What a great house and interesting tour. The tour guide had been there for almost 25 years and knew…read moreeverything there was to know about anything we asked. She even was giving us recent insights about some of the people who had been at the property they'd gotten from descendants. A great hour spent in Columbus. I hope to visit again. It sounds like they have special events throughout the year that honor birthdays and anniversaries and give you a little different flavor than the primary tour.

We stopped in during an open house and really enjoyed our visit! The staff was very friendly and…read moreknowledgeable and knew how to customize their information to their visitors. The house itself is in good condition and it was really neat to learn more about the family, who lived in the house for over 120 years, particularly the final Kelton to reside here, who had connections to the White House. The Kelton belongings make up the majority of what's on display, and the staff knows exactly which items were not part of the collection. It was neat to see the demonstrations on some of the antique items like music devices and clocks. This was a stop on the underground railroad, and there is a display and information available in the lower level. The back garden is lovely, and they had the carriage house all decked out for the holidays. Very neat!

Walhalla Ravine was a saving grace for me and my family all 7 years that I lived in Columbus. This…read moreis a sacred and divine place, and no ghost story or urban legend of a single person's violence can have dominion over the beauty and sanctuary of this forested gem. Every spring, this land supports new life in abundance. Every autumn the leaves put on a magnificent show. Its cool and gentle presence in the summer heat is a gift of the Earth. Winter makes a real-life snowy postcard. PSA: Please drive slow past this rare beauty in the spring and summer as there are breathtakingly sweet deer that cross with their babies. The City of Columbus won't put up a deer crossing sign until there are 5 car accidents at the Walhalla-Indianola intersection. How do I know? I asked for a sign after witnessing a near-collision between a car and a fawn. They told me no. In conclusion, this is really a slice of Fólkvangr on Earth.

As others have mentioned, Walhalla Ravine is most well known for two things: being a lovely and…read moreunique natural feature near the city and having ghost stories in its history. We decided to visit to enjoy the leaves changing in the beautiful ravine, and less so because of the ghosts, though we did joke about them when we first arrived. That may have been our mistake, because, halfway through our walk on Walhalla, after passing the Calumet Street Bridge (which plays a significant role in some of the ghost stories), we heard the loud, unmistakable sound of a large tree cracking echoing throughout the ravine. In what was probably 10 seconds, but felt like time extended into slow-mo, we identified the extremely large falling tree and barely managed to avoid being struck by it as it collapsed across the road, jumping just beyond its reach. Other walkers who had been further back but saw everything even exclaimed over how close of a call it was. The ravine itself is beautiful and has some interesting geology. There were some great sections of potato chip shale that were really neat to look at. A stream meanders down one side of the street, most of which is on private property. Many of the houses have unique architecture and some are historic, and quite a few folks have added some really fun art to the yards - we especially enjoyed a large dragon sculpture made of metal that was decorated with OSU gear, the cute painting of a mama duck and ducklings, and a fun deer sculpture made of wood. The leaves were absolutely lovely and managed to hang on despite the wind we had a few days prior. So, go enjoy a lovely walk, but don't make fun of the ghosts and avoid their retribution!

We started the morning visiting the Ohio state capital, and then we decided to learn more about…read moreOhio. The Ohio history center is located a few miles north of downtown Columbus. We started walking through the nature of Ohio and then moved on to the galleries. We ended up walking the galleries in the wrong order but the galleries were not really connected. We learned some great Ohio history. They had cool things on display like a mastodon skeleton and a Lustron house. We sent about 2 hours walking around the museum. The one negative I found with the museum, a lot of the information was older. Like some of the information panels only went up to the early 2000s. They have a village exhibit outside but it was closed when we visited. They also had a gift shop that was closed the Saturday we visited. Also they have a small cafe on the top floor but it didn't have many options for actual food, just some snacks.

My family and I absolutely love this museum. It has a lot of different galleries and areas to look…read moreat and explore. They have a great discovery area for kids to explore which is really a hands on experience for the kids to interact with. They have a really cool 1950s house that is really neat to go into and explore. It's also a hands on experience for people to interact with. They have some really cool skeletons in some of the exhibits. Other exhibits have artwork and flags, some have military items, and other historical artifacts you won't see anywhere else. This museum is definitely a must see and experience. The have a small cafe up on the 2nd floor which has a few food items you can enjoy while your in the cafe area and it has some good drink options as well. Nothing huge but enough to have a snack and relax while you look at the airplanes around the cafe. Staff and Services: The staff were very friendly and welcoming, they were also very informative when we was asking questions about different things about the museum. Prices: Entry $ Giftshop $-$$ Cafe $ Cleanliness: Super clean in the exhibits, the walkways were clean and clear, and the bathrooms were very clean Ombiance: quaint and quiet Overall Experience: Amazing Rating: 10/10 Recommendation: I absolutely recommend everyone to come and visit this museum there is something for everyone to enjoy. Family Friendly: Absolutely Stroller/Wheelchair Friendly: Yes it's very stroller/wagon friendly and it's very wheelchair friendly they have an elevator to get to the other floor to make it more accessible for those who can't use stairs

I'm not sure what to call this place. Sign says Northwest Historical Village. The Hilliard…read moreHistorical Society is here, or nearby. The museum has its own name. But the sign says "village." It's on the Franklin County fairgrounds. Gates are open; follow your GPS. It's a small collection of historical buildings, giving the flavor of a village. Reproduction covered bridge, the rest are relocated: church, school, voting trailer, etc. All well maintained. Nothing open, on a weekday, and I can't find info for when it is. Maybe during the fair? A nice addition to local history. Wish it were more well known (I'm a history buff and just heard about it last year; somehow missed it during fair visits.) A few benches and tables, so it would be a nice place for lunch. Cool old railroad station. A little garage with old cars. An old tombstone. I'll be back someday.

