Visit Chickasaw Mercer Ohio and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Discover the charming town of Chickasaw in Ohio! Experience the Indian Park with historical exhibitions and lively performances. Enjoy traditional food in the Chickasaw Caf. Walk in the beautiful park on the river Muskingum and discover the old city centre with numerous historic buildings. A must: The "Chickasaw-Ohio-Railroad" - a small steam railway that leads through nature and allows a view of the beautiful surroundings.
Honestly, if you think Ohio is just a sea of corn, then you haven't experienced Chickasaw yet – a tiny spot in the heart of Marion Township, Mercer County, which has been a unique piece of history since 1838. The city was named after the same-named tribe, and although the original settlers had hardly more than a few wooden huts, a peculiar pride has developed here, which makes itself noticeable in every alley.
I don't quite understand the hype about the rural idyll, but the quiet dahing slide along the state route 49, where you have to share almost every second car with a tractor, has something soothing authentic. When you get out of Dayton by car, take the US‐30 East and then turn off – the ride is short, the GPS rarely loses, and you have enough time to smile at the lack of hipster cafés.
A short detour to the old cemetery, where the gravestones tell more stories than some city tours, is the true highlight for me. And yes, Chickasaw sights include not only what is in guidebooks, but also the silent agreement of the locals that the pace of life is still in order here.
I must confess that my favorite place in Chickasaw is not some hipest café, but that Chickasaw Community Park. Where the grass is still a bit too high to overlook it, you will find the true heart of the village – a few baseball diamonds, a playground that has more rust than color, and a pavilion that survived every summer festival because it is simply too robust. Parking? Mostly a clack, as long as you don’t arrive on Saturday night after the annual “Summerfest” – then the field becomes a parking lot for anyone who wants a beer and a bit of live-country music.
A short walk (or a short sprint if you want to move after the park) leads you to Chickasaw Public Library. I don't quite understand the hype about huge, modern libraries, but here you have the feeling that every book was recommended by a neighbor. The shelves are not just new, but the staff knows every regular guest in the name – and this is more charm than one would expect in every hip city center. If you happen to find a free table, you can even open your laptop there and test the WLAN – this is faster than the promise of the local Internet provider.
A little further down the main road, and you stumble over the Chickasaw United Methodist Church. I once experienced a Sunday service concert there, and that was not a “concert”, but rather an improvised Jam-Session-Ding, in which the community suddenly mutated into a kind of gospel band. The benches crawl, the organ play sounds as if it were saved from the 60s, and the whole building smells like old wood and candle wax – a scent you don't find in every guide.
If you're looking for a place where you can feel a little ‘official’, that's what you want. Chickasaw Village Hall That's right. There the city meetings run, and I happened to have heard a discussion about the new garbage collection route – a real thriller if you are interested in local bureaucracy. The building is a little too small to call it an architectural highlight, but the interior is surprisingly cozy, and parking right outside the door is almost always free as long as you are not there at the time of choice.
A short detour to the right leads you to St. Mary's Catholic Church. I visited a wedding party where the bride appeared in a dress that looked more like a 19-year old wedding photo than a modern trend. Nevertheless, the food – a buffet of homemade ups and salads – was really great, and the church itself has these crunching benches that remind you every time you are in a historic building.
For those who want to make a little story, there is Chickasaw Historical Society Museum. It is not a museum in the classical sense, but rather a collection of old photos, a dusty chest of tools and a small desk where a former mayor left his notes. I found an old map that shows how the village was once traversed by a single gravel road – a nice detail that explains why some roads are so narrow today.
And yes, if you have a list of Chickasaw sights seek, then you have it now – but don't forget that the real experience is not in a checklist, but in the small, slightly chaotic moments you experience between the individual places. A short chat with the shop owner at the kiosk, a spontaneous photo stop in front of the old water tower, and all that while you ask yourself why you were not here earlier. So, it was from me – I hope you want to see the village with your own eyes, and not just through the lens of a guide.
The first stop I put to every new man's heart is that Grand Lake St. Marys State Park. The lake is just a short drive from Chickasaw and offers more water surface than you can find in Ohio – perfect for a spontaneous kayak adventure or a picnic on the shore when the weather plays. Parking is usually a Klack at the main entrance, but the field full of families with barbecue equipment can quickly become a patience test on the weekend.
A short trip to Celina is worthwhile for Mercer County Courthouse, an impressive brick building from the 19th century Century that almost looks like a film set. I once tried to shoot a photo there, and was captured by an enthusiastic historian with an anecdote about the old court trial of 1885 – no joke, that was almost as exciting as a crime. The road in front of the courthouse is wide enough to park the car, but the small alleys in the historic district are narrow, so rather leave the car outside.
Continue to St. Marys, where the St. Marys River Trail swells along the river. I explored the route at sunset and was surprised how quiet the water is there – almost too quiet, considering that here earlier the steam ships turned their rounds. The trail is well marked, and a few benches invite you to stay; this is ideal if you just want to represent your legs after a long day in the car.
A little further south, Air & Space Museum in Wapakoneta, the birthplace of Neil Armstrong. I don't always understand the hype about space travel, but here the history of the lunar landing program is served with a portion of local pride, which almost seems local. The museum is free to enter, and parking right in front of the building is an open field – so no excuse to not look in.
For those who want to sniff a bit of history, this is Mercer County Historical Society Museum an underestimated jewel. It is located in the old court building of Celina and houses artefacts that range from the pioneering period to modern times. I found an old diary that comes from a farmer from the 1860s – a real reading pleasure if you look for something off the usual tourist trails. The museum has a small parking lot behind the building; on working days it is almost empty, but on Saturday it can become narrow.
A short detour into the neighboring St. Henry leads into the heart of the Ohio Amish Country. There are no great attractions here, but authentic farms, handmade furniture and the soothing sound of horse hooves on gravel roads. I had lunch at a local family once – the food was simple, but incredibly fresh, and the conversation about life without electricity was refreshingly honest. Parking is usually possible on the small courts, but you should be respectful and not just drive in the middle of the way.
Whether you are looking for nature, history or a touch of rural idyll – the surroundings of Chickasaw have more to offer than you would suspect at first glance. From the vast waters of the Grand Lake to the courthouse's venerable halls to the quiet paths on the St. Marys River – here everyone finds something that excites him or at least brings him to the spun. And that's exactly what makes Chickasaw sights to a worthwhile destination for those who want to experience the real Ohio.
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