Miami's Pride
A
Portrait Of A County
“Miami’s
Pride, A Portrait of a County”
is an artist’s perspective of people, places and everyday life in Miami County,
Ohio by local artist, Karen Purke. The book features original full color
photographs and paintings that include beautifully simplistic rural images,
charming city and village images along with a refreshing perspective of county
landmarks and working people from all corners of the county.
Presentation and signing
schedule
Soft cover with 112 full color pages.
#7001 Price: $32.95
Artist
Statement:
For more than twenty five years I have been a working artist in Miami County. In the summer of 1994, when my daughter was chosen as a delegate for Miami County C. I. S. V. (Children’s International Summer Villages), we received a book from the girl our family was paired with on her native country, Denmark. The book featured color photos of many of the cities and towns that the next summer my daughter would be visiting. At the time I wished that there was book that we could send to our Danish exchange family that would feature Miami County.
Also, over the years friends and clients encouraged me to produce a book featuring my original art work. This fall I decided to start compiling ideas and concepts for a book on Miami County that would achieve both these goals. I wanted to show the whole county as it is today, including as many of the communities large and small as I could. I wanted to document them for the present and future.
It should be noted I have intentionally allowed the images to stand on their own without descriptions other that the township and or community name in which they are located; a popular concept, I might add, with many of the rural property owners whose locations are featured in the book.
This book is divided into five sections. The first section consists of a current Miami County map and its 1911 counter part. I enjoy history so I included the historic map for reference and to show where things like the Miami Erie Canal, now defunct roads, railroads and communities were once located.
The second section of the book features townships and non-townships. When I started the book I thought there were 12 townships in the county with many cities and communities within those townships. I was wrong. I have since learned that the City of Piqua falls into a unique category. The City of Piqua originally was part of Springcreek and Washington townships. In 1995 The City of Piqua was removed from Washington Township. In the quest for accuracy I have listed the City of Piqua separately under the township headings although it is not part of any township.
The third section consists of various locations that relate to the whole county, such as the historic Miami County Courthouse and the Miami County Parks. This section also contains a collection of photos on farming in Miami County that includes everything from a typical family farm to the largest privately owned tree farm in the state of Ohio.
The fourth section of the book covers manufacturing in Miami County and is intended to exhibit the fact that we do make things in Miami County and we do a very good job of it.
The fifth section of the book is called “Around the County” and features important institutions, agencies, activities and landmarks located throughout the county.
During the course of this project I have met many interesting and helpful people. I shot about 3000 photos, received one dog bite, pulled together and revised some of my favorite paintings, drove on almost every country road in the county, filled my gas tank more times than I care to remember and bloodied my arms and knees by falling in a hole.
I have gained a new respect for the elected County and Township officials that govern us and the employees that maintain an amazing 863 miles of roadway throughout the county. I have grown to appreciate the responsibilities our county, state, city, village, township, and law enforcement officers and fire fighters undertake every day. Lastly, as a city dweller the most significant thing that I have realized is that it is easy to assume that most of the county is suburbs and quaint neighborhoods; but the whole story is quite to the contrary. Our county is very rural and many of those county roads I spoke of a moment ago hold a beautiful simplicity that we sometimes tend to forget.
Questions or Comments contact: mcguffey@woh.rr.com
Home About Us Contact Us Shipping Return Policy