Ten Historical Places to Visit in Southwest Ohio

When people think of the good old days or old fashioned places they think of Colonial Williamsburg or Gettysburg, PA. However, if you drive into Southwest Ohio you can find an exhilarating journey into history. Ohio is a state that is steeped in rich history including sending eight men to the White House to serve as President, serving as a stop on the Underground Railroad, and Cincinnati was home of the first professional baseball team. Visiting Southwest Ohio can unlock a fascinating journey filled with fun, while connecting with the past.

The top place to visit has to be Cincinnati’s Findlay Market on the Red’s baseball opening day. The market was uniquely built with wrought iron and was one of nine markets in Cincinnati in the 19^th and early 20^th Century. Only a few of these markets still survive today, and Findlay Market serves as the starting point for the Red’s opening day parade every year. This makes it an historical site that gets highlighted to the community every year.

Our second stop is Grant’s birthplace in Point Pleasant, Ohio. This simple structure was the birthplace of Ulysses S. Grant the 18^th President of the United States. Often there are Civil War re-enactment groups present who have mock battles and Civil War era encampments for people to walk through.

Third and the next must see on the list is the Rankin House in Ripley, Ohio. The Rankin House was the home of John Rankin, a Presbyterian minister who devoted his life to fighting slavery. His home served as a bastion of hope and security to runaway slaves. You can even see the stairway the slaves used to climb from the river to the house.

The fourth and fifth stops both relate to President Grant. These are his childhood home and schoolhouse that can be found in Georgetown, Ohio. Georgetown is a quaint little community that served as Grant’s hometown until he left for the Military Academy at West Point. The community is known for its county fair, called the “Little State Fair”.

The sixth spot on the list goes to the Chilo Lock 34 Park in Chilo, Ohio. The park features a museum that offers a history of the community, the dam system, the Ohio River, and many exhibits showing the local wildlife. There is also a steamboat replica called the Jennie Wade that you can climb aboard and view. The park sits right next to the Crooked Run Nature Preserve and can offer a picturesque day of hiking and animal watching, as well as the wonderful educational experience in the museum.

To get to the seventh location you travel to Dayton, Ohio. The Dunbar House is a museum that celebrates the life and work of Paul Laurence Dunbar. Dunbar was known as the poet laureate of African Americans and his home was the first state memorial to honor an African American, and is part of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park that also honors Wilbur and Orville Wright.

Coming in at number eight is the Autumn Bash in Washington Township, Clermont County, Ohio. Washington Township is a highly rural setting and farming oriented community. The Autumn Bash is a festival they have every year to celebrate the traditions and harvest in their community. This celebration is a throwback to the good old days, when families came out and kids were allowed to run together, parents visited, and the whole community gathered together.

Taking our number nine slot is the ancient American Indian cultures that used to reside in Adams County, Ohio and we travel way back in time as we learn about the mound building people of Ohio and the great Serpent Mound. The mound is a spectacular site to visit and learn about the ancient culture that thrived in Ohio.

Finally wrapping up our list of ten historic places to visit would be the Amish people. Throughout Adams County the Amish community flourishes. You can see their handiwork, enjoy home cooked food, and see their horse and buggies as you drive along the thoroughfares. Their local shops and homes are an invitation back in time to a simpler lifestyle without the distractions of our modern world.

Ten sites of great historical value, ten examples of simple life and culture, and they all can be found in America’s heartland. Maybe your next vacation can be spent exploring Southwest Ohio where the past is rich, and history is readily found.