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36-548: Eugenia Benbow Sheppard was born in Nelsonville, Ohio , the daughter of James Taylor Sheppard and Jane (Benbow) Sheppard. She graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 1921. She was credited with having "revolutionized fashion reporting with her reports in the New York Herald Tribune (1940–56)". Her syndicated column, Inside Fashion , made her the most influential fashion arbiter of the 1950s and 1960s. Her fashion columns at

72-462: A distinctive star pattern. Many of the sidewalks in the public square and historic district contain these bricks. In more recent years, its main industrial base was the Rocky Shoes & Boots factory, which has since moved out of the country, but continues to maintain the new Rocky Gear Store, set in the renovated, original factory next to Rocky Brands corporate offices. Nelsonville is located along

108-604: A licensed footwear brand in Dickies . In 2006, Rocky Shoes & Boots changed its name to Rocky Brands, Inc. Following the name change Rocky Brands acquired comfort footwear Zumfoot shoes and Michelin footwear. In February 2014 the company acquired Los Angeles based Creative Recreation for $ 11 million. In 2015, Creative Recreation's original owner Rich Cofinco was made creative director. In 2021, Rocky Brands acquired Honeywell 's performance and lifestyle footwear business for $ 230 million, including The Original Muck Boot Company,

144-683: A thriving theater, Stuart's Opera House , both located on the Public Square. During the American Civil War 's famed Morgan's Raid , Confederate cavalry under Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan paused in Nelsonville in July 1863 and burned ten wooden canal boats. However, the 400 confederates failed to destroy a covered bridge over the Hocking Canal when citizens rushed to extinguish the blaze after

180-535: Is Ohio's last remaining fully operating 2nd story opera house, and is located on the Nelsonville's Public Square. Stuart's hosts over 75 events a year including: the Annual Nelsonville Music Festival, concerts, plays, films, art and more. Several theater groups perform at Stuart's, including the local Athenian Berean Community (ABC) Players. The opera house also offers private events for weddings, receptions and special community events. The Dew Hotel

216-561: Is Robins Crossing, a restored pioneer village located on both the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway train route and the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway . This collection of restored log cabins showcases pioneer life, and includes a general store, school house, and a blacksmith's shop. During the warm season, demonstrations are performed at Robins Crossing on most Saturdays and Sundays, and the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway

252-660: Is also located on the Public Square. The former hotel has a noted balcony where President William Howard Taft, President William McKinley, President Warren G. Harding and President Theodore Roosevelt all campaigned. Rocky Brands was founded in Nelsonville in 1932 as the Wm. Brooks Co. and the corporate headquarters are still located in the city. The former shoe factory now serves as the Rocky Outdoor Gear Store, and features three floors of outerwear, clothing, home interiors, specialty food products and boots. The Nelsonville Cross

288-554: Is available to experience the village. Hocking Technical College also is home to Hocking Woods Nature Center where visitors can learn about animals native to the region. The Hockhocking Adena Bikeway , an 18-mile (29 km) long bicycle path , connects Nelsonville with the county seat of Athens . The Nelsonville portion of the bikeway runs from the Inn at Hocking Technical College to the Nelsonville Public Square district. It

324-822: Is designed for walking, running, biking, cross-country skiing, skating, and wheelchairs. The Hocking Valley Scenic Railway began as part of the historic Hocking Valley Railway in the early 1870s. Today, the railway offers scenic excursions from Nelsonville to Logan , traversing the Hocking Hills . Known for their specialty trains, the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway hosts thousands of passengers each year. Seasonal train rides include: Easter Train, Robbery Trains, North Pole Express, Fall Foliage Trips, Haunted Hills Train, Santa Train, Caboose Train, Great Hocking Valley Train Pull, dinner and wine trains. During World War II,

360-565: Is divided into three units managed out of two Ranger District offices located in Nelsonville and Ironton, with a field office in Marietta. The forest headquarters are located just outside the city limits on US Route 33 , overlooking the Hocking River . It includes Ohio's largest collection of ATV trails. Tourist activities include: hiking, canoeing, mountain biking, ATV riding, and bird watching. The residents of Nelsonville are served locally by

396-589: Is located on U.S. Route 33 . A bypass was completed in December 2013 for the village. At the 2020 census, Nelsonville's population was initially counted as 4,612. This would cause the community to adopt a village form of government per section 703.01(A) of the Ohio Revised Code . However, the count was revised to 5,373 after being challenged by city administration. As of the census of 2010, there were 5,392 people, 1,969 households, and 920 families residing in

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432-545: Is surrounded by Ohio's only national forest, the Wayne National Forest . First settled in 1814 by the Daniel Nelson, Nelsonville was incorporated in 1838 with Charles Cable as its first mayor. Nelsonville blossomed into a classic Appalachian town by the mid-19th century, relying on the extractive industries of coal, clay and salt. Like many large mining towns, Nelsonville was home to a large hotel, The Dew House, and

