1. A Silent Century
The house, a spare, rambling structure reminiscent of the Italianate Victorian style popular when it came to life in the 1840s, has seen a lot of change. For much of the last century, it has been sitting in near-silence as Winesburg, Ohio, transformed from its first incarnation as a popular stop for settlers headed west to the beating heart of today's Amish country.
Winesburg's history began as Weinsburg, settled by four bachelors from Germany in 1832 who named it after the German town famous for its strong women. King Conrad III of the Holy Roman Empire attacked the Bavarian town and, as a courtesy to its women citizens, allowed them to leave with whatever they could carry. The women slung their husbands over their shoulders and carried their children under their arms. So impressed by this display of loyalty and strength, the King spared all of the citizens of Weinsburg.
The bachelors soon established a vibrant trading outpost for adventure-seekers, pioneers, hunters, and travelers. At its height before Prohibition, Winesburg boasted hotels, taverns, and shops, including The Winesburg Provision. The spelling of the town's name was changed with the formation of the post office in 1833. Sherwood Anderson brought some misplaced fame to the town when he published his collection of short stories under the title Winesburg, Ohio, in 1919. Based on his upbringing in Clyde, Ohio—not Winesburg—Anderson's famous book would bring countless literary tourists to Winesburg over the next hundred years.
Today, Winesburg is a town full of history and the folksy charm of a small town with an unusual cultural confluence. Squarely in the heart of Ohio's Amish country, its doors no longer house dusty settlers, trappers, and revelers. Instead, the township is dry and the area hums with a finely tuned efficiency. Amish and English (as the rest of us are referred to by the Amish community) operate businesses, vacation rentals, coffee shops, and general stores. Legions of young Amishmen ride their bicycles with softball bats strapped to their backs in warmer months, heading to the well-used softball fields just north of Main Street. Buggies, led by polished dark brown horses, clip-clop through town, sharing the road with semi-trucks, cars, bicycles, and pedestrians. It is a peaceful place, and Main Street's busyness must echo what its dirt streets were like nearly 200 years ago when they were scratched from the surrounding rolling hills.
This is the story of how The Winesburg Provision comes back to life, one bit at a time. Since its days as a family-run meat market, it has sat in relative silence. But, the residents within its walls managed to keep pieces of American history that we aim to preserve as we restore it to its former beauty. The stories that are emerging from what we found tucked in boxes, behind baseboards and floorboards, and in trash bags in the attic are worth telling. Follow along as we plan the modern iteration of The Winesburg Provision. We hope to see you somewhere along our journey.
~ Julie + Tim
