The COFFEY BLOG
Monday, June 26 -- Dumbfounded at Greenfield Subway!
Greenfield Subway welcomes Dumbfounded for a rare appearance Monday, June 26! The band will set up on the patio and play from approximately 7-9 p.m. Bring your appetite and a lawn chair for a fun evening. Subway is offering some special deals, and door prizes!!! Dumbfounded is providing the Classic Rock, Garage Style...
STORY OF SGT. PEPPER, SONG BY SONG
Fifty years ago, the Beatles released what is considered by many to be their masterpiece, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Thanks to 21st century technology, the album has been reissued with a new stereo mix and a selection of unreleased session recordings. I listened to it on Spotify recently and must say it’s holding up well! Maybe that explains why the box set of “Sgt. Pepper’s” is a top seller even at nearly $130! In commemoration of the golden anniversary, there are lots of articles about the making of “Sgt. Pepper’s” and how the songs came to be. One such link can be found below: http://ultimateclassicrock.com/tags/the-beatles/ HEAR BOB DYLAN’S NOBEL PRIZE LECTURE ABOUT LITERATURE As most of you know, Bob Dylan is the most recent Nobel Prize winner in literature, and though he did not attend the ceremony, he sent a speech that was read by the U.S. Ambassador to Sweden. However, in order to receive the $900,000 award, Dylan also had to deliver a lecture about literature to the Swedish Academy, and he did just that on a tour stop in Sweden. I listened to it the other evening and thought it was pretty interesting. Dylan weaves stories of Buddy Holly and Leadbelly into his talk and references three books he greatly admires: “Moby Dick,” “All Quiet on the Western Front” and Homer’s “The Odyssey.” If you would care to listen, check out the link below: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/hear-bob-dylan-recite-his-nobel-prize-in-literature-lecture-w485839  Company G breaks camp at Chautauqua Park 1917, Destination Germany. (F.R. Harris, Hometown Chronicles)
GHS CEMETERY STROLL SET FOR MAY 29, TO FEATURE WORLD WAR I CENTENNIAL The Greenfield Historical Society will hold its 2017 Cemetery Stroll on Monday, May 29 at the Greenfield Cemetery on North Washington St. The event will begin immediately after the Greenfield Concerned Veterans Memorial Day parade and ceremonies which begins at 10 a.m. With 2017 being the 100th anniversary of the United States entry into World War I, the stroll is featuring some of Greenfield’s Doughboys of that war. The war began in August, 1914, and ended on November 11, 1918. The United States entered the war as an ally of France and England on April 6, 1917. It was the influx of American Expeditionary Forces that provided the troops to stop German Advances into France, force their retreat and end the war. Some of the bloodiest fighting and largest military offensives took place in the American Defensive Sector. After the United States entered the war, Greenfield became active with preparations for the war. A recruitment tent was set up on the lawn of the town hall. This spot was later marked with the planting of a maple tree which grew into a fine tree and was finally removed many years later when age took its toll. Company G of the 166th Infantry of the 42nd Division – the famous Rainbow Division – was mustered into service on July 15, 1917 with eighty members. The Company went into camp at Chautauqua Park (the present church campgrounds on North Washington). On August 13 the men boarded a train bound for Camp Perry near Port Clinton, Ohio. The Company arrived in France on November 1, and after training there for several weeks, the soldiers were sent into the war zone on January, 1918. Company G was involved in action from that time until November 11, 1918 when the Armistice was called. Company G then entered Germany where it served as part of the Army of Occupation until April, 1919, when it sailed from France, returning to the United States. Of the 143 men who left in August, 1917, one hundred nineteen returned to Greenfield. Soldiers included in the stroll are Carl Herman Zimmerman, Charles Ray Rinehart, William Ogg, Robert A. Smart, Joseph Edward Wolfe, Donald Shofield McClain, Harry Mills, Robert Anderson Duncan, Donald and William Pettiford and Harry Loggans. The historical society will have tents set up for shade and members will be available to greet walkers and answer questions. Come out at 10 a.m. Monday for the parade, help Greenfield’s Concerned Veterans to honor our fallen heroes and stroll the though the cemetery learning about Greenfield men who served during World War I. BUCKEYE HILLS EVENTS LISTED With the very welcome coming of spring, a list of 2017 events has been posted on the Buckeye Hills website. Here’s a link to the country club’s website for those looking for good golf outings this season: http://www.buckeyehillsgolf.com/ WIT & WISDOM “My toughest hitter was Stan Musial. In fact, when he found out I was going to pitch, he’d send a cab to make sure I got to the park…” - former Major League pitcher Clyde King. (For an excellent series about Mr. King, check out Steve Roush’s columns in the Highland County Press.) “Being President is like running a cemetery: You’ve got a lot of people under you, and nobody’s listening.” - Bill Clinton GREENFIELD’S PRESIDENTIAL DOG
From Larry Chapman’s website, an interesting tale about President Harry S. Truman’s dog, Feller, who through a chain of events, ended up living out his golden years just outside of Greenfield: http://www.lechap.com/2017/03/greenfields-presidential-dog/ 
CLASS OF 1967 REUNION INFORMATION!
