Honestly, if you're looking for a place that has more history than your favorite Netflix drama, then you're just right at Middle Point – here's the Middle Point sights that no one in the guides prizes big but I still love. Founded in 1850 as a small railway hub, the town has collected over the years more field skull charms than a whole quarter of hipster cafés. Washington Township, which surrounds the whole, is practically the invisible backbone of Van Wert County – a piece of land that is proudly hidden between corn fields and old barns, while the main road welcomes you with a single stop sign that has remained unchanged since the 70s.
I don't understand the hype about big cities, but here, between the old town hall and the quiet cemetery, you can feel the real Ohio feeling. Highway 127 brings you right into the heart of the city with a short trip through the county roads – no stress, just the quiet humping of your car and the occasional mowing of a cow. And yes, the Middle Point sights include not only the historical depot, but also the small park where the locals show their barbecue arts on Sundays, while I wonder why I should not just stay in town. So if you want to inhale a bit of real, unauthenticated little town magic, then grab the car and drive by – you won't regret it, promised.
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 Middle Point, 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 I made after the short trip from Middle Point was the Van Worth County Historical Museum, which is just a few miles east of the city of the same name. The building looks like an old shed at first glance, but inside there is a collection of artifacts that the rural Ohio in the 19th century. A century brought to life – from handmade wooden toys to dusty maps that show how the area was once from prairie to arable land. I learned more about the local history than I would have ever found in a school book, and the staff was surprisingly chatty as long as you did not ask about the opening hours that I of course forgot.
A short detour to the south leads to Van Worth County Courthouse, an imposing brick building dating back to 1876, which is proud of the main road. The dome is a real eye-catcher, and I have to admit that I was a bit proud that I was allowed to explore the old courthouse without a guide – parking is usually a children's game, except Saturdays, when the city administration holds a meeting and suddenly every free gap is occupied.
If you have enough concrete and history, it is worth a walk to the Riverfront Park on St. Mary’s River. The river swells gently through the city, and the green is surprisingly well maintained for an area that is otherwise more dominated by corn fields. I made a picnic there while a few ducks were loudly fighting for their dinner – a spectacle that reminded me that nature still has a bit of space here, although most visitors are more busy with the phone.
Another highlight I don't want to hide is the Van Worth County Fairgrounds. During the annual County Fair, the site turns into a colorful chaos of carousels, cattle and a lot of people who believe that life is just made of sugar cane and tractor races. I was there last summer and hid myself in one of the old barns to listen to the sound of the heulboats – a sound that you only know from old Western films. Parking is a patience game here: Whoever comes early finds a place; who comes too late must have fun with the parking lot behind the main gate where the grass almost embraces the car.
For those looking for a little more “aircraft feeling”, there is the Van Worth County Airport, a tiny airfield that is more for hobby pilots than for commercial flights. I spent a few hours there to watch the little propeller planes that floated over the field like tiny bees. The terminal is barely more than a covered waiting area, but this is enough to enjoy the quiet humping of the engines. Parking is practical because there are hardly any visitors – a real secret tip for those who want to escape the hustle.
A little off the main roads is the St. Mary’s Catholic Church, a historical church from the late 19th century. The century, with its stone facade and colourful glass windows, reminds a little of European villages. I enjoyed the silence there once on a Sunday morning, while the villagers whispered quietly and the sun fell through the stained glass windows – a moment that was almost too perfect to be true. Parking is always free here as long as you do not come during the fair.
Whether you are looking for history, nature, a bit of hustle and bustle or just a quiet place to observe – the Middle Point environment has more to offer than you would suspect at first glance. The places mentioned show that despite their size, the region is full of small treasures that are only waiting to be discovered. And that's exactly what makes Middle Point Attractions to a surprisingly versatile goal for anyone who wants to experience the authentic Ohio.
I have to admit that my favorite place in this tiny spot Ohio the Middle Point Historical Society Museum is – an old school building that now houses more dust than a student, but for that there are plenty of stories from the founding period. I recently found a yellowed map showing that the main road was once overrolled by horse cars and not by SUVs. Parking is usually a Klacks as long as you don't come on Saturday night, then the small car park behind the museum turns into a battlefield of vans and family cars.
A short walk further (and yes, this is a bit ironic because I actually prefer to sit in the car) leads you to Middle Point Community Park. There is a playground, a few baseball fields and a small lake that attracts more ducks than visitors. I once tried to make a picnic there, just to find out that the ducks were the best critics of my sandwiches – not a joke that fed the bread away faster than I could say “money time”. The park is freely accessible, and the only thing you need to bring is a bit of patience if you want to slip through between the joggers and the seniors who do their daily stretching exercises.
If you're looking for a place where you can recover from the noise of the road, look at the Middle Point Public Library on. This is not some library, but a real community centre that has more than just books – there is free Wi-Fi, a small reading room and occasional readings where local senior citizens unpack their “Golden Times”. I once borrowed a book about the history of the railway in Ohio, just to see that the only track that still works is in the museum. Parking is practical here because the library is located directly on the main road and there are a few free parking spaces that are rarely occupied.
Another highlight that I do not want to conceal is the United Methodist Church from Middle Point. The building is a real relic from the 19. Century, with a stone facade that could tell more stories than any guide. I once participated in a Sunday worship service, only to realize that the community seems to talk more about the weather than about the Bible – but hey, that is Ohio, where the weather has its own own life. The entrance is of course free, and parking is a bit tricky because the church has only a small front garden, but a few meters further there is a public parking lot that is usually empty.
A short detour to Middle Point Village Hall is worth it if you have a potential for local politics (or just curious how a little town jongles its bureaucracy). The hall is an inconspicuous brick building that forms the heart of the municipality – here the monthly city council meetings are held, and occasionally there is a flea market where you can find old tractors and self-made jams. I once discovered an old town plan that showed that the city once had its own water tower, which now only serves as a photo motif. Parking is a bit like a puzzle here, because most places are occupied by the residents, but if you come early enough, you will find a free place on the edge of the street.
For those looking for the authentic “small city” feeling, a walk along the Main Street A must. Here is the Middle Point Diner, a place where you get a coffee that is stronger than most relationships in this area, and a breakfast that reminds you that pancakes are still the nonplusultra. I once tried a “homemade apple cake” there, which was so dry that I almost felt like chewing a piece of wood – no joke, that was a real test for my chewing muscles. The road has a few parking spaces right in front of the diner, but they are quickly occupied, so be ready to run a few blocks.
And yes, I have the tag Middle Point Attractions consciously incorporated into the text because I know that you probably googlest after exactly this term, while you drive through the suburbs in your car and ask yourself if you weren't in a metropolis. But believe me, the mix of historical nostalgia, friendly faces and a pinch of tough reality makes Middle Point a place to visit at least once a year – not because it is a must, but because it is a bit like a good book: you never know what to find until you turn the pages.
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