East Liverpool combines ceramic history and museums with a historic house and outdoor activities. These varied themes give you several ways to approach planning your trip: from collections documenting the local ceramics industry to memorabilia and art, as well as hiking trails and park amenities.
Ceramic History at the Museum of Ceramics
The Museum of Ceramics houses an extensive collection of ceramic wares made in East Liverpool, Ohio. Its exhibits cover the development and growth of the ceramics industry from 1840 to 1930. This offers a perspective that goes beyond a single product and encompasses a long chapter in local industrial history.
One particularly specific item in the collection is Lotus Ware: the museum displays the most comprehensive collection of this ware. It was made in the 1890s by Knowles, Taylor & Knowles, a company from East Liverpool. The broad history of the industry and Lotus Ware thus offer two different ways to explore the same subject: the development of an industry and a particular product from a specified decade.
More Museums and Local History
The Upper Ohio Valley Museum & Learning Center at the Lou Holtz Hall of Fame focuses on a different kind of collection. Located in East Liverpool, the museum showcases the memorabilia of extraordinary people and preserves hundreds of artifacts with a special connection to the people of the Upper Ohio Valley. Unlike the Museum of Ceramics, the focus here is on memorabilia and regional connections, rather than the history of a single industry.
The C.C. Thompson House adds another perspective through its connection to the local ceramics industry. The house was built in 1876 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its builder, Cassius C. Thompson, owned C.C. Thompson Pottery, which operated in East Liverpool from 1868 to 1938. The house was therefore built during the pottery’s operating period. Tours for up to eight people are available by appointment; arrange a time before visiting.
The Art Gallery on Kent State University’s East Liverpool campus is also open to the public, but by appointment. If you’d like to include art in your itinerary, plan to make arrangements in advance.
Hiking Trails and Outdoor Activities
Beaver Creek State Park in East Liverpool is located on Little Beaver Creek, a National Scenic River. At Echo Dell Road, there is an access point downstream from the Echo Dell Road bridge, on the right bank of the river. If you plan to use this access point, check local conditions before your visit.
Thompson Park in East Liverpool has scenic hiking trails and a swimming pool. The pool’s seasonal operating schedule may vary. The Thompson Park Disc Golf Course has 27 holes, with wooded and open fairways. The park therefore offers a range of activities: hiking, swimming, and disc golf. The specific number of holes and the mix of wooded and open fairways give you a concrete sense of the course.
Driving and Planning Your Stay
Near East Liverpool, the Ohio River Scenic Byway follows State Route 7 south through Wayne National Forest. This is a different way to plan your trip from choosing activities in a park: one is about heading south by car, the other about specific outdoor amenities for your stay. You can also choose between the cultural themes: ceramic production and Lotus Ware, artifacts connected to the Upper Ohio Valley, or the C.C. Thompson House and its link to a local pottery. For both the Art Gallery and house tours, advance appointments are part of the planning process.
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View the full travel guide: Columbiana County.