468-659: The New York Herald Tribune carried Joe Eula 's illustrations. Sheppard wrote a children's play, Cinderella (1928). She also collaborated with Earl Blackwell on writing two novels, Crystal Clear (1978) and Skyrocket (1980), both set in the fashion world. Sheppard married three times. Her first two marriages, to Samuel Black and Preston Wolfe, ended in divorce. She married her third husband, fellow journalist Walter Millis , in 1944; he died in 1968. She died from cancer in 1984, aged 85 years, in New York City . She

504-519: The Council of Fashion Designers of America . Winners include Robin Givhan , Cathy Horyn , Nina Hyde , and André Leon Talley . Nelsonville, Ohio Nelsonville is a city in northwestern Athens County, Ohio , United States, located about 60 miles (97 km) southeast of Columbus . The population was 5,373 at the 2020 census . It is home to Hocking College as well as Rocky Brands . Nelsonville

540-462: The Great Depression when Godman Shoe Co. of Columbus went bankrupt. In search of opportunity, the brothers set up shop in a rent-free factory with lent equipment and what would eventually become Rocky Brands was born. The company originally employed 50 to 100 workers with a production rate of 300 pairs of shoes per day. With a newly constructed addition and the installation of more equipment, by

576-478: The Hocking River ; Monday Creek flows through the eastern part of the city. One of the main streets, Canal Street, is located over where the old Hocking Canal once ran. According to the United States Census Bureau , the village has a total area of 5.00 square miles (12.95 km ), of which 4.89 square miles (12.67 km ) is land and 0.11 square miles (0.28 km ) is water. Nelsonville

612-758: The 19th century, the Hocking Valley was known for its abundance of natural resources, particularly clay. Numerous brick companies began to form after the iron furnaces went out of blast. One of the first to emerge was the Nelsonville Brick Company. In 1877, the Nelsonville Brick Company began their extensive operation. The Nelsonville Block, Hallwood Block, Hocking Block, and the Star Brick were all manufactured by them. In 1880, more kilns and stacks were constructed as an expansion. Nearly twenty-five million blocks and bricks were manufactured each year to keep up with

648-615: The Bookmobile. Rocky Brands Rocky Brands, Inc. , formerly known as Rocky Shoes & Boots, Inc. , is a company which designs, develops, manufactures, and markets outdoor, work, western and military footwear, and other outdoor and work apparel and accessories. The company was founded in 1932 in Nelsonville , Ohio , and still maintains its corporate headquarters there. In 1932, William Brooks, joined by his brother F. M. "Mike" Brooks, founded The William Brooks Shoe Company in Nelsonville , Ohio . Both men had lost their jobs during

684-509: The Irving Drew years as plant manager, bought the business back for $ 640,000, re-establishing The William Brooks Shoe Company in Nelsonville. John Brooks then brought his son, Mike Brooks, into the business as a product designer and manager. In 1977, Mike Brooks won an award for what now is called the original "Rocky boot," and the company paid $ 1,000 for a trademark and launched the Rocky brand. As

720-772: The Nelsonville-York City School District and Nelsonville-York High School . Additionally, Tri-County Career Center hosts a joint vocational school district with the following districts participating: Alexander, Athens, Federal-Hocking, Logan, Miller, Nelsonville-York, New Lexington and Trimble Local Schools. Nelsonville has a public library, which is the main branch of the Athens County Public Libraries . The Athens County Public Library system hosts locations in: Athens, Chauncey, Coolville, Glouster, Nelsonville, The Plains, Wells Library in Albany, and

756-537: The World's Fair in St. Louis. The Great Depression, combined with the use of concrete, led to the demise of the Nelsonville Brick Company. In 1937, the plant closed down. Although the main plant is gone, a few kilns and stacks, which were part of the expansion in 1880, still remain. An effort is underway to save the remaining kilns and stacks. Hocking College provides several tourist opportunities in Nelsonville. One stop at Hocking

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792-494: The business to the Irving Drew Shoe Company of Lancaster , Ohio . His nephew, John Brooks, who had worked in the plant full-time since age 17, attempted to make a play for the family-run business, but his efforts were rebuffed. William Brooks refused to sell, telling his nephew the shoe industry had no future. In 1975, the new owners were getting ready to sell or shut down the business. John Brooks, who stayed through

828-421: The city. The population density was 1,102.7 inhabitants per square mile (425.8/km ). There were 2,257 housing units at an average density of 461.6 per square mile (178.2/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 94.2% White , 2.8% African American , 0.5% Native American , 0.3% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 0.4% from other races , and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of

