I worked for a time on a site promoting Ohio to both residents and visitors. Ohio is not one of the most popular states of the US, but there is just so much to see and do there.

They say that if anyone has taken a road trip across America, they will have passed through Ohio. The problem is that most people think there is nothing there to stop for, except a bite to eat. They are so very wrong!

In the interests of not boring people to death, I have potted a little about some facts about Ohio and just a snippet of some of the amazing places to visit in this unique state.

Some facts about Ohio:

• Ohio is the 17^th US state, joining the Union in 1803
• Known as ‘The Buckeye State’
• The capital city is Columbus
• The ‘Mother of Presidents’, seven US presidents were born in Ohio:
  • Ulysses S. Grant
  • Rutherford B. Hayes
  • James A. Garfield
  • Benjamin Harrison
  • William McKinley
  • William H. Taft
  • Warren G. Harding
• Ohio has the only non-rectangular state flag. It is called the ‘Ohio Burgee’
• The first electric traffic light in the US was installed in Cleveland, Ohio in August 1914
• Orville and Wilbur Wright, the aviation pioneers lived and worked in Dayton, Ohio. Although their first flight was not in the state, it was at Kittyhawk in North Carolina.
• The state slogan is ‘Ohio, The Heart of it All’, highlighting its location and its shape which can loosely be seen as a heart.

Places to Visit

But random facts won’t encourage anyone to visit necessarily, so here is a short list of some amazing places to visit in Ohio:

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Situated in Cleveland, Ohio, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is world famous and any musician in the world would consider it a very high honour to be inducted here. For music lovers of all genres, this seven-floor building has exhibits from a vast array of music-makers past and present.

• Union Home Mortgage Plaza, 1100 Rock & Roll Blvd, Cleveland, Ohio 44114
• Website

Hocking Hills State Park

Hocking Hills State Park is in the southeast region of Ohio. The terrain is rocky and rugged for the most part. Trails here vary from easy to difficult, some with rugged steps, and some with steep parts. Old Man’s Cave is probably the most visited of all the parks in Hocking Hills. The other parks that make up this amazing area are:

• Cedar Falls
• Ash Cave
• Rock House
• Cantwell Cliffs
• Whispering Cave/Hemlock Bridge
• Conkle’s Hollow
• Rock Bridge
• Lake Logan
• Lake Hope
• Tar Hollow
• Clear Creek
• Hocking Hills State Forest

With plenty of camp sites with or without electric hook-ups, travelling hikers and nature lovers will enjoy time spent here.

Activities include ziplining, ATV rides, rock climbing, canoeing and kayaking.

The town of Logan is in the heart of Hocking Hills and is a delightful place to visit. Here you will find the Columbus Washboard Company – the only handmade washboard company still in existence in the US.

There is an enormous selection of cabin and lodge rentals available in the area also.

• Website

Ohio State Reformatory

This abandoned prison was the location for six films, most notably The Shawshank Redemption and Air Force One. The Ohio State Reformatory Preservation Society continue to renovate the building, and it currently houses three museums:

• The Ohio Corrections Museum
• The Shawshank Museum
• The North Central Ohio Industrial Museum

• 100 Reformatory Rd, Mansfield, Ohio 44905
• Website

The Shawshank Trail

The Shawshank Trail is a self-guided driving trail with stops at filming locations from the film. The locations are:

Shawshank Prison: The Ohio State Reformatory featured in the movie as Maine’s fictional Shawshank State Prison.

Brewer Hotel & Portland Daily Bugle: The Bissman Building in Mansfield was the site of the Brewer Hotel where Brooks hanged himself. Only the outside of the building was used, the hotel room is at the Ohio State Reformatory. The building was also used as the front entrance of the Portland Daily Bugle.

Pawn Shop Window: The Mansfield Antiques Gallery was the location of the pawn shop window that held the compass that led Red to the oak tree.

Brooks’ Bench: Central Park in Mansfield was the location of the bench where Brooks sat in the park. The original bench has been replaced by a gazebo, but there is a replica green bench in place.

1994 Movie Premiere: The premiere showing of the Shawshank Redemption movie was at the Renaissance Theatre in Mansfield, shown on Tuesday, September 13^th, 1994.

Food-Way: Both Brooks and Red had a job bagging groceries at the Food-Way store upon their release. This is now operating as the KV Market local grocery store in Mansfield.

Road to Buxton: When Red hitched a lift in a red pickup truck, he was at the corner of Snyder Road and Hagerman Road in Butler.

Red’s Bus Ride: Drive the road Red travelled on the bus to Fort Hancock, Texas. Hagerman Road and Route 95 in Butler.

Shawshank Oak Tree: The location of the oak tree where Andy left a gift for Red. Sadly the tree was felled by high winds in 2011. Pleasant Valley Road, near Malabar Farm State Park in Lucas.

Opening Scene: The opening scene of the Shawshank Redemption shows Andy sitting in his car drinking, with a revolver in his hand. Pugh Cabin at Malabar Farm State Park, Lucas.

Hollywood Connection: Learn about the connections between Hollywood and the famous Malabar Farm State Park. Lucas.

Maine National Bank: One of the dozens of banks that Andy visited to close the accounts he had made with Warden Norton’s money. Crosby Advisory Group Building, Ashland.

Andy’s Conviction: The courtroom scenes where Andy received two back-to-back life sentences was at Wyandot County Courthouse, Upper Sandusky.

Shawshank Woodshop: The Woodshop in Upper Sandusky was the filming location for the woodworking scenes where Red said “…every last man at Shawshank felt free.”

Zihuantanejo: This final location is a little further to travel to, but it completes the filming locations. Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge is in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, and was Andy’s final location.

• Website

National Museum of the US Air Force

This is the oldest and largest military aviation museum in the world. Exhibits are dedicated to the history and traditions of the Air Force. The museum also includes space flight exhibits. This free-to-enter museum can take a lot of a day to visit. The museum is adjacent to the Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton.

• 1100 Spaatz St, Dayton, Ohio 45433
• Website

Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks

For anyone with an interest in American history, the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks in Chillicothe is a must-visit location.

Designated as the nation’s 25^th UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023, these earthworks created by the Hopewell culture include Seip Earthworks, High Bank Earthworks, Hopeton Earthworks, Octagon Earthworks, and Great Circle Earthworks (Newark), and Fort Ancient Earthworks (Oregonia).

There are very few remaining mounds compared to the thousands that there were in the state before farming and construction flattened them. The remaining mounds are now preserved.

• Website

Grand River Valley Wineries

The shores of Lake Erie in Ohio enjoy the perfect climate for grape-growing. There are many vineyards in the Geneva and Madison areas.

Grand River Valley Wineries is a group of wineries that grow and produce their wines. They are fiercely proud of their produce and also pride themselves on their service and hospitality towards guests. There are often events such as live music, and they are open year-round, each season bringing its own special something to your visit. They are:

• Ferrante Winery & Ristorante | Geneva | Website
• Debonne Vineyards | Madison | Website
• Grand River Cellars | Madison | Website
• Laurello Vineyards | Geneva | Website
• Cask 307 | Madison | Website

Finally…

If this article interests you, keep popping back, because there will certainly be more. And who knows, I may even take a look at other states that I have never visited.

No, I have never visited Ohio, in fact I have never set foot in America!