Northwest
Ohio

When the first settlers came to Northwest Ohio, much of it was swamp land and not a good place to put down roots except for the most adventuresome. In time, the great Black Swamp was drained and the extremely flat land became some of the richest farm land in the state.

Neil Armstrong Air & Space Museum

The Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum, located just off I-75 in Auglaize County in Wapakoneta, is a treasure trove of memorabilia from the first man to set foot on the moon. But while Armstrong is the dominant figure, thanks to some recent renovations, many exhibits are designed to give visitors a better perspective on the history of space travel and the politically charged space race of the 1960s.

Providence Metro Park

Take a step back in time at Providence Metropark. The park features an operating 19th Century canal boat that you can take a trip down a portion of the Miami & Erie Canal.

One highlight of the trip is passing through one of the very few operating locks that were a common part of traveling by canal. Also in this authentic Metro Park is an operating mill used to produce flour and other ground goods as well as an operating saw mill, all powered by water.

America's Kitchen

KitchenAide has long been an fixture in many American kitchens. Visit where these wonderful appliances are manufactured in historic Greenville.

More about KitchenAide
Factory Tour in Greenville, Ohio

Historic Northwest

The upper portion of Northwest Ohio is an extremely flat plain that was once the bottom of an ancient lake. South of this plains is not as flat and is characterized by gently rolling hills. These rolling hills are the results of millions of years of glacier advances and retreats leaving deposits from rocks and soil carried south from Canada as the glaciers melted. This area has one notable exception where a hilly belt of bedrock in Bellefontaine rises 1,549 feet above sea level - the highest point in the state, called Campbell's Hill.

Fort Meigs

Fort Meigs, the largest reconstructed wooden fort in Ohio, includes 10 acres of land and has a mile perimeter overlooking the Maumee River. Fort Meigs stood as an important stronghold against the British during the War of 1812. In the 1960s the Ohio Historical Society purchased the site to rebuild the fort, and in 1974 the reconstructed fort was opened to the public.

See authentically dressed characters demonstrate important aspects of the fort. The Fort Meigs Museum offers an in depth experience of the activities of the fort as well as many artifacts recovered during the reconstruction.

Treaty of Greenville

One of the most far reaching events that helped form Ohio was the signing of the Treaty of Greeneville. This treaty provided an official document between many Native Americans and the United States government. Although there had been and would be many documents signed between the government and Native Americans, what makes this document unique to Ohio is that it created a somewhat lasting peace in the Ohio Territory, at least till the run up to the War of 1812. More significant was the divide this treaty created between the Native Americans.

Events that led up to the signing were several failed military expeditions that ran along the western edge of Ohio in attempts to ease the threat to American settlers from Native Americans that also lived in the area. In 1791, General Anthony Wayne was called out of retirement by President Washington to create an elite military force that would ultimately lead an expedition where so many others had already failed. Wayne's campaign ultimately led to success at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794.

Native American signers were tired of the constant wars between themselves and the American settlers. On the other side were Native Americans who did not realize the authority of these Native American leaders to sign the document that gave up much of Ohio to the United States government. This led to the rise of Tecumseh, a Shawnee leader that became so outraged at this treachery, that he made it his life goal to organize all of the Native Americans in North America.

His efforts may have succeeded if it were not for the British's treatment of American Sailors that would ultimately lead to the United States declaring war against Britain that became the War of 1812. During that war, Tecumseh was killed as was his dream to unite all Native Americans.

The significance of that treaty is recognized by a large painting representing the signing of the treaty, that hangs in the Ohio Statehouse.

Located in beautiful downtown Sandusky, is the Merry-Go-Round Museum devoted to the passing past-time of entertainment that was common in almost every community in years gone by. Enjoy a fun and relaxed atmosphere while touring the Merry-Go-Round Museum, where you'll learn about the history and art of the carousel.

The Toledo War with Michigan

Ohio's decision to include the Toledo area (then part of the Michigan Territory) in the state's canal system led to a boundary dispute, the so-called Toledo War of 1835.

Residents of the city organized to transfer the political jurisdiction of the lower Maumee, an area referred to as the "Toledo Strip," from the Michigan Territory to the state of Ohio. Michigan, led by territorial Gov. Stevens T. Mason, opposed this and sent troops. Ohio Gov. Robert Lucas called out the militia. Ultimately, the matter was settled in the courts and President Jackson enforced the decision to allow the Toledo Strip to become part of Ohio. Most of the disputed area became Lucas County and was in fact named after Governor Lucas in honor of his intervention.