The Washington County Covered Bridge Tour
“Oh, wow! Pull over. We need a picture of that.”
It seems when you’re truly on a relaxed, scenic drive—especially on Southeast Ohio’s wild, winding roads—a covered bridge sighting adds a romanticism to the adventure.
Crossing it is like a timeline to the past, with each decking plank thumping off the years, usually to the late 1800s. And when there are nine historic covered bridges in one county, it’s reason to lose an entire day to leisure driving, and a picnic lunch.
Welcome to the Washington County Covered Bridge Tour throughout the Marietta, Ohio area.
The rolling hills of the winding backroads lead to one charming sight after another. Stop to hear the whisper of the wind, the babbling of the brook, and the calling of Ohio’s first adventure and oldest city. If you listen closely enough, you may hear the horse’s hooves or the Ahooga horn sounding from a vintage “Tin Lizzie” (Ford Model T automobile) announcing its crossing of the covered bridge.
Each covered bridge seemed to be built with pride for design and character. These early bridges needed roofs to preserve the lumber and dramatically extend their lifespans. Once plentiful, they are a rare sight today. It’s why if there’s even a minute to spare in a journey, it’s to take a snapshot to share.
It’s pretty easy to pull off for photo ops and exploration of these bridges throughout Marietta and Washington County. Parking is often convenient. And each wooden tunnel invites crossing the creeks and valleys of stunning landscapes. From weathered beams to bright red paint, each stop along the roads less traveled provides a different look and feel. The journey from bridge to bridge offers a diverse array of scenic views, including wildlife and the topography of valleys, ridges, prairies, wildflowers, farmland, forests, and wetlands.
Remember, this is a full day’s odyssey; a road trip where you simply don’t know what surprise awaits around the next bend of a country road between the postcard small towns. Plan the best route by clicking here to connect the Bell Covered Bridge, Harra Covered Bridge, Henry Covered Bridge, Hills Covered Bridge, Hune Covered Bridge, Mill Branch Covered Bridge, Rinard Covered Bridge, Root Covered Bridge, Shinn Covered Bridge—The Bridges of Washington County.
By Frank Rocco Satullo, The OhioTraveler, Your Tour Guide to Fun
and Blogs by Rocco
Welcome to Trip Quip,
a new series of slap-happy travel videos
by The OhioTraveler.
Remember the Triple A Triptik? Well, this is not that.
This is The OhioTraveler’s Trip Quip!
When you’re on the road too long,
cheesy Dad jokes, corny one-liners, and silly puns,
prevail for better or worse.
So, we thought we’d share a few of those moments…
Okay-okay. You never know what you might see driving around Ohio!
Motoring through Urbana, I came across The World’s Largest Loaf of Bread!
It is located at 417 East Water Street in Urbana, in front of Bundy Baking Solutions’ headquarters. The sculpture is made of foam, wood, steel, wire mesh, and fiberglass and measures 33 feet long x 7.5 feet wide x 8 feet tall.
Although the location of the giant loaf is on private property, it is visible and can be photographed from the sidewalk or street.
The “Shortest Street in America” is in Bellefontaine, Ohio. Welcome to McKinley Street! It is listed as a whopping 20 feet long. That was once short enough to claim the title “Shortest Street in the World” until a street in Scotland was found to be shorter. McKinley Street connects Garfield Avenue and West Columbus Avenue, running parallel to railroad tracks. I guess this is an example where coming up short puts you in the lead. Go figure.
Volkswagen Bug Tower In Defiance, Ohio
is at the corner of Hwys 18 & 281
The VW Bug Tower is a fun little stop in Defiance, Ohio. Five colorfully painted vintage Volkswagen Beetles rise to the telephone wires. There’s a large parking lot at the corner where you can park and walk around the tower to check out the artwork and subtle touches. I gasped, looking through my camera lens in the high wind and rain, when I saw a man climbing out of the windshield of the fourth car up. My wife laughed and said, “I told you about the mannequin when we first pulled in. See, you don’t listen to me.”
For more unique roadside sights, visit Ohio Roadside Attractions | Ohio Traveler
I finally returned to Marblehead to update my photo of Handless Jacques, but he is no longer handless! After his restoration, he not only has hands again, but they are huge! In light of this, my Internet sleuthing turned up no new name. Another past mention of it is titled Maître d’ of Marblehead.
So, if he indeed is not renamed, let’s hear some suggestions. I’ll start with Glad Hands Jacque.
Or, maybe I “Missed it by that much.” 😉
Anyway, the 32-foot tall statue is at the corner of Ohio State Route 163 and Harbor Cove. This “Handy Giant” of Marblehead was initially located in Marion, Ohio, where he used to stand in front of a sandwich shop.
The next time you’re traveling the North Coast, stop by 6020 E Harbor Rd. in Marblehead, Ohio, to shake hands with this giant. His cousin or twin brother, Chef Jacques, is in Bellville, Ohio, and is said to be the World’s Largest Bobblehead.
The biggest Bigfoot in Ohio sits in Celina at the Mercer County Fairgrounds. The giant Sasquatch is a 30-foot-tall wooden sculpture by Bear Hollow Wood Carvers. The Bear Hollow Sasquatch Carving is named Nelson. Find your way to Nelson at – Map It. The street address is 1001 W. Market St., Celina, Ohio.
