Getting off the beaten path is easy to do in Ohio. With its natural beauty, thrilling attractions, and one-of-a-kind experiences, our state offers a little something for everyone. If you’re looking for Ohio’s strangest attractions, however, here are a few you won’t want to miss.
Helltown
Formally known as Boston, Ohio, Helltown is a creepy abandoned village in Summit County that’s reached legendary status thanks to the folklore surrounding it. Boston Village was founded in 1806 and developed as towns normally do – until 1974 when eminent domain laws took over the properties of the village’s longtime residents. The citizens had no choice but to leave the village, and the government fell behind on its care.
Today, Helltown is the subject of numerous myths, including hauntings, Satanist activity, serial killers, and even a toxic spill. None of these myths have any basis in fact, but it’s still a great place to visit if you’re into creepy abandoned villages.
The Great Serpent Mound
Considered the largest earthwork effigy in the world, southern Ohio’s Great Serpent Mound is an impressive relic of the North American mound builders who flourished from 1,000 BCE to 200 BCE. Early records note that the mound is a depiction of a giant serpent swallowing an egg.
The prehistoric effigy is a National Historic Landmark within the Serpent Mound State Memorial. It is such a significant earthwork that the mound has garnered international attention and has been inscribed on the World Heritage List, ranking it up there with Stonehenge, the Pyramids of Egypt, and the Great Wall of China.
Chateau Laroche
When you picture a medieval castle, what location comes to mind? England? France? Spain? How about Loveland, Ohio?
Medieval enthusiast Harry Andrews was a lifelong bachelor and retired notary public with a penchant for castles. He began constructing Chateau Laroche just north of Loveland on the banks of the Little Miami River in 1929. The work wasn’t easy, however, and construction took 50 years to complete. Andrews built the entire chateau himself from cement, quart milk cartons, concrete bricks, dirt, and stone, resulting in a 1/5th-scale replica of a traditional medieval castle.
Today, the Historical Loveland Castle & Museum Chateau Laroche is open to the public for tours and is available as an event venue.
The Cincinnati Subway
Did you know that Cincinnati is home to America’s largest abandoned subway tunnel? In 1884, the city decided to build a 16-mile rapid transit rail system that would loop around the city with a portion going to downtown. Work didn’t begin on the project until 1920, but construction was met with delays from the start. Inflation quickly destroyed the city’s budget and shrank the rail loop. With 1929’s stock market crash, any hopes of paying for the project evaporated, and construction never again got off the ground.
The Cincinnati Subway remains abandoned to this day, but the city occasionally holds tours for the public.
With so many strange attractions in Ohio, there’s always something new and unusual to see. Earn bragging rights by visiting one of these offbeat attractions during your next road trip!
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