Chillicothe (Ohio)

Chillicothe is a city in Ross County in South Central Ohio and is the county seat of Ross County. In the 1800s, it was designated as the capital of the "eastern section" of the Northwest Territory. Later the State Constitutional Convention was held in Chillicothe, and in 1803, Ohio entered the Union, Chillicothe became the first state capital of Ohio. The name of the city was derived from a Shawnee word meaning "principal town". It is located along the Scioto River and Paint Creek.

Chillicothe

Understand

Hopewell Culture National Historic Park

Get in

By car

• Approx 45 miles south of Columbus along US-23 or SR-104
• Approx 80 miles southeast of Dayton along US-35.
• Approx 100 miles east of Cincinnati along US-50
• Approx 44 miles north of Portsmouth along US-23 or SR-104.

By plane

• John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH ^IATA), 4600 International Gateway, Columbus, ☎ [phone]. Direct flights to most major American cities. 

Get around

See

Downtown Chillicothe

• Pump House Center for the Arts, Yoctangee Park, ☎ [phone]. Tu-F 11AM-4PM, Sa Su 1PM-4PM. The Pump House was constructed in 1883 as a municipal pumping station for distribution of water from the deep well field in Yoctangee Park. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Pump House is an example of Victorian Gothic architecture housing an ever changing collection of painting, sculpture and art. 
• Dard Hunter Studios, 8 Highland Ave, ☎ [phone]. The Mountain House was built in 1850 by a German family named Meggenhofen who operated a winery here for many years, tending the terraced vineyards below the house. Gift shop is open M-F 9AM to 5PM. Reservations are required for a tour. Call at least 24 hours in advance to schedule an appointment. 

Bird Claw and Bear Tooth in mica - Hopewell

• 🌍 Adena Mansion and Gardens, Adena Road (outside of Chillicothe), ☎ [phone]. Home of Thomas Worthington (1773-1827). He was the sixth Govenor of Ohio and one of the first United States Senators from Ohio. There is a newer museum and education center. The view from the north lawn to the Logan Range is depicted on the Great Seal of Ohio. Quite a place. $7.  
• Chillicothe Railroad Museum, Paint and Water Sts, ☎ [phone]. M-F 10AM-4PM, Sa Su noon-3PM. 
• 🌍 Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, 16062 State Route 104, ☎ [phone]. A group of 23 earthen mounds built by the Hopewell culture, 200 BC to AD 500, destroyed by the US Federal Government to build Fort Sherman in 1913 and then partially rebuilt/restored and turned into a National Historic Park.  
• James A. Thomas Telephone Museum, 68 E Main St, ☎ [phone]. M-F 8:30AM-4:30PM. Free. 
• Dr. John D. Harris Dental Museum, 209 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Bainbridge Hours vary. 
• Lucy Hayes Heritage Center, 90 W 6th St, ☎ [phone]. Hours vary. 
• Majestic Theater, 45 E 2nd St. Longest running, free standing theater in United States. 
• Ross County Heritage Center, 45 W 5th St, [phone]. Hours vary.
• Roscoe Village, 381 Hill St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. Restored Ohio & Erie Canal port village. 
• Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre - Tecumseh!, 5968 Marietta Rd. Huge outdoor stages. 

Do

• Chillicothe Paints. Single A, Frontier League Baseball - 90 game schedule 
• Paint Valley Jamboree, 125 E Main St, Bainbridge, ☎ [phone]. Sa 7PM. Ohio's oldest country music show since 1965; call for reservations. 
• Annual Feast of the Moon Festival Last weekend in May
• Charity Bed Race 4th of July
• Ross County Fair First full week in August
• Easy Rider Rodeo every Labor Day Weekend
• International Sunflower Festival Frankfort, Labor Day Weekend
• Mountain Heritage Camp out Tar Hollow State Park, one weekend in mid-Sep
• Apple Harvest Festival, Hersch Fruit Farm, 12846 State Route 772. Mid-September. Orchard tours, pick your own apples, apple butter making, corn maze, petting animals, horse drawn wagon rides. (updated Jan 2019)
• Fall Festival of the Leaves Bainbridge. 3 days in mid-Oct
• Lucy and Rutherford Hayes Anniversary Celebration, ☎ [phone]. Lucy Hayes Heritage Center, 90 West Sixth St. In the last few days of December. Reservations required. (updated Jan 2019)
• 🌍 Southern Ohio Storytelling Festival, 1 Enderlin Circle, toll-free: [phone]. Thursday-Saturday after Labor Day, this festival features several national and regional storytellers in a tent at the Pump House in Yoctangee Park. Weekend Pass: Students $5, Adults $10. (updated May 2016)

Learn

• 🌍 Ohio University-Chillicothe, 101 University Dr, ☎ [phone]. 2,500 students.  
• Pickaway Ross Career and Technology Center. (Pickaway Ross Joint Vocational School), ☎ [phone], [phone]. 

