Marion County

Randy Winland

• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781439662328
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

Marion County, located squarely in the "heart of Ohio, " is home to the city of Marion, the villages of Caledonia, Green Camp, LaRue, Morral, New Bloomington, Prospect, and Waldo, and other communities. While the villages each have their own unique identities and histories, they all share the common trait of simply being good places to call home. Marion County shares memories of the churches, schools, businesses, and people that make these communities special.

Six

PROSPECT AREA

The village of Prospect was officially founded in 1835, when Christian Gast II entered a plat for a settlement to be named Middletown in the recorder’s office in Delaware, Ohio. Middletown was chosen as the name in reference to the settlement’s location, which was midway between Delaware and Marion. Gast was not the first resident of the area, as a small community had existed at the location in what was then Delaware County for several years. However, he was the first to file a village plat and thus establish a legally recognized settlement. His plat included 81 lots on land he owned on the east side of the Scioto River. Sales of the lots were brisk, with residences and businesses soon being established. Platted additions in 1837, 1839, and 1855 were required to meet the demand of potential landowners.

In 1876, Christian Gast III, following in his father’s footsteps, filed a plat of 60 lots at the east edge of Middletown. The lots were split by the then-under-construction Columbus & Toledo Railroad, which Gast had helped bring to the area. The new settlement was viewed as being entirely separate from Middletown and was named Prospect by its developer.

Around this same time, many Middletown residents had grown tired of having their mail delivery and occasional legal matters being confused with other villages named Middletown throughout the state. A petition for a name change from Middletown to Prospect was filed with the Marion County Common Pleas Court in 1876 (the Marion County courts had gained jurisdiction over the area with the creation of Prospect Township as part of Marion County in 1848). The court approved the request, and the combined village of Prospect was created. The community continued to grow rapidly with the availability of both rail and water for transportation and shipping leading to its expansion. In 1883, the village was reported to have five dry goods stores, two drugstores, two hardware stores, two millinery stores, two banks, and a newspaper-printing office, among numerous other business endeavors.

BUSINESS WAS BOOMING. Prospect’s Main Street was vibrant with a variety of businesses advertising their services on sidewalk canopies. These retractable overhangs protected shoppers from inclement weather and helped cool the interiors of the stores. Shoppers could purchase carpets or furniture while making final arrangements at Thomas E. Drake Undertaking, which had a delivery wagon waiting for whatever the cargo might be. (Courtesy of Richard Carey.)

MAIN STREET IN TRANSITION. Hitching rails, along with a horse and buggy, stood in contrast to the technological advances of electric streetlights, telephone wires, and automobiles. Prospect’s telephone exchange was located on the top floor of the building with the iron railing (in the left foreground). During the 1913 flood, water rose to a depth that required the rescue of the telephone operators from the second-floor balcony by boat. (Courtesy of Ralph and Erdine Eaton collection.)

STOP AND SHOP. Patrons of this dining establishment on Water Street could purchase “Short Order Meals” for 25¢ followed by a scoop of ice cream. After a stop at the tailor’s shop, people could perhaps pause in the Modern Woodmen of America lodge or visit with the Knights of Pythias. Lodges and fraternal organizations such as these, along with the Masons and Odd Fellows, played a major role in the social and business worlds at the beginning of the 20th century. (Courtesy of Ralph and Erdine Eaton collection.)

OPERA HOUSE. The Prospect Hall, opened in 1900, was the cultural center of the village. This opera house hosted lectures, concerts, school plays, and graduation ceremonies. Although it was advertised as having a seating capacity of nearly 1,000, it is doubtful that the true capacity was that large. Durwood Lodge No. 153 of the Knights of Pythias now occupies this building. (Author’s collection.)

TAKING THE STAGE. Prospect High School’s class of 1908, with its motto of “In to Win,” is pictured on stage at Prospect Hall. Activities such as plays, musical performances, lectures, and debates were popular community entertainment options. Some schools offered students the chance to participate in a lyceum course featuring presentations by professional speakers who traveled the country entertaining and enlightening students. (Author’s collection.)

ENGINE HOUSE AND JAIL HOUSE. The residents of Prospect were rightfully proud of their engine house on Water Street. Designed for horse-drawn firefighting apparatuses, the structure also housed mechanized equipment for many years until a new fire station was built. The smaller building behind the engine house was the village jail. (Courtesy of Richard Carey.)

SULPHO-MAGNETIC SPRINGS SANATORIUM. Located on the west side of South Main Street behind Battle Run, this magnificent facility was a health spa and vacation destination. Its advertising clearly stated that it provided “the best care and treatment for all who apply, except those afflicted with contagious or infectious diseases.” Patrons would find “a pleasant, healthy, and restful place to spend your vacation. Baths of all kinds. The spring water is remarkable for its purity and cleansing power. Use its crystal draughts and you will quickly realize that you are dealing with a powerful remedial agent, a great curative factor which is intangible to finite minds.” Rates depended upon the size and location of the room, with the cost for room, board, and treatment ranging from $10 to $20 per week. Travelers could take advantage of the services for $2 per day. The building was destroyed by fire in 1905 and was not rebuilt. Nearby communities also touted the medicinal properties of their springs. Magnetic Spring...