Best Sites to MAKE A ROAD TRIP

Whether you’re looking for a quick getaway or wanting to get more stamps in your sites passport, there are plenty of Ohio History Connection sites to explore. Some are close enough to one another that you can reach several all in one day.

With eight presidents from Ohio, it’s no wonder our state is called the “Mother of Presidents.” Explore the childhood of one of our famous presidents, Ulysses S. Grant. Located about half an hour southeast of Cincinnati, the U.S. GRANT BIRTHPLACE in Point Pleasant, Ohio, is the three-room house where the future president was born, and features Grant family artifacts. The growing family paid $2 a month in rent, then before Grant’s first birthday, moved to nearby Georgetown, Ohio. At the U.S. GRANT BOYHOOD HOME & SCHOOLHOUSE in Georgetown, the story of President Grant’s childhood continues. Explore young Ulysses S .Grant’s life by visiting the school he attended and his boyhood home, restored to its appearance in 1839, the year Grant left for West Point. Grant lived in this home longer than any other house during his lifetime. Only 30 minutes from the birthplace, it’s an easy day trip to visit both.

Looking for indigenous and natural history? Look no further than NEWARK EARTHWORKS . Just under 40 minutes east of Columbus, it’s the largest set of geometric earthen enclosures in the world. In a museum at the Great Circle (check ohiohistory. org/newark for museum hours), learn about the American Indians who built these earthworks more than 1,500 years ago to perfectly align with risings and settings of the moon. Newark Earthworks is one of seven sites associated with Ohio’s ancient Hopewell people, collectively known as the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, that are proposed to become Ohio’s first World Heritage site, a United Nations designation recognizing sites of outstanding international importance. Just 15 miles east of Newark Earthworks is FLINT RIDGE ANCIENT QUARRIES & NATURE PRESERVE , also rooted in indigenous history. See pits left in the wooded landscape by ancient American Indians who came to quarry flint there. With over three miles of hiking trails, it’s the perfect chance to stop and stretch your legs as you learn about Ohio’s official gemstone.

Don’t want to sit in the car all day?

Head to Tuscarawas County in northeast Ohio, where you can visit three sites in one day. We recommend starting at FORT LAURENS , the site where Ohio’s only Revolutionary War fort once stood. An on-site museum shares the stories of the soldiers on the frontier. Then take a short 10-minute drive to ZOAR VILLAGE . This one-of-a-kind village was home to a communal society of German religious dissenters from 1819 to 1898. Walk around the well-preserved town, a National Historic Landmark district, and enjoy a stroll through the big public garden.

For the last stop, explore a different kind of village, SCHOENBRUNN VILLAGE . Located in New Philadelphia, just 20 minutes from Zoar, this site is the location of several of Ohio’s firsts—church, schoolhouse and code of laws. Schoenbrunn was founded in 1772 as a Moravian Christian mission among the Delaware Indians. The village consists of a visitor center and 17 reconstructed log structures as well as the church and gardens.

TRAVELER’S TIP

Ohio History Connection members enjoy free regular admission to all of these sites. Visit ohiohistory.org/join.

As you plan your next road trip, be sure to visit ohiohistory.org/sites for hours and locations. We always recommend that you call ahead to confirm hours and other details before you head out.