Honestly, if you're looking for a place that has more history than your favorite Netflix drama, then the Drexel sights are just the right one – a small village that was built in 1850 as a stop for the railway and has since been buzzing in the heart of Jefferson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio. I have the feeling that the founders just bought a piece of land to escape the hustle and bustle of Dayton, and that has left a unique charm to this day.
I usually drive over the state route 48 by car, because the bus connections here are rather a myth, and this is also good: the journey through the wide fields immediately lets you feel the country life that has not yet been overrun by Hipster-Cafés. As soon as you arrive in the center, you will immediately notice the venerable post office – a building that has more stories to tell than some travel guide app. Right next to this is the small but fine community centre, where I often sit with a coffee and watch the local peasant market that looks a bit like a mini festival every weekend.
A short detour to the north leads you to a quiet piece of forest that is lovingly called “the retreat” by locals – perfect if you are looking for a moment of rest before you get back to the city. And yes, I don't quite understand the hype about the big metropolises, but here, between the fields and the friendly faces, I find the Drexel sights really great.
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The first stop of my little Odyssey was the unpretentious but surprisingly charming Brookville Lake – a place that locals like to call “my second living room” because the water there is almost always clear enough to see their own feet when you dare to swim. I rented an old kayak there on a hot July-Saturday, which had more cracks than an old book, and then I was almost persecuted in the middle of the lake by a group of ducks – no joke, the animals seem to own the water. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the whole city shows up with its picnic blankets.
A short detour to Dayton leads directly to the Huffman Prairie Flying Field, the place where the Wright brothers tried their first waghalous maneuvers to Kitty Hawk. I have to admit, I don't understand the hype about old wooden semi-trailers, but the open field, which is lined by a narrow path, has something meditative – especially when you stand there and see the wide prairie, while a light wind brings the grasses to the whisper. The visitor center is small, but the original aircraft models make the heart of any aviation nerds beat higher, and parking is almost never a topic thanks to a wide, unconsolidated area.
Continue to Carillon Historical Park, a huge open-air museum that exhibits more than just old tractors. I explored the famous Pioneer Village where you can almost imagine how life in the 19th century. The century was – until one suddenly gets overtaken by a loud modern tractor that just gives a demonstration for school classes. The highlight is the huge bell game, which fills the air with a sound every day at 12 a.m. for a few minutes, which simultaneously looks majestic and a bit cheesy. A little hint: Parking is free, but the places fill up quickly when the weather is good, so prefer to come early.
No visit to the surrounding area would be complete without the National Museum of the United States Air Force on the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. I spent more hours there than I would like to admit, because the exhibition ranges from the first propeller machines to modern jets – all for free. The “Hangar 2” in which a real B‐52 Stratofortress stands is an absolute must; I almost felt that the plane was staring at me because I'm so small about this colossus. The museum has a huge parking lot, which offers enough space even on heavily visited days, and a café that serves surprisingly good Chili-Dog sandwich.
A little off the hustle and bustle is the Dayton RiverWalk, a narrow path along the Great Miami River, which is perfect for a relaxing walk after a day full of museum visits. I met an old fisherman there at sunset who told me he had been fishing there for over 40 years – he laughed when I asked if he had ever caught a fish that was bigger than his boat. The path is well developed, parking is available in several small garages along the river, and the view of the Skyline of Dayton at dusk is an image that you do not forget.
Last but not least a short trip to Dayton MetroParks, more precisely to Beaver Creek MetroPark. There are not only hiking trails, but also a small nature centre that is particularly interesting for families. I discovered a sign there that pointed out that beavers are active here – and actually I saw a few rodents working eagerly on a dam. Parking is easy because the terrain is large enough to accommodate larger groups, and the whole area feels like a small retreat from everyday life.
When you explore the area around Drexel, Jefferson Township, Montgomery, Ohio, you can see that the Drexel Attractions not only consist of a single point, but a colourful mix of nature, history and a bit of unexpected charm – and all this with a portion of local peculiarity that enthuses and delights every visitor at the same time.
I have to confess that my first love in this little spot Ohio the Drexel Community Center is not just because it is the only large building with a swimming pool I have ever found in a suburb. The swimming pool is a bit too small to train Olympic times, but perfect to enjoy a cool trip after a hot summer day. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the gym is full and everyone spreads his yoga mat as if there was no tomorrow.
A short walk (or a short sprint, depending on the mood) leads you to Drexel Library, a branch of the Dayton Metro Library, which has more charm than some major urban libraries. I once borrowed a book about the history of the railway in Ohio, just to realize that the shelf next to the reading table is by chance the only one that still has the old, crunching door – a small piece of nostalgia that you will hardly expect. If you're lucky, there's an older man sitting on the window and telling you how he went to Dayton as a boy by train; that is free cultural pleasure, no joke.
Directly behind the library Drexel Park, a tiny, but surprisingly well-kept green strip, which fits like a smile between asphalt and residential homes. I once made a picnic with my neighbour, and we fought to see if the ducks in the pond are really ducks or very convincing rubber animals – this is the real adventure here. The way to the park is free from traffic, and parking is practical because you just open the door from the house and you are already in the middle of the green.
If you are traveling in the city in spring or autumn, look out for Drexel Farmers Market, which is gathered every second weekend in the community center parking lot. I don't understand the hype about organic flavors, but the fresh strawberries that are sold there are really great and hardly taste more than a coffee. The market is not only a place to shop, but a social network where you suddenly know the name of your favorite baker because he offers you a piece of cinnamon chick while discussing the weather.
A little away from the well-known paths lies what I like to call the hidden jewel: the Drexel Historical Railroad Marker. It is not a museum, but a simple sign on the old railway road, which reminds of the time when trains kept here regularly to transport coal and people. I took a photo that now hangs in my living room because I love the feeling of touching a piece of forgotten story – and because the sign is a perfect background for Instagram if you want to impress your followers with “#retro”.
Another highlight I cannot leave is the Drexel Community Garden. This is a small piece of land that is cultivated by volunteers and where you can find tomatoes, peppers and sometimes even a few unusual herbs like lemon balms. I spent one day there to see how an older couple digs the beds, and they told me that casting at 6:00 in the morning makes the plants the happiest – a advice I ever follow with all my plants. The garden is open to visitors as long as you keep your hands clean and do not try to steal the carrots.
Finally, and that may sound surprising for some, there is in Drexel the Drexel Fire Station, which is not only active in emergency, but also regularly organizes open day. I was there once because I thought there were free hot dogs and instead got a guided tour of the equipment that impressed me more than any high-tech show in a big city. Parking is a children's game here because the terrain is almost exclusively reserved for use vehicles – so don't worry, you don't have to fight for a free space.
All this together Drexel Attractions to a mixture of everyday charm and surprising moments that you only find when you are ready to stroll a bit off the beaten paths. And next time you drive through Jefferson Township, keep your eyes open – maybe you'll discover another little corner I haven't mentioned yet.
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