Ardmore, PA...meet Delaware, OH

We are always looking for good ideas, so we have started to take a look at other small towns with similar architectural patterns...we found a town today: Delaware, Ohio, home to the Little Brown Jug Races and Ohio Wesleyan University.

It started with this photo:

We found it uncanny to the point of spooky how that photo is evocative of what we love and want preserved here in our own Ardmore. This strip could just as easily be in Ardmore.(also see this photo)

We took a virtual trip to their business district authority, they call themselves Main Street Delaware, Inc, and they are part of Heritage Ohio.

Main Street Delaware says in their mission statement:

Welcome to Historic Downtown Delaware!

If you live in the Delaware area or nearby, this gem of a downtown offers unique shopping, professional services of all kinds, delicious eateries, cozy coffee spots, arts, entertainment and so much more in a quaint, small town atmosphere. We are also a scenic drive north from Columbus up beautiful SR 315, downtown Delaware has something for everyone!

Delaware, Ohio also has a First Friday!!! And they state (also as part of their mission statement) "Dedicated to the beautification, revitalization, and preservation of Historic Downtown Delaware Ohio". In one fell swoop, they cover it all, including preservation. They embrace the small town feel, leaving malls and big box stores to other people.

Seriously, the also post their retail/business list: Shopping Guide March 2007 - what a GREAT idea!

Sheesh, Ardmore and Bryn Mawr don't need pricey Midge - we need these people! This Ohio Main Street Community has got it going on....and nowhere on this site do we see these folks claiming condominium boxes are the be all and end all...and the historical society (seperate but a community partner) has some photographs posted of homes in the town, and again, some would remind you of Ardmore or parts of Wayne.

See this link and this one,and theses of the killer flood of 1913
...and very amusing...while we were on our vitural tour, we discovered a Radnor Township in OHIO

These folks in Ohio are doing something right....we'll leave you with the slogan from Big Walnut Area Historical Society
: "Preserving Yesterday, Today, for Tomorrow".

GREAT MANTRA TO LIVE BY! LET'S DO IT HERE!