Thursday, August 12, 2010

The Blue Hole

I spent a lot of time out in Castalia a few months ago while researching the Crystal Rock Caves, and thus grabbed this shot of the entrance to the Blue Hole as it looks today.

It's kind of sad that the Blue Hole isn't open for tours anymore. I remember seeing it as a kid with my family, and later on in the 1980's before it closed in 1990. It was just a nice relaxing thing to do on a sunny Sunday.

Here is what the 1940 Ohio Guide said about the Blue Hole:

On State 269 is the BLUE HOLE (adm. 10 cents–15 cents), 2.1 m (L), a beautiful spring, 75 feet in diameter, that daily exudes 7,000,000 gallons of water into the winding race near by. The spring's blue measureless depths reveal iridescent wonders: the simulacrum of an Alpine village, or a mountainside farm, or a medieval castle. The Indians believed the waters were medicinal, and white men marveled at the spring as early as 1761. Visitors have come to it from all parts of the world. When Cold Creek was dammed in 1819, the regurgitant river enlarged the Blue Hole to its present dimensions.

I remember the ubiquitous round signs for the Blue Hole along Route 6.  To me, the Blue Hole made Castalia a magical place – along with the Crystal Rock Caves and Deer Park.

Anyway, here are a few postcards to rekindle some Blue Hole memories.

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For more information about the Blue Hole, click here for a Wiki entry that also mentions the 'other' Blue Holes in the area. To read some reminisces, you can check out the Roadside America's website or click here for some more interesting recollections on another website.

The best source for information and fantastic photos, however is the Arcadia Publishing book by Glenn C. Kuebeler, Castalia, Cold Creek and the Blue Hole. It's a terrific book and a must-have for your book shelf.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

great view!

Carl said...

This place looked so majestic and wonderful! I can tell that this place also is very peaceful and visitors would definitely love to go to this place. But I think, if it has better and bigger signage, it will be more visible to the tourists roaming around. And a better signage has great quality steel strapping and steel strapping seals to ensure its strength and durability.

Anonymous said...

I have an original tour guide/program guide for this place if you would like me to send a copy to the site owner to place on this website. my email is boywon20m@msn.com

Anonymous said...

On a family trip to Deer park, I was chased by a llama that was loose. My dad kept yelling "drop the cone" at the time you would get an ice cream cone with pellets to feed them. That one wanted them all.

Anonymous said...

We visited the Blue Hole every year on our an annual family vacation. I remember being amazed at the mystery every year and couldn't wait to see it. My Sister and I spent hours walking and gazing into the blue water and talking about it. I was sad to hear it closed and you can still see the entrance from the road. Things are overgrown and the sign says, private property. There is another blue hole located close by at the hatchery. - It brought tons of memories as I walked back there by myself. If you get a chance, check it out. Not too many free things left around. Kudos to the hatchery for allowing the public a sneak peak.