6 Most Eccentric Towns In Ohio
Ohio is home to many large, bustling cities like Cleveland, Cincinnati, and its capital, Columbus, which are the state’s centers of culture and business. The Buckeye State has a history in aviation and presidential policies, being the birthplace of the Wright Brothers and seven U.S. Presidents. It is also home to charming small towns, some of which boast unique and eccentric features, quirky attractions, and friendly locals. From the rich art scene of Zanesville to Sugarcreek, the town with the World's Largest Cuckoo Clock and the Riverboat Town of Marietta, here are Ohio's 6 most eccentric towns.
Zanesville
Zanesville has a rich history in pottery and ceramics and was once nicknamed the "Pottery Capital of the World," thanks to the large number of pottery manufacturers. Today, the town embraces its pottery past with dozens of local pottery shops like Zanesville Pottery, Rosehill Design, and Ohio Stoneware, as well as art studios and displays at the Zanesville Museum of Art. With its thriving arts scene, visitors can experience the community’s creative spirit through its colorful murals, sculptures in Zane’s Landing Park, and regular art walks with the Artist Colony of Zanesville.
Famous for its distinctive Y-shaped bridge, which spans the confluence of the Muskingum and Licking Rivers, Zanesville is often called Y-City. The first Y-Bridge opened in 1814 but has been rebuilt several times over the years, with its current incarnation, the fifth Y-Bridge. Still, it remains a source of local pride and was featured in Ripley’s Believe It or Not as “the only bridge in the world which you can cross and still be on the same side of the river.”
Bellefontaine
Rich in eccentricities, the small town of Bellefontaine is about an hour’s drive from Columbus. It’s home to the highest point in Ohio, Campbell Hill, at 1550 feet above sea level, where visitors can take a selfie next to a placard proclaiming it to be the “highest point in Ohio.” Bellefontaine also claims to have the first concrete street in the United States, first paved in 1893 by George Bartholomew, a concrete pioneer. There’s a series of plaques and a statute of Bartholomew commemorating its location. Finally, another piece of quirky transportation history is McKinley Street—the shortest street in the U.S. at 20 feet long. Visitors can take a few steps on the street near the late-19th-century Logan County Courthouse, the town’s pretty centerpiece.
Bellefontaine is committed to preserving the city’s rich history, which visitors can experience by taking a self-guided historical walking tour downtown and looking for the bronze plaques displayed on building fronts. Be sure to visit the Holland Theatre, built in 1931 and fully restored in 2019, which is the only atmospheric theater in the United States with 17th-century Dutch architecture.
Sugarcreek
Called the "Little Switzerland of Ohio," the Swiss village of Sugarcreek is tucked in Ohio’s Amish community. Full of charming Alpine-style buildings, colorful facades, and six decorative Swiss-inspired murals, visitors will be enchanted by the eclectic mix of shops like Silver Moon Winery, Dutch Valley Gifts, Broad Run Cheesehouse, Deli & Boutique, and restaurants like Dutch Valley Restaurant & Bakery as they wander down the streets listening to Swiss music.
The jewel in the village’s crown is the 23-foot-tall, 24-foot-wide clock recorded by the “Guinness Book of World Records” in 1977 as the World's Largest Cuckoo Clock, which delights visitors with its hourly performances of a dancing couple and a polka band. Visit the Alpine Hills Museum to learn about Sugarcreek’s Swiss, German, and Amish heritage.
Yellow Springs
With its laid-back vibe and welcoming community, the town of Yellow Springs has a reputation as much for its bohemian culture as for its proximity to trails, waterfalls, and the iconic yellow spring that gives the town its name. The Glen Helen Nature Preserve is a sprawling, 1,000-acre preserve with 20 miles of rustic trails, stone steps, and wooden boardwalks amid thick forests and trickling streams. Be sure to visit the Glen Helen Raptor Center on the property, home to over 30 birds of prey unable to live in the wild due to physical or behavioral problems such as lack of flight or inability to hunt.
Downtown is brimming with fun, eccentric shops like Dark Star Books, home to 40,000 used, rare, and collectible books; Rose & Sal for vintage clothing, furniture, pop culture, and collectibles; and Urban Handmade for very cool t-shirts. Grab a meal in Yellow Springs at the historic Clifton Mill or Ellie’s Restaurants, or visit Yellow Springs Brewery or Trail Town Brewing. Kids will love Young’s Jersey Dairy, a funky family farm with ice cream, a carousel, a mini putt course, a maze, and a petting zoo.
Chagrin Falls
Named after the picturesque waterfall flowing right through downtown, Chagrin Falls is a picturesque village known for its stunning waterfall, quaint downtown area, and unique shops. The town has a strong connection to the arts community as the home of the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre—one of the oldest operating community theaters in the United States.
One of the main attractions in town is its historic Main Street, full of unique shops, art galleries, and restaurants. The landmark Popcorn Shop is a much-loved institution in the city and has been serving bags of the popular treat since 1949. Its 1875 building was reportedly a "Safe House" in the Underground Railroad for enslaved people seeking safety in Canada. Another beloved Chagrin Falls staple is Fireside Book Shop, but new trendy stores like Sanity, Shed Boutique and Wellness, and Haven have also popped up.
Marietta
Established in 1788, the historic town of Marietta along the Ohio River boasts beautiful architecture in a downtown area full of red brick streets, charming storefronts, and 19th-century buildings, with eccentric touches like vintage signs and old-fashioned street lamps. It is the oldest city in the state and known as the “Riverboat Town,” thanks to its location at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum rivers. Today, its historic riverfront is still dotted with old-fashioned sternwheelers, evoking a sense of a bygone era, and visitors can even take a narrated sightseeing river cruise aboard the Valley Gem Sternwheeler.
The Mound Cemetery is the oldest in Ohio, built near the base of an Indian burial mound. It is the resting place for the most significant number of Revolutionary War soldiers buried in one cemetery. The mound has been carefully preserved, and a stairway leads to a patio at the top. Paranormal activity seems to go hand in hand with graveyards, so the apparition of a ghostly soldier is rumored to wander the grounds. There’s also a Peoples Mortuary Museum in Marietta, adding to its eerie, eccentric vibe.
Summary
Ohio's eccentric small towns offer a blend of history, charm, and unique attractions. Zanesville stands out for its pottery heritage and the iconic Y-Bridge, while Bellefontaine is full of quirky landmarks like the shortest street in the U.S. and Ohio's highest point. Sugarcreek embraces its inner "Little Switzerland" with Alpine-style buildings and a record-setting cuckoo clock. Yellow Springs adds a bohemian touch with nature preserves and artsy shops, creating a laid-back atmosphere. Each town weaves together history, local culture, and eccentric touches, making them fascinating destinations that showcase Ohio's distinctive charm.
