Our First Visit to Millersburg
By Brian and Jocelyne Granger

This was our first trip to Millersburg, in which it took us eleven hours to drive there. If you have never been to Millersburg before you definitely have to go to this beautiful and historical city. I always wanted to go there ever since I got my Millersburg Courthouse Bowl five years ago at the WWWCGA convention in Greenville Ohio. I wanted to bring my bowl and take a picture of it with me in front of the Holmes County Courthouse.

The Courthouse Bowl is known in the seven inch size only and in amethyst, but come lettered and say Millersburg Souvenir Courthouse Millersburg Ohio and unlettered saying Millersburg Souvenir. They come in three shapes which are ruffled,three and one edge and ice cream shape. It has a Radium or Satin finish. The bowls were made as a gift to the people who help lay the gas lines to the Millersburg Glass Factory.

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The courthouse is the first thing you see when you enter the center of town, what a beautiful building. We also visited the Millersburg Glass Factory which is now home to the International Packaging and Specialties (IPS) since 1987. The smoke stack and ovens are gone but the building is still there and is an awesome place to see. Just up the road from there is the Millersburg Glass Museum. Jocelyne and I had a great visit there with an educational film and great carnival and crystal to view.

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I was getting thirsty and hungry so we started looking for a place. Right across the street from the courthouse is Bags Sports Pub, what a great place to eat and have a few drinks. They have there own brewery there and their beers are Yummy EH!!!!

The next day Ray Miller, who is on the board of directors of the Millersburg Glass Association and also a friend of ours since meeting him five years ago at the WWWCGA convention in Greenville Ohio asked us to lunch and wanted us to meet him at his place of work. On picking Ray up we saw some beautiful pieces of Millersburg carnival in his office. He asked Jocelyne and I to come to his home first to see his collection of carnival glass which was mostly his favorite, Millersburg of course!!! and to meet his family. The glass was out of this world and his wife and kids were awesome. We ate at the Farmstead Restaurant in Berlin and everything there was home made by the Amish people…..HMM….HMM….good. After lunch we stopped at an antique mall across the road and picked up a few one of a kind pieces of carnival glass.

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Back in Millersburg we stopped off at The Millersburg Glass and Collectibles Store, right across the street from the courthouse where we met and talked to the owner Gregg Oswald and also bought a nice marigold tricornered Blackberry Wreath sauce bowl. Gregg has a fine selection of carnival and other antiques and he also collects Millersburg. A GREAT store to visit when your in Millersburg.

 

That night at the Fall Gathering at the Millersburg Hotel we had food and drink and lot’s of stories to be told by everyone. We met alot of NEW carnival friends there.

The next morning was the Millersburg Auction hosted by none other then Jim Wroda and his crew. They had a giant tent set up on the courtyard lawn with lots of great Millersburg Glass up for the taking. As I was checking out the glass I met two of our friends from the Canadian Carnival Glass club, Ingrid Spurrier and Jenny Bergman…..what a coincidence. Also lots of other friends from different clubs….We managed to pick up a few pieces as the bidding was fierce with lots of Amish people that were in the crowd and LOVE their Millersburg glass.

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We also met Randy and Bo Jones and Steve and Gail Maag after the auction was over and we all headed across the street to Bags Sports Pub for a few drinks and a bite to eat.

As I said before Carnival Glass People are the Best….

Just as we were eating our meals and having a CHIT CHAT the antique festival had their parade and we got to see it all where we were sitting, through the big bay windows…Randy and Bo asked us to go visit their place and to see their carnival glass collection.Their collection was breathtaking………..not only Millersburg Glass but other makers also. Jocelyne and I seen alot of one of a kind pieces of Millersburg glass in both Randy and Bo’s collection and also Ray Millers, something we’ll never forget …Thank-you everyone. Boy are we glad we took this trip to Millersburg, what a FABULOUS time.

On driving home, that’s all we talked about was Millersburg , the great history of the area, people and places to visit. We met new friends and will cherish it forever. A few weeks later I talked to Bo Jones on the phone and started telling her how much we enjoyed our first trip to Millersburg. I also told her we were coming back next year. As soon as I told Bo that, she replied…Well if your coming up next year, Jocelyne and you have to stay with us. Now if that’s not hospitality what isn’t. I told Bo right away of course we’ll take you up on your offer!!!

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Both Jocelyne and I can’t wait till October of this year……

Well that’s our story of our first and not only trip to Millersburg Glass Fall Gatherings. If you have never been to Millersburg you have to go as it will be a trip you will never forget….Take a few extra days to visit nearby towns and Antique shops as you will meet great people and see and find beautiful glass in Millersburg. Now that Jocelyne and I have been to Millersburg…we met new people and made alot of new friends.

On the closing of this long and hope I didn’t bore you story….

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My latest find is this marigold Square Ray’s and Ribbons bowl by Millersburg with the exterior cactus pattern. I got this at an auction in my city of Cornwall, Ontario for a mere $15.00 Canadian which is about $12.50 American. They advertised it as FLASH CARNIVAL!!!!!!!Boy am I glad not many people around here know about Millersburg Glass….The color and iridescence is FANTASTIC and in Pristine condition.

Till next time Take Care and Talk to you all again soon.

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Brian and Jocelyne