Ohio National Road Association

November/December 2023

BOARD OFFICERS 

President - Dixie Lacy-Guernsey County 

Vice President - Jim Young-Licking County

Treasurer -Cathryn Stanley-Belmont County

Secretary - Miranda Fisher - Ohio History Connection 

Immediate Past President -Elizabeth Reeb- Muskingum County 


COUNTY MEMBERS 

John S. Marshall-Belmont County

Wes Baker -Clark County 

William Smith-Clark County

Matthew Schley -Guernsey County

Michael Peppe-Franklin County

William Flood-Franklin County

Sondra Gartner-Licking County

Kyle Massey-Madison County 

Sarah Frankhouser -Montgomery County 

Mary Ellen Weingardner -Muskingum County 


MEMBERS AT LARGE 

Miranda Fisher 

Jon W. Mai·shall 

Jackee Pugh 

Kristina Estle


EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

Thomas Barrett-Office of Environmental Resources 

Regional Planning Commission 

Glenn Harper 

Frank Quinn-Heritage Ohio 

Thea Ewing- HNTB Project Director


HONORED LIFE MEMBER 

Doug Smith 


FACEBOOKADMINISTRATOR 

Cyndie Gerken 

President's Message

Hello everyone,


Fall is here, and many projects for updating ONRA’s website and more are underway.

 

We have a dynamic board and have added some excellent new board members who will propel ONRA into the future.

 

If you are not an ONRA member, please consider joining us to make a difference.

 

The Ohio National Road Association, Inc. (ONRA) was formed in 2000.


ONRA's mission is to preserve, promote, and enhance the Historic National Road in Ohio for present and future generations.

 

ONRA is an all-volunteer, grassroots organization led by an elected executive committee and a Board of Directors made up of two representatives from each of the 10 National Road counties in Ohio, as well as at-large and ex-officio members.

 

General memberships, both individual and business, are available and heartily encouraged for any and all interested parties. Information on joining ONRA can be found in this issue of the newsletter!

 

We appreciate your interest and cordially invite you to join the journey by becoming a member of the Ohio National Road Association.

 

Sincerely,

Dixie L. Lacy

ONRA President

Invoices For 2024 ONRA Dues

Going Out In November

Invoices for 2024 membership dues will go out via email through Wave at the beginning of November and will be due at the end of December. Invoices may be paid via check or the email link. Board members are reminded that paid membership is required to serve on the board per the ONRA bylaws. If you have any questions, contact Treasurer Cathryn Stanley at info@visitbelmontcount.com or

740-695-4359, option 1.

Annual Meeting Reservations Due Nov. 6

Reservations for the Annual Meeting are due to Cathryn Stanley by Monday, November 6, at noon. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 14th at 10 a.m. at the Red Brick Tavern, 1700 Cumberland St., London, Ohio. Lunch will be ordered off the menu. Kyle Massey will host the meeting. Members can also attend via Zoom.

Updates From The Road

Belmont County

Trinity Hospital Breaks Ground on Route 40


Ground was broken in July on the National Road in St. Clairsville as an initial step toward bringing a Trinity neighborhood hospital to the city. Major work is expected to begin in the area along U.S. 40 just east of Plaza West in September, and the two-story building with 10 emergency room beds, six in-patients beds, radiology, and laboratory suites should be in place by 2025 after about 18 months of construction.


Second Annual Blaine Bridge Day Held

The Belmont County Tourism Council, the Ohio National Road Association, the Ohio Department Of Transportation, Pease Township, and Bridgeport Middle School collaborated to give fifth-grade students an unforgettable local history lesson on Friday, September 29. Students learned about and explored Ohio's oldest sandstone bridge, the Blaine Hill “S” Bridge. Built in 1828, the historic three-span stone arch bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places. Students learned about the important contributions Belmont County made in the transportation history of our country. Activities included bridge tours by ONRA Board Member John S. Marshall.

Guernsey County

Karrie Fritz named

Cambridge Main Street Executive Director

Hello. I am Karrie Fritz, the new Executive Director of Cambridge Main Street. I am a graduate of Shenandoah High School, and I have lived in the area for most of my life. Before moving here, I had the opportunity to travel, see new places, and meet new people. I really don't know a stranger.


That is something I look forward to bringing to the office. I can't imagine anything better than making new friends while working to keep Cambridge a place loved by residents and visitors, growing it even bigger and better, and introducing new people to our hometown.


I have many years of experience managing fundraising, non-profit groups, community events, and many wonderful volunteers while working with the Relay for Life, Upward Bounds Parent's Association, American Red Cross, and other groups. My favorite part is always bringing people together by finding common interests and goals and seeing where everyone's specific talents can be used.


I have recently been employed at ODJFS in the unemployment office for the last three years. Prior to that, I worked in the office of Stephen B. Ogle and Associates for seven years. Through these jobs and others, I have had the opportunity to acquire and improve my management, people, organization, communication, and office skills.

I look forward to combining my experience, talents, and passions to represent Cambridge's downtown and surrounding areas.


Stay tuned. Good things are always coming to Main Street.

Dickens Victorian Village of Cambridge Ready to Welcome Holiday Visitors

Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? (Benefit) What do I want them to do here? (Call-to-Action)


Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take an action, so think about inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining"!

Licking County

Licking County Mile Marker Replacement to be Completed Soon

Pictured, l-r: Howard Long Director of the Licking County Historical Society; Denise Keefe, President; Sandy Gartner, ONRA Licking County representative, and Tim Bibb, Licking County Commission President.

The final three Licking County Mile Markers, 215, 221, and 224, are awaiting installation by ODOT District 5. Licking County has the longest segment of the National Road in Ohio, 30.5 miles. This is tremendous news, and when the markers are installed, it will be a newsworthy event for ONRA and the National Road. A big CONGRATS and THANKS to Jim Young and Sandy Gartner for getting these last three Mile Markers funded!

Upcoming Events on the National Road