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Tag Archives: Cuyahoga Valley

The Monticello III, Coshocton, Ohio

24 October 202217 May 2025

A short distance from Roscoe Village in Coshocton, Ohio is a pathway leads to a canal.  Once a waterway where goods were transported between Lake Erie and the Ohio River, it is now a historical landmark in remembrance of the Canal Days.  This fascinating piece of history measured 308 miles with 146 lift locks.

The project to build the canal (“the big ditch”) began in the 1820s, taking a decade to build. Initially connecting the city of Akron with the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, the project expanded to include access to the town of Portsmouth along the Ohio River.  The canals were an integral asset for the transportation of good until the invention of the railroad, causing its decline.  In addition, the flood of 1913 resulted in absolute destruction of several areas along the canal and any plans to restore the canal systems was completely abandoned.

Sections of the Ohio and Erie Canal were placed under the management of Ohio’s Department of Natural Resources as preservation efforts were underway.   Visitors today can stroll down the 1-mile towpath along the canal or board the horse-drawn Monticello III for an historical experience.  The canal boat, located near Roscoe Village,  is available for tours on weekends starting Memorial Day through mid-October.

Within steps from Roscoe Village is a bike path that leads under a bridge to Lock Number 27.  The Monticello III was out for a tour, so I strolled the path to pass the time.   A small crowd began to form and we watched as the canal boat tied up and fed its team of horses.

Nearby picnic tables are available for guests who want to pack a picnic lunch.

Draft horses or mules pulled the boats while “hoggees” drove them to pull the barges along Mudport Basin, a small section of the Walhonding Canal.  It was their job to ensure the horses did not fall into the canals.

The helmsman would remain aboard the boat to steer it with the tiller, a long piece of wood which was connected to the rudder.

I descended the short set of stairs and found a bench at the front of the boat.  Looking out onto the green murky water, I could see dragonflies and water striders.  Bubbles reached the top of the water and a fish or two would appear at the top, then seem to dive below to catch some shade from the boat.

We were free to walk around the boat until launch.  I stood towards the front thinking about the 305 miles it would have taken to reach the Cuyahoga Valley.  I imagined families and children lining the path to welcome the incoming goods and feeding the draft horses a carrot or two.

The horses had taken a small rest and were watered to prepare for the next set of guests.  The weather was a beautiful seventy degrees, with a gentle breeze rustling the trees.

The Monticello weighs in at 25 tons and measures 74 feet long and 14 1/2 feet wide.  Slowly drifting its way down the canal, we learned from the Captain of the Monticello that the canal measures 26 to 40 feet wide and would have taken about 80 hours to ride from start to finish.  Luckily today we would be taking a 45 minute ride.

He also explained that the Canal was dug by hand and took seven years to complete.

Roscoe became the fourth largest wheat port along the 350-mile canal system and was a thriving town until the 1860s.  The canal continued to operate even as railroads were increasing in popularity until the Great Flood of 1913, swept parts of the town away.

With the vision of local businessman, Edward Montgomery, we can appreciate Roscoe Village as a beautiful reminder of the Canal era and its historical significance.  In 1968, the Toll House was the first structure to undergo restoration.  Montgomery is credited for the preservation and revitalization of Roscoe Village with his vision of building a  “living museum so that people of the 20th century…could enjoy” and has become quite the tourist destination.

What to See and What to Do:

Canal Boat Landing Address
23253 State Route 83 North
Coshocton, OH 43812
Telephone:  740-622-7528

  • Admission Fee:   General:  $8.00;  Seniors (ages 60+):  $7.00;  Students: $6.00;  Children:  5 & under – FREE; Veterans & Active Duty Military with ID:  $5
  • Hours:   The Monticello III is open Memorial Day through Labor Day from Friday through Sunday departing at 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm, and 4 pm.  Check dates and times from Labor Day through the third week in October.
  • Amenities:  picnic tables, parking, historical presentation, discounts, nearby restaurants
  • Length of Visit:  Prepare to spend 2 – 3 hours, especially if you plan to visit Roscoe Village.
  • Tips for Your Visit:  Wear comfortable shoes.  Going aboard the Monticello III may require some agility to board, so be prepared.  The Canal Boat leaves promptly on the hour, so arrive in plenty of time before departure.  The ride is typically 45 minutes in length as the horse-drawn Canal boat will turn around in the basin and return to the landing where guests boarded the boat.  I purchased my ticket at the Visitor Center but there are two additional locations to pick up tickets:  the Toll House, and the Canal Boat Landing.

Where to Stay:

The Roscoe Boutique Motel
421 S. Whitewoman Street
Coshocton, Ohio  43812
Telephone:  740 622 8736

Where to Eat:

Warehouse Steak and Stein
400 N. Whitewoman Street
Coshocton, Ohio  43812
Telephone:  740 622 4001

What to Read:

  • I Remember Roscoe, by Robert Hull

Disclosure:   Please refer to our blog disclaimer tab for more information.

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A Fall Day at Hale Farm & Village, Part 1

2 October 202122 September 2024

Fall in Ohio is magnificent for watching the leaves change, so I decided to take a road trip to Hale Farm & Village to enjoy the scenic fall leaves and to learn more about farm live in the early 19th century.  The farm is a historical property within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and was previously owned by of Jonathan Hale.  The addition of 30+ structures had been added over the years to complete the village which is locally known as Wheatfield.

I purchased my ticket at the Welcome Center, gathered some additional information about the grounds and exited the back of the main farmhouse.  Vendors were selling large pumpkins to visitors who would decorate them for the fall season.  Young children happily shared what they would be wearing for  Halloween while their parents sorted through large boxes of watermelon.

