January 2008 Issue

Best of the Best Hometowns

In our November issue, Ohio Magazine honored five Best Hometowns: Bowling Green, Chillicothe, Delaware, Independence and Miamisburg. Editors Jessica Esemplare, Linda Feagler, Jennifer Haliburton, Ashley Harrington and Elizabeth Weinstein visited each community and uncovered the following “bests” of these Best Hometowns

 

Best Baked Goods
Bun’s Restaurant in Delaware began in 1864 and is beloved by locals, especially for the dinner rolls and butter cookies. 14 W. Winter St., 740/363-3731.

 

Best Slice of Americana
Step inside Snook’s Dream Cars Automobile Museum in Bowling Green and you’ll feel as if you’ve entered a different era. The showroom is filled with antique cars from the 1930s to 1960s, exhibited against a backdrop of settings from those periods. 13920 County Home Rd., 419/353-8338. www.snooksdreamcars.com.

Best City to Go Green
“Blowing” Green obtains 20 percent of its energy through the use of renewable sources, including Ohio’s first utility-sized wind farm, The Green Wind Farm Project, which produces enough energy to supply the electricity needs of 3,000 Bowling Green residents. 800/886-0046, www.visitbgohio.org.

 

Best Homemade Potato Chips
Grinder’s Coffee and Café, located in the heart of Chillicothe’s Historic District, is a popular lunch spot. Crowds gather on work days for sandwiches, salads and coffee, but the biggest draw, is the restaurant’s signature dish: homemade, hot-out-of-the-oven, crispy potato chips, covered in garlic, salt and spices and served with a chipotle sauce for dipping. 85 North Paint St., 740/773-3354

 

Best Spot to Dig Deep
Four million years ago, an underground river sliced through solid limestone, creating mysterious passageways 105 feet below Delaware’s surface that would later offer a haven for Wyandotte Indians. Today, the Olentangy Indian Caverns are a fun and educational attraction for families. Activities include gem mining, a recreated “Ohio Frontier Land” and tours of the fascinating caverns. 1779 Home Rd., 740/548-7917, www.olentangyindiancaverns.com.

 

Best 30 Minutes of Fame
Independence native Kathrine Baumann –– Miss Ohio 1969 and Miss America 1970 runner-up –– guest-starred on the CBS hit sitcom, “MASH.” The former cheerleader didn’t forget her roots, however. In the script, Baumann’s character, Miss Nancy Sue Parker, hails from Independence, Ohio. That episode from 1974 lives on, thanks to DVD boxed sets and TV Land marathons.

 

Best Lunch Break
Miamisburg has been serving up single and double sliders since the flood of 1913, when the Hamburger Wagon first came to town. The crispy fried burgers served with pickles, onion, salt and pepper (no messy condiments needed) were such a hit that the wagon still exists today. If you want a sack for lunch, go early. The line wraps around the block by noon, and some people order more than 20 at a time. 12 E. Central Ave., 937/847-2442.

 

Best Blast From the Past
The American Civil War Museum in Bowling Green houses an impressive array of Civil War-era memorabilia and artifacts that preserve the past while teaching new generations about the War Between the States. 123 E. Court St., 419/352-0209, www.acwmo.org.

Best Place to Relive History

Nearly 50,000 people ventured to Chillicothe’s Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre last summer, filling its 1,800 seats to watch “Tecumseh!,” a 36-year-old professionally produced outdoor drama based on the life and times of the legendary Shawnee leader who lived in Ohio in the late 1700s. 5968 Marietta Rd., 866/775-0700. www.tecumsehdrama.com

 

Best Blend of Culture and Coffee
The Mean Bean Caffeine Lounge in Delaware manages to lure young college students and longtime locals alike, thanks to an inviting atmosphere that’s part cozy coffeehouse and part colorful art gallery (new prints from local artists are displayed every month) –– all served up with mean cups of joe. 2 N. Sandusky St., 740/369-5282, www.meanbeancafe.com.

 

Best Place to Find Inspiration for Your Own Monet Painting
Since 1892, the William Tricker Inc. greenhouses in Independence have specialized in water lily hybridization. From the exquisite Sir Galahad night-blooming lily to the exotic Egyptian lotus, Tricker’s has all you need to construct your own pond a la Monet’s Giverny. 7125 Tanglewood Dr., 800/524-3492, www.tricker.com.

 

Best Fun in the Sun
Who needs the beach when the Sycamore Trails Aquatic Center in Miamisburg has shark-free summer entertainment? Shore lovers will enjoy the zero-depth pool entry and lighted sand volleyball courts, while kids will get a kick out of the wet sand play areas and waterslides. 400 S. Heincke Rd., 937/847-6565.

 

Best Fresh-Baked Cookies
The Cookie Jar and More proves that even grandma’s most revered recipes can be put to the test. With warm snickerdoodle, oatmeal-raisin-cinnamon-chip and chocolate-chip cookies available on request, you may want to buy enough to fill grandma’s cookie jar during your next visit to Bowling Green. 130 E. Court St., 419/354-8780, www.cookiejarandmore.com.

