[Image above] Logo of the U.S. Semiquincentennial (Credit: Wikimedia Commons, public domain). Ceramic egg with Ohio flag (Credit: Per Bengtsson / Shutterstock).
Next year marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, a document widely considered the birth of the United States. Celebrating a nation’s semiquincentennial is considered a significant milestone by any standard, and commissions in all U.S. states and territories are working to plan, coordinate, and support commemorative activities at the local, state, and national levels.
The Ohio Commission was formed in March 2022, and the 29 commission members decided that Ohio would celebrate the semiquincentennial by establishing six thematic experiential driving trails. These trails would highlight artists, inventors, historical sites, and natural beauty across the state to raise awareness of Ohio’s contributions to the nation.
In February 2025, the commission announced the second of the six planned trails: the Ohio Creativity Trail. This trail aims to showcase the work of the state’s past and present writers, musicians, artists, and other creatives.
More than 100 sites make up the Ohio Creativity Trail, and they are grouped into six categories: On the Page, Music, Visual Arts, Glass & Pottery, Folk & Traditional Art, and Carousels. While sites are still being added, there are currently 19 focused on glass and ceramics.
We serendipitously highlighted one of these sites back in June 2024: Gay Fad Studios, a recently revived midcentury glassware brand that honors the trailblazing legacy of the company’s original founder, artist and businesswoman Frances “Fran” Taylor.
In 2026, we will showcase the other glass and ceramic sites on the Ohio Creativity Trail through a special monthly series by CTT author Laurel Sheppard. She is personally visiting all the sites, and she will share what she learns about Ohio’s creative history from each one.
Be on the lookout for our upcoming series, and view a list of all sites on the Ohio Creativity Trail at this link.
