In the heart of Cloverdale, a silent kaleidoscope of Cloverdale sights is revealed, which makes me a little nostalgic every time I cross the old railway bridge over the Little Auglaize River. The city was founded in 1850 as a small hub for the agricultural region, and although history here is rather a silent murmur than a loud trumpet shock, one can feel the echo of the pioneers who built the country of Perry Township. I don’t understand the whole hype about “historical cities”, but the well-preserved half-timbered houses on Main Street Corner have a certain charm for me, which is rarely found in the glistening metropolises.
A short trip with the bus of Lima (line 12 travels twice a day) takes you to the village where you immediately get the feeling that the time here is slower – not a miracle, considering that the number of inhabitants has been fluctuating hardly over 300 since the 1900s. The local pub I lovingly call “Old Mill Pub” serves the best homemade apple beer, and the waitress’s smile is almost obligatory if you are looking for a long day in the field for a cool swallow.
If you ask yourself what else you can do, just look at the fields that extend to the horizon – a picture that you don't find in any guide, but that I personally consider as the true heart of Cloverdale. And yes, the Cloverdale sights are not only the buildings, but also the people who live here who meet you with a dry joke and an honest “welcome” while you drive through the quiet country roads.
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 Cloverdale, 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 is the Putnam County Historical Museum in Ottawa, a building that exudes more dust than shine, but that's exactly what makes the charm – here you can almost grasp the history of the county with your fingers when you look at the old maps and the crunchy wooden chairs. I found a dusty catalogue about the early settlers there, and while I slept through the exhibition, I felt that people had more patience at that time, because the internet was not yet invented. Parking is usually a Klacks as long as you don't come on Saturday night, then the field behind the museum becomes a battlefield for the last places.
A short detour to the Putnam County Fairgrounds, also in Ottawa, shows why the locals look at the night of the tumbling every year in August. The hall is a bit like an oversized farm, only that the animals here are more of plastic and the prices for the giant wheel are more of nostalgia than of adrenaline. I once tried to get a carrot cake piece there – the result was a piece of cake that tasted more concrete, but the experience was invaluable because I stood next to a former cattle breeder who told me that he only runs the giant wheel out of pure boredom.
If you have enough of the rural festive culture, the path continues to St. John’s Lutheran Church, a small church that is proudly hidden between corn fields. The church is not only a place for Sunday worship services, but also a popular spot for weddings, because the interior is so rustic that every bride couple feels like getting married a piece of history. I once saw a concert from a local Bluegrass band; the acoustics were so good that I almost forgot that I was here because of the church organ.
For those who prefer to move their legs, the Cedar Creek Trail is a real secret tip. The cycle path stretches through fields, over old railway bridges and offers views that give you the feeling that you are in the heart of “American Pastoral”. I turned a round there on a sunny afternoon and watched a squirrel that jumped courageously over the rails – a small act of rebellion that reminded me that nature still has its say here. The trail is well signposted, and parking at the beginning is usually free as long as you don't get to the high season.
The Rockford Lake State Park, a place I always underestimate because it does not advertise with the typical “tourist hotspots”. The lake is clear enough to see the reflections of the trees, and fishing here is almost a ritual – I once caught a pike that was almost as big as my bike, and that was the only time I could speak the word “adrenalin” without sarcasm. The parking lot is large, but it can be tight on weekends, so it's better to come early if you don't want to stand in traffic jam by car.
A little further south, in Wapakoneta, the Neil Armstrong Air & Space Museum, which is not only a must for space fans, but also for those who wonder why a small town in the Middle West has created an astronaut. The museum is full of original equipment, and I saw an old spacesuit model there that reminded me that dreams sometimes arise from simple workshops. The entrance is free, but parking is a bit chaotic, because the museum is located next to the main railway station and the number of visitors varies greatly.
Last but not least, a short trip to the Auglaize River, which gently slings through the landscape and is a popular destination for anglers and canoes. I rented a small raft there and pushed down the river, while the sun went down over the fields – an image that can hardly be put into words because it is simply too perfect to describe it. Access to the river is usually uncomplicated, but on hot summer days it can be full, so better start early in the morning.
Those who want to experience the authentic rural life in Ohio will find a colourful mix of history, nature and small peculiarities around Cloverdale, which make every visit a small adventure – these are the Cloverdale Attractionsthat you should not miss.
This guide invites you to stroll with me through the inconspicuous but self-willing heart of Cloverdale – yes, just the small village you can hardly find on the map because it lies between corn fields and an endless series of silos.
I have to admit right at the beginning that my favorite place here Cloverdale Community Park is. A bit of lawn, an old baseball moon and a playground that has more rust than color – but that's what makes the charm. Last summer, I had a picnic with my neighbor, and while we were fighting over the “exquisite” selection of barbecue sausages, a tractor came by, hupte and almost let us forget that we were in a park and not in a field. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because the annual “Cloverdale BBQ Festival” will turn the few pitches into a battlefield.
If you are looking for a place that gives you the feeling of standing in a time capsule, then go to Cloverdale United Methodist Church. The building from the 1880s has more crunching wooden benches than seats, and the organ sounds as if it were going to flames every moment – a real earworm for lovers of church music that does not come from Spotify. I visited a Sunday service concert there once; the church sang so loud that I thought the village would trigger an earthquake alarm.
A short walk further Old Cloverdale Schoolhouse, which today serves as a mini museum. The walls are covered with class photos from the 1920s, and I almost fell in love with the old chalkboard that still carries the words “Mathe is important”. I don't understand the hype about historical school buildings, but here you feel like playing in a movie of “Little House on the Prairie” – only without the sweet children and with more dust.
A bit further, almost on the edge of the village, this is Perry Township Hall. This is not exactly a tourist magnet, but if you happen to catch a municipal council meeting, you will get an insight into the local policy that usually revolves around the question of whether the new tractor exhaust regulations affect the harvest. I once met a passionate debater who claimed that the “Korn-Konsum-Komitee” was the true backbone of the community – a real substance for the evening in the diner.
And then there is Cloverdale Cemeterya cemetery that tells more stories than any museum. I found the tombstones of my great-grandparents dating in 1903 and 1911, and had to grumble because the inscriptions are still written in perfect blockwriting-German. A friend of mine meant that this was the most romantic “Grusel Kabinett” of the state – I just swept him and told him that the peace here is almost sacred.
Of course you can Cloverdale Diner do not forget, which since the 1950s offers the same red vinyl chairs and the same “homemade apple cake specialty”. I drank a milkshake there, which was so sweet that I almost thought I was back in my childhood – only that the staff here looks a bit more murky than the waiters in the big chains.
If you ask yourself what else you can do in this area, then take a look at the local Silos along the old railway line. They are not just art installations, but at sunset they cast long shadows that seem almost poetic. I took a photo that now hangs in my living room – proof that even the most common can have a little magic.
Finally, I would like to mention that the Cloverdale Attractions are not in a guide catalog because they are too small to earn it. Rather, they live in the conversations that one leads with the locals, and in the small moments when one realizes that the true adventure is to appreciate the ordinary – and to do this with an eye-catcher.
Villages, towns, districts, places and Vacation destinations you should visit.
©copyright by POI-Travel.de
info@poi-travel.de
