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Auglaize
County Courthouse
201
Willipie Street, Wapakoneta.
Call 419-738-3612 for group tours.
This neoclassical structure of sandstone features a central gallery
open to the second floor making the stained glass skylight visible from
both floors. "The Copper Lady," who once stood proudly atop
the courthouse tower, now has a prominent place in the gallery. Restored
for the courthouse's 100th birthday in 1994, "The Copper Lady"
once again reigns over the building's activities. Seventeen elementary
schools in Auglaize County raised 453,589 pennies for her restoration.
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Land
of the Cross Tipped Churches
PO
Box 65, Maria Stein
Call 800-860-4726 or 419-925-7100 for group tours.
www.grandlake.net/lctc/
In July of 1979, over sixty buildings representing the German Catholic
settlements of southern Auglaize and Mercer Counties, as well as portions
of northern Darke and Shelby Counties, were placed on a National Register
of Historic Places. Consisting of churches, schools, rectories and convents,
this grouping is symbolic of the culture and historic uniqueness of
the region. Today, most of these structures remain to remind us of the
hard work and dedication of these early settlers as they built the Miami-Erie
Canal and forged a new life on the area’s rich and productive
farmland. A drive along this Ohio Scenic Byway through the rural countryside
follows the quaint churches with their cross tipped “spires to
heaven” and includes stops at the focal points of the region:
the former convent at Maria Stein, St. Augustine Church – the
original Mother Church of the area at Minster and St. Charles center,
the magnificent and impressive former seminary at Carthagena.
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The
Belle of St. Marys
St.
Marys Memorial Park
No Admission
The Belle of St. Marys, a full scale replica of a packet canal boat
measures 76 feet long and 14 feet wide and rests on the waters of the
Miami-Erie Canal in Memorial Park. Built by local craftsmen, "The
Belle" can be visited at any time.
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Memorial
Covered Bridge
St.
Marys Memorial Park
The Memorial Covered Bridge spans the St. Marys River as it flows through
Memorial Park and downtown St. Marys. The bridge was completed through
volunteer efforts in 1992. 1200 bricks line the pathway of the east
side of the bridge. Each brick identifies a local veteran who served
in one of our nation's conflicts.
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Auglaize
County Historical Society - Mooney Museum
223 South
Main Street, St. Marys
419-394-7069
Open the first
and third Sundays of each month. 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
This newly remodeled historical museum once belonged to Daniel Mooney,
a former ambassador to Paraguay. Early Auglaize history is represented
here with many artifacts and photos.
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Bicycle
Museum of America
7 West Monroe Street, New Bremen
419-629-9249
Summer Hours: Monday–Friday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday: 11 a.m.
to 2 p.m.
Winter Hours: Monday– Friday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday: noon
to 2 p.m.
www.bicyclemuseum.com
This new museum, dedicated to the history of cycling, opened in 1997 in
downtown New Bremen. Featuring over 250 vintage bicycles, the collection
includes over 150 Schwinn Bicycles from the former Chicago Museum.
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New
Bremen Historic Museum
122 North
Main Street, New Bremen
Open Sundays June thru August from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The Luellen House, named after the family which lived in it for more than
70 years, maintains this canal village’s vibrant history. The house
is one of the first non-log structures in the original plat of 1833 in
New Bremen. The museum hosts a Christmas open house the first weekend
of December.
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Neil
Armstrong Air & Space Museum
Located at Exit 111 off I-75, 500 South Apollo Drive, Wapakoneta
419-738-8811 or 800-860-0142
Open year round.
Monday through Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sundays and holidays: noon to 5:00 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
www.ohiohistory.org
Opened in 1972 by the Ohio Historical Society, and named in the honor
of Wapakoneta native astronaut Neil Armstrong, the museum chronicles Ohioans'
contributions to the history of flight and new horizons in space travel
including the space shuttle program and the International Space Station.
See a moon rock and the Gemini VIII spacecraft. The museum's Astro Theater
presents the sights and sounds of space. Recent renovations include the
addition of interactive exhibits with a space shuttle landing simulator
and a lunar landing simulator.
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Fort
Amanda Monument & Park
State
route 198 (7 1/2 miles NW of Wapakoneta)
Open May thru October: Dawn to Dusk
Erected in 1812 under orders from General William Henry Harrison, Fort
Amanda was a base of supplies for Harrison's army during the War of 1812.
The remains of 75 soldiers, each simply marked "Unknown Soldier,
War of 1812" lie beside the Auglaize River. A gray, granite shaft
monument was erected in 1915 marking the site of the first shipyard, first
religious meeting house, first post office, first national cemetery and
first white child born to settlers.
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New
Knoxville Historical Museum
107 East
German Street, New Knoxville
419-753-2721
Organized to honor the village's 150th anniversary in 1986, the museum continues
to preserve the rich history of the New Knoxville area. |
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Cridersville
Historical Museum
West Sugar
Street, Cridersville
419-645-5955
Open the first and third Sundays of each month.
The 1890 church contains exhibits that depict the history of the town and
the surrounding area. The 1836 log house is the original home of Daniel
Bowsher, one of the area’s earliest pioneers. |
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St.
Marys Memorial Park
South Street,
St. Marys
Dedicated to WWI veterans, the park rests beside the old canal flowing through
St. Marys. The park is the setting for many community activities and provides
a backdrop for St. Marys history. |
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The
Miami-Erie Canal Towpath
In 1825 funding was provided by the Ohio legislature for the construction
of a series of canals in Ohio. In 1845 the Miami-Erie Canal was completed
from Cincinnati to Toledo. The canal boats which traversed the canal were
pulled by mules which walked along a trail beside the canal. This trail
became commonly known as the towpath. The towpath today provides a great
place to walk and observe nature’s beauty along the banks of this
historic canal. The second of two of Ohio’s State Scenic Byways in
Auglaize County, the Byway follows the old canal along State Route 66. |
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Miami
- Erie Canal
South of St. Marys on Route 66, which follows the old canal, are New Bremen
and Minster, two villages that are tributes to the Miami-Erie Canal. Built
by German settlers during the construction of the canal, both remain prosperous
business centers which retain their historical charm. New Bremen is located
at the mid-point on the canal. This plateau, the Loramie Summit, extending
from Lock 1 North to Lock 1 South in Lockington, is the highest elevation
on the route. |
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State
Fish Hatchery
East Bank
Road, St. Marys
419-394-5170
One of only six hatcheries in the state of
Ohio, the St. Marys site is the only one that raises yellow perch and largemouth
bass. Other species raised at the St. Marys site include channel catfish,
fathead minnows, walleye pike, northern pike and saugeye. Free tours are
available by appointment. Hours: Monday thru Friday, 7 a.m.– 3:30
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