Page 2 - Dresden Buzz 08-09-24

PAGE 2 | LOCAL NEWS AUGUST 9 - 22, 2024
Author celebrates legacy of Nelson T. Gant in

inspiring biography by Lynette Dotson

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DRESDEN: Bonnie Longaberger Senior Center,
Scotties Den, Dari Twist, Circle K, Thirsty Dawg,
The Warehouse Restaurant, Dresden Branch
Library, Creno’s Pizza, Beauty By Design, Dresden
Buzz, Main Street Pizzeria, The Mill, Agin
Hardware, Certified, Subway, Shrivers Pharmacy,
Humble Heart, Smore Baskets
FRAZEYSBURG: New Beginnings Drive Thru,
Dairy Queen, Frazeysburg Village Office,
Subway, Duchess Gas Station
NASHPORT: Crenos Pizza
A memorial stands near the entrance of the Gant Park Municipal Stadium located on West Main Street with the official address listed as
ZANESVILLE: Kroger, The Muskingum County 139 Townsend Street in Zanesville. Gant once owned the land that is now occupied by the stadium. Lynette Dotson
YMCA, John McIntire Library, Muskingum County
Center for Seniors, Mass Media Comics, Time seems to fade the memories one of Zanesville’s early prominent and now owned by the Nelson T. Gant Foun-
Masterwork Gaming, Denny’s Classic Diner, of those who came before us. Some of successful residents in his book Nelson dation and serves as a tourist attraction
Fieldhouse Family Sports and Wellness Center, those have made a large enough impact T. Gant: From Slave to Prosperous Busi- and educational center. ----- I was reading
Donald’s Donuts, Nicole’s on Main Hair Salon that their legacy lives on through stories, ness Owner and Respected Citizen pub- the plaques in front of the building when
and Boutique, The Zanesville-Muskingum County monuments, historical archives, or in lished last year. a man drove up in a red pickup truck. He
Conference & Welcome Center, books. Records for people of color in the Shirer accounts in his book how his introduced himself as the vice president
The Elk’s Eye Art Market, Walgreens (Military Rd.) 19th and early 20th centuries and ac- interest was piqued after visiting the of the Gant Foundation and asked me if I
counts of the equally important marks home of Nelson T. Gant, “I became in- would be interested in seeing the home.”
SOUTH ZANESVILLE: South Branch Library, they left on this world are often much volved in the Gant project almost by acci- After that initial meeting with what
Darrell’s Donuts, Central Pike Coffee Co. harder to find. dent,” he writes, “During a visit to Zanes- is now the Foundation’s President, Todd
History enthusiast and author of ville for a funeral, I decided to visit the Ware, Shirer set out on a journey with the
NEW CONCORD: Scott’s Diner, Wally’s Pizza, former home of Gant on West Main St., support of the Nelson T. Gant Foundation
New Concord Branch Library, Creno’s Pizza, Orme now more than seven books, Larry Shir-
er, has captured the inspiring story of just outside the city limits. The home is to document the life of Gant. The 142-
Hardware, Arena Cuts
page hardcover book includes photos and
DUNCAN FALLS: Duncan Falls/Philo Branch an appendix with maps and documenta-
Library tion preserved in this must-read biogra-
phy.
ROSEVILLE: Roseville Branch Library
“In reflecting upon my feelings about
this project, I was motivated to tell a
story that was important and that could
inform and inspire a larger audience if it
were more widely known. I confess that
I was also motivated by sharing a sense
of shame and guilt that the race of which
I am a part so cruelly treated a group of
humans of another race, because they
were ‘different’ and considered ‘inferior’,”
Shirer explains toward the end of the In-
troduction in his book. He continues to
say, “If this work in any small way helps to
increase the understanding of the evils of
prejudice and discrimination and provides
just one person with the hope of, the un-
derstanding of, and the requirements for
overcoming adversity, it will have been
worth the effort.”
Shirer describes the book as having
three stories; a romance, adventure, and
a “rags to riches” story.
He recently led a book discussion at
the Zanesville Museum of Art.
Copies of the book can be purchased
locally at the Gant House or on Amazon.
Proceeds go to the Nelson T. Gant Founda-
tion.
Thanks to the efforts of the Nelson T.
Gant Foundation, volunteers, and people
like Larry Shirer, Gant’s legacy will con-
tinue to inspire the next generation and
generations to come.

NELSON T. GANT HOUSE & MUSEUM
The home of Nelson T Gant was built
along the road that became known as
the National Road (Route 40). The house
number for the home is 1845 (coincident-
ly, or not) the same year that Gant was
freed from slavery. The home was used
as a stop on the Underground Railroad
and today is one of 15 stops on the Ohio
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