Blog 1: Local History/Geography (Pre-work)

Category 1: Local geography and history--PreWriting

I already know a good bit about the geography of Athens County, in part because they're so similar to the rest of southeastern Ohio and share connections with conditions throughout Appalachia. I know less about the specific history of Athens County, such as local settlement patterns, university history, local legends and myths, etc. These are things I would like to learn, and that I think are valuable to feeling like a citizen of Athens County. (I went to a talk Craig Meyer gave about his research on the Civil War experiences of Springfield, Illinois; he claimed that after all the research he felt like Springfield was his hometown, even though it wasn't, simply because he'd learned so much about it. That seems like a very powerful statement about the influence of place knowledge and our interpretations of what it means to feel at home in a place.)

In thinking about the historical conditions of Athens County, I'm realizing that, unlike my home county, I don't really know the story behind the county's naming. I'm assuming that it was named after Athens, Greece, as several locations in this area reflect classical names (Troy, Carthage, and Rome townships come to mind). Is it solely due to the influence of Ohio University? Whose idea was it? Why Athens and not another famous seat of learning (such as Miami University's town of Oxford)? What can we learn about the early county residents from this name choice?

I think it would be worth knowing this information for its own sake, but also in order to understand the rhetorical power behind such a name. Living and attending a university in a town and county named for one of the great centers of learning was intended to mean something. It's a responsibility as well as a name. My target audience for this blog entry would therefore likely be a local one, of university and county residents. However, I would like to convey something about the power of naming that could have an effect for readers in multiple locations. Place names are (usually) chosen thoughtfully and with a purpose. Maybe knowing what this purpose is can teach us something about ways to live there.

Tentative Topic: What is the history behind the Athens place-name?

Research Plan: My first source would probably be an internet scan, as most counties have a webpage, visitor's bureau, and a historical society that could give me more information about county origins. Beyond that, the reading room at Alden Library's rare book collection has copies of Ohio county histories which would likely prove useful. Failing this, direct contact with staff at the historical society might provide needed information about the county's formation and naming. 

Sources:

History of Athens County, Ohio by Charles Manning Walker (1869)

Getting to Know Athens County by Elizabeth Grover Beatty and Marjorie Stone (1984)

The History of Ohio University by Thomas Hoover (1954)

Entry Outline:

Introduction: Why is this a significant topic?

Ohio Company: "Athens" and the founders' "classical educations" (which really only Cutler had)

Cutler: naming the American University (a name which changed; explore the rhetoric behind this change)

Conclusion: Cutler Hall 



Modal Construction:
There are several things going on in this entry. I talk about my interest in the rhetorical power behind naming, then my specific focus on the naming of Athens and Ohio University. Then I discuss the history behind these naming choices, including an excerpt from Manasseh Cutler's correspondence. To provide a level of internal division to reflect the altering focus within the entry, I'll utilize blogger's options for font and color. Additionally, I'd like to emphasize the concept of OU's complicated naming history with an illustrative photo of Cutler Hall. I chose a photograph I'd taken last summer, which includes the building and the plaque bearing the building's name and age.