 

Best View of Ohio Heritage
On the grounds of the Adena Mansion & Gardens in Chillicothe, looking east from the north lawn of the mansion, there is a clearing in the brush, offering a spectacular view of the Scioto River Valley. If it looks familiar, that’s because it is the scene represented in the Great Seal of the State of Ohio. The Ohio Historical Society site reopens for the season April 2. 847 Adena Rd., 740/772-1500. www.visitchillicotheohio.com

 

Best Spot for Something Old, Something New
The Strand Theatre hardly needs to remind Ohioans of its historic appeal: The movie house has entertained cinephiles in Delaware since 1916. Today, the Strand shows a steady stream of classic films as well as the latest blockbusters. Even better, plans for a multimillion-dollar renovation are in the works, meaning movie lovers will be able to appreciate their favorite old-Hollywood stars in updated digs. 28 E. Winter St., 740/363-4914, www.thestrandtheatre.net.

 

Best Place to Slam-dunk
Cleveland Clinic Courts, the posh, new, state-of-the-art Cleveland Cavaliers training facility in Independence, complete with two regulation-size NBA courts and the player perk of underground parking, ideal for incognito goings and comings.

Best Art Fund-raiser
Each year on the weekend following Labor Day, artists and art-lovers alike flock to southwest Ohio for the Miamisburg Starving Artists Outdoor Arts & Crafts Festival. Library Park fills with a variety of crafts, all sold for $50 or less, and proceeds go toward scholarships for Miamisburg High School students. 426 E. Central Ave., www.miamisburgstarvingartists.org.

 

Best Place to Get Spooked
With self-guided tours at the on-site Slaughter House and Lunatic Asylum, along with the infamous jar of pickled fingers found in The Wood County Historical Center & Museum’s “Crime & Punishment” exhibit, the former Wood County Infirmary is the perfect place to catch a ghost story or two while learning about the Bowling Green area’s past. 13660 County Home Rd., 419/352-0967, www.woodcountyhistory.org.

 

Best B&B:
The Atwood House, a Greek Revival home built in 1843, is a charming place to retreat after a day of sightseeing in Chillicothe. There are four suites, including the President’s Room, decorated with presidential memorabilia that owner Bill Hirsch collected when working for President Nixon. 68 S. Paint St., 740/774-1606, www.chillicothebedandbreakfast.com.

 

Best Place to Look Up
Owned and operated by Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, the Perkins Observatory knows how to attract more than just scholarly types interested in searching the sky for the secrets of the universe. It’s all about the programs, from nighttime viewings that allow guests to stargaze through the 32-inch Schottland Telescope, to guided observatory tours that include tales of ghost sightings. U.S. Rte. 23 South, 740/363-1257, www.perkins-observatory.org.

 

Best Place to Take a Break
It’s no wonder Brielle’s Coffee & Tea Room in Independence is billed as “a cup above” the rest. The eatery’s impressive selection of teas is complemented by a tempting array of pasta salads (we liked the rotini salad drizzled with sweet lemon Italian dressing) and signature espresso drinks: Recent favorites included French Silk, a delectable concoction of French vanilla and white chocolate, and the Hylander Creme, an irresistible blend of butterscotch and English toffee. 6523 Brecksville Rd., 216/642-9292, www.independence-ohio.com/brielles.

 

Best Starry Night
While no one knows for certain how Miamisburg became “Ohio’s Star City,” legend has it that a medicine man in an Indian encampment came up with the name after looking up at a clear, star-filled sky in the direction of current-day Miamisburg and said, “That is truly a star city.” Today, the starry nights can still be enjoyed along the banks of the Miami River.

 

Best Place to Wax Philosophical:
One can’t help being moved by the sight of the earthworks at the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in Chillicothe. The two-dozen giant, mysterious, grass-covered earthworks spread over the 1,200-acre park — said to be built between 200 B.C. and A.D. 500 by the Hopewell culture — is as good a place as any to ponder the meaning of one’s existence. 16062 St. Rte. 104, 740/774-1126, www.nps.gov/hocu.

 

Best Place for Time Travel
Board the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad at the Independence Rockside Station and be transported into an era that time didn’t forget. The railroad’s vintage coaches from the 1940s and ’50s whisk passengers to the quaint town of Peninsula for a day of lunch and shopping and through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park for an afternoon of picture-perfect sightseeing. Park cyclists are also welcome to hitch a ride back. 7900 Old Rockside Rd., 800/468-4070, www.cvsr.com.

 

Best Rescue Effort
Before it became a meeting and banquet facility, the 123-year-old Baum Opera House had seen use over the years as a basketball court, skating rink, community dance hall and nightclub. In 1993, it was slated for sheriff’s auction and possible demolition until Mady and Jim Ransdell joined with other residents to purchase and revive the building that is now known as “the heart and soul of Miamisburg.” 15 S. First St., 937/859-8120, www.baumoperahouse.com.

 

Best Historic Theatre
In continuous operation since 1853, Chillicothe’s historic Majestic Theatre (with its famous, aesthetically pleasing arch) is one of America’s oldest movie houses. Today, it serves as a local cultural oasis, hosting theatrical productions, musical concerts, benefits, special events and film screenings. 45 East Second St., 740/772-2041, www.majesticchillicothe.org