Michigan was fun but now I needed to drive through Ohio for the last bit of unfinished business. Only three counties out of 88 remained unvisited in Ohio, aligned in a single contiguous row heading due south. It felt like bowling pins lined up for an easy spare. So look out Paulding, Van Wert, and Mercer Counties because I’m about to hit you.
Unfortunately the weather didn’t make it easy. Clouds descended into a thick layer of fog overnight and hugged the ground the next morning. We stuck to U.S. Route 127 for most of the day which was fine as we left Lansing, Michigan where a wide highway reflected interstate standards. However the track soon reduced to a single lane in each direction, meandering through the countryside. Trucks, understandably reducing speed to match the conditions, blocked any ability to get around them with such poor visibility. So progress deteriorated as we hoped for occasional passing lanes or for vehicles to divert onto other roads.
Paulding County
Visibility slowly improved as the morning dragged-on. Meanwhile the sky remained angry and unsettled. The Paulding County courthouse looked imposing as we pulled into town so I took a photo at a stoplight (map). It was an impressive sight but not enough for me to get a closer look. I did think about it for a brief moment, though. Then the light turned green and I kept driving south into the next county.
Van Wert County
I didn’t even take a photo in Van Wert County. I’m sure it’s a great place so I hope nobody takes offense. On the other hand, we actually did did stop there for a little while!
It was lunchtime and we spotted a Subway sandwich shop along the side of the road. So I spent some genuine feet-on-the-ground time in the county. I supported the local economy and I guess that counts for something more than simply passing through. But a photo of some random Subway in the penultimate county wasn’t worth the effort.
…And by then I could practically taste victory.
Mercer County
That happened shortly afterwards as we crossed into Mercer County, the last of the Ohio 88. There was no particular reason why I saved Mercer for the honor; it just unfolded that way after crisscrossing the state multiple times. Someplace has to be last. Nonetheless, it turned out to be a solid choice and I’m glad it worked out that way.
Celina
Celina is the main town in Mercer County as well as the seat of local government. It sits beautifully on the shore of Grand Lake St. Marys, a reservoir built nearly two hundred years ago for the Miami and Erie Canal, and the largest in the world at the time. So the town grew around this lake in a wonderful picturesque setting. I wouldn’t mind coming back there as a tourist someday.
The weather improved dramatically, with blue skies even if it remained a little blustery. We definitely earned some decent sunshine after our difficult drive. However, I didn’t expect a lighthouse in inland Ohio (map). I could have used a few of those on the drive through the fog!
The Celina Lighthouse was designed to grace the shoreline and look pretty, but it does work. As Lighthouse Friends explains:
“Built in 1986 as a project of the local Rotary Club, this forty-foot lighthouse is functional, but acts more as an observation tower than a navigational aid. On occasion, however, mariners trying to reach the small marina located near the lighthouse do take advantage of the tower’s private aid to navigation that is exhibited at a focal plane of fifty feet.”
So I’m going to count it as a visit and add it to my lighthouse list. I think that’s reasonable. I’ve seen “real” lighthouses that were smaller and less dramatic.
Moeller Brew Barn
Celina also marked our final stop along U.S. Route 127. Now we headed east, but not too far, where we celebrated our Ohio achievement. And what better way to declare victory than at a brewery? Moeller Brew Barn was in rural Mercer County surrounded by farmland, and indeed the exterior resembled a barn. I went to their facility in Dayton awhile ago on a previous trip, but this one appeared to be their flagship location. So we shared a flight of small pours and toasted our success.
Return to Auglaize County
Mercer County borders Auglaize County so we continued just a little further east. In the first article I mentioned that we barely clipped Auglaize but we planned to stay overnight on the way back. That was the plan and everything worked out fine. We checked into a hotel along Interstate 75 in Wapakoneta.
Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of Wapakoneta. I hadn’t and I’m not even sure how to pronounce it. However, you’ve probably heard of its most famous hometown hero: Neil Armstrong, the first person to set foot on the moon. Our hotel happened to sit within walking distance of the Armstrong Air & Space Museum, which of course we visited (map).
Bonus Encounter
I accomplished every goal I set for this trip. I was done. Yet, sometimes a pleasant surprise happens along.
On the way home, we pulled off I-70 in far eastern Ohio for a rest break and I noticed an historical marker (map). I’m always a sucker for those so I checked it out. It commemorated the original milestones on the old National Road, and said specifically:
“Each stone indicated the distance to Cumberland, Maryland, the eastern terminus of the National Road, and to the nearest cities and villages for both east and westbound travelers.”
More impressively, an actual historic milestone sat at the base of the marker: 154 miles to Cumberland; 23 miles to Wheeling; 50 miles to Zanesville. Then we set off for Wheeling, Cumberland, and well beyond.
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