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Joe's place: Conversations on the Cuyahoga Valley
66 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 12, 2016
I liked this for the content. I am now ready to explore places I know and places I have never known in the Valley.
Joe D. Jesensky was born in Hungary, came to America when he was six, moving to the west side of the Cuyahoga River when he was eight or nine. He lived on top of Main Street hill in what is now known as Ohio City. His playground was the Flats near the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, the neighborhood dumps, and the nearby streets. He attended St. Malachi, in what was the boys' school. When that building was condemned, the boys were transferred to the girls' school near the church. Even then he was an artist.
Jesensky relates his tales of exploration, freight train hopping, tugboat riding, sledding, and enjoying the river and the railroad bridges. At 16, he became an art student and began wandering more of the Cuyahoga Valley in search of adventure and interesting topics for sketching. His wandering continued his entire life - including some time working for the Akron park system.
The book is arranged from the mouth of the river to Akron, stopping along the way to share stories of buildings, Indian areas, railroads, waterfalls, natural scenery, and history. Although I thought I knew the area well, there is much more to learn and explore.
I had difficulty with the writing in the book. It does not say, but I believe this book resulted from a series of conversations with Jesensky and was recorded in that style. It makes for some odd transitions and asides, but really whets one's appetite for exploration.
Joe D. Jesensky was born in Hungary, came to America when he was six, moving to the west side of the Cuyahoga River when he was eight or nine. He lived on top of Main Street hill in what is now known as Ohio City. His playground was the Flats near the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, the neighborhood dumps, and the nearby streets. He attended St. Malachi, in what was the boys' school. When that building was condemned, the boys were transferred to the girls' school near the church. Even then he was an artist.
Jesensky relates his tales of exploration, freight train hopping, tugboat riding, sledding, and enjoying the river and the railroad bridges. At 16, he became an art student and began wandering more of the Cuyahoga Valley in search of adventure and interesting topics for sketching. His wandering continued his entire life - including some time working for the Akron park system.
The book is arranged from the mouth of the river to Akron, stopping along the way to share stories of buildings, Indian areas, railroads, waterfalls, natural scenery, and history. Although I thought I knew the area well, there is much more to learn and explore.
I had difficulty with the writing in the book. It does not say, but I believe this book resulted from a series of conversations with Jesensky and was recorded in that style. It makes for some odd transitions and asides, but really whets one's appetite for exploration.
August 3, 2016
Joe's place : conversations on the Cuyahoga Valley / by Joseph D. Jesensky ; illustrations by Joseph D. Jesensky & Chuck Ayers ; maps by Chuck Ayers.
34414002183526 Kent Free Library 977.131 J491j
34414002183526 Kent Free Library 977.131 J491j
May 5, 2014
Very interesting! I learned a lot more about the Cuyahoga Valley than I already knew!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews