"Despite grumbles from envious rivals, Ashville sticks to its claim that it has the World's Oldest Traffic Light. The light is now on permanent display inside Ohio's Small Town Museum, along with marvels such as the world's biggest scrapbook, a buoy from the ill-fated warship Maine, and a tribute to James Hulse, the only Ohio Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz. But it's the traffic light -- designed by Ashville resident Teddy Boor -- that people always want to see," the Roadside America reports.

"Museum director Charlie Morrison, a former Ashville mayor, told us that the Light has never stopped working since 1932, which is when it was installed at the corner of Main and Long Streets (Continuous operation also entices fans of the world's oldest working light bulb). The light looks like a silver, Buck Rogers-era football, and operates like a radar screen, with green and red alternately wiping in a circle across its face. According to Charlie, the light was retired from active duty in 1982 only because color-blind people couldn't tell if it was green or red.

"For decades after it found a home in the museum, the traffic light was re-hung outside during Ashville's annual 4th of July celebration. That ended in 2005 with fears that the light might be stolen at night. Now it directs foot traffic inside the Museum, permanently protected, and still always on."

"The first electric traffic light was invented in 1912. But here in Ohio, the village of Ashville claimes to own the oldest working traffic light in the world," the Columbus Navigator says.

"The light, which directed traffic in downtown Ashville from 1932 until 1982, now sits in Ohio’s Small Town Musuem, which is worth a visit on its own!"

"Traffic lights are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations to control flows of traffic. Traffic lights were first introduced in December 1868 on Parliament Square in London to reduce the need for police offers to control traffic. Since then, electricity and computerised control has advanced traffic light technology and increased intersection capacity

"In 1912, the first electric traffic light was developed by Lester Wire, a policeman in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was installed by the American Traffic Signal Company on the corner of East 105th Street and Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio. It had two colours, red and green, and a buzzer, based on the design of James Hoge, to provide a warning for colour changes. The design by James Hoge allowed police and fire stations to control the signals in case of emergency.

"Ashville, Ohio, claims to be the home of the oldest working traffic light in the world, used at an intersection of public roads from 1932 to 1982 when it was moved to a local museum. Guinness World Records backed this claim by naming it the Oldest functional traffic light." (Wikipedia)

"The highlight of Ashville is its claim that it has the World’s Oldest Traffic Light, as their museum, aptly named Ohio’s Small Town Museum. It is reported that the light has worked continuously since 1932 when it was installed at the corner of Main and Long streets," the RDZ Photography says.

"The light looks like a silver, Buck Rogers-era football, and operates like a radar screen, with green and red alternately wiping in a circle across its face. It was retired from active duty in 1982 only because color-blind people couldn’t tell if it was green or red.

"Since then it has hung in the museum, except for special occasions. The nice old lady who was running the museum that day was more than happy to tell us about her town, and the famous light, as well as all the other unique displays in their museum."

"A one-of-a kind museum that will warm the heart and stimulate the mind is what can be found in the small community of Ashville. Founded in 1978, this museum has been recognized on Oprah, in the book New Roadside America, and by the Sunday New York Times. The museum features a hodgepodge of Americana that is a delight to see and read about even if you're not a history buff," the Touring Ohio says.

"The Museum has a display which tells about the silver nuggets unearthed at the Snake Den Mounds and gives information about famous writers, inventors, politicians, entertainers, and the not-so-famous who once lived in this railroad boom town.

Perhaps the most famous item in the museum is America's oldest working traffic light that was invented by Teddy Boor, installed and operating in lovely downtown Ashville.

"The light worked efficiently for 50 years at the corner of Main and Long Streets until the ODOT insisted that Ashville get ready for the 21st Century by replacing it with a more ho-hum piece of technology you could see anywhere. Now, if you want to see the still operating traffic light, you'll have to drop in and see it in downtown Ashville at Ohio's Small Town Museum."

"My daughter and I stopped in to check out the museum. We were given a personal tour by a kind gentleman with a wealth of local knowledge. He had a story for every single item on display - from Roy Rogers to Elvis local connections and everything in between. There is a donation jar at the door but no actual admission fee. If you go, you will not regret it. Wonderful experience!"

"If you are traveling through Ohio and happen anywhere just south of Columbus make it a point to stop here!! The list oddities is looking, from astronaut memorabilia to the world's first traffic light. Best of all it's free. I highly recommend it!!!"

"Their brochure describes Ohio's Small-Town Museum as "the World's Largest Collection of Small-Town Memorabilia," and it certainly is densely packed with [quoting again here] "neato stuff." It's really a result of one man's 40-year-long passion for cataloging and preserving the history of the community he loves. Highly recommended for history and antique buffs and anyone nostalgic for small-town life as it used to be."