Visit Lewisburg Preble Ohio and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Discover the beautiful city of Lewisburg in the state of Ohio! Experience the historic old town and the Bicentennial Park. Eat in the numerous local restaurants and visit the Shawnee State Forest. A must: The annual Lewisburg Apple Festival!
Honestly, if you think Ohio is just endless fields and boring country roads, then you haven't experienced Lewisburg yet. Founded in 1815 by a few brave pioneers who probably thought a bit of “frontier spirit” would sweeten life here, the town has accumulated more layers over the years than an old pancake. Today it is cozy in the heart of Harrison Township, nestled in the rural Preble County, and looks like a well kept secret that is just waiting to be discovered by curious travelers.
I don't quite understand the hype around the big metropolises, but the small corners here have their own charm – and that without the usual crowd. A short trip by car over the State Route 127 takes you to the village where you almost feel the time would slow down here. The old brick houses I love tell stories of blacksmiths who used to produce more metal than Instagram posts. And yes, the word “Lewisburg Sights” sounds almost like an advertising slogan, but I swear, the quiet places on the river where you can take a cool bath in the summer are worth every kilometre drive.
So, if you scroll over the map the next time, don't forget to make a small move to Harrison Township – you'll see that the real Ohio is not in the guides, but in the conversations you're leading there.
I have to admit right at the beginning that my favorite place in Lewisburg is not some hip café, but the old, cracking school building on Main Street, which today houses the Harrison Township town hall. You immediately feel the scent of chalk and history, and if you accidentally catch a city festival in the summer, the kids dance around the old gym, while the elders chat on the benches as if there was no morning. I visited my aunt there, who has been working as a librarian since 1972 – her smile was broader than the door that can hardly be opened because the castle is still jammed.
A short walk further Lewisburg United Methodist Church, an ornamental example of neo-Gothic brick architecture that reveals more about the religious tenacity of the municipality than any brochure. I don't understand the hype about the choir songs, but the acoustics inside is really impressive – I read a poem there once and the echo sounded as if the church itself applauded.
If you're looking for a place where you can rest your feet while watching a bit of people, look at the little one. Lewisburg Community Park on. The playground is not the latest, but the swing is still functional, and the Baseball Diamond line is so worn out that you almost feel that a few generations have spent their summer evenings here. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem – this is probably due to the local high school performing their weekly football match.
A little further south, hardly more than a few minutes by car, this stretches Ohio River Floodplain. I once made a picnic with my friend while we tried to catch the rare fish eagles. The area is not only a paradise for birdwatchers, but also offers a quiet retreat if you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the small town. And yes, the water is sometimes somewhat cloudy, but that makes the charm.
For those who like to take a bit of history, there is Lewisburg Cemetery, a silent field full of old gravestones that tell stories of veterans from civil war until World War I. I once found an old Veteran-Grabstein, whose inscription was almost completely weathered – a short moment of reverence before I turned to everyday life.
Another secret tip I barely tell anyone is the small, but fine Volunteer Fire Department. There are old firefighters and rusty hose reels from the 1950s, and the guides tell with an eye-catcher as they once saved the whole village from an alleged fire – a fire that later turned out to be a barbecue. The museum is free, and parking is practically right in front of the door, which is a small bonus for me.
And because I don't just want to mention the obvious things, here is a short hint for those who really want to see everything: if you googlest to “Lewisburg Sights”, you will quickly realize that the city is small, but every corner has its own character. From the old mill on the river, which today serves as a warehouse for local artisans, to the weekly farmer's market, where you get fresh apples and homemade jams – there is more to discover than you would suspect at first sight.
The first stop I have to put to every visitor is the Hueston Woods State Park – a huge piece of untouched nature, which is just a half hour drive from Lewisburg. The lake, which the locals lovingly call “Lake Hueston”, is crystal clear enough that you can almost recognize your own mirror image during paddling, and the trails wind through dense beech forests that make every Instagram filter update look old. I once tried to arrange a picnic, just to be overrun by a horde duck – no joke, the animals seem to love parking because they are always where you park your car. Parking is usually available in abundance, except for long summer weekends, as it becomes a small battlefield from SUVs and campers.
A short detour to Eaton leads you to the Preble County Historical Museum, a place where the history of the county almost becomes alive to ignore it. The collection is a colourful mix of old land machines, handwritten diaries and an amazingly well-preserved carriage that I wanted to use personally for a photo with my mobile phone – until the curator kindly explained to me that this is “only for the exhibition”. A must for those who believe that history is just dusty books, because here you can almost touch the past while you ask why the city has never built a real cinema.
If you have enough of dusty halls, watch the West Manchester Covered Bridge – a real piece of 19. Century that floats over the small river as if someone had forgotten the time. I stood there on a windy autumn afternoon, held my phone up to shoot the perfect picture, and noticed that an old man in an oversized wool sweater just ate a piece of cheese on a passing tractor. That was the most beautiful “local” acting I have ever seen. Parking is practically directly at the bridge end, and the whole thing is free – a rare luck in a world that otherwise makes everything cost.
For those who prefer to travel on two wheels, the Little Miami Scenic Trail is an endless red stripe that stretches through the gentle hills of Preble County. I once made a morning run there, just to find out that a few enthusiastic cyclists blocked my way because they wanted to “ enjoy nature” – a classic case of “I have the right to block the trail because I have a bike”. Nevertheless, the route is well developed, parking at the access points is usually a short walk from the trail, and the view of the surrounding landscape is a real highlight when you find yourself in the office after a long working day.
A little further south, almost to Dayton, lies the Huffman Prairie Flying Field, part of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. Here the brothers Wright repeated their first flight attempts to Kitty Hawk – a place that is more than just a piece of lawn, but a symbol of the human urge to fly ever higher. I stood there once in the late summer when a hot air balloon floated over the field, and thought that this might be the only time I had the feeling that history could actually float over me. The field is freely accessible, parking is at the edge of the museum area, and you can almost feel like a pioneer when you go over the grass that was once entered by the first planes.
For water sportsmen looking for the adventure, the Great Miami River near Moraine is an underestimated jewel. Kayaking here is a bit like a wild ride through time: you paddle through quiet sections, suddenly the water shoots over a small waterfall, and you are back in the middle of nature, far away from the endless supermarket rows. I once tried to take a picture of my mirror image in the water, just to realize that the water was more mirror than myself. Parking by the river bank is usually easy as long as you do not arrive on Friday night after work – then there is a small crowd that reminds of a weekly market.
Last but not least, the annual spectacle on the Preble County Fairgrounds must be forgotten. The fair is a colorful mess of carousels, riots and a lot of people who wonder why they could not just stay at home. I once tried a piece of apple cake that was supposed to be made according to an old family recipe, and was pretty sure that the recipe came from another era – it was so good. The terrain is easy to find, parking is generous, and the atmosphere is a perfect example of how a small place like Lewisburg can still radiate a little big city flair.
Whether you're looking for nature, history or a bit of both, the area of Lewisburg has more to offer than you would suspect at first sight. From the quiet woods Hueston Woods to the venerable West Manchester Covered Bridge to the airy heights of Huffman Prairie – there is something to discover for every taste. And if you have experienced all this, you will understand why the Lewisburg Attractions in my head take a very special place, even if they are not all directly in the place.
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