The 2003 Dragonfly Society of the Americas Northeast Regional Meeting will be held in Marietta, Ohio from May 23 to May 25, 2003.
Housing Options:
Very few people contacted me with regards to housing, and there was little consensus as to which option was preferred. So, capitalism wins, and to each his/her own. Here are the options:
| 1 | Lafayette Hotel |
Features: A Victorian-style hotel of the riverboat days. Right at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum, collecting right out your door. Restored nicely. Rooms are adequate, noisy in the winter due to steam heat but that won't be a problem in May, right? Tows coming up the river might wake you up, at least they woke me up the one time I stayed there when I was interviewing for my current job. Everything woke me up then. Wonderful restaurant, within walking distance to the campus. Adjacent to antique district. Walking trails along both Ohio and Muskingum Rivers. |
Cost: $79 for 2 twin beds $82 for 1 queen bed smaller rooms are available; the rooms listed above are not necessarily river view - be sure to ask.
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| 2 | Best Western | Modern hotel on the Muskingum River. 5 minute drive to college campus. My in-laws have stayed here and it is nice. There is a boat launch and the property is adjacent to a city park and trails along the river. No restaurant and not much in walking distance, but Marietta is a small town. Close to the hospital if you are accident-prone. |
Cost: $65; perhaps better if we reserve a block of rooms. |
| 3 | Comfort Inn | Modern hotel close to the Interstate (77). On the Ohio but set well back, also on Duck Creek. Duck Creek's upper reaches harbor some interesting odes, but an industrial area upstream makes this stretch less than pristine - also the high pool levels of the Ohio have drowned the mouth of this tributary. Oh. Back to the hotel. Indoor swimming pool and attached Damon's restaurant. Lot's of other restaurants nearby, as is a Wal-Mart, but this end of town is not pedestrian-friendly so a car is a must. About 5 minutes from campus (everything in Marietta is at most about 5 minutes by car). At least 1 person will be staying here. |
Cost: $64; standard double beds or a single king. |
| 4 |
Marietta College Dorms |
Only one person
expressed interest in the dorms, and that was too few for the college to set
anything up. This option is not viable. There are two options here - the old dorms do not have air conditioning and are traditional dorm settings - rooms with 2 beds, common bathrooms. The New Dorm (I think that's the official name; if any of you would like to make a large donation we'll name it after you or your favorite odonate - Hagenius Hall? Gomphus QUAD(dricolor?)) is more apartment like and has A/C. In both cases there is no TV; you can get a phone in the room for a fee, (there are no pay phones in the halls - or even on campus) but there should be an internet connection in each room. Whether or not your computer will talk to our computer is another story. Bring your own linens or you can get a basic set for $10. No food service; there are numerous restaurants in driving distance. We are working out details for payment; if you choose the dorms you will probably need to pay by check in advance.
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Cost: Old dorms: $26 per room (holds 2) New Dorm: $36 double occupancy; bathrooms close $48 single; own bathroom.
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| 5 | Super-8 | Modern hotel in the middle of a parking lot - adjacent to
Shoney's and a city-owned wetland. Between the Comfort Inn and the
College. Out of easy walking range to the college. At least 3 people are staying here. |
Cost: $56; double occupancy |
Evening sessions will be at the college, and lab space will be available for drying specimens. Right now, I would recommend the Lafayette or the Super-8 if you want a hotel and you want to do a little collecting without getting in the car. There are about 4 other chain hotels in town and some may have better rates if you want to make reservations on your own. If you are planning on camping, you might want to contact the Forest Service. They have primitive campgrounds on the Little Muskingum River and hookup camping on the Ohio, both about 1/2 hour from town.
Note: The Best Western is actually a bit upstream from where it is shown above. It is not in easy walking range of the college. Likewise, the Super-8 is about 1/2 mile off the picture.
River Cruise? If there is interest, I could look into arranging an evening cruise on the Valley Gem, a paddlewheeler. I don't know whether or not to proceed with this since it would cost some additional money and some (many? most?) may want to spend the evening looking for Neurocordulia.
How you can help me:
Email me: Click here to send email.
And answer these questions:
1. Are you coming to the meeting?
2. Which housing option looks best to you?
3. Are you interested in an evening cruise, even if it costs up to $20?
Thanks!
This page is sponsored by Marietta College as a public service