Ohio's Historic West offers the heritage traveler with an authentic experience as illustrated by our cultural and ethnic diversity and our history, traditions and events. We invite you to explore the abundance of agriculture, architecture, historic sites, natural resources and transportation that this region has to offer. Just click on the links below.
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.Mercer County Courthouse
101 North Main Street, Celina
Call 419-586-3178 to schedule a group tour.


Forty-foot Corinthian columns grace the four entrances to the gray Bedford limestone courthouse in the heart of Celina. Its impressive interior is enhanced with large bronze doors, marble floors, walls and staircases. One can climb the beautiful staircase and gaze from the third floor upon the rotunda below or cast one’s eyes upward to view the colored glass courthouse dome. This magnificent building celebrated its 75th birthday in 1998.
   

Northwood Lighthouse
Off of State Route 703


This is one of two lighthouses that grace the shoreline of Grand Lake St.Marys. In the early days, Northwood Lighthouse, located at Northmoor on the north side of the lake between Celina and St. Marys, operated under a government license during the months from April 1 to November 1. No longer a working lighthouse, the Eddystone Lighthouse is a monument to the original English Channel Beacon. There is not public access to this site. Viewing must be from the lake.
   
  The Rotary Lighthouse
US Route 127 and Lake Shore Drive, Celina
In 1986, the Celina Rotary Club built a forty-foot working lighthouse on the west bank of Grand Lake St. Marys. This structure has a wrought iron observation deck encircling it for those who wish a "grander" view of the lake.
   

Land of the Cross Tipped Churches
PO Box 65, Maria Stein, OH 45860-0065.
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.
   

National Marian Shrine of the Holy Relics
2291 St. Johns Road, Maria Stein
419-925-4532
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday: 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Closed Mondays and Holidays.
www.mariasteincenter.org


The shrine contains approximately 500 relics of the saints and is the second largest collection of its type in the United States. Built in 1890, the shrine and the adjacent former convent were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

   
  St. Charles Center
2860 U.S. Route 127 South, Celina
419-925-4516
Group tours by appointment.
http://ma.noacsc.org/stcharl/
This magnificent former seminary rests on 500 acres. Begun in 1861 by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, the current structure is a late gothic revival building. The awesome facility features a 370-foot frontage and is topped by a five story octagonal dome.
   
  Spiritual Center of Maria Stein
St. Johns Road, Maria Stein
419-925-7625
www.spiritualcenter.net
Formerly the Maria Stein Retreat Center, the Spiritual Center provides a haven for individuals and groups seeking spiritual and religious guidance. Group programs are offered on a year round basis. A chapel, meeting rooms, dining rooms, and recreation hall are available.

Mercer County Historical Museum
130 East Market Street, Celina, OH 45822
419-586-6065
Summer Hours: Wednesday–Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Winter Hours: Sundays from October–April: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Free Admission 


This museum chronicles the past 200 years of Mercer County area life. Also known as the Riley House, the museum contains genealogical materials and many books of local history. The museum offers annual exhibitions including Indian Artifacts, antique transportation and antique guns.

   

 

Fort Recovery State Museum
State Routes 119 and 49, Ft. Recovery
419-375-4649
An open house is held the second Sunday in November.
Admission charged.
June through August: 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. every day.
May and September: 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. weekends only.
Group tours by appointment at any time of year.
www.bright.net/~fortrecovery


Two reconstructed blockhouses, a connecting stockade and many exhibits depicting the Indian wars of the 1790's are housed in the museum. The museum gallery also displays one of the largest collections of Indian artifacts in the state of Ohio.

Ft. Recovery is the site of two of the most dramatic Indian battles in American history. The first was the devastating defeat of General Arthur St. Clair in 1791 and the second, the successful defense of the fort by General “Mad” Anthony Wayne in 1794. An 1840 log cabin and blacksmith shop are nearby.

   
  Ft. Recovery Monument Park
State Routes 119 and 49, Ft. Recovery
President William Howard Taft signed a bill in 1908 to authorize a monument in honor of those soldiers who died serving under St. Clair and Anthony Wayne. Congress approved the bill in 1910 and work was begun in 1912. The dedication was July 1, 1913. The base of the 101-foot monument holds the bones of the fallen soldiers who died in the battle at Ft. Recovery. The nine-foot tall statue at its base depicts a frontiersman facing west to the beautiful unsettled land into which he triumphed.
   
  Maria Stein Heritage Museum
2291 St. Johns Road, Maria Stein
419-925-4532
www.mariasteincenter.org
Located on the second floor of the former convent building, this museum interprets the German settlements of southern Auglaize and Mercer Counties and the history of the Sisters of the Precious Blood. Admission charged. May – Ocober: Tuesday–Sunday: noon to 4:00 p.m. Closed Mondays and Holidays.

Grand Lake St. Marys
Call 419-394-2774 to contact Grand Lake St. Marys State Park


Grande Lake St. Marys, Ohio's largest inland lake, is the gateway to fishing, boating, swimming, biking and camping. Over 13,500 acres of surface water await the ardent angler. Excellent catches of crappie, catfish, bass, bluegill, as well as yellow perch in the winter are found in Grand Lake St. Marys. Boats with unlimited horsepower are permitted on the lake. Five state operated launch ramps also exist along the shallow shoreline. Fuel, boat rentals and seasonal dock rentals are available.

 


Ohio's Historic West
Consisting of Auglaize, Champaign, Clark, Darke, Logan, Mercer, Miami and Shelby counties.