Mt. Vernon, Ohio, isn't far from the city life of Columbus or Cleveland, but finding fun nearby doesn't take a trip to the city. Check out two centuries of rural life at area museums, parks and historical sites. Mt. Vernon, the Knox County seat, was once a bustling center of activity with four local newspapers published there in the mid-1800s. It was briefly home to both Johnny Appleseed and Suffragette Amelia Bloomer.
Hike or bike the former rails through the small towns and low rolling hills of Ohio farm country on the Kokosing Gap Trail. This rail-to-trail park is a paved 14-mile stretch built on the site of the old Pennsylvania Railroad line between Mt. Vernon and Danville, Ohio. Travelers pass thorough forests, wetlands, small towns and railroad tunnels and cross the Kokosing River twice on former train bridges. The trail is open year-round with restrooms, water fountains, public phones and benches along the way.
Kokosing Gap Trail
PO Box 129
Gambier, OH 43022
kokosinggaptrail.org
Two centuries of central Ohio life are on display at the Knox County Historical Society museum in Mt. Vernon. Artifacts like an early 19th-century cast iron bell from the nearby Fredericktown Foundry and a telephone collection that dates from the late 1800s to present day chronicle local life. The small but interesting museum features old steam engines, a U.S. Postal Service buggy and information on famous former residents.
Mt. Vernon Historical Society
875 Harcourt Rd.
Mt. Vernon, OH 43050
740-393-5247
knoxhistory.org
It's not extraordinary to share central Ohio back roads with horse-drawn buggies. Amish Country is all around Mt. Vernon. Take a few hours or a few days to drive the 76-mile Amish Country Byway. The route takes travelers back in time through farms still tilled by horse-drawn plows. Life feels slower among the low rolling hills and green pastures. The route passes by Berlin's Amish and Mennonite Center, the German Culture Museum in Walnut Creek, Yoder's Amish House, Rastetter Woolen Mill and the Millersburg Glass Museum. There's plenty of home-style Amish cooking and handmade furniture along the way. Check the National Scenic Byways Program for area maps.
