“Day Trippin with Uncle Mike” is a Pickerington Online series featuring fun trips within a few hours of Violet Township, Ohio. Michael Nicodemus is a biology professor, birder, travel enthusiast & uncle.
July 18, 2022 by Pickerington Online Contributor Dr. Michael Nicodemus
Roscoe Village was once a port on the Ohio and Erie Canal near Coschocton. It retains the historical features of the 1830s while offering fun shops and restaurants.
The canal system enabled farmers a means to transport their goods to the Ohio River or Lake Erie. Most of the system existed through the 1800s but the spread of rail lines brought the canal era to an end. In 1913, a flood devastated the system and washed out the portion of the canal in Roscoe Village. It was not rebuilt. Photo by Michael Nicodemus
Take a 40-minute ride on a horse-drawn replica of a 19th century canal boat. It’s pretty cool to see how heavy loads were carried through man-made canals.
The Monticello III departs hourly from 1-3 PM Tuesdays thru Sundays, Memorial Day weekend thru Labor Day weekend. Closed on Mondays. Weekend operation Labor Day through mid-October. Group rates and special charters available. The operating schedule is subject to change due to weather conditions. Please call ahead for current schedule. 740-622-7528.
Tickets are $8.00 for adults, $7.00 for seniors and $6.00 for children ages 5-12. Children younger than five may ride for free. Photo by Rachel Scofield
According to RoscoeVillage.com, after the flood destroyed the canal,the village fell into disrepair. In the late 1960s, a group of historians and entrepreneurs restored the town.
“The story goes on today — in a village alive with fascinating historic tours, beautifully appointed buildings, annual festivals and events, and breathtaking gardens and pathways.” Photo by Michael Nicodemus
Lots of locally made items and souvenirs. Photo by Michael Nicodemus
Built on the site of a canal-era warehouse, it excellent serves bar-style food. According to their website, the Warehouse Steak n’ Stein was built around 1838. The building served not only as a warehouse for canal cargo but also as a general merchandise store. For a short time, it also housed as the Roscoe Post Office. Photo by Michael Nicodemus
We tried the “legendary” onion rings which were great. Photo from Warehouse Steak n’ Stein’s Facebook Page
Country Drives
Much of Ohio is dedicated to agriculture, but none is as lovely as the last vestiges of the Appalachian foothills of northeast Ohio. Photo by Michael Nicodemus
You might wonder why anyone would build the country’s largest inland lighthouse. Well, um, anyway, this 65 foot lighthouse was built by Gospel Hill Ministries and features a beautiful view, a beautiful drive, and a prayer room. Maybe, after a few more years of climate change, it will be by the water! Photo by Michael Nicodemus
Longaberger Basket
Not much to say here: building shaped like a basket. It is currently empty. It is located at 1500 East Main Street in Newark, Ohio and can easily be seen from Ohio Route 16.
According to Atlas Obscura, “The Big Basket, which opened in 1997, is a scaled-up version of Longaberger’s signature Medium Market Basket. Most of the cherry wood used in the Big Basket came from the grounds of the Longaberger Golf Club in Hanover. The Big Basket also boasts two enormous handles, heated during the winter to thaw ice.” Photo by Michael Nicodemus
We were kind of tired at this point, so we just did some of the trail and did not make it to the gorge proper. There are ten miles of beautiful wooded trails featuring old hardwood trees, butterflies, birds, and wildflowers. The gorge is cut out of blackhand limestone and there are vestiges of the Ohio-Erie Canal, which cut through the gorge. Photo by Michael Nicodemus