HAUNTED HOTEL?
Doug Karnes called some folks who investigate paranormal activity and invited them to spend the night at the Elliott Hotel in Greenfield on Feb. 11. The whole affair was streamed live to Facebook, and some unusual reading were noted. The ghost hunters declined to spend the night there! Here’s a link for the curious (you may have to scroll down a bit until you see the Elliott Hotel reference): https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=interface%20death HIGHEST POINT IN HIGHLAND COUNTY? During a recent car ride with friends, someone pointed out a hillside between Hillsboro and Greenfield and asked me if this was the highest point in Highland County. I had to confess I had no idea. I always kind of assumed that the highest point might be near the village of Highland, where I used to live (and where lightning once struck so close by that our electric furnace caught on fire!). That was in the days before the Internet, which research was much harder to do. Once in front of my computer, I typed in the query “highest point in Highland County” and several web links came up. According to a site called PeakBagger, the highest point in Highland County is known as Washburn Hill, and it’s the 19th highest spot in Ohio, apparently 1,343 feet above sea level. Washburn Hill is located in the southern part of Highland County, sort of on the way to Fort Hill. You can click on that listing, or 87 others indicating the highest points in every Ohio county, by visiting the link below: http://www.peakbagger.com/list.aspx?lid=13401 Some other high points of note include: No. 1, Campbell Hill (1,549 feet above sea level), Logan County. No. 17, Farrell Hill (1,358), Ross County. No. 54, Dumpling Hill (1,134), Fayette County. HEE HAW MEMORIES
Rory Ryan waxes poetic about that groundbreaking TV show “Hee Haw” in the Highland County Press and you can read it HERE. Or, watch and listen to Archie Campbell’s tongue-twisting story of Cinderella told backwards in “Rindercella” by clicking HERE. INVENTOR OF THE BIG MAC LIVED TO AGE 98 I saw on the news where the inventor of the Big Mac sandwich died in 2016 at the age of 98. Jim Delligatti came up with the idea in 1965 and produced the first Big Mac in 1967 at his McDonald’s franchise in Uniontown, PA at a price of 45 cents. The jazzed up double decker sandwich with sesame seeds and special sauce was a hit, and McDonald’s put the item on its national menu in 1968. For more on this historic milepost in the annals of hamburger making, check out the link below: http://www.wsj.com/articles/jim-delligatti-who-invented-the-big-mac-dies-at-age-98-1480522190 HONORING THE McCLAINS
As a way to honor Edward Lee and Lulu McClain for their gift of the high school to the community of Greenfield more than a century ago, fundraising efforts are underway to have busts made of the philanthropic couple for display at the school. According to information provided by McClain High School journalism students, the plan is for two white marble busts, one to depict Edward Lee McClain and the other to depict his wife, Lulu. The busts will be placed near the marble staircase at the school. The fundraising campaign is headed up by the Edward Lee McClain Day Committee, which needs to raise at least $20,000 for the project. According to committee member Linda Penn, the money will purchase the busts, the marble pedestals on which the busts will sit, and glass cases that will house each bust. Penn said the idea originated with the McClain Alumni Association, and as members talked to others about the idea, it grew. It was with the Edward Lee McClain Day Committee that the idea took off, and the plan that initially was for just a bust of Edward McClain came to also include a bust of Mrs. McClain. “With a school full of art pieces that includes statues, busts, friezes, murals, and paintings, everyone thought having two busts made would be “a fitting way to recognize the McClains for their gift to Greenfield,” Penn said. The committee was behind the inaugural Edward Lee McClain Day which was recognized at this year’s Greene Countrie Towne Festival in July, nearly a year after the school celebrated its 100th year. The day of recognition is something Penn said the committee and the association hope to see continue each year. According to the information provided by the students, “A donation of $1,000 will give