History Is Alive In Henry County!

Spend a day or more exploring and celebrating the rich history of our area.  For more information on these stops – and more! – contact the Henry County Visitors Bureau at (419) 592-1786 or email us at hcncoc@bright.net

1.  Start your day the right way at Spengler’s 713 N. Perry Napoleon, OH – breakfast, lunch or dinner!  Over 100 years of serving folks with the best in hometown food.  Sit where our great-grandfathers sat.  Don’t forget to order a “two-on-rye” and chicken rivel soup!  Spengler’s has been the place to meet up with old friends for generations – start a new tradition for your family today!

2.  While you’re in Downtown Napoleon, take in a tour of the Historic Henry County Courthouse  660 N. Perry Napoleon, OH.  You can’t miss this structure as you drive toward Napoleon.  Built in 1880, the Courthouse has stood the test of time.  The structure was recently renovated from Lady Justice at the top to the offices in the basement.  We are proud of the efforts of our ancestors who worked so hard to build a structure that would marvel people long into the future.  Contact us to help arrange a Courthouse tour.

3.  Catch the restoration of a home originally built in 1879 at the Dr. Bloomfield Home and Carriage House West Clinton and Webster streets Napoleon, OH.  The Henry County Historical Society is a wealth of information on everything historical in our area and operates the Bloomfield House.  The restoration is part of the effort to preserve our history and share the past with our future generations.

4.  The Historical Society also operates the Henry County Historical Society Museum, located in an 1890’s Methodist Episcopal Church on Henry County Road M at County Road 7 in Grelton. The museum is open the last Sunday of each month May through September from 1:00-4:00 p.m. Visitation can also be arranged by scheduled appointment. Contact Bennie Dawson at 419-592-4568.

5.  If you have a love for trains, the community of Deshler is for you!  The B&O Railroad Historical Museum Main Street and Keyser, Downtown Deshler, OH features the history of Deshler and surrounding communities.  The links to the railroads are still alive today, as Deshler is a destination for train watchers from all over the country!  CSX Railroad runs many, many trains through each day.  Sit for awhile in Crossroads Park in Deshler and remember the old days with the clickety clack of the rails! 

6.  The DT&I Depot in Malinta 102 S. Henry Street Malinta, OH is also a great place to look back and remember – The site is maintained by the Malinta Area Historical Society.  Contact Us for more information.

7.  Spend the night surrounded by Victorian history at The Augusta Rose Bed and Breakfast 
345 W. Main St. Napoleon, OH.  Beautiful, stately architecture takes you in and wraps you in comfort.  Ed and Mary, owners of The Augusta Rose are rich sources of information on where to explore and how to best spend your days (and nights) in Henry County.  They would love to share stories about the home and the community that it has stood in for so many generations.  Spend a night, spend a week!

8.  If you are looking for a little recent history and have the “need for speed” plan to stop at ProTeam Corvette N. Scott St. Napoleon, OH and take some time to walk amongst some of the most beautiful cars ever built.  The focus is on the ‘Vettes at ProTeam – famous folks (most recently Jesse James of West Coast Chopper – TV fame) from all over the world have walked through the buildings and went home with a ProTeam vehicle.  Well over 150 Corvettes are housed at ProTeam with new ones coming in everyday.  If you can’t find a favorite – you’re not looking!  Call ahead for a tour…at how many places could you stop for a tour and drive out with a classic automobile?

9.  If the weather will allow, we encourage you to get some exercise in our historic home districts.  Driving will work, too, but to breathe the fresh air and stop to take in some of our historic architecture is a rare treat these days.  In Napoleon, start downtown and walk down West Washington Street.  The walk will take you past the historic First Presbyterian Church 
303 W. Washington Napoleon, OH - and homes built by those families who built Napoleon and instilled the traditions that make it strong today.

10.  After your walk to the West Washington portion of Napoleon, stop in at St. Augustine Catholic Church 210 E. Clinton Napoleon, OH.  St. Augustine is one of 4 buildings in Henry County listed on the National Register of Historic Places (St. Augustine, First Presbyterian, Henry County Courthouse and Henry County Jail).  It’s been argued since the 1800’s – who’s tower is larger – St. Augustine’s or the Henry County Courthouse.  You be the judge and take a look at the historically accurate restoration designed to warp you back to the beginnings of the facility.

11.  Use Henry County as your “home base” for travels around Northwest Ohio and the Tri-State area.  If you are planning days at Sauder Village in Fulton County; antiquing in Grand Rapids, shopping at Shipshewanna; seeing the Amish in Brown County; investigating the Underground Railroad in Southern Ohio; hitting the casinos in Detroit and Windsor; catching a sporting event in Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indy or Chicago…or whatever your plans are – Henry County is most probably centrally located.  Break your days up in a relaxing, reasonably priced community.  Click Here for Lodging and enjoy your stay!