Down By the Old Mill Stream

Down by the Old Mill Stream, where I first met you,
with your eyes of blue, dressed in gingham too,
It was there I knew, that you loved me true,
You were sixteen, my village queen,
Down by the Old Mill Stream.

Music by Tell Taylor --1910

OK, now who hasn't sung this song at least once? And if, like me, you happen to have lived in Findlay, Ohio you have sung it a LOT more than once. And why is that? Because Tell Taylor who penned the song lived in Findlay. So today, I decided to go out to Riverside Park and take some pictures of the actual Old Mill Stream--better known as the Blanchard River. Yes, this is the same Blanchard River which caused the worst flood in Findlay's history last August--but more about that in another post. Today it's all about Tell Taylor and his famous song.

Tell Taylor's home was actually a couple of blocks from the river.

This was where he lived for a time. Obviously someone still lives here. That's probably why there is a fence. To keep people like me from walking up on their porch and peering in the windows. OK, if you knew me, you would know that I was embarrassed to even walk in front of the gate and take a picture!


Taylor's house is right next to the Hancock County Fairgrounds. This is a sign inside the fairgrounds. Very original.


And of course, if the fairgrounds is next door to his house then of course you name the fairgrounds after his song, right?


This is a sign in Riverside Park talking about the Blanchard River better known as The Old Mill Stream.


Of course, the city of Findlay had to honor it's native son with a memorial. No this isn't the memorial--this is the sign for the memorial.


This is the memorial. Can you believe that this memorial was put here 40 years ago and this is the first time I have actually walked up to it to see it up close and personal. Kind of like living in NYC and never going to the Statue of Liberty or the Top of the Empire State Building I guess. There are smaller stones along the walkway leading up to this memorial. They tell a little about Taylor's life. This memorial is on top of a small mound.


This is a close up of the stone on the right.

This is the stone on the left.

And of course this is the stone on top of the memorial.

And this would be The Old Mill Stream. Beautiful isn't it? Well, it is now, but you should have seen it last August but more about that in another post. That means you have to come back to find out more about

The Old Mill Stream