This Quilt Block is based upon the official flower of The City of Athens, Ohio, produced at Passion Works Studio.

Passion Works Studio supports collaborations between artist with and without developmental disabilities. Since 1998 the studio has created one-of-a-kind art pieces and translated artwork into items such as jewelry, ornaments, flowers, and greeting cards.

Visit their Site http://www.passionworks.org/index.php

Also, since 1984 Project Plant has been doing their part to make Athens a visually inviting place. Following Project Plants example the City of Athens has implemented the “City Beautification Program” with two interns in the late 1990's. Later the City adopted a new Lands and Buildings Department with the Division of Landscaping and Beautification with permanent part-time employee's.

In the past 5 years the city of Athens has planted approximately 659 trees, 1,429 flats of flowers, 740 perennials, 1,714 bulbs, and developed 13 new sites, and 57 flower beds.

Also active in the landscaping and beautification of Athens County are Master Gardeners of the Athens County OSU Extension Agency, Athens City Tree Commission, Athens Gardening Club, Thyme & Again Gardening, Athens Herb Guild, Ohio University, Division of Forestry, and The Athens Soil and Water Conservation District.

Ohio’s Appalachian Country is flourishing with rich culture, timeless traditions and genuine hospitality. But the beauty of the area is what strikes people first. Filled with caves and vistas, vast forests and idyllic waterways, it has become a favorite unspoiled retreat, whether you seek camping, inns or full-service hotels. The area's long history of commerce has left it with historical and cultural treasures and the artisans who always have flocked here add a special dimension.

Herman Haerlin, a student of Frederick Law Olmstead (the designer of Central Park), designed what is now The Athens Ridges. The hospital and its grounds were nearly self-sufficient and were known for it's magnificent gardens. The asylum itself was built from bricks which were fired on-site from clay dug on-site.

Around the turn of the 20th century, the production of clay bricks boomed in the region of Southeastern Ohio. The brick kilns of Nelsonville on State Route 278 just west of town are some of the last vestiges of the once thriving brick industry of Athens County, Ohio. Brick factories were located in Glouster, Trimble, Nelsonville, Athens, and other towns throughout the county.

In Trimble, a fable claims bricks from their plant were used to pave the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1910. A 1980 article in The Athens Messenger confirmed this, citing a 1952 recorded interview with Roy Andrews, who was the foreman of Trimble Block Company. Andrews claimed to have taken the order for the Indianapolis bricks that were used to pave the track.

For more information about Southeastern Ohio and Industry, go to:

http://www.ohiou.edu/southeastohio/marchives/archivef5.html

This block mimics the leaf of the buckeye tree that is opposite, palmately compound with 5 leaflets. Oval to obviate leaflets are 3 to 6 inches long with a serrated margin, rachis about as long as leaflets.

As a result of a political remark made by an opposition newspaper, a log cabin decorated with raccoon skins and a string of buckeyes became the symbol of General William Henry Harrison's presidential campaign. The nickname for Ohio and its inhabitants--Buckeye--became official in 1953 when the legislature named the Ohio Buckeye the state tree.

The buckeye tree derives the name from its large brown seeds, which resemble the eyes of the white-tailed deer. Instantly dubbed "buckeye" in frontier speech, the mysterious nut was used as a general cure-all for generations. Some believe that the buckeye nut relieves rheumatism pain and provides good fortune when carried in the pockets of their garments or worn as an amulet around the neck.

For more information on Ohio's official tree, go to:

http://www.50states.com/tree/ohio.htm

http://www.dnr.ohio.gov/forestry/Education/infobuckeye.htm

There are over 510 farms in Athens County averaging 160 acres. Farmers have an opportunity to capitalize farm production with local markets including The Athens Farmers Market.

Begun in 1972 with only three vendors the market now boasts over 60 vendors selling agricultural, horticultural, or food items that they themselves have grown, produced, or processed.

Located in the University Mall Parking Lot on East State Street, in Athens, Ohio it is open Saturdays year-round 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays, April through November 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For more information about The Athens Farmers Market, go to:

http://www.athensfarmersmarket.org/

The Dairy Barn Arts Center’s mission is to promote the arts, crafts and cultural heritage of southeastern Ohio, and to bring to the region the very best of the arts from all over the world. The year-round calendar includes exhibitions, festivals, educational programs and special events.

Built in 1914, the Dairy Barn is listed on the national Register of Historic Places and features a 6500 square-foot gallery. Two of the structure's distinctive architectural elements are its slate roof and three cupolas. It sits on 36 acres of scenic pastoral land.

The Dairy Barn Cultural Arts Center was founded in 1978 by Athens natives Harriet and Ora Anderson. The building was at one time a working dairy barn, but when the barn ceased operations in the mid-1970s, the state of Ohio scheduled it for demolition. However, Harriet and Ora, who had been long-time supporters of the arts in southeastern Ohio, had another vision for the barn- a community arts center. They petitioned the governor, and the building was saved just nine days before it was due to be torn down.

Since then the Dairy Barn has become a respected arts center, regionally, nationally, and internationally. Two Dairy Barn shows, Quilt National and Bead International, are recognized international exhibits that represent the cutting edge of their mediums. They draw artists and spectators from around the world and the 50 states.

For more information on The Dairy Barn, go to:

http://www.dairybarn.org/

Although there is no hard documentation, folklore has it that quilts were used to guide slaves through the Underground Railroad.  These stories have been passed from one generation to the next since the war years.  A Log Cabin quilt hanging in a window or on a clothes line with a black center for the chimney hole was indicative of a safe house.  Underground Railroad quilts of the Jacob's Ladder pattern supposedly gave clues as to the safe path to freedom.  

Some of the oldest historical sites in Athens County are Native American burial and ceremonial mounds scattered around the county. Most of these are located in The Plains, located just northwest of Athens on U.S. Rt. 33 and Ohio Rt. 682. The Plains was a religious center of the Adena Indians and also served as a burial ground.

One of the more interesting mounds to visit is the one located in the Indian Mound Campground on 7986 Roundhouse Road
near New Marshfield. Many of the mounds have been researched by archeologists, but many artifacts from Athens County's earliest residents remain buried.

Every year during the fall The Indian Mound Festival is held in The Plains, Ohio

For more history of early inhabitants of Athens County, go to:

http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohathens/Athenscountyhistory.htm

The Quilt National logo block is based on a quilt that was made in 1979 the inaugural year of Quilt National. This block was designed by Porter Smith Thayer.