Harlan Miller lived with his parents, Paul and Effie Miller, and his brother, Raymond on West Apple Street in Darrtown from the late 1940's through the mid-1950's. Harlan attended Collinsville School through the sixth grade. After going to Seven Mile Junior High for one semester of the seventh grade, Harlan transferred to Oxford Stewart Junior High. Four years later, Harlan was a member of the last class to graduate from Stewart High School in 1956 (Oxford Talawanda High School opened in 1957).

When asked, Harlan recalled memories of singing with his father, Paul "Podie" Miller, at the earliest Hitching Post Christmas Parties that were sponsored by Earl "Red" Huber. Harlan's mother taught him to yodel and his singing ability led to performances on radio (WMOH in Hamilton and WLW at the Carew Tower in Cincinnati) and on television (one of the early "Midwestern Hayride" programs).

Harlan expressed fond memories and a keen appreciation for the “lessons of life” that he acquired as a youngster growing up in Darrtown. He specifically mentioned the work ethic that he developed from baling hay for Ray and Carl Reiff; Raymond and Jack Kane; and Warren and George Hansel. Those work experiences served Harlan well during his stint with the Marine Corps and his 47 years with General Motors in Mansfield, Ohio where he retired as a journeyman tool and die maker.

Harlan also voiced appreciation for the time and effort that Dale Bufler voluntarily put into the creation of the Darrtown Purple Skunks. While the origin of the group’s name is unclear, the memories of the Purple Skunks baseball and basketball teams live on.

[Webmaster Notation: In his remarks to those assembled at the September 26, 2009 Darrtown “Gathering,” Harlan emphasized the important role that Coach Bufler played in the lives of the boys who were then - and still are - “purple skunks.”]  

In the 1950’s, a roadside rest area, maintained by the state of Ohio, existed along the west side of State Route 177, south of Darrtown and immediately south of the bridge that crosses Four Mile Creek. There was a turnoff at the south end of the bridge that led to a small parking area, where travelers could stop, use the out-door, toilet facilities, and enjoy a cool drink of water from the hand pump near the middle of the park.

Beyond the west edge of the state-owned parking area there was a gravel driveway that sloped westward and ran adjacent to the creek. That driveway led to private property that featured a group of dwellings. The largest building was a tavern; the smaller ones were one-room structures that were furnished as rentals.

The tavern owner/operator was a man named Denny Robinette. Denny's wife was Mary Waddell, who was a sister to Harlan's stepfather. Since he was related (by marriage) to the tavern owner, Harlan was permitted to venture inside the bar. Consequently, Harlan knew that the tavern provided a “tip board” for those adults who wanted to play a game of chance and he knew that the tip board grand prize was a new, still-in-the-box, .22 rifle.

[Webmaster Comment: Tip boards are games of chance that are used for profit-making or fund raising. A tip board is generally a cardboard strip with "tips" (tickets) attached. Each ticket has its own distinct number. The tip board contains a seal that has the winning number underneath it (some tipboards have multiple seals for multiple winners). "Tips" are sold to players. Players then open their tickets to see their numbers. In many games players write their names in numbered spaces on the tipboard that match the numbers on their tickets. Once all tickets are sold, the tip board seal (located on the back of the tip board) is opened to determine the winning number. The player whose number matches the winning number under the seal wins the tip board prize.]

So, one day, a short distance downstream from the tavern, while Harlan was practice shooting with his old .22 at objects floating in the waters of the Four Mile Creek, a man approached Harlan and offered a challenge. The man asked Harlan how much money he had in his pockets (Harlan recalled that he had about 40-45 cents in his possession). The man said that he would bet whatever money Harlan had in his pockets against the new rifle that was offered on the tavern's tip board - if Harlan could hit a floating object in the water, when the man told Harlan to shoot.

Harlan agreed to the bet; an empty beer bottle was tossed into the creek waters; and the man and boy waited as the bottle bobbed toward the rapids that were located near the bridge that crossed the creek. Just as the bottle was about to disappear from view under the bridge, the man told Harlan to shoot.

Harlan squeezed the trigger; the bottle exploded; and the man said something to the effect of, “Well, I’ll be ____!”

Then, true to his word, the man (whose identity remains unknown) went inside the tavern, bought all the chances that remained on the tip board - which qualified him as the winner - and presented the new, still-in-the-box, .22 rifle to Harlan.

The story about winning the new .22 rifle caused Harlan to remember another gun tale.

Harlan recalled that, when he was a student at Oxford Stewart High School, he saw shotguns and ammunition transported on a school bus. He explained that, during squirrel-hunting season, while riding to school in the morning with classmates from Somerville, Harlan saw kids carry shotguns and shells onto the bus. The school bus driver, who obviously trusted the kids, placed their shotguns and ammo under a bus seat for storage.

Then, at end of school day, on the route home, the driver stopped the bus along a wooded area near Somerville; left the kids exit the bus with their guns and ammo, so that the kids could begin hunting squirrels as they made their way home on foot. Recalling this story, Harlan reflected on how things have changed over the years.

Indeed, many things have changed, since those Darrtown days of long ago; but some things, like an appreciation for a man honoring his bet, remain the same.

Recollections of Harlan Miller

The following narrative was derived from a telephone conversation with Harlan Miller in late September 2009.