Finding Magic on the Maumee River in Ohio
Journal Entry #2:
My Childhood Home at the Historic Defiance Public Library
For every author, there is a beginning—a place where the love of stories first took root. For me, that place was the Defiance Public Library in my hometown of Defiance, Ohio. It wasn't just a building full of books; it was my sanctuary, my creative classroom, and the launching pad for every adventure I would eventually write about.
What made this space truly special was its deep, intertwined history. The library is a beautiful, Tudor Revival-style Carnegie historic building, constructed in 1904 with a $22,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie. It was part of a system of public libraries built across the country in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, fulfilling Carnegie's mission to bring free access to books and education to communities, particularly smaller towns, that committed to maintaining them.
Even more remarkable, it stands proudly on ground that was once the actual strategic site of Fort Defiance. Fort Defiance was built in August 1794 by Major General "Mad Anthony" Wayne at the stunning confluence of the Maumee and Auglaize Rivers. He famously declared, "I defy the English, the Indians, and all the devils in Hell to take it," giving our city its bold name. The library was built as part of the overall effort to commemorate and celebrate Defiance’s heritage. The building itself - a modern fixture on an ancient site, bridging the past and the present.
A Sanctuary for a Young Mind in the 70s
Growing up in the 1970s, I didn't consciously know all of this historical weight. As a child, the site's significance was simply intuitive. In the same way this location was chosen for the site of a dominant fort—a place of power and refuge—I must have also seen it as something special. As I grew older, this knowledge became part of a personal legend in my mind, and now I can understand why the location had such a hold on me.
Regardless of the history, the moment I stepped inside that library, it was pure bliss. In a time before we widely discussed mental health and the importance of quiet contemplation, the peace and quiet of that Carnegie building were profound. It was my place of immediate relaxation. The silence, broken only by the occasional soft thump of a book landing on a table or pages softly rustling, soothed my mind from the everyday worries and concerns of my young childhood mind. It was my way to enjoy the simple things.
The library's separate children’s section was truly my home away from home. I would spend whole afternoons gazing out the big windows on the hilltop, overlooking the historic Maumee River as it flowed by. The library sits at the confluence of two significant rivers, the Maumee River and the Auglaize River. This strategic junction is precisely why General Anthony Wayne chose the location for Fort Defiance in 1794. It provided natural defenses and was an important waterway connection for military and supply logistics. Once again, my child’s mind didn’t know any of this at that young age. It only saw the library and its setting as a place of natural beauty, a living landscape that sparked my imagination. Looking at that river junction, I could read stories that took me away to distant, fantastical places or create my own magical stories.
Binge Reading Before Binge-Watching: Devouring the Classics
I was a voracious reader and absolutely devoured mysteries and fantasy literature. I discovered book series like Nancy Drew, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Boxcar Children, The Three Investigators, Tales of Magic, The Little House on the Prairie and Ramona Quimby. This was in the 1970’s and 1980’s, well before there was such a thing as binge watching streaming TV services and yet, I binged these children’s book series one right after the other. I was constantly poking through all of the shelves looking for new things to read.
Summer was the absolute best. I eagerly took part in the library’s reknowned reading programs, turning the simple act of reading into a thrilling contest to see how many books I could burn through. We had to submit a book report for every book we read to make sure we knew what it was about - a task of comprehension - without Google, Wikipedia, or AI helping us.
And on those perfectly, beautiful summer days at the library, I wouldn't stay inside. I would carry a stack of freshly checked-out treasures and find a quiet spot along the banks of the river outside. There, under the warm summer sky, I would happily read the day away.
The Defiance Public Library gave me more than literacy; it gave me the space and the inspiration to become a storyteller. It taught me that real magic exists in real life, where history was defiantly made, and where a great book opens up an entire new world.
3 Takeaways: The Simple Power of Quiet Reading
My childhood memories remind us all that making time for quiet, simple pursuits—like picking up a book—is essential for well-being, no matter your age.
Reading is Mindfulness: Quiet reading immediately anchors you to the present moment. It shifts your focus from your to-do list and worries to the page, effectively soothing the nervous system and reducing mental chatter.
It Builds a Mental Sanctuary: Much like the Carnegie Library stood as a physical refuge, a book provides an accessible mental sanctuary. It offers an escape and a space to process emotions, helping both adults and children regulate stress and feel restored.
Quiet Time Fuels Creativity: Taking time to enter the story worlds created by others is the best way to spark your own creativity. Solitude and exposure to new ideas are essential building blocks for imagination and innovation.
So go on, find your own special "riverbank", open a great book, and defy the everyday noise!
Here’s a List of Some of My Favorites from my Childhood. They Still Hold up…
🕵️ Mystery Series (1970s & 1980s Focus)
The Three Investigators (Series)
Trixie Belden (Series)
Nancy Drew (Series)
The Boxcar Children (Series)
✨ Fantasy Series (1970s & 1980s Focus)
The Dark Is Rising Sequence (Series, by Susan Cooper)
The Indian in the Cupboard (Series, by Lynne Reid Banks)
Song of the Lioness (Series, by Tamora Pierce)
Redwall (Series, by Brian Jacques)
The Chronicles of Narnia (Series, by C.S. Lewis)
The Littles (Series, by John Peterson)
Tales of Magic (Series, by Edward Eager)
💖 Adolescent Growing Up / Realistic Fiction
Judy Blume's Novels (Includes standalone and interconnected books):
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret
Then Again, Maybe I Won't
Tiger Eyes
The Alice series (Series, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor)
Little House on the Prairie (Series, by Laura Ingalls Wilder)
Bridge to Terabithia (Standalone book, by Katherine Paterson)
📚 Standalone / Time-Slip Books & Fantasy
A Wrinkle in Time (Standalone book, first in the Time Quintet, by Madeleine L'Engle)
Tom's Midnight Garden (Standalone book, by Philippa Pearce)
The Enchanted Castle (Standalone book, by E. Nesbit)
The Secret Garden (Standalone book, by Frances Hodgson Burnett)
The Defiance Public Libary - A Carnegie Library