Perrysburg

Downtown Perrysburg offers plenty to explore.

butterfly — fresh with damp, beautiful orange-and-black wings — emerges from its cocoon. A few feet away in the organic community garden, an older woman picks tomatoes from her plot. In the kids garden, the sound of a little girl plinking away on the large outdoor xylophone fills the air.

This is a typical Saturday afternoon at the 577 Foundation. Since 1989, this nonprofit green space has provided a place for children to play, adults to grow food and everyone to enjoy nature. Classes are offered, too, ranging from pottery and painting to cooking and yoga.

The Perrysburg community and its neighbors find a welcoming place to gather here, and that has long been its purpose. Philanthropist Virginia Secor Stranahan owned the property and preserved it as a conservation easement so it would always remain a green space for the public to enjoy while learning and being creative.

“It’s one of the best-kept secrets, but it’s a secret you want to tell everyone so they don’t miss out,” says Jodi Haney, a retired Bowling Green State University professor who has been taking classes at 577 Foundation and leading workshops for other teachers there for nearly 20 years. “It’s really a grassroots feeling … It’s kind of a learning commons.”

For Perrysburg, the 577 Foundation is one of many gathering places that provide community belonging and pride. There are also the city parks that keep expanding to offer diverse activities, from an all-inclusive playground

Athat brings kids of different abilities together to outdoor sculptures to bike paths to free kayak rentals for residents. The city also has a vibrant and cohesive historic downtown, with restaurants such as Swig, coffee shops like Maddie & Bella Coffee Roasters, and unique boutiques from Angel 101 to Alice-Louise Press. Downtown is filled with people, especially during events like the weekly Thursday farmers markets that take place May through October and draw locals and visitors alike. Not far from downtown, there is Levis Commons shopping center and its surrounding shopping areas, where families can enjoy a night out or a movie and pick up groceries and essentials. The community rallies around Perrysburg Schools, which are one of the reasons people move to the city, according to Mayor Tom Mackin.

A community garden is just one of the offerings at the 577 Foundation, a nonprofit green space that caters to all ages.

“It has a lot of that quality of being a small town but still vibrant and growing,” he says of Perrysburg. “I think the downtown was really a significant part of that. You have homes that give a sense of community and a sense of history and also some new opportunities for young couples and young families.”

Perrysburg was founded in 1816, three years after Fort Meigs was built on the orders of the government atop a hill overlooking the Maumee River rapids during the War of 1812. The fort was the site of two sieges where the Americans repelled the British and their allies, and it is a popular

Businesses along downtown’s Louisiana Avenue (left); the walkways at Riverside Park (below left); Fort Meigs (below) Commodore Perry statue (right)

historic landmark that welcomes around 30,000 visitors each year, according to John Thompson, the fort’s manager of historic programs.

The city itself is named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, a hero of the Battle of Lake Erie that was fought near Put-in-Bay during the War of 1812. A statue of Perry stands prominently at Hood Park along the edge of downtown, overlooking the Maumee River.

The historic houses along the river on Front Street and the surrounding neighborhood are beautifully maintained and show different eras of architecture. Many bear a historical marker showing the year they were built: 1840, 1863, 1910 and so on.

Even some of the park and street names, such as the main downtown street of Louisiana Avenue and Orleans Park, have historical connections to the city’s roots. At one time, Perrysburg was a thriving river port that locals believed would become the New Orleans of the north, says

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Rae Ray’s Decor & More is a Perrysburg based gift shop made up of over 100 local vendors. We specialize in home decor, women’s boutique, children’s boutique, bath, kitchen items, pantry, outdoor items, and sports/man cave items. You will constantly find one-of-a-kind items with seasonal floor changes throughout the year!

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Transcend By Heide most love Natural Healing products makes the perfect stocking stuffers. Using Ancient Recipes for Modern Life, Transcend by Heide hand crafts Natural Healing products that will help awaken your senses and balance your body and mind to get you feeling your best. This store is packed with everything from pain relief products to anti-aging products, to body lotions and creams and more.

Located in the heart of uptown Perrysburg Ohio, Vintage Groves is a “must see” eclectic boutique blending vintage, new, and improved home furnishings and accessories. Explore the unique styles from simple to statement making for you, your home or gift giving. Make plans to visit us soon!

Saturday, November 5, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Open to all, 577 builds a creative, caring community through curiosity and lifelong learning. Come enjoy a peaceful refuge, a place to learn, and so much more. Grounds are open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; admission is always free. Welcome Center and Curiosity Shop are open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Established in 2005, Meig has been providing Northwest Ohio with a curated assortment of on trend women’s wear with a “Bohemian Prepster” flair. Step into her beautiful emporium and find the perfect gift or item for your casual wardrobe. Follow MeigShop on Instagram to be the first to shop new merchandise!

Buying and giving handcrafted jewelry creates an experience, a vivid memory that’s often worn, and admired by the person you are giving it to. Bonita Beads custom designs are a process. Each piece is created individually using our hands and tools. We take the time to connect with you, making sure we know your design vision. Visit our boutique today for a memorable holiday of gift giving.

At Sophia Lustig, we curate polished wardrobes composed of modern pieces and core luxury essentials to develop and refine your own personal style. With our careful attention to detail, unmatched customer service, and wealth of experience, you will feel confident, stylish and lovely, whether at work or at play. Since 1936. Honoring the past. Influenced by the present. Inspiring the future.

Thursday, November 17, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Christine Best, executive director of the Perrysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Over the years, Perrysburg has become home to medical facilities run by two major hospital chains: Mercy Health – Perrysburg Hospital, which is a full-service hospital, and ProMedica, which operates doctors’ offices and is building a new facility to offer more services. In addition to being good employers, they provide quality health care and have become a place people both in and outside of the city rely on, Mackin adds.

First Solar, which is one of the largest solar panel makers in the world, and Owens Illinois, which makes glass containers, have become some of the city’s largest job employers. In addition to being a draw for new residents, the school district also is a major employer.

Mackin knows that firsthand. One of the biggest reasons he and his family moved to Perrysburg in 1990 was so his kids could attend Perrysburg Schools. Since then, the city’s population has doubled to about 25,000 people. Businesses like Owens Illinois helped attract more companies to the area. Makin adds that community members and organizations work well together to accomplish goals, such as raising $8,000 to build the all-inclusive playground at Rotary Community Park, forming a historic district and creating community events.

Perrysburg’s downtown is filled with shops and restaurants (top). It also hosts a seasonal farmers market (above).