Visit Zanesfield Logan Ohio and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Discover the charming town of Zanesfield, Ohio! In this idyllic village you will find one of the most beautiful historical mills in the country and the famous "Ohio's Amish Country". Rest for body and soul.
What makes Zanesfield sights so special is the quiet way with the story snoring at every street corner while I wonder why I even came here. The foundation of the village dates back to early 19. Century, when pioneers from Pennsylvania colonized the country in Jefferson Township and named the small town after the influential Zane family name – a name that today is more than a GPS point. I drove along the old main road the first time I came across the State Route 47 from Logan, the County Capital; that was a short, but surprisingly Malerischer abstecher, because the road stretches between fields that have been carrying the same corn grains for generations as at that time.
Once you arrive, you can immediately feel that people have a willing mind here: friendly, but with a slight eye-catcher that shows up in the discussions about the annual harvesting festival or the local Schützenverein meeting. I put myself in a small café that smells more like home cooking than Hipster-Latte, watching the locals talk about the “big” cities – mostly with an eye-catcher – while they are proud of their calm life.
For those looking for the authentic Ohio away from tourist streams, Zanesfield offers a scenery that is nostalgic and surprisingly lively at the same time. And yes, if you ask for Zanesfield sights, you don't get crowded tourist trails here, but an honest piece of land that still smells like the sound of horse hooves and the scent of freshly mowed hay.
The history of Zanesfield begins long before the first railway car, which held here, and I feel that the old school building museum is the best example of how a small place not only preserves its past, but actually celebrates it. The former Zanesfield School House, now known as historical museum is located in the middle of the village and is a real treasure box of dusty class books, hand-drawn maps and a collection of photos showing how the first families planted their fields here. I remember standing there as a child with my grandmother while telling me about the hard winters that the early settlers had to stop – a bit cheesy, but honestly, this is the heart of Zanesfield.
A short walk further leads you to Zanesfield Community Parkwhere the children are still talking loudly about the latest football match, while the older are sitting on the benches and enjoying the sun. The park is surprisingly well maintained, and parking is usually a Klacks – a small parking lot behind the playground is enough, except on Saturdays, when the summer festival starts and then the whole becomes a small mess, which I somehow love.
If you're looking for a little more rest, look at the United Methodist Church a stone building from the 1850s, which has more stories to tell than you could hear in a whole day. I once had a little concert on a Sunday there – the acoustics were so good that even the creeping of my coffee cup in the background almost seemed like an organ sound. The pastor, a real character, explained to me that the church building has never been renovated because “it is as good as God has created it,” and I had to smile because it is somehow both pride and a bit of stubbornness.
A short detour to Zanesfield Cemetery is almost like a walk through a lively history book. The gravestones of the founding families – the Zanes, the Haines, the McCoys – are artistically decorated and tell about wars, harvests and lost loved ones. I once discovered an old, semi-distorted gravestone where only the word “hope” was engraved; that has made me thinkable because it somehow catches the whole mood of the village: a bit melancholic, but always hopeful.
The Town Hall is another must if you are interested in local politics – or just looking for a good photo motif. The brick building from the early 20. The century radiates an almost majestic simplicity, and the interior is decorated with old city logs and a series of portraits of mayors who all bear the same serious miene. I once observed a council meeting where the discussion about the new garbage collection was almost as exciting as a thriller, only that the end always ends with a “yes, we do so”. And yes, the word Zanesfield Attractions sounds almost too formal, but this is just what you can expect in a small place like this – a bit of pride, a bit of self-iron.
If you happen to be in town in the summer, you may Zanesfield Summer Festival do not miss. It is a colorful mess of rides, local craftsmen and a lot of people who seem to never get enough of hot dogs and carrot cakes. I once tried to participate in a ring throw competition, and after three unsuccessful attempts, I was invited by an older gentleman to simply drink the beer and enjoy the spectacle – this is the true “Zanesfield experience”.
At the end, a small hint for those who like to browse: The main street of Zanesfield has a tiny antique business led by a lady who has more stories to tell about every piece than a guide could ever create. I found an old handmade wooden toy there that reminded me of my childhood, and the owner insisted that I should take it home – a small but fine conclusion of a trip that had more charm than one would expect from a place with less than 500 inhabitants.
The first place I have to mention is that Logan State Park – a lake, a forest and a bit of what you sell in Ohio as a “nature” without having to buy a ticket for it. I rented an old, squeaking rowing boat there on a hot July afternoon, which made more noise than a tractor on the field, and yet the water was so clear that one could see the ducks up to the toes. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the whole family comes out of the circle to turn grill sausages.
A short detour to the west leads to Zanesfield Covered Bridge, one of the few remaining wooden bridges in Ohio that have not yet been taken over by a hipster café. I stood there in the fall, the laub knistered under my shoes, and thought that this bridge has more history than so many politicians in Columbus. The charm lies not only in the crisp wood, but also in the fact that you get a bit of the feeling of not being guided by GPS – the sign “Zanesfield Bridge” is the only thing you say is not completely lost.
A bit further south, almost a small detour, this is Ohio Caverns in West Liberty. I have to admit, I was skeptical because I thought that was just another tourist couple of bright crystals, but the dripping stones there actually have a bit of shine that does not come from neon light. The guide told an anecdote about a bear who allegedly stayed in the caves – I have never seen a bear, but the image of a bear that snores in a dripstone cave remains in the head. The tour doesn't take long, but the echo of your own voice in the corridors is a good reminder that you don't find in any museum.
If you have enough of underground wonders, a detour to Zanesville is worth the famous Y-Bridge to see. This is not some bridge, which is the only Y‐Form bridge in the USA that is actually still accessible. I drove about it while thinking about why someone even invented the word “Y-Bridge” – perhaps because it sounds easier than “confusing crossover over the Muskingum River”. On the other side of the river there is a small café that serves the best coffee I had since my first trip to Seattle, and this is a real comfort when you ask yourself why you even drive over a Y-shaped bridge.
A little further east, almost in the heart of the Hocking Hill, this is Old Man’s Cave. I spent a weekend there because I thought it was just another walk with a few rocks. Wrong thought – the canyon is so deep that the echo of your steps almost calls you back, and the waterfalls are so loud that you forget the noise of everyday life. I even discovered a small waterfall that is not on the usual tourist maps because it is too hidden to market it. This was the highlight: a place that only a few know, but which nevertheless gives the feeling as if one were in another world.
Back near Zanesfield, but not in the place itself, there is that Logan County Historical Museum. I saw an old tractor model there that had more rust than an old fish market, and yet it was fascinating because it tells the history of the region that is otherwise lost in the conversations about corn fields and wind turbines. The exhibition is small, but the curators seem to know how to keep history alive – they let you ring on an old phone that actually works, and this is a small but fine trick to tear you out of the present.
Next time you think about where you want to spend your next break, remember that the Zanesfield area has more to offer than just a few fields and a post office. From the silent waters of the Logan State Park to the cracking history of the Zanesfield Covered Bridge to the underground marvels of Ohio Caverns, there is enough fabric for a long road trip without having to look around for the next Starbucks. And that's exactly what makes Zanesfield Attractions to an underestimated treasure for those who want to experience the real Ohio away from the tourist paths.
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