donors gold status, $500 donors will have silver status, and $250 donors will have bronze status. More than one name can be included with any of these donation amounts.” Plaques bearing the names of donors to the project of at least the bronze status will be near the busts, Penn said. “This is everyone’s chance to be a continuing part of McClain’s history,” she said. Funds received beyond what is needed will go to the Alumni Association’s Art Restoration Fund, which supports the ongoing and years-long restoration of the art pieces displayed throughout McClain High School. According to the information provided, about four months will be needed to create the busts of the McClains once the order is placed, but the committee members hope to be able unveil the busts during the 2017 Greene Countrie Towne Festival next July. Tax deductible donations can be made by check, which should be made payable to The Greenfield Foundation with the notation “McClain Bust” in the memo line. The Greenfield Foundation’s address is P.O. Box 210, Greenfield, Ohio 45123. For more information or if you have questions, contact Edward Lee McClain Day Committee member Linda Penn at 937-981-3590 or committee member Jason Potts at 937-981-7731. Other committee members include Jimmy Jones, John Wilson, Ron Coffey and Larry Roosa. WILBUR WRIGHT AND THE HOCKEY STICK
Here’s a fascinating account of an incident that changed the life of aviation pioneer Wilbur Wright, and a look at the bully who wielded the hockey stick. Oliver Crook Haugh also became a well-known figure for a time — but for all the wrong reasons: http://www.highlandcountypress.com/Content/Opinions/Opinion/Article/Wilbur-Wright-and-the-hockey-stick/4/22/34122 ‘HOOSIERS,’ SHEB WOOLEY AND THE WILHELM SCREAM Recently my wife and I found ourselves with a rare free evening together and nothing to watch on TV. Our Netflix allocation for the month was used up, and I suggested we put in “Hoosiers,” one of my all-time favorite movies that I had not seen in quite a long time. Dianna found the DVD and we watched this great account of Indiana basketball that’s loosely based on a true story. Aside from the obvious enjoyment of watching a bunch of kids from a small town win the state title, I discovered some new things in watching the closing credits. I saw that Sheb Wooley played the part of the principal that brought the coach (played by Gene Hackman) to Hickory High School. I told Dianna that Sheb Wooley was a singer or songwriter, too. So I consulted Wikipedia and was rewarded with the information that Sheb Wooley had a big hit record in 1958 called “Purple People Eater,” a song I remember well from my youth. He also recorded some humorous songs under the name Ben Colder, and I was familiar with a few of them too. Then, Sheb’s bio got a little murky. It said that in addition to appearing in such classic films as “High Noon” and “The Outlaw Josey Wales,” the actor did some voice work, including what has become known the Wilhelm Scream in a 1951 “Florida Western” called "Distant Drums". Wooley's scream was used in a scene where a man is torn apart by an alligator. Sheb’s brief vocalization of the victim’s agony has become a stock sound effect used in some 225 films and TV episodes. Apparently the Wilhelm Scream (so named because one of the characters killed off in the 1953 film “The Charge at Feather River” was Private Wilhelm) has quite a following and has become kind of an in-joke among the sound effects/filmmaking community. It surely must have resonated with George Lucas — If you have seen the “Star Wars” or “Indiana Jones” series you have definitely heard the Wilhelm Scream! The scream is featured in lots of Disney cartoons and shows up on television shows and in video games. I found the history of the Wilhelm Scream somewhat fascinating, if difficult to describe. Fortunately there’s no need to describe it. You can watch a brief history of the scream (2:58) and after that should be able to recognize it next time it shows up on your big or small screen. A compilation showcasing the Wilhelm Scream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdbYsoEasio Sheb Wooley info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheb_Wooley
IF DONALD TRUMP GRACED EVERY NFL TEAM’S LOGO…
