A Visit to America's Canal Town

The traveller sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see. – G.K. Chesterton

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This historic canal town in east central Ohio served our interests in history, architecture, and photography. It's a great day trip if you're in that part of the great state of Ohio-east of Columbus and south of Cleveland.

Historic Roscoe Village is a restoration (not a recreation) of a classic canal town that

incorporates the flow of modern life. Unlike many such villages, Roscoe Village is a functioning community with restaurants and shops for everyone. We bought a pass to the historic village's exhibits, and that electronic pass let us enter restored buildings to learn more about education, commerce, medical practices of the day, and canal life. However, anyone can wander the streets and gain an appreciation for what this bustling community had to offer in the 1800s. We found the pass to be very worthwhile and spent more time in this historic setting than we had planned.

The Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum is a nationally accredited museum which houses the ticket desk and can arrange for your electronic pass. Here, you'll find various displays on the history of the area, the era of canals, art galleries, and a collection of beautiful quilts. There is plenty of big rig parking at the museum, and it's just a short stroll from the museum to the Main Street of Roscoe.

It's easy to get a feel for the bustling nature of Roscoe in its prime: craftsmen were honored, the village doctor was beloved, and education was central to the community. It was also a visually appealing place, with the classic American architecture of the time. The dynamics of the canal economy to transport local farm goods and production to a wider market also benefited Roscoe. Today's visitor can find a variety of dining choices, plus a good number of quaint shops offering home decor items, local food goods, and jewelry. They go far beyond touristy souvenirs. You'll find quality items across the many stores.

Dining is another treat at Roscoe Village. There are sandwich and ice-cream shops and fine

dining for lunch or dinner. In the restaurant in the center of the village, we had a wonderful lunch under a model of a canal boat. As we walked down the main street, it was apparent this was an open community. People came and went, utilizing store front parking. Many of them came to shop, and others were in the historical village to meet for lunch. While you can walk the streets and sense a bygone era, it's when you get inside the specialized buildings that you immerse yourself in the Roscoe experience. The electronic passport gives you access to various buildings, such as the school house, the doctor's office, and the visitor center. Each one of these goes into detail as to the life and function of each building and its occupants. At the Visitor Center, you can learn about broom making and other crafts with hands-on demonstrations for all ages. Roscoe Village has canal barge trips available as well as numerous festivals and special events throughout the year. Check their online site for further details.

After several hours at Roscoe Village, we returned north to our campsite at Berlin, in the heart of Holmes County, Ohio. The drive took us through more of the peaceful Ohio countryside and past the historic courthouse at Millersburg.

We have been pleased again and again with the many places we've found in the state of Ohio, and we're just getting started. We'll be back to explore it further as we travel Along the Pooka Trail.