Mysterious Revolving Ball
at the Marion, Ohio Cemetery
The mysterious “Merchant Ball” revolving in the Marion, Ohio cemetery is a two-and-a-half-ton black granite orb atop a five-foot pedestal. Tiny stone balls surround it in its grassy perimeter. There is one spot on the giant orb that was not polished – the spot that originally rested on the pedestal when erected in 1896.
The Merchant family created this gravesite in the 1890s. The smaller balls mark individual burials around the centerpiece marker. Ripley’s Believe It Or Not featured it in 1929. Why? Because the two-and-a-half-ton black granite orb was mysteriously turning over time unbeknownst to the naked eye. But the movement was obvious because the original unpolished resting spot became visible, eventually traveling to the ball’s side.
Needless to say, this strange phenomenon has become a peculiar tourist attraction ever since. And to this day, nobody has affirmatively answered the question, why? Although plenty of speculative theories and scientific analyses swirl around the enduring oddball.
Click to enlarge the map to find
the Merchant Ball in the Marion Cemetery
Welcome to The World’s Largest Basket! The Longaberger Basket Building in Newark, Ohio, has long been a favorite roadside attraction. Formerly the Longaberger Basket Company headquarters, it remains a fixture in the imaginations of those who unexpectedly see the world’s largest picnic basket rise out of the treetops along Ohio State Route 16. Map It.
Watlao Buddhamamakaram is a remarkably beautiful Buddhist Temple in Columbus, Ohio
Location: (Map It) 3624 Bexvie Ave in Columbus, Ohio
This stunning Loa Buddhist temple is nestled in the Bexley neighborhood on the east side of Columbus. The beautiful structure is amidst a sprawling park-like setting among a community of residential homes. It is a place of peace. Although it is open to the public, be respectful, as it is a place of worship. The monks were very welcoming when I parked in the Temple parking lot and asked if I could walk around and take some photos. It’s an inspiring place for those looking to reach a deep meditative state or simply relax and unwind. It’s truly an awe-inspiring site.
Hey, you lookin’ at me! …Sometimes, when traveling, you may think people look at you funny … But when trees do it, that’s just next-level paranoia! LOL. FYI: This tree has a naturally grown face. It’s not one of those fake faces. Pic taken at a McD’s in Canal Winchester, Ohio.
What are the chances our car overheated here?
Where is here? The most talked about billboard on I-71 near Mt. Sterling, Ohio, on the Northbound side, known as
The HELL IS REAL sign.
It looks like something was added to the lower right of it.
The World’s Largest Bobblehead is on a hill behind the Buckeye Express Diner at 810 State Route 97 in W. Bellville, Ohio. Watch closely; the head will bobble when the wind blows. The restored 35-foot-tall statue is named Chef Jacques. He spent half a century headless, toppled, and neglected after he first served at a location in nearby Mansfield. He has a close cousin, Handless Jacques, in Marblehead, Ohio. What’s with the severing of body parts for these cousins’ Jacques? 😉 Visit https://www.ohiotraveler.com/ohio-roadside-attractions/ for more fun.
Welcome to Centerburg,
the geographical center of Ohio
In case you were wondering, the geographical center of Ohio is in the town…. wait for it …Centerburg!
And if you ever wondered what happened to the old Ohio slogan, “The Heart of it All,” it was relocated to this small town in Knox County. Well, technically, their slogan is “The Heart of Ohio.”
One day, I was going from point A to point B and happened to pass these signs. Of course, I had to pull over and take some pics to share this unexpected roadside discovery.
Ohio’s Futuro House is also known as the UFO House, The Flying Saucer House, The Mating Flying Saucers House, and even the Martian House. This Ohio roadside gem is at the corner of Highway 123 and Chamberlain Road in Carlisle, Ohio. Click here to map your directions. This style of house is a prefabricated home design dating to the late 1960s by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen. Now, I’m curious, do the homeowners also prefer Dippin Dots – The Ice Cream of the Future? By the way, the “ice cream of the future” was first tasted back in 1988. Who knows, with a Flux Capacitor, this spacecraft turned home just might travel “Back to the Future” when space dot ice cream was out of this world. For more information about Futuro Houses, click here.
Climb the 77 steps to the top
The oldest lighthouse in continuous operation on the Great Lakes has been shining its light for 200 years to guide sailors past the rocky shores of Ohio’s Marblehead Peninsula.
Although folks may climb to the top of the Marblehead Lighthouse (and visit the museum) from Memorial Day to Labor Day, it is still a treat to see during the off-season. Marblehead Lighthouse State Park is a perfect setting for a lakeshore picnic, lounging in the grass, or walking the grounds. Come, read a book, skip some stones, and take wonderful photos at this Lake Erie gem.
The Marblehead Lighthouse is located at 110 Lighthouse Drive in Marblehead, Ohio (Map It). The grounds are open daily from Memorial Weekend to Labor Day Weekend. Click here for more information.
Sometimes a wrong turn can lead to fun discoveries. Thank you, GPS. Missing a turn, my GPS rerouted me down Barrhaven (Rd, St, Ave?) which loops to/from Main Street in Hayesville, Ohio in Ashland County. Off to the side of the backroad was an old VW Bug jutting up from the ground, half-buried. I guess it’s Ohio’s version of Cadillac Ranch off Route 66 in Texas. LOL.
