File:Picnicking at Ambos Farm - DPLA - 94be4138ba8f8b48648fb7daaaa386b4.jpg

Edmund F. Arras (right) and his future wife Elizabeth McDerment (center) and an unidentified woman (left) gather around a picnic blanket on the grounds of the Ambos Farm. Water appears to sit beyond the tree line behind them, possibly one of of the lakes which were part a 120 acre estate owned by Emil Ambos, a wealthy Columbus liquor merchant. Ambos purchased the property from Phillip and Eva Schwartz in March of 1886 as a country retreat where he built amusing follies and rustic log cabins. Ambos willed part of his estate to the City of Columbus with the intention it be used as a park, but plans for Ambos Park were denied by the City Council in 1898 on the grounds it was too isolated. It would become known as Spring Lakes when owned by George M. Williams and later served as a popular recreation destination for picnics, dancing and ice skating until its development into the Berwick Golf Course in the 1930's. Edmund F. Arras (7/7/1875-10/19/1951), a prominent Columbus businessman and entrepreneur, founded one of the city’s first property rental agencies in 1892. Trained as a lawyer, he graduated from OSU law school in 1896 and went on to hold positions in numerous civic groups around the city. He was particularly active within Kiwanis International and was involved with several local religious organizations. In 1913, he and his wife Elizabeth traveled to the World Sunday School Association Convention in Zurich, Switzerland. They continued on to travel extensively throughout Europe documenting their journey through photographs. Due to the timing of their trip, these photos comprise a valuable collection of images of European cities later devastated by war. The Arras family’s lantern slides and negatives include images from their 1913 travels through US east coast cities, Atlantic islands of the Azores, Madeira, Gibraltar and the countries of Algeria, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, England, and Ireland. Also included are images from their 1920 train journey from Chicago to the western US for the Kiwanis Convention in Portland. These photographs include images of Chicago, Denver and western National Parks.