864-417: The company public, spending nearly three-quarters of a million dollars in the process, changing the name to Rocky Shoes & Boots and initiating the company's initial public offering. Rocky Shoes & Boots acquired EJ Footwear on December 6, 2004, for $ 87.7 million in cash and roughly $ 10 million in stock. The move brought Georgia Boot, Durango, and Lehigh Safety Shoes brands into Rocky's fold and added

900-427: The company struggled in the early 1980s, the shoe market bounced back, and in 1983, the company began marketing occupational shoes, such as those worn by police officers and mail carriers, under the Rocky brand. It opened up new markets and new distribution methods. Sales rose and in 1988, the company reached $ 20 million in annual revenue. Two years after the retirement of John Brooks in 1991, his son, Mike Brooks took

936-452: The end of October, in addition to the seasonal train rides. The Nelsonville Yards were once the busiest railroad yards in the entire state of Ohio. The Wayne National Forest , the only national forest in Ohio, surrounds the city of Nelsonville. The Wayne National Forest is a patchwork of public land that covers over a quarter million acres of Appalachian foothills of southeastern Ohio. The Forest

972-513: The high demand. The railroads stayed busy transporting their products throughout the Midwest. The blocks and bricks manufactured in Nelsonville were very popular. One of them in particular was known as the king of all pavers, the Nelsonville Block. The salt glazed surface not only made it watertight, it also gave it a distinct and attractive finish. In 1904, the Nelsonville Block won first prize at

1008-418: The hilltop. Manufactured of metal of special composition which includes steel and aluminum, it bears a porcelain white color. Newspapers in all parts of America and Europe have carried photographs of it as the "World's Largest Metal Cross", illuminated at night. Nelsonville has received much publicity from its location. The Brick Kiln Park is located on the grounds of the former Nelsonville Brick Company. In

1044-465: The mid-1930s the factory employed 225 people and production output increased to more than 2,000 pairs per day. During the 1940s and 1950s business continued to grow. While supplying more than one million pairs of shoes and boots for military conflicts such as World War II and the Korean War , the company built key relationships with leading footwear retailers. But in 1958, William Brooks decided to sell

1080-536: The original Hocking Valley Railroad ran 138 steam locomotives, 70 passenger cars and 15,000 freight cars along 340 route-miles of track. Today, the trains of the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway again pull out of Nelsonville, for pleasure this time, to take passengers on leisurely glides through beautiful, Southeastern Ohio. Two train rides depart from the railroad depot at U.S. Rt. 33 and the Hocking Parkway Drive on Saturdays and Sundays, Memorial Day Weekend through

1116-441: The population. There were 1,969 households, of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.4% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 53.3% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

Eugenia Sheppard - Misplaced Pages Continue

1152-585: The raiders rode off. This allowed Union cavalry to continue their pursuit of the fleeing Confederates when they arrived in Nelsonville two hours later. Upon arriving in town, the Union cavalry was delighted that the townspeople had prepared a feast for them. In 1888, Nelsonville became the first city in the United States west of the Allegheny Mountains to have citywide electric street lights. Nelsonville

1188-619: Was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age in the city was 25.1 years. 17.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 32.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.4% were from 25 to 44; 16.7% were from 45 to 64; and 9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 54.8% male and 45.2% female. Nelsonville's Public Square, adorned with local Star Bricks, is home to several shops, restaurants, business offices and financial institutions (Nelsonville First National Bank, Nelsonville Home & Savings, Foundation for Appalachian Ohio). Stuart's Opera House , built in 1879,

1224-606: Was admitted into the national Main Street Program and named a Preserve America Community . The central business district has also been placed on the National Register of Historic Places , and both the Dew House and Stuart's Opera House have been listed separately. Nelsonville was home to a number of companies that used the area's dense clay to produce many different types of bricks, particularly glazed paving bricks, some with

1260-487: Was erected on Kontner's Hill in April, 1973. It is a Memorial Cross to Mrs. Elizabeth Smith Schwartz by her husband Mr. Walter L. Schwartz. Mr. Schwartz wanted to honor his wife by sharing their faith with their hometown, where they grew up together and later married. The body of the cross is 4.5 feet by 4.5 feet, the cross arm is 25 feet in length and the body is 65 feet tall, anchored to a base of concrete which rises 8 feet above

1296-402: Was survived by her son Sheppard Black, stepson Walter Millis, Jr., and stepdaughter Sarah Millis McCoy. Andy Warhol succinctly memorialized her in his diary entry of Monday, November 12, 1984, writing, "Oh and the day had started out with Eugenia Sheppard dying of cancer. She invented fashion and gossip together." The Eugenia Sheppard Award for journalism has been given annually since 1987 by

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