I cannot actually give a review for this, so I made it neutral. It's supposed to be a replica of…read morelife in the 1800s in Ohio. The buildings in the park have either been saved and brought from another location or, like the cabin, pieces of wood and stone were used from elsewhere but locally. On the premises is a log cabin, a church, a one-room schoolhouse, a depot and caboose, a covered bridge, a gazebo, and a museum. There's nothing that says when the museum is open. However, on their Web site it says to call 614 876 4376 to arrange tours. When I get a chance to tour it, I will give an update.

Located at the front of the Foster Chapel Cemetery on the Plain City / Georgesville Road, this…read moremarker remembers one of the areas's earliest settlers. I wonder what that life must have been like. It reads: "Seven-year-old Jonathan Alder was captured by a Native American war party in Virginia in 1782 and taken to a Mingo village north of the Mad River in Ohio where he was adopted by an Indian family. He remained with the Indians until after the 1795 Treaty of Greenville ended the Indian Wars in the Ohio Country. As white settlers entered the region, Alder frequently served as an interpreter. In 1805, he journeyed to Virginia and was reunited with his original family. He returned to Ohio with his new wife, Mary Blont, and built a cabin on Big Darby Creek. His cabin is now at the Madison County Historical Society Museum in London. Alder is buried in Foster Chapel Cemetery." [Review 11273 overall, 1050 of 2019.]

This is a very impressive old statehouse, or capitol, and it is well worth visiting. If you can,…read moretry and take one of the free guided tours. It's only one hour long and, if you have the right guide, it is very much worth it. Our guide was outstanding. There is a lot of history here, and trivia and entertainment, too. But you won't feel like you're taking a history class unless you just come and stare at the exhibits. Well worth a visit but especially if you can take the tour.

Construction began on the flat domed Ohio State house in 1839, and was completed at the opening of…read morethe American Civil War. In some states upon returning from the war soldiers pushed to have rounded domes placed on top of their state houses. It was not the case in Ohio, and the original Greek revival architecture remains. The building is a showpiece and focal point at the center of the capital city. It has been restored to its original grandeur and is carefully maintained to ensure historical accuracy. The grounds are well manicured and contain a variety of historic themed statues. There is an active and thriving bee apairy located on the north side of the grounds. Beneath Capitol Square, and the statehouse there is a multilevel parking facility. Be aware that the maximum height of your vehicle may be too tall for this garage. There are warning indicators at the entrances, but pay attention to the height nonetheless. Security is of Paramount concern, as this is a working capital for the statewide officeholders, including the governor, and both houses of the general assembly, Senate and House of Representatives. It is not just a museum, or a ceremonial building. This is the actual working seat of government for the state of Ohio. it is necessary for all visitors to be screened by security prior to entrance. And an active and robust security presence is maintained by the Ohio Highway Patrol. Throughout the halls can be found portraits of governors and legislative leaders, statutory representing the history of Ohio as well as large paintings of historic events in the rotunda. Of important historic note, after his assassination, the Ohio Statehouse was a location where President Lincoln lay in state and for days tens of thousands of Ohio's paid their respects. Lincoln spoke here on occasion, and actually received official word that he had been elected president, while visiting here. A brass marker is placed at the location where he spoke to the public in the atrium between the main Statehouse building and the Senate building. The Ststehouse Atrium has not always been here, but some years earlier was an open outdoor area. As is their habit, pigeons had taken up residence at the upper regions of the building and it was necessary sometimes to run between the Statehouse and the Senate building so as not to be "christened" by pigeon waste. The area became known as "pigeon run." If you look above the door/entry entryway to the Senate building in the atrium, you will see a historic reminder of those days in the form of a taxidermy pigeon. Those days are of course, long gone, and the atrium is now home to a variety of public and private events. Many select the statehouse and grounds as a location for wedding photo shoots, and actual weddings. Schedules of House and Senate sessions, and committee sessions are available online and open to the public. In the basement of the atrium and Senate building there are a variety of historic interpretational displays. Also found there is a small café, and a gift shop.

Narrow #5 is a sculpture located in Coffman Park. Made of several pieces of steel, it forms a…read moregateway arch. The top bar has a little squiggle to it, while the two vertical sections are each slightly different from one another, with fun shapes tucked into their columns. There is also a small pie wedge type shape that sits in the corner of the concrete base it stands in. The piece was designed by Shawn Phillip Morin. It's a fun structure that has visual interest from several angles as you walk around it.

There is a historical marker here that explains the park…read more "This ten acre site was purchased in 1829 for the Ohio School for the Education of the Deaf. The first school building opened here in 1834; the school was enlarged in 1845. In 1868 the original school was replaced. Another school building was added in 1899 and a hospital in 1908. The Deaf School was relocated on Morse Road in 1953." This is marker number 13-25. It was erected in 1985 by the Alumni Association, Ohio School for the Deaf and The Ohio Historical Society. [Review 1329 of 2024 - 248 in Ohio - 22352 overall]