Life + Culture

Cabin Fever

Historic Log Cabins Tell the Stories of Butler County’s Earliest Days Article by Mike Burcham | Photography by Provided by Travel Butler County Long before Butler County’s towns took shape, life on the frontier was defined by what settlers could build with their own hands. These simple structures that once sheltered families now serve as storytellers of Butler County’s earliest days. Tucked just outside Oxford stands one of the county’s oldest structures: the Zacariah Price DeWitt log home...

Life + Culture

Volunteer Power

Meet Six Super Volunteers that Lead Community Nonprofits with Boundless Energy + Endless Compassion Article by A.J. Lape | Photography by Anjali Fong Photography Listening First Nancy Roll at EDGE Teen Center Sometimes the most important thing a teenager needs is someone willing to listen. At EDGE Teen Center, that’s where Nancy Roll begins. “I greet the students and check them into our system,” she says. “I then spend time playing games, puzzles, cards, crafts, talking and a lot of...

Professional Services

Framed in Confidence

Through the Lens of Photographer Cara Jonas Article by Tera Michelson | Photography by Cara Jonas Photography + Cara Hill Photography There’s something magnetic about photographer Cara Jonas—a warmth that draws you in before a single click of her camera’s shutter. Step into her studio, and you’ll quickly understand that what she creates goes far beyond images. It’s about transformation. “I'm creating images that are the final product, but it's really about building strong relationships with...

Shopping

Shop Local

Discover These Treasures from Small Businesses Around Butler County Article by Michelle Moody | Photography by Cara Jonas Photography One of the most meaningful ways to invest in our community is by supporting local businesses. Travel Butler County curated this collection of locally made and sold items from unique businesses across Butler County. Whether you’re shopping for a thoughtful gift or a little self-indulgence, every purchase helps support a local business and strengthens our...

Real Estate

From Accidental Investor to Mentor

How Entrepreneur Stacey St. John Helps Women Build Confidence, Freedom + Stability through Real Estate Article by A.J. Lape | Photography by Provided Stacey St. John didn’t set out to build a real estate business.  When her son planned to leave Cincinnati to attend a Florida university that did not offer student housing, Stacey and her husband purchased a small condo in Orlando rather than pay rent. Weeks after closing, their son changed his plans and enrolled online instead. “We were...

Life + Culture

The Time Travel Trail

Celebrate America's 250th Anniversary With a Visit to Hughes School, Foundation of Lakota Local Schools Article by Mike Burcham | Photography by Provided by Travel Butler County Long before sprawling campuses, technology-enabled classrooms and packed parking lots, education in Butler County fit inside a single brick room. When Ohio became a state in 1803, Butler County was founded alongside it. But it would take decades before formal schooling reached every corner of the county. By the late...

Finance + Legal Services

Investing in People

Kemba Credit Union Builds Strong Financial Futures with Education Article by Tera Michelson | Photography by Len Kaltman In another life, Dan Sutton might have been a teacher. As President and CEO of Kemba Credit Union, Sutton is a natural instructor, using inspirational stories to share his vision. Kemba planted roots in the area more than two decades ago, long before the I-75 corridor looked the way it does today. What began as a strategic move has grown into a deeply reciprocal...

Food + Beverage

Pro Tips for Backyard Gardening

Vegetable Gardening Advice from Local Pros at the OSU Extension Office Article by Marie Kriedman | Photography by Janie Jones A backyard veggie garden can bring gardeners joy during the growing and harvesting seasons. Some gardeners like to know where their food comes from, others want to reduce chemicals used in traditional farming or find relief from high grocery prices. The farm-to-table movement has created renewed interest in how commercial growers produce the food we enjoy daily. Many...

Home + Design

Love Where You Live

At Home with Diana Werthmann of Transformed Interiors Article by Tera Michelson | Photography by Len Kaltman Surrounded by soothing blue and something that sparkles in every room, Diana Werthmann, interior designer and owner of Transformed Interiors, is in her element at home. The moment you cross the threshold you meet her in the romantic art and touches of glitter. Diana loves where she lives, and she is on a mission to transform homes so that her clients love where they live, too. Diana...

Life + Culture

Wahopi

Where Craft, Tile + Home Come Together Article by A.J. Lape | Photography by Provided by Wahopi Owner + Wolf Custom Tile & Design Tucked into a residential block in East Hyde Park, Wahopi—often called the “mushroom house”—stands apart from its surroundings. Designed and built beginning in 1992 by architect Terry Brown, the structure was originally known as “The Studio.” Brown’s early design work is known as Wahopi, a Native American word loosely translated as “nest . ” Wahopi was conceived as...