This summer, Athens County residents will have the opportunity to purchase Athens County
The Second Century 1905-2005 a book that documents the past 100 years of Athens County.
The 300-page book is being written by more than 100 volunteers from throughout Athens County, said City Prosecutor Lisa Eliason, who is editing the book.
The idea to put together the book came from Athens Law Director Garry Hunter, who is publishing the book, Eliason said.
Last summer
I became aware that 2005 was Athens County's bicentennial
Hunter said.
Topics in the book include Athens County agriculture, farming, folklore and churches, as well as O'Bleness Memorial Hospital and the Athens County Fair, Eliason said. She said the book will be arranged in alphabetical order by topic.
According to the Law Director's Journal
a monthly newsletter published by Hunter, other topics in the book include Ohio University, prominent people and Athens' Uptown.
A group of OU students and Tom Hodson, director of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, are contributing articles on the African-American community and mining, according to the journal.
More than 25 area churches also have provided accounts of their histories for the book.
The book also includes photographs and antique postcards of Athens County, Eliason said.
Hunter said to celebrate a centennial, someone would typically publish a book that documented the past 100 years.
He said he checked around and found out that no one had plans to publish such a book, so he decided to take on the project.
The last book published about Athens County history was an atlas published in 1905, Eliason said.
Hunter said volunteers have raised $24,000 in financial support from local businesses and institutions to cover the book's publishing costs.
OU, Athens City and Hocking Valley Bank have each donated $5,000 to the project, Hunter said.
Other donors to the book include Ohio University Employee's Credit Union, the O'Bleness Foundation, Bank One and Oak Hill Bank, Hunter said.
The book will be sold for around $25 and will cover remaining publishing costs, Hunter said.
Any additional revenue could be used toward enhancement projects to the book, including publishing an additional book or CD-ROM with information and pictures that did not make it into the first book.
Hunter said the 1905 atlas might also be reprinted with proceeds that exceed publishing costs.
Although it has not yet been determined where the book will be sold, it might be available for purchase at local bookstores and businesses, Hunter said.
Hunter, who was born and raised in Athens County, said he saw the book as an opportunity to celebrate Athens County's bicentennial.
I didn't want to see the bicentennial pass without a documentation of the past 100 years
he said.
Anyone interested in contributing to the book can contact the City Law Director's office.
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Jessica Forrester
