All-American
Adventures
Ohio’s Land Of Invention
And Accomplishment
View from Buzz
ardroost Rock
Explore the parks of Cincinnati, Dayton and the Ohio River Valley
Content was created by AAA in collaboration with the National Park Service
Engrained
in the spirit of the peoples of Southwestern
Ohio is a drive to break through barriers,
achieve heights once thought impossible, to understand their world in new ways,
and to strive for a more perfect union. Its beautiful landscape, carved by rivers and
scoured by glaciers, is home to rich and diverse ecosystems. Its cities were home
to a national leader and world renowned poet. Crossing the river’s bank was
once a major stride toward freedom, and the institutions of small towns furthered the
dream through education. From American Indian cultures who built giant geometric
earthworks aligned to annual astronomical events, to brothers who toiled in their
bicycle shop with a dream of soaring through the heavens on the wings of powered
vehicles, Ohio has been at the heart of it all.
• Become acquainted with a future US President and Supreme Court Justice
when you visit his childhood home and neighborhood.
• Take an unflinching look at the history of enslavement and the ongoing
struggle for freedom around the world.
• Marvel at the ingenuity of two brothers who redefined a human frontier
and try your hand at piloting their Flyer.
• Walk among earthworks that rival the accomplishments of the Ancient
Egyptians in scale, precision, beauty, and artistry.
• Hike over hills carpeted with hardwood forests and gaze at bird’s eye
views of the Brush Creek valley from cliffy outcrops.
DAY
ONE
HISTORIC CINCINNATI LANDMARKS
Travel Information: 18 miles, 30 minute drive time
Start out with a visit to the “Queen City”, Cincinnati. Your first stop will take to the heights of
one of the city’s seven hills, Mount Auburn. Here an education and career began that would
lead to William Howard Taft attaining two of the highest offices in the land.
From here you can take I-71 south or take a side trip through Eden Park to explore more
of Cincinnati’s beauty and culture as you travel toward your next stop downtown. Your
destination is on the banks of the Ohio River, where numerous people endeavored to cross
on their journey from enslavement to freedom. The National Underground Railroad Freedom
Center is located prominently on the riverfront.
Spend any extra time exploring numerous parks and museums in town and treat yourself to a
bowl of Cincinnati style chili. Spend the night in Cincinnati.
William Howard Taft
National Historic Site
The Taft Education Center
2038 Auburn Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45219
513-684-3262 x1201
www.nps.gov/wiho
Fee Free Site; Open seven
days a week from 8:00 a.m. to
4:15 p.m. Closed January 1,
Thanksgiving Day, and December
25. Guided Tours of the Taft
House are every thirty minutes.
The last guided tour of the day is
at 3:45 p.m.
From the time of his birth in 1857 until he embarked on a
political career that would win him two of the highest offices
in the nation, William Howard Taft lived here in Cincinnati.
Through his formative years he was surrounded by family,
and what his mother called “inspiration to everything that
was good.”
William Howard Taft National Historic site is the only
memorial to the nation’s 27th President and 10th Chief
Justice. Immerse yourself in the environment that shaped
his character and philosophy with a visit to the Taft
Education Center. Tour the Taft Birthplace house, restored
to its appearance during his early years. The son of a
distinguished judge, Taft graduated from Yale but returned
to Cincinnati to achieve his degree in Law and begin
his study and practice. It was here that he developed a
strong judiciary mind and reputation that would serve him
throughout his political career.
Insider Tips/
• Start your visit with a tour of the Taft Education Center. View memorabilia on display
and learn more about the nation’s 27th President.
• Afterwards, stroll on over to the Taft birthplace house for a guided tour of the restored
Victorian-era residence to see what life was like around the turn of the 19th century.
Fun Fact/Taft is responsible for the tradition of Presidents throwing out the ceremonial
first pitch to start the baseball season.
