A spacecraft, a canal route and a patch of original woodland: Auglaize County can be explored through very different discoveries. The Gemini VIII at the Armstrong Air & Space Museum is especially distinctive. It connects a tangible object with a pivotal date in spaceflight history. Alongside it, canals, historic buildings, art and nature offer further perspectives. You can shape your trip around what you’d like to explore in more depth.
Spaceflight and the History of Technology
The Gemini VIII spacecraft is on display at the Armstrong Air & Space Museum. On March 16, 1966, Neil Armstrong and David Scott used it to carry out the first docking of two spacecraft in space. The date, crew and spacecraft on display bring this historic achievement together. The museum also honors Armstrong’s legacy and the United States’ pioneering role in space exploration.
The Bicycle Museum of America focuses on the history and design of the bicycle. Guided and self-guided tours offer two ways to explore the subject. More than 200 bicycles are on display; the collection contains 600 in total. These two figures offer a glimpse of the difference between what is exhibited and the full collection.
Nature and Canal Trails
At the Dr. Elizabeth Yahl Kuffner Nature Preserve, the original woodland covers 15.8 acres, with 1.4 miles of hiking trails. Natural features include a pawpaw grove, a temporary spring pond, and flowers that bloom in spring and summer. If you’re interested in seasonal plants and habitats, you’ll find plenty to look for on a walk here. Fishing is possible year-round at Grand Lake St. Marys.
The Miami Erie Canal Towpath Trail offers another way to enjoy the outdoors: the terrain is flat, and the surfaces are gravel or grass. The Heritage Trails Park District section can be accessed from 40 Acre Pond, Lock 14 Park, Bloody Bridge Trail Head and Deep Cut Historical Park; all four locations have parking. Lock 14 Park centers on a restored concrete lock and direct access to the trail. Deep Cut Historical Park is registered as a National Historic Landmark and is located at the site of the largest canal excavation.
The canal’s structures also offer their own points of interest. The Belle of St. Marys is a full-scale replica of a canal boat that visitors can board. You can walk along the canal trail beside the Lockkeepers House. The house is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; check the hours before your trip. Held annually in October, Walk With Nature is a 3.5-mile stroll along the Miami and Erie Canal towpath. Check the current event date before you travel.
Buildings, Art and Local History
The Historical Museum in New Bremen is housed in one of the town’s oldest surviving homes, dating from the 1830s. The building was used both as a residence and as a business. Another notable bridge is the Bowstring Bridge, the oldest bowstring truss bridge in Ohio.
The Daniel F. Mooney Museum was the first museum of the Auglaize County Historical Society. It opened in 1981 and is housed in a home built in 1876. The New Knoxville Historical Society complex includes five historic residential and farm buildings: the original house, an office, a summer kitchen, a log cabin and a barn. The St. Marys Art Center focuses on artists, art education and changing exhibitions.
Festivals Throughout the Year
The Auglaize County Fair brings together livestock shows, 4-H and FFA programs, grandstand entertainment and harness racing. The weeklong event also features food, games, activities, competitions and animals; program details may vary from year to year. Founded in 1852, the fair celebrates agriculture, livestock and community.
Bremenfest takes place annually on the third weekend of August and features food, bands, a 5K run/walk and a parade. The New Bremen Firemen's Picnic is an annual summer tradition and is considered the longest-running picnic in its community. Together with October’s Walk With Nature, these events mark different seasons. Check the current dates if you’d like to plan your trip around a festival or nature walk.
Explore more destinations: Wapakoneta, Saint Marys, Stark, Greene, Wood, Hamilton, Licking, Lawrence.
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