Canals, museums and distinctive parklands give Shelby County, Ohio, several different reasons to visit. To help choose what to see, consider whether you want to focus on the history of the waterways, collections, nature or seasonal events. Each place and topic offers different ways to shape your stay.
Canal History and Trails
The Lockington Locks preserve the stepped lock walls of the Miami-and-Erie Canal system, which opened to navigation in 1845. The Canal Feeder Trail offers another perspective on canal history: a 3,400-foot asphalt path runs along the towpath of the former Sidney Feeder Canal. Three access areas are listed for the trail; check access information before your visit.
The Miami Erie Canal Trail is also worth checking carefully for route information. The trail is currently unmarked. A section between Pampel Road in Houston and State Route 47 in Newport is mostly cleared for foot and mountain bike traffic, but natural obstacles remain. If you plan to use this section, check trail conditions before your visit.
Parks and Landscapes
Tawawa Park is a wooded 220-acre park that includes Tawawa Lake and Amos Lake. The Ross Covered Bridge is also located there. It has been photographed for years for its peaceful, picturesque setting, was named in 1974 in honor of William Ross Jr., and resembles several covered bridges built by bridge builder Rueben L. Partridge in Central Ohio.
Lockington Reserve features a different variety of landscapes, where floodplain forest and higher-elevation woodland meet stands of pine, wetlands, streams and ponds. A ridge reaches 90 feet in height. A network of hiking trails connects the various habitats. Historic monuments stand in Hardin Park; a small parking lot is located on Hardin-Wapakoneta Road.
Museums and Local History
The Ross Historical Center is home to the Shelby County Historical Society. The center presents permanent and rotating exhibits on the history of Shelby County, Ohio, throughout the year. Six galleries at the Wallace Family Learning & Innovation Center explain how Shelby County developed over the past 200 years from an original wilderness into an innovative, diverse and evolving community.
The Ft. Loramie Wilderness Trail Museum brings together a range of subjects: uniforms and memorabilia from the Civil War and the First and Second World Wars, Indigenous artifacts, shops from around the turn of the century, shoemaking equipment and local agricultural tools. The Airstream Heritage Center is dedicated to the history of Airstream. It is a 16,000-square-foot museum open to the public. In Jackson Center, Airstream also offers three different one-hour factory tours; reservations are required. GreatStone Castle is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Seasonal Events
The Shelby County Fair is an annual tradition featuring livestock shows, 4-H exhibits, agricultural displays, fair food, rides and live music. If you plan to visit for a particular program, the event dates are key. A farmers’ market is held in downtown Sidney on Saturdays from June to early October. This seasonal window offers another specific point to consider when planning your stay.
Discover more destinations: Sidney, Tuscarawas, Hamilton, Fulton County, Stark, Jefferson, Huron County, Butler
For the overall travel guide: Ohio.