Buy

• Bavarian Toy Works, 45 N Paint St. Toys for children of all ages. 
• Kitchen Collection, 1075 N Bridge St, Suite 202 (Chillicothe Mall), ☎ [phone]. You'll find a wide variety of cookware, bakeware, small appliances, decorative wood, marble and ceramics, great gadgets for every kitchen task, and the best of the kitchen/housewares seen on TV. This company of 200+ locations in 44 states began right here in Downtown Chillicothe. 
• Bob's Bootery, 100 N Paint St, ☎ [phone]. Providing many national brand footwear such as Birkenstock, Jumping Jacks, Munro, New Balance, Dexter USA, Clarks, Extra Depth, and Drew. And leather goods handcrafted by local artisans. 
• Chillicothe Farmers Market, 475 Western Ave. May-Oct: Sa 8AM-noon. Anyone interested in selling at the market can register between 7AM and 8AM 
• History Store, 101 N Paint St, ☎ [phone]. M-Sa 10AM-5:30PM. 
• The Cellar Room, 203 W Water St (two blocks west of the city park on the corner of High and Water Sts.), ☎ [phone]. Tu-F 10:30AM-5:30PM, Sa 10AM-5PM. Long known for its unique and unusual gifts and antiques. The original store started in the cellar (hence the name) and is now expanded to include the main floor. 

Eat

• Vern's Giovanni's Pizza & 5 Way Chili Parlor, 423 Western Ave, ☎ [phone]. Locally owned and operated, New York style pizza 
• Max & Erma's Restaurant, 10 River Trace Dr, ☎ [phone]. A high quality chain restaurant specializing in large hamburgers and good atmosphere. 
• Crispie Creme, 47 N Bridge St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Old Canal Smokehouse, 94 E Water St, ☎ [phone]. M-Th 11AM-9PM, F-Su 11AM-10PM. 
• Mona Lisa Café, 35 N Paint St, ☎ [phone]. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-11PM. Mediterranean restaurant & cocktail lounge. Greek, French and Middle Eastern food plus steaks, salmon, burgers and gyros. Entertainment on weekends. Wireless internet available. 
• Carl's Townhouse, 95 W 2nd St, ☎ [phone]. 6AM-5PM daily. Carl's is a family owned, hometown diner style restaurant. Great food for breakfast and lunch... but don't expect dinner there, because they close at 5PM. 
• County Crust Bakery, 4715 SR 41 South.
• The Old Home Place, ☎ [phone]. 1/4 mile north of U.S. Route 35. Amish Bakery - Troyer Meats - Cheese - Bulk Foods. 

Drink

• Dock at Water, 80 E Water St, ☎ [phone]. 

Sleep

• Great Seal State Park, 635 Rocky Rd. 15-site campground, pressurized water, vault latrines, playground, shelterhouse, pet camping, shelterhouse, horse camp, 22 miles of trails, hunting, playground equipment, disc golf course, volleyball, basketball, horseshoe court. 
• Best Western Adena Inn, 1250 N Bridge St, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. 
• Holiday Inn Express, 1003 E Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Hampton Inn & Suites' Chillicothe. 
• Country Hearth Inn Chillicothe. 
• Comfort Inn Chillicothe. 
• Christopher Inn And Suite. 
• Scioto Trail State Park, Ross County, south of Chillicothe, east of Route 23 on CR 372. 55 campsites, 40 with electricity, latrines, water, fire rings, picnic tables are provided. A secluded hike-in camp near Stewart Lake has 18 non-electric sites. Two rustic camper cabins are available. Fishing, hunting, twelve miles of hiking trails, 17 miles of bridle trails, nature center, basketball, horseshoe courts, playground, games and sporting equipment to registered campers, basketball, horseshoe courts and volleyball court.

Connect

• Chillicothe & Ross County Public Library (CRCPL), 140 S Paint St, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. (updated Dec 2018)

Go next

• Tar Hollow State Park, east part of Ross County, east of Chillicothe, at 16396 Tar Hollow Road, Laurelville, 71 sites with electrical hookups, 11 non-electric sites, 12 walk-in sites, and 5 primitive sites along a backpack trail. Equipped with showers, laundry facilities, pit latrines and a dump station. The beach is close by. Boating with electric motors only, permitted on the 15-acre Pine Lake. Perfect for canoes and rowboats.
• Columbus
• Lancaster
• Portsmouth

Routes through Chillicothe

Columbus ← Circleville ←	N  S	→ Portsmouth → Catlettsburg
Dayton ← Xenia ←	W  E	→ Jackson → Charleston
Cincinnati ← Milford ←	W  E	→ Athens → Parkersburg