A Journey Through Time on the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail

Spanning millennia, the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail holds some residue of Earth's early history, our country's early history, and today, makes its own history. The byway links 300 museums and natural areas related to the glacial carving of our landscape, the War of 1812's Battle of Lake Erie, the Great Lakes' role in the Underground Railroad, and nature's influence over industry and way of life.

Glacial Grooves at Kelleys Island (OH) [1]

Would you like to see how a glacier can affect a landscape? Visit Kelleys Island, accessed by a 20-minute ferryboat ride aboard Kelleys Island Ferry Boat Lines out of Marblehead. Starting more than 12,000 years ago, the Wisconsin Glacier scoured a huge 400-foot-long, 35-foot-wide and 10-foot-deep gash in the earth's limestone surface, parts of which is still stand barren today.

Continuing on your journey, experience a patriot's dream in the Bass Islands a few miles northwest of Kelleys Island. Here the Battle of Lake Erie was fought in 1813 and proved to be the turning point of the War of 1812. Today at Put-in-Bay, visitors can appreciate the Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial, a Greek Doric-style column. This 352-foot granite shaft commemorates not only a naval battle but a peace which has lasted for more than 150 years. (The 3,987-mile boundary between the United States and Canada is the longest unguarded international frontier in the world.)

Perry Victory & International Peace Memorial (OH) [2]

Later on in the country's history, the Hubbard House was a stopover for refugee slaves fleeing to Canada. This house, right on Lake Erie in the town of Astabula on the eastern end of the byway, served as a strategic destination for runaway slaves. They stayed there in the Hubbard's cellar or hayloft until it was safe to cross the lake. Today, visitors can tour the home to get a sense of what it must have felt like to be a runaway slave in the 1840s and 1850s.

Over the years much of the history in the area has centered around Lake Erie itself. Tour Lake Erie’s oldest lighthouse at the Marblehead Lighthouse State Park, a symbol of Ohio’s maritime heritage that has maintained a vigilant watch over the coastline since 1822. Learn about the evolution of the technology involved in the lighthouse lamp and the crucial role of early lighthouse keepers in the operation and maintenance of the 50-foot tower. In Conneaut Harbor on the extreme eastern end of the byway, see the dramatic changes in lighthouse design from the early pierhead light used in 1835 to the bulkier cement version erected in 1917 to the sleek modern structure of 1935 that stands today. Delve deeper into Lake Erie’s maritime history at a myriad of museums along the byway including the Inland Seas Maritime Museum in Vermillion, the Steamship William G. Mather Museum Ship in Cleveland, and the Great Lakes Coast Guard Memorial Museum in Astabula.

Lake Erie Fun (OH) [3]

Fast-forwarding to today, you can make history along the Lake Erie Coastal Trail with one of many activities available. For instance, search for exotic birds at the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area/Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, consistently ranked a top-10 birding spot in North America. These areas have spring and fall waterfowl and songbird migrations that attract 150,000-plus visitors a year. From beginning to end the Lake Erie Coastal Trail offers diverse educational adventures from throughout our country's exciting history; it's one road chock-full of learning and fun.