National Underground
Railroad Freedom
Center
National
Underground Railroad
Freedom Center
50 East Freedom Way
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone Number:
(877) 648 - 4838
www.freedomcenter.org
Fee Site; Yes, Adults: $15,
Seniors 60+: $13, Children ages
3-12: $10.50, Children under 3:
Free; Hours: Tuesday – Saturday,
11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tickets sold until 4:00 p.m.
Check website for additional
seasonal hours.
Through engaging permanent and temporary exhibits, videos,
interactive stations and special programming, the National
Underground Railroad Freedom Center reveals the stories of
freedom’s heroes from the era of the Underground Railroad to
contemporary times, challenging and inspiring everyone to
take courageous steps for freedom today.
Key features/Major Points of Interest:
• See history up close in an authentic slave pen, which
temporarily housed slaves on their way south to be sold.
It was found intact on a farm in Kentucky and rebuilt on
site.
• Hear Oprah Winfrey narrate a story about the courage
of two Underground Railroad conductors as they assist
a runaway slave on her journey to freedom in our
interactive theater.
• Discover hope and perseverance through artifacts,
stories and a 12-minuite film that traces the United
States story from the beginning of slavery in the
Americans through Reconstruction in the exhibit From
Slavery to Freedom.
• Learn from our interactive gallery of Everyday Freedom
Heroes, showcasing more than 100 freedom
champions from across the globe-and be inspired to
become a freedom hero.
• Visit Invisible: Slavery Today, the world’s first permanent
museum exhibit on modern slavery and learn how you
can make a difference in today’s fight to end slavery.
Fun Facts/
• The Underground Railroad is a term for the covert network of people and places that
assisted fugitive slaves as they escaped from slavery in the South.
• People involved with the Underground Railroad developed their own terminology
to describe participants, safe places and other codes that needed to be kept secret:
conductors, stations, etc.
• The Ohio River was often referred to as the River Jordan.
• It is important to realize that while conductors and fugitive slaves were participating
on the Underground Railroad, all of their actions were illegal.
Insider Tip/Several parking options are available. Many of our guests choose to park
at The Central Riverfront Parking Garage at the Banks. The Fountain Square Parking
Garage is also nearby, as well as limited street parking and surface lots.
Have a little extra time?
Consider these additional sites:
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal
1301 Western Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45203
Open: Monday - Saturday: 10am to 5pm | Sunday: 11am to 6pm
www.cincymuseum.org
Also Check Out:
some time exploring Eden Park located
As you travel between your Cincinnati area destinations plan to spend
the Krohn Conservatory,
at 950 Eden Park Dr. In this one area you will find the Cincinnati Art Museum,
and paths to stroll and relax.
overlooks,
scenic
areas,
picnic
several
and
Park,
the
in
House
Play
Cincinnati
www.cincinnatiparks.com or call
To find out more about these and other Cincinnati Parks locations visit
513-357-2604.
DAY
TWO
DAYTON AVIATION HERTIAGE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
Travel Information: 54 miles, 1 hour drive time
Start your morning heading North on Interstate 75 to the “Gem City”, Dayton. You will
know you are getting close when you see the massive spillways, dams, and basins built
along the Great Miami River following Ohio’s greatest natural disaster to date, the floods
of 1913. Dayton has a proud history of invention and accomplishment. It is in recognition
and appreciation of three trailblazers that Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park
was established.
Your first stop will be at the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center and the Wright Cycle Company.
It was in this neighborhood that Orville and Wilbur Wright began their careers as printing
press operators and bicycle builders. Their rising aspirations soon led to challenging the
limitations of our natural world. As the Wright Brothers tinkered and toiled in their cycle
shop another neighborhood youth was practicing a craft that would overcome barriers of
human construction. His tool, a pen. His frontier, the social restraints of a segregated society.
Through his writing, Paul Laurence Dunbar became one of the first nationally recognized and
internationally acclaimed African American poets.
