Local woman researches the 'other' Ashlands
January 24, 2008 (Bill Doran, Herald Progress)
Betty
Carol Stevenson started researching all of the Ashlands in the United States
10 years ago. She originally started her research for a presentation for the
Ashland Women's Club. Betty Carol Stevenson with map marked to show Ashlands
in the nation. (H-P Photo by Bill Doran)
Stevenson shared stories, photos and more of her research on the towns and cities named Ashland Jan. 16 at the Ashland Branch of the Pamunkey Regional Library as the first in a continuing series of programs on Ashland's 150th Anniversary.
There are 19 Ashlands throughout the country and each has its own unique style. Here are some of them:
Kentucky - The town that became Ashland, Kentucky was founded in 1786 by settlers migrating from Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. The name Ashland, after Henry Clay's estate in Lexington, was adopted in 1854, two years after Clay's death. Most of the homes are Victorian style homes. It has a population of 23,622 and is recognized as one of the safest places in the country to live. The City of Ashland sits on the bank of the Ohio River near the confluence of the Big Sandy River. The Ohio River is the boundary between Kentucky and Ohio, and the Big Sandy River is the boundary between Kentucky and West Virginia.
Ashland, Kentucky has a similar form of government to our own Ashland including its own police department. It is organized as a home rule community and governed through the commission/manager form of government. The city manager is the chief administrative officer for the City. He reports to the board of commissioners. All department heads report to the city manager. The city manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the City, but by statute does not have the authority to hire or fire personnel. That authority is granted exclusively to the majority of the board of commissioners.
Louisiana - Ashland, Louisiana is a village that was incorporated in 1963. It has a population of only 291 people. "I was recently sent some information from them," said Stevenson. "Included was a bumper sticker that read 'Center of the Universe.' I think they stole our motto. "They had a one-room school house until 1981."
Massachusetts - Ashland, Massachusetts is known as the home of the electric clock. It is where inventor Henry E. Warren invented the Warren Synchronizing Timer in 1916, which made electric clocks possible by keeping alternating current flowing from power plants at a consistent 60 cycles per second. In partnership with General Electric, Warren founded Telechron, which manufactured electric clocks in Ashland into the 1980s. This Ashland was incorporated in 1846 and has a population of nearly 15,000 residents. It also has a railroad running through the center of town, as well as a Myrtle Street. Traditions like the Ashland Day fair and small-town favorites like the ice cream shop Tasty Treat and breakfast joint Sunnyside help maintain the feeling of a close-knit community.
New Hampshire - Ashland, New Hampshire has a population of 1,955 and is located near the geographic center of the state. It was incorporated in 1868. It is home to New Hampshire's second largest lake, Squam Lake, which was the setting for the classic movie, "On Golden Pond." This Ashland is also a railroad town and was named for the Kentucky estate of Henry Clay.
Ohio - Ashland, Ohio was incorporated as a city in 1916 and boasts a population of 21,249. A Mayor and a five-person city council govern the city. It is mostly an Amish community, and home of Ashland University. Prior to its incorporation, the town was named Ashland, on the recommendation of Henry Clay. Ashland is well known for its welcome sign that proclaims the city to be, "The World Headquarters of Nice People." In the mid-1800's, Ohio pioneers traveled to Oregon and named the settlement there Ashland, Oregon.
Oregon - Ashland, Oregon was settled in 1852 and has a population of 21,430. It also is a railroad town, and home of Southern Oregon University. It is well known for its annual Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF), which brings thousands of visitors to the city every year. The festival has grown from a summer outdoor festival in the 1930s to a season stretching from February to October, incorporating Shakespeare and non-Shakespearean plays in repertory at three theaters. OSF sells more tickets to more performances of more plays than any other theater in the country. In a typical year, OSF sells more than 350,000 tickets and attracts about 100,000 tourists.
To see these and all the Ashlands throughout the USA, visit the Richard S. Gillis, Jr. Ashland Branch Library, 201 S. Railroad Avenue. The photos and histories will be on display through Jan. 31.