Duck Creek Graffiti

Haley is literally the BEST at finding places to explore. She knows I love to look at graffiti and street art so she suggested this graffiti spot as a place to visit. This area was near where she previously lived, and while I had seen it from the road I never actually stopped to walk it. I actually thought it would be a lot creepier and smaller than it turned out to be. It was really hot the day we explored the area, and Cora was not having it. I felt bad because Haley was doing so much to entertain me while bringing her two young daughters everywhere we went. She's an awesome friend!

There isn't much to say about this area except that when I looked up the location I noticed that there were different pieces that I didn't see on this visit. The pieces must be constantly changing, which is pretty cool because it'll be like exploring a new place if I ever go back. The constant addition of new pieces also looks amazing up close when you can see the textured layers of previous works. You do need to be careful of the river too because it looks slimy. I accidentally walked into a puddle and got slime water on my leg. I couldn't wait to get back to the car and wipe it off!

How to get there
The artwork is along the Duck River on Rosslyn Drive between Brotherton Road and Erie Avenue. Street parking is available and a path leads down to the river.

Haley also posted some photos that you should check out. What is your favorite piece?

God's Half Acre Abandoned Cemetery

Back in July, during my trip to Cincinnati, Haley took me to an abandoned cemetery. She mentioned that her dad had it featured on his company's website, and said she would get the directions so we could check it out. Seriously, find friends who are okay doing crazy stuff with you. Also, having friends who live in the places you visit is a plus because they can suggest things you'd never find in a a guide book. I think I might be the exception because I really couldn't suggest cool places in Northeast Ohio. The cemetery was on the way to her parents' house, so we didn't have to go out of our way to find it. It was also very small, so it fit right into our busy weekend.

As you can tell, the cemetery was pretty wooded, and I have to admit I was not wearing the right clothes or shoes to be walking. I didn't get the best shots, but what are you going to do? This cemetery is now the eternal resting place of the 64 original settlers of Finneytown, a neighboring city, which included several Revolutionary War veterans as well as the founder of Finneytown. According to this article, the first burial took place in 1799 and the last one taking place in 1891. While it appears mostly abandoned, newer headstones for the veterans replace the older, rundown ones.

The cemetery itself isn't super spooky, but as soon as we got out of the car Haley told me a girl was murdered and her body was found at the reservoir next to the cemetery. I can deal with ghosts, but the thought of someone being snatched and murdered by a random person scares the bejesus out of me. Fortunately, the girls killer was found but it only happened in 2009 which hits close to home because I was living in Cincinnati at that time. Despite the dismal history, the cemetery is worth the visit!

How to get to the cemetery
The cemetery sits on Winton Ridge Lane to the immediate south of the Winton Water Reservoir. You'll drive past the building and it's right next to the driveway. You will probably miss it if you aren't looking for it.
Would you visit this cemetery?

Cincinnati Roadside Attractions

Before I went to Cincinnati I scoured the internet for things to do and see. Of course there were old haunts I wanted to visit like getting Indian food (Cincinnati literally has the best, and I don't know why) and Graeters. After returning from Russia I was determined to find "offbeat" things because that's what I realized I liked doing. I told Haley I was interested in two specific places. I expected to have to search for where they were in relation to where we would be, but, as it turns out, she actually drives by them all the time. Even better, they are right by each other!

The first site was the large, I'm guessing, fiberglass cougar. It sits atop Alford Motors. You can't miss it! There was a side street across the way that we were able to park on, and I got out. Unfortunately, I didn't cross the street to get a different angle, but this will do. I had many people staring at me while I took this guys photo. According to Roadside America, he was first placed on the Stillpass Lincoln-Mercury dealership and resided there from 1968-1988. He was removed but it was unclear whether he moved to his new home right after. I absolutely love that people are still willing to house awesome roadside attractions like this cougar.

Location: 8100 Vine St., Cincinnati, Ohio

Literally right down the street is this giant Native American statue. While I would never condone the caricature of a group of people, I do appreciate his 1950s look. I just wish his "look" was a little different. The statue was originally placed at a car dealership called Cherokee Motors, and in it's prime had lights and a waving hand. According to Roadside America, the dealerships catchphrase was "Cherokee Motors.........where Paddock meets Vine at the big Indian sign." If you like roadside attractions like these you should definitely check out on of my favorite bloggers, Only Living Girl in New York. She lives for these kinds of things and has plenty available for your viewing pleasure on her blogs.

Location: 7505 Vine St., Cincinnati, Ohio

This last one wasn't on my list, but we happened to drive right past it on our way to get ice cream after the two previous attractions. Haley, being the AMAZING friend that she is, knew I would love it and even turned around so I could take pictures of it because she knows me better than I know myself. I absolutely love the art deco look about it and I can imagine Wes Anderson using it in one of his films. I couldn't find much information on this building except that the company was founded in 1880 and this building was probably built in the 1930s or 40s.

Location: 4760 Paddock Rd., Cincinnati, Ohio

Do you know of any roadside attractions in Cincinnati?