Spend the day immersed in the artistry and innovation of these individuals. Additional
days could be spent exploring the many historic locations and museums of Dayton before
continuing East.
Dayton Aviation
Heritage National
Historical Park
Wright-Dunbar
Interpretive Center
16 South Williams Street
Dayton, OH 45402
Phone Number: 937-225-7705
www.nps.gov/daav
Fee Free Site; Open seven
days a week 9:00 A.M. – 5:00
P.M., from March through October.
Open Wednesdays through
Sundays 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.,
from November through February.
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas
and New Year’s Day.
Many sites and experiences make up Dayton Aviation
Heritage National Historical Park. Imagine yourself lying on
the wing of the 1903 flyer, heart racing, as you heard that
engine puff and clang before a flight that would take beyond
the bounds of human endeavor. Feel the powerful wind
produced by a replica 1903 propeller carefully engineered
through tireless testing. Manipulate models that demonstrate
the similarities between leaning and steering a bicycle and
the rudder and wing warping of the first flyers. Listen to the
recordings of powerful, emotional readings of Paul Laurence
Dunbar’s most influential poems and contemplate the feat of
rising from racial inequality to world recognition.
Visit Huffman Prairie Flying Field and the Wright Memorial
Hill. Feel the winds that lifted the ever evolving designs of their
aircraft. Stand at the base of the Wright Brothers Memorial
and gaze upon the grounds where the first practical airplane
was developed. Visit the Huffman Prairie Flying Field Visitor
Center and try your hand at piloting the 1916 Wright Flyer
flight simulator.
Insider Tips:
• If visiting the Wright Cycle Company Complex/Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center
on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday consider strolling through the neighborhood on
your way to a visit at the Dunbar House.
• Take time to watch and listen to the many audio visual exhibits at the visitor centers.
These will take you from the first gliders tested at Kill Devil Hills to modern stealth
aircraft technology.
Ranger Tip/Take a few minutes to look over the “Plan Your Visit” section on the park’s
website to determine which stops you definitely don’t want to miss. Give a ranger a
call to get some help in planning your route.
Fun Facts/
• The Dunbar House in Dayton, Ohio, was purchased by Paul for his mother in 1903.
On July 23, 1936, the Dunbar House became the first state memorial to honor an
African American.
• The Wright Brothers successfully flew for the first time in December of 1903, but it was
over the next two years at Huffman Prairie they improved their design into the world’s
first practical aircraft that could take-off and land repeatedly.
• The Ohio flood of 1913 damaged many of the original glass plate pictures of Orville
and Wilbur’s first flights. Those immortal images were nearly lost in the floodwaters.
Have a little extra time?
Consider these additional sites:
National Museum of the US Air Force
1100 Spaatz Street
Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433 (near Dayton)
Phone Number: (937) 255-3286
Also Check Out:
Open daily, visitors can immerse
Carillon Historical Park at 1000 Carillon Boulevard, Dayton, OH 45409.
ss. Aviation enthusiasts should not
themselves in Dayton’s rich heritage of industrialism, creativity, and inventivene
293-2841 for more information.
miss this opportunity to see the original 1905 Wright Flyer III. Call (937)
DAY Charles Young BUFFALO SOLDIERS NATIONAL MONUMENT &
THREE HOPEWELL CULTURE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
Travel Information: 80 MILES, 1 HOUR 25 MINUTE DRIVE TIME
Your route today will be along US-35 East as you traverse the state to one of the most recently
established sites in the national park system, to the location of some of the continent’s most
astounding archeological earthworks.
Travel first to the town of Xenia. Ten minutes north of town you will have a chance to get know
Colonel Charles Young and the “Buffalo Soldiers” that he commanded. From graduating
West Point, to heading the Military Sciences & Tactics program at Wilberforce University,
to becoming the first African American National Park Superintendent, Colonel Young was a
ground breaker and pioneer.
Continue traveling East on US-35 for 50 