Downtown Mansfield proves to be ideal spot to view total solar eclipse
Jim Rudick is something of an eclipse expert.
He and his wife, Cynthia Rudick, have now seen four eclipses after Monday's spectacular show. For the Canton resident, there was nowhere else to go but Mansfield.
"This is the place," Rudick said. "You can check the weather experts (about cloud cover). There's nowhere better than here."
He and his wife also have seen eclipses in Australia, Turkey and Wyoming.
"They're all different," Rudick said.
Replay the eclipse: North Central, Northeastern, Northwestern Ohio updates
The Rudicks were among dozens who gathered in Central Park in downtown Mansfield. Many of them dined at Dan Lew Exchange beforehand.
Owner Dan Lew said he began considering plans in December. He used the occasion to open the outdoor patio for the first time this year.
"I figured, 'Why not?''' Lew said.
His restaurant on North Main Street also had plenty of solar glasses at no cost for those who wanted to view the total eclipse of the sun.
Jimi Vincent Band jammed for downtown eclipse viewers
Lew had the Jimi Vincent Band on hand for some jamming blues. Vincent and his three bandmates set up a few feet from the North Main traffic.
"There's nothing better than music and food," Lew said.
Most of Lew's employees wore special shirts with the word "Spellbound" on them. They were selling a wine of the same name.
Laura Boales drove to DLX from Galion.
"I want to see it get dark in the daytime," she said.
Boales also considered a watch party at the Ohio State Reformatory but figured it would be too crowded.
"I came here (DLX) to watch the ball drop last year," she said of a New Year's Eve celebration.
Debbie and Dave McCulloch made the 2½-hour drive from South Gate, Michigan. Debbie McCulloch said the traffic in their state was "not good."
"Once we hit Ohio, it wasn't too bad," she said.
Dave McCulloch said he had never been to Mansfield.
"So far, it's a nice little town," he said. "I like the center square."
As the 3:12 p.m. time for the total eclipse drew near, more and more people settled into lawn chairs or onto blankets.
Ohio was one of 13 states in the path of totality. Those fortunate enough to be in the area saw the moon completely cover the sun, creating midday darkness.
Temperatures became noticeably cooler as the darkness took over. When the total eclipse happened, the crowd broke into cheers. Someone set off fireworks in the distance.
One woman drove from Maryland to see eclipse
Marianne Gordon drove nine hours from a town outside Annapolis, Maryland. She described the traffic as "not good, but we made it."
"Yes, yes, it was worth it," Gordon said. "We went to Myrtle Beach in 2017 (for the last eclipse)."
She and her traveling companion brought two dogs.
"When it got dark, one of them freaked out," Gordon said. "Sammy, he's shaking, but that is from the fireworks."
Gordon planned to stay in Mansfield overnight before returning to Maryland. She was impressed with the city.
"I didn't know this Martin Luther King memorial was there. That was the first thing I started taking pictures of," she said.
While Jim Rudick had two cameras set up, his wife sat at a table with their dog, Izzy, who couldn't have cared less about the eclipse.
"We're so lucky. We're so spoiled," Cynthia Rudick said of the opportunity to see four eclipses.
In a small-world moment, she noted they ran into a librarian from North Canton on their trip to Australia.
"It was like a diamond in the sky," Cynthia Rudick said of that eclipse. "It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen."
Marilyn Irey Burchett and Kathleen Heilman had never seen an eclipse before. They had drinks at DLX ahead of time.
"It was an awesome experience," Burchett said.
She also complimented downtown Mansfield and all of the open shops and restaurants that greeted the crowds.
Heilman described the eclipse as "much different in person than TV."
"It got really chilly and really dark. It was eerie," she said. "I loved it. I'm glad I took the time to check it out."
Eclipse fans will have to wait until Aug. 23, 2044, for the next chance to witness a total solar eclipse in the contiguous United States.
mcaudill@gannett.com
419-521-7219
X: @MarkCau32059251
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Eclipse watchers make Mansfield OH ideal spot for major event
