Burkettsville Sights are for me less a catalogue, but rather a small, self-contained chapter in the history of Ohio, which was born in 1850 as a railway station in the heart of Granville Township, Mercer County – a place that you don't necessarily search on any map, but which still gives you a smile when you see the old brick church on the main road. Honestly, the hype about the “smallest city in the world” I don’t quite understand, but the quiet riverbed of the Stillwater Creek, which swells gently through the village, is really great for relaxing after a long drive over the I‐75. I usually get by car because the next bus stops only once a day, and that's just enough to enjoy the dusty field paths without stressing. A short detour to the historic Burkettsville Schoolhouse makes me think nostalgic about my childhood – the old wood smells like history, not gum. And while most visitors are likely to only control the small café on the corner, I discovered that the weekly peasant market meeting is a real showcase for local craftsmanship; you get more authenticity than in some crowded city center. So if you're looking for a place that doesn't try to dazzle you with bright lights, but just serves you a piece of real Ohio, then grab your bags and let you surprise yourself from the quiet but charming Burkettsville sights.
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The first stop of my little Odyssey leads me to Grand Lake St. Marys State Park. Who comes here immediately understands why the water is so clear – not because it is a spa, but because the boats spend more time with dreams than with engines. I rented an old rowing boat on a lukewarm Saturday afternoon, more squeaking than an old fridge, and I climbed over the gentle waves, while the sun shoved over the horizon. Parking is usually a children's game, except for the hot weekends, as the field becomes a battlefield from SUVs and caravans. Those who like to wander around the lake will find a network of gravel paths that have more charm than an Instagram filter.
A short trip to Celina brings me to the imposing Mercer County Courthouse. The building is a real pride of the region – a massive red brick building with a dome that is almost as high as my expectations of local politics. I stood there while a court appointment was in full swing, and noticed that the recorders had more patience than a Zen master. Parking right in front of the main entrance is free as long as you don't try to eat an ice cream at the same time and shoot a selfie – this leads to a small mess that tolerates the city administration with a tired smile.
Go on St. Marys River, a river that stretches through the landscape like a bored tourist who studies the map. I rented a kayak there and I'm throwing down the rapids that look more like a light slide than a wild wild water ride. The banks are lined with old oaks, and the water is so clear that you can watch the fish while swimming – a real bonus for anglers who do not want to look for baits all day in the store. In most places there are free moorings, but at weekends it can be full, so prefer to get up early.
A short trip to Mercer leads me to Mercer County Historical Society Museum. The museum is a collection of old agricultural machinery, photographs of people who are only seen today in yellowed family albums, and an impressive collection of shields that reveal more about the local identity than any current newspaper. I visited an old barn that once served as a meeting place, asking myself why people didn't just open a café at that time. The museum is located in the heart of the city, so you can easily walk there – a small walk that is worthwhile if you know the story not only from Wikipedia records.
A little further north, almost a small pilgrimage for technologists, lies this Neil Armstrong Air & Space Museum in Wapakoneta. I visited the museum on a rainy day because I thought the weather would make space exploration less impressive – a complete error. The originals of the Apollo Chapel and the personal aircraft of Armstrong are exhibited there, and the whole feels like a silent conversation between past and future. Parking is available at the museum grounds, and the staff is so friendly that they almost give you the feeling that you are part of the NASA family.
At the end of my small tour I must not Ohio Amish Country forgot to lie around the region like a quiet curtain. I stopped in a sunny afternoon at a small farm where I tried fresh bread and homemade cheese – both that you don't find in every supermarket. People here live according to a rhythm that hardly differs from that of an old farm, and that is exactly what fascinates me in this spot earth: the mixture of tradition and the quiet resistance to the hectic of the modern world. Parking is usually possible at the edge of the road, as long as you do not try to cross the field because the cows do not like it.
Next time you think about where you want to spend your next break, the Burkettsville environment has more to offer than just a few field routes. From glittering lakes to historical court buildings to space history and silent amish farms – all this makes the Burkettsville Attractions to an underestimated treasure for anyone looking for a little more than just the obvious.
I must confess that my favorite place in Burkettsville is not some hipster café, but that Burkettsville Community Park – a piece of green that has more charm than some overpriced city park. There is an old, slightly sloping baseball moon that is transformed every weekend from the locals into an improvised tournament; I once voluntarily tried as an arbitrator and got almost a heart attack because the kids take the game seriously like a world championship final. Parking is usually a Klack, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the annual barbecue festival takes place on the pavilion and everyone tries to get a place next to the grill.
A short walk down the main road leads you to United Methodist Church, a building from the early 1900s that breathes more history than the whole village together. I don't quite understand the hype about church architecture, but the cracking wooden benches and the colorful glass window in the choir are really fascinating – especially when the light breaks through the glass in the late afternoon and brings the dust grains to dance. I visited a Sunday school meeting there, just to realize that most of the present people talk more about their garden gnomes than about the Bible.
If you're looking for a place where you can recover from the noise of the world, look at them. Burkettsville Public Library on. This is not a huge, air-conditioned building, but a small, cozy room with barring shelves where you can find old editions of the local newspaper – a real treasure for nostalgics. I once borrowed a book about the history of grain mills and almost forget that I was actually looking for a place to charge my phone. Wi-Fi is not the fastest, but there is always a friendly librarian who gives you a smile when you ask for the latest crime.
Another highlight I always mention is that Burkettsville Grain Elevator. These silver silos, like a reminder of the agricultural industry, project over the small city and are a popular photo motif for Instagram users who think they have discovered the real country life. I once met an old farmer who told me that the mill is still active and the grain is brought here from the surrounding fields – not a tourist gimmick, but real work. If you happen to swing by at noon, you can even hear the noise of the falling grains, which is almost hypnotic.
A bit off the hustle and bustle Burkettsville Fire Station, a red brick building that has more stories to tell than some museum guide. I once met the fire brigade chief, who proudly told me about an operation in the neighboring village, where they saved an escaped pig from a brook – a real highlight that I will never forget. The building is open to visitors as long as you are not in the middle of an alarm, and parking right in front of the door is practically always free because the firefighters rarely stand there for a long time.
For those who want to make a little story, there is Burkettsville Village Hallwhich today serves as a small museum. There old photos are hanging from the founding family Burkett and a few yellowed maps showing how the village once looked before the first road was paved. I made a photo of myself next to an antique wooden chair that now hangs in my living room – a real conversation material when I get a visit. The entrance is always open, and parking is right next to the town hall, where you almost never have to find your car because there are hardly any other vehicles.
A short detour to Burkettsville Cemetery may sound for some macaber, but for me it is a quiet place where you can feel the roots of this little place. The tombstones tell stories about families who have lived here for generations, and I once met a descendant of the founding family who betrayed me an old family recipe for apple cake – a real bonus if you're looking for a snack. The way to the cemetery is well signposted, and parking is a small, unconsolidated place that is usually free as long as you are not there on Sunday morning when the funerals begin.
To finish my little tour through Burkettsville Attractions I would like to mention the annual autumn festival, which is not a fixed place, but turns the whole village into a colorful drive. The stands with homemade applesauce, the carousels and the local band that plays on stage in front of the town hall give you the feeling that more happens here than you would suspect at first glance. So, next time you drive over Ohio, stop, grab a cup of coffee from the local diner and let yourself be surprised by this tiny spot of land – it has more character than one would expect from a place with less than 300 inhabitants.
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