Travellers from all over the world appreciate West Liberty's sights because of their surprisingly rural authenticity, and I must confess that I have landed here after a lost way over the I‐70. Founded in 1837 as West Liberty, the city is nestled in the Liberty Township of the same name in the heart of Logan County, Ohio. Originally a small junction for cattle farmers and cereal farmers, the little town has barely torn off from its modest but proud past – a bit like an old photo, which is mistakenly found in the closet and which still creates a smile.
When I stroll through the main road, you can feel the quiet sum of history: old brick houses, which were passed on from generation to generation, and a few rusted signs that tell of the former railway, which once formed the backbone of the economy. I often wondered why people still miss the train traffic here, but then I remember that the local bus lines – a few short connections to Logan and further to Columbus – are completely enough to bypass the “big city life”.
A short trip to the nearby Logan County Courthouse, just a few minutes away by car, gives you the feeling of being part of a bigger story without losing the charm of West Liberty. And yes, I don’t always understand the hype about the “West Liberty Sights”, but the honest kindness of the inhabitants and the undefeated land life make every little move more than bet.
With the map tool, you can plan the ideal location for a photo online in advance – taking into account the sun's path and the surroundings.
Here's how it works:
Advantage:
You can assess light, perspective and location before visiting the site – ideal for photography, sunrises and sunsets.
To find the exact point where the sun disappears behind the skyline, use the azimuth display on poi-travel.de. In West Liberty, the sun travels further northwest below the horizon in summer, while in winter it takes a more southwesterly angle. With the embedded line on the map, you can determine your tripod position down to the metre.
The first stop of my little Odyssey was the imposing Logan County Courthouse, a brick building that thrones above the marketplace since 1911 and seems to tell more stories than most guides. I once got a random court appointment there – nothing dramatic, just an older gentleman who spoke loudly about the tax return of his chickens. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the local jazz picnic takes place.
A short descent towards the south leads to Hocking River Greenway, a narrow strip of gravel and wooden bridges, which swells along the river. I put my morning coffee cup down there on one of the rustic benches and watched how a beaver blew on a dam – a picture you don't see every day. The path is well signposted, and the only obstacle is an occasional mud that becomes a small mud pit in rain.
If you have enough of flat paths, you must Hocking Hills State Park control the famous canyons like Old Man’s Cave and Cedar Falls. I don't quite understand the hype about the “Instagram walls”, but the combination of moss-covered rocks and the dead water is really great. Once I lost myself in the woods until a friendly Ranger led me back to the main road with a wide grin and a bag of nuts – a service that you don't get anywhere.
A little further north lies Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, a nostalgic steam locomotive trip, which sweeps through the gentle hills of the region. I made the trip in autumn when the foliage was in flames; the sound of the pipe was almost hypnotic. The boarding is simple, the ticket gets you at the small station, and the only manko is that the café on the train offers only coffee and cookies – but that's just the certain something.
For those who prefer to learn about local history, this is Logan County Historical Society Museum A must. There were old maps, tools and a few dusty boxes full of letters from the 19th century. I found an old diary that was handwritten by a young pioneer who wrote about the first harvests in the area – a real look into the past that made me think more than any modern exhibition.
A little away from the usual paths is the Hocking Hills Canopy Tours, a zipline adventure that floats over the forest. I was skeptical because I was afraid of heights, but the guides were so loose that I felt almost like a squirrel jumping from Ast to Ast. The entrance is a bit chaotic, because you're only putting on the safety equipment, but once you're in the air, you forget everything else.
To complete my tour, the annual Logan County Fair which takes place in August and offers everything from pig exhibitions to carrot competitions. I once won a prize for the biggest pumpkin – a little triumph that gave me the feeling of being a real landlord. The terrain is huge, so you should come early, otherwise you stand between the stands and have to fight through a crowd that looks more like a flea market than after a fair.
Whether you prefer historic brick buildings, out-pouring rivers, imposing canyons or nostalgic steam locomotives – the surroundings of West Liberty, Liberty Township, Logan, Ohio have something to offer for everyone. My personal highlights show that the West Liberty Attractions extend far beyond the city boundaries and serve every visitor a piece of authentic Ohio charm.
This guide invites you to stroll with me through the sleepy jewel of West Liberty, which you would easily overlook if you don't accidentally miss Highway 68 and suddenly stand in front of a sign called “Welcome to West Liberty”.
I must confess at the beginning that my heart for the West Liberty United Methodist Church not because I am a church freak, but because the building is a real certificate of time. The brick dome from the 1880s has more character than some hip loft in Cleveland, and the interior still smells like old wood and a bit after the dust that the municipality swirls every year at spring plaster. When you get in there, you hear the silent click of the old organ, which is hardly used yet, but still every time a smiles on my face. Parking is here a Klacks, as long as you don't arrive at the entire church community on Sunday morning – then the small car park becomes a battlefield quickly.
A short walk further West Liberty Cemeterya cemetery that tells more stories than some historians. I once discovered an old gravestone, dedicated to a former mayor who allegedly organized the first horse car race in the city. No joke, that was 1912, and the race ended with the horse jumping into the nearby creek – a local myth that I like to tell every time I am traveling with tourists.
If you're looking for a place where you can feel like a real local, go to West Liberty Community Center. The weekly Bingo evenings take place there, and I learned more about the preferences of seniors in terms of jams than in any guide. The hall is equipped with discontinuated vinyl floors, which provide easy squeaking at each step – an acoustic souvenir that you can take home. The best thing: The center has a small café area where you get a “homestyle coffee” that is strong enough to wake you up after a long day in the field.
Another highlight that I do not want to conceal is the West Liberty Public Library. Yes, you have read correctly – a library that offers more than just bookshelves. Once in a rainy afternoon I discovered a local history project that was compiled by students from the West Liberty School. The exhibition was so good that I almost forgot I wanted to borrow a book. And if you ask yourself if parking is a problem: The library has a small but fine parking behind the building, which is usually free as long as you don't have a reading party there on the first Monday of the month.
For nature lovers among you there are West Liberty Park, a small green piece with a baseball field, which is reworked in summer by the local teens to an improvised concert area. I remember a summer when a local country band played there and suddenly stopped a tractor in the middle of the set because the driver thought he had to clear the field for the harvest. The audience applauded as being part of the show – typical West Liberty, where everything is a bit improvised and yet charming.
A little off the center, but still a must, this is West Liberty Fire Department. The museum is actually just a small space in the fire station, filled with old helmets, hose reels and a crunching but functional old fire truck. I met a former fireman there who told me that the last time they fought a real fire was a pig in the barn – and the pig got more applause than the whole team.
Now, if you ask yourself what you could summarize all this, I'll tell you: West Liberty Attractions are not the shiny attractions of a metropolis, but the small, slightly sloping corners that make up the true heart of this place. Every place has its own history, and I'm lucky to know it firsthand – whether it's a yellowed cemetery stone, a whisper of the organ sounds or a whistle of coffee at the Community Center.
At the end of the day, when the sun goes over the fields of Liberty Township and flickering the lights of the small shops, you might sit on a parking bench in the West Liberty Park and think: “Maybe that is exactly what I’ve been looking for.” And I, I sit there next to you, with a slight smile and the quiet sound of a remote tractor in the background – this is the true West Liberty experience.
Villages, towns, districts, places and Vacation destinations you should visit.
©copyright by POI-Travel.de
info@poi-travel.de
