On July 4, 1825, construction of the Ohio-Erie Canal began with the turning of the first shovel of earth in the Buckeye Lake area. Completed in 1830, it formed the Licking Summit Reservoir, which became known as Buckeye Lake. To increase weekend business on its streetcars, the Columbus, Buckeye Lake and Newark Traction Company bought land at Buckeye Lake and built an amusement park, advertising it as “the Playground of Ohio.” The Buckeye Lake Amusement Park and the Buckeye Lake Yacht Club on Watkins Island were very popular, and during the big band era, many visitors came to dance at the Crystal Pavilion and the Lake Breeze Pier Ballroom, which featured the sounds of Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton, Lawrence Welk, and Louis Armstrong.

In 1802, General William C. Schenck, G.W. Burnet, and John Cummins decided that the confluence of the Licking River forks was a good location for a settlement for hardy pioneers coming over the Alleghenies. They surveyed the land and platted the town, calling it Newark for their native community in New Jersey. By 1880, Newark's population numbered more than 10,000. Through historic photographs, the book tours around the Square to surrounding churches, schools, homes, people, and businesses and travels on the Newark Consolidated Electric Railway from Newark to Idlewilde Park.

From remote diners to downtown political havens, the restaurants of central Ohio satisfied palates for generations. In the era of Sunday drives before interstates, fabulous family-owned restaurants were the highlight of the trip. Sample the epicurean empires established by Greek, Italian, German and Chinese families. Recall the secrets of Surly Girl's chandelier, the delicious recipes handed down by chefs and the location of Flippo the Clown's former jazz hideaway. Following their previous book, Lost Restaurants of Columbus, authors Christine Hayes and Doug Motz deliver a second helping of unforgettable establishments that cemented central Ohio's reputation for good food and fun. That includes eighteen destination eateries in fifteen surrounding towns.