In an interesting exercise, some creative folks have incorporated Donald Trump’s likeness into all 32 NFL team logos. I had to check this out to see how he would look in Bengals’ stripes…(not too inspiring in my opinion). However, there are some pretty good ones, created in good fun: http://uproxx.com/sports/2015/12/donald-trump-nfl-logos/9/ SOME GREENFIELD HISTORY BY WAY OF VIRGINIA
I am always amazed at the reach of Greenfield and her people through the years. Products from our community turn up in a lot of places, and the latest evidence of this happened in September while we were in Harrisonburg, VA. There in the municipal building can be found the Harrisonburg Fire Department Museum, which features a rich display of historic firefighting apparatus, uniforms and memorabilia. As we explored the museum, my wife Dianna noticed one of the nets that people used to jump into as a group of firemen held the net in place. The net was in pristine condition, and Dianna noted that it might have been made in Greenfield. I dutifully got down on my hands and knees and looked up, finding the words that provided one of the highlights of our trip: Browder Life Saving Machine Mfd by Cory-Patterson Mfg. Co. Greenfield Ohio USA We were pumped up at this discovery, and as luck would have it soon ran into the Fire Chief, Larry Shifflett and told him about the connection between our towns. The chief, who looked to be roughly my age, said he had jumped from a third story window into that net as part of his training around the late 1970s, and indicated that it had come to Harrisonburg in 1954 with a new fire truck. He estimated that the net was manufactured in 1953, probably because that was the year the order was placed for the new fire truck. Chief Shifflett mentioned that his father had also been fire chief in Harrisonburg, and it was evident that he was pretty enthusiastic about firefighting and the museum. There were several large bells on display, and I did my best to look for a Bell’s Foundry inscription on them but to no avail. Nevertheless we enjoyed our journey through the history of firefighting, and Chief Shifflett explained a little about the workings of early fire extinguishers. Some of them were filled with carbon tetrachloride, which did a pretty good job of snuffing out flames but also gave off poisonous fumes. The substance was stored in glass balls which could be thrown at the fire by hurlers who made a hasty retreat when the glass broke. Other devices had heat-triggered devices that released the carbon tetrachloride. Later, soda-acid extinguishers replaced their older counterparts and were much safer to operate. So, if you’re ever in Harrisonburg, VA you may want to stop by the Public Safety Building at 101 North Main Street, 3rd Floor and check out the museum. Admission is free, and you might even get to meet Chief Shifflett. To see more photos from the museum, click the link below for a nice slideshow: http://www.harrisonburgva.gov/hfd-museum I saw Harold Schmidt, president of the Greenfield Historical Society, soon after returning to Greenfield and told him about our encounter with the Browder Life Saving Machine. Harold was glad to receive the news and said other communities sometimes contact the Greenfield Historical Society to learn more about the fire nets which were once so popular with fire departments. He mentioned several places GHS has heard from, including Maryland and California. The local Historical Society does have one of the Browder Life Saving Machines and it can be seen at events such as the History Day that just took place on Oct. 3. I’m glad to see how much effort GHS puts into preserving our rich and amazing history. More info about the Browder Life Saving Machine can be found at these links: Why they went away: http://my.firefighternation.com/forum/topics/fire-department-safety-nets-did-they-go-away-and-why?id=889755%3ATopic%3A5984841&page=3 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_net This Facebook page includes a video of a demo from the 1960s: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=160648347314270&story_fbid=843373795708385 Memories from Larry Chapman: http://www.highland-ohio.com/browder%20life%20saving%20net.htm Patent info: https://www.google.com/patents/US952871 Listing from ebay (sorry, it’s been sold): http://www.ebay.com/itm/321044431463 And more… http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/browder-firemans-firefighter-life-430858076 LIVE FROM DARYL’S HOUSE!
John Adams told me about this interesting website featuring top entertainers in a relaxed setting, which happens to be Daryl Hall’s house. Daryl is the Hall of the singing duo Hall & Oates. Daryl Hall started Live From Daryl's House, the free monthly web show in late 2007, after having the idea of "playing with my friends and putting it up on the Internet," and the show has since garnered acclaim from Rolling Stone, SPIN, Daily Variety, CNN, BBC, Yahoo! Music and influential blogger Bob Lefsetz, who cited Live From Daryl's House as a perfect example of a veteran artist reinventing himself in the digital age by collaborating with both established colleagues and newer performers. Check it out here: http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/ GREENFIELD SLIDE SHOW
I’ve been dabbling trying to create a slide show about the village of Greenfield that captures some of the history, character and enjoyable aspects of living here. It’s taken far too much time but I’ve had fun learning, and the latest draft can be found by clicking on the YouTube image above. |
CALENDARJuly 14-16: Greene Countrie Towne Festival in Greenfield, sponsored by Greenfield Rotary Club.
MORE INFO Friday, Aug. 4: Paddle on Paint Creekfest , sponsored by G3. (Note: event was rescheduled from May 21 due to high water.) Saturday, Sept. 30: Greenfield Oktoberfest, sponsored by G3. Daylight Saving Time 2017 in Ohio ends at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 5. 
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AMISH/MENNONITE TRAIL
Larry Chapman has been busy, as always. His latest project is a map of Amish and Mennonite business locations in greater Highland County. By visiting the Google map below and clicking on one of the business names, you will activate a pointer showing just where the business is located. Pretty cool! Good work Larry!
http://mapalist.com/Public/pm.aspx?mapid=378317
ABBEY ROAD: THE HISTORY OF AN ICONIC ALBUM COVER
Even if you are a not a Beatles fan, you are probably familiar with the iconic cover photo of their final studio album, “Abbey Road,” considered one of their best albums. The cover photo has sparked countless parodies, but considering all the rumors and buzz from back in the day about Paul McCartney being dead, probably the best is his use of the same background for his “live” album decades later. Here’s the link to an interesting article for trivia buffs, Beatles fans and curiosity seekers:
http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/stop-the-presses/abbey-road-cover-art-strolling-back-rock-most-190720943.html
WIT & WISDOM
To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible. - Thomas Aquinas
We hope that, when the insects take over the world, they will remember with gratitude how we took them along on all our picnics. - Bill Vaughan
An army of deer led by a lion is more feared than an army of lions led by a deer. - Philip of Macedonia
Larry Chapman has been busy, as always. His latest project is a map of Amish and Mennonite business locations in greater Highland County. By visiting the Google map below and clicking on one of the business names, you will activate a pointer showing just where the business is located. Pretty cool! Good work Larry!
http://mapalist.com/Public/pm.aspx?mapid=378317
ABBEY ROAD: THE HISTORY OF AN ICONIC ALBUM COVER
Even if you are a not a Beatles fan, you are probably familiar with the iconic cover photo of their final studio album, “Abbey Road,” considered one of their best albums. The cover photo has sparked countless parodies, but considering all the rumors and buzz from back in the day about Paul McCartney being dead, probably the best is his use of the same background for his “live” album decades later. Here’s the link to an interesting article for trivia buffs, Beatles fans and curiosity seekers:
http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/stop-the-presses/abbey-road-cover-art-strolling-back-rock-most-190720943.html
WIT & WISDOM
To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible. - Thomas Aquinas
We hope that, when the insects take over the world, they will remember with gratitude how we took them along on all our picnics. - Bill Vaughan
An army of deer led by a lion is more feared than an army of lions led by a deer. - Philip of Macedonia