From the moment I stepped outside of the farm house, I could smell the tempting aroma of kettle corn made by volunteers who were raising money for local charities.  A young man wearing gloves stirred the popcorn in a large vat to keep it from burning while a young lady waited for a batch to cool down before placing the popped corn in plastic bags.  There was a line of visitors waiting to purchase a bag or two.

Following the map, I started my walk towards the left, stopping at a large, red barn.  I shuffled through the damp leaves towards the John McAlonan Carriage Manufactory exhibit where several antique carriages were on display.   The posted placard explained that the four carriages were called cabriolets with fold-down tops and were manufactured by the George J. Warden & Company from Cleveland, Ohio. Named after England’s Queen Victoria, the convertibles were popular after the 1870s.

The white single story Sugar House was the next stop on my tour of Hale Village. Entering through the side door was Josie, a period dressed attendant who was showing visitors how to make small candles.  Using a thick string, she was dipping one of the ends into the hot wax, sitting over an open fire and gently draping them over a string to cool.  Each candle was available for purchase at $1 per piece and proceeds would be donated towards the upkeep of the Village and Farm.

The Sugar House was built by the Hale family at the start of the 20th century.  Charles Oviatt Hale continued his grandfather’s tradition of collecting sap to produce nearly 200 gallons of maple syrup from the 20 acres of maple trees surrounding the farm.  Today the farm uses modern technology to continue this tradition using a wood burning parallel flow evaporator to process the sap into syrup each February.

On my way to the quaint log cabin home of the Hales, I passed an empty lean-to. Overgrown with grass and in need of repair, it may have provided shelter for some of the family’s farm equipment. Nearby, in the open field, I couldn’t help but notice a middle aged man with a saucepan on his head.  A crowd had gathered around him as he discussed the importance of conservation and said he was willing to plant some apple trees on the property as the children giggled at his “hat”.

Passing an overrun garden with weeds and dead plants, I arrived at the one room log cabin sitting beneath a maple tree.

In the corner sat a twin-sized bed that had been made up with a feather mattress and an animal hide.  A long side table had been placed to the right of a 12-paned window lighting up the space with natural light.  While many homes of its time would have left the dirt floors, this home’s wooden floors were perfect for keeping out forest animals and rodents.

A large, well-used fireplace had been built to the far right of the home and with evidence of smoke damage to the stones.  The stonework was absolutely perfect, built to the top of the roof.  The hand-cut logs were stacked on top of each other with a thick layer of clay in between could be seen from the inside while the outside was reinforced with tar.   The nearby outhouse resembled the log cabin and sat a few feet from the family home.

Nearby was a fence surrounding a large pasture with a noticeable tree line in the distance.  Approaching the fence, I was searching for farm animals as I strolled towards the red barn, one of several barns on the property. I was happy to see a muscular, chocolate brown steer giving me hope that I would see some additional barnyard animals.

Jonathan Hale moved to Ohio from Connecticut in 1810 and settled in Bath Township.  A few months later, his wife and three children arrived, moving into a log cabin built by a local squatter.  Several years later, Hale completed the green shutter, three-story brick home around 1825 and lovingly referred to it as “Old Brick”.  The Hale home is considered to be the second brick house built in the Cuyahoga Valley.

The first floor was a large open space that included a great room, kitchen and dining area. The second floor acted as a formal space used for special occasions such as a parlor and formal dining room.  The third floor was originally set up with six small bedrooms but later converted into fewer large bedrooms.

When Jonathan’s son Andrew married in the 1830’s, he built a small home across from the Jonathan Hale estate.  Later, Andrew’s home was moved and attached to the original Hale home, labeling it the “South Wing”.  To store coal to heat the home as well as additional supplies, the family added a “North Wing” to the structure.

My last stop before exploring the additional structures at Wheatfield, was the old gray barn where I found several chickens, adorable sheep and cute little pigs.  It was the highlight of my visit but I was also excited to learn more about 19th century farm life in Cuyahoga County, but who can resist spending just a few more minutes with my new furry farm friends.

Have you visited Hale Farm & Village?  Did you attend one of its many amazing events?  I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below.  Many thanks for reading about my fun, educational experience at Hale Farm & Village and wishing you many amazing travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Hale Farm & Village
2686 Oak Hill Road
PO Box 296
Bath, Ohio  44210
Telephone: 330 666 3711

  • Admission Fee:    $15 for adults ages 13 & up;  $8 for children ages 3 – 12; WRHS members, active military and children under the age of 2 and younger are free
  • Hours:  Daily from 10AM to 5PM with the exception of holidays.  Check the website before your visit as there may be special events and a change in hours depending on the season.
  • Amenities:  Period actors, historical sites for self-guided experiences, the Marketplace to purchase beverages and snacks,  free parking, restrooms
  • Scenic View:  The farm animals, historical buildings
  • Length of Visit:  2 – 3 hours
  • Tips for Your Visit:  Wear comfortable clothes because there is a lot of walking.  Your ticket is valid all day, so you can leave and come back to explore the park.

Where to Stay;

The Ohio Motel
2248 N. Cleveland Massillon Road
Bath, OH  44333
Telephone:  330 659 9999

Where to Eat:

Ken Stewart’s Tre Belle
1911 N. Cleveland Massillon Road
Bath, OH  44333
Telephone:  330 666 9990

What to Read: 

  • The Jonathan Hale Farm, by John Horton and Herman Vail
  • Edith Hale: A Village Story, by Thrace Talmon

Disclosure:  Please refer to our blog disclaimer tab for more information.

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I have had a passion to travel for as long as I can remember and landed my dream job at the age of 19 on a cruise ship. The Suite Life of Travel is about those experiences as well as my future endeavor to explore this amazing world!

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