history of the department...

samples of the uniforms worn throughout the years...

different styles of handcuffs used to restrain the bad guys...

old police station communications equipment...

and lie detection equipment.

This 1965 Harley Davidson Electra Glide was used by the police department of nearby Newport, Kentucky.

Visitors can also learn about notorious criminals in Ohio history such as "Pretty Boy" Floyd and "Machine Gun" Kelly.

For more pictures, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/july/taft-museum-police-/ pictures 46-78.

To be continued...

William Howard Taft National Historic Site

Today we went to see three long-standing historic sites of the Cincinnati area.

First up was the William Howard Taft National Historic Site. The site includes the house in which the 27th President of the United States lived his entire childhood.

This desk was used in the law practice of Taft's father.

This "portable" gas lamp came with its own cord.

The house has been restored to how it appeared during Taft's childhood. The furniture is of the period, although not necessarily owned by the Tafts.

Let's go up the stairway.

The stairway ends at the second floor where bedrooms can be found on either side of the hall.

Did you know William Howard Taft was the only President of the United States to later become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?

This display demonstrates how the elephant is a direct descendant of William Howard Taft who at over 300 pounds, by the way, was the heaviest U.S. President ever elected.

Strangely enough, he is also the only president since 1909 to have facial hair while in office.

This Bible was used in both 1909 and 1921 in Taft's swearing in as President and Chief Justice.

The house had indoor plumbing by the fall of 1851. Here is one of its cisterns.

In case the front of the house looked small, here is the back. The house was subdivided and apartments were rented out in the 1940s before being acquired by the William Howard Taft Memorial Association in the 1950s.

Then, on Taft's 107th birthday, September 15, 1964, the home became a National Historic Landmark.

The house is located in the Mount Auburn Neighborhood. Mount Auburn was founded as a hilltop retreat for Cincinnati's social elite where wealthier people could escape the dirt, heat, smoke and crowded conditions of the lower city.

For more pictures, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/july/taft-museum-police-/ pictures 1-45.

To be continued...

Der Dutchman, Blanchester Movie

July 4th was very rainy near Cincinnati this year. We spent the day trying to determine what the brown pus was leaking out of Pedra's side.

We took her to the vet the next day and found out she had an abscess which had ruptured and was now in the healing process. Yuck!

After giving Pedra her medicine, we met Amber along with her mom, aunt and grandma at Der Dutchman Amish Kitchen Cooking in Waynesville.

The food was good and Amber's grandma and aunt told us to go ahead and put them on the internet. So here they are!

The next day we journeyed to downtown Blanchester to see the first-run Walt Disney animated feature Wall-E. Total cost for a first-run movie, popcorn and drink in Blanchester, Ohio? $5 per person!

Then we had to try some Cincinnati-based Gold Star Chili.

Was it good? The jury is still out.

Then we saw this cloud blocking the sun. Wow...

For a few more pictures, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/july/eatting-at-der-dutc/ and http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/july/movie-at-blanchester/ .

To be continued...

World's Largest Horseshoe Crab & The Ohio River

Today we met up with our friends Amber and Shelly and went to see the world's biggest horseshoe crab.

See it yourself at the Freedom Worship Baptist Church in Blanchester, Ohio.

Originally built for the Columbus Maritime Museum in Baltimore, it was ultimately determined that the museum had no room for the crab and it was donated to the church.

A scripture garden surrounds the crab.

An eagle greets visitors at the front entrance of the church.

Pastor Jim Rankin started the church in 2004 and was kind enough to give us a personal tour.

The church building was successfully converted from a long-time hardware store.
Preparations were being made for the Fourth of July town parade.

The church features an impressive collection of artifacts from biblical times, as well as other historical time periods.

Each youth room features a different theme.

This display is featured behind the church.

Thanks to Pastor Rankin for the tour!

Learn more about the church, the horseshoe crab and their Crab Fest at http://www.freedomworshipbaptist.com/ .

Next we headed to Cincinnati to view the city from the Ohio River aboard the Mark Twain Riverboat.

It was quite a stormy day for a riverboat ride.

Two professional sports stadiums can be viewed from the Ohio River.

The skyline of Cincinnati.

The "Big Mac Bridge" spans the river.

This would be a neat building to live in...when I win the lottery.

Since it was raining, our riverboat video is really brief.

For more pictures, go to http://public.fotki.com/Marlonfleenor/1/2008/july/visitingamber/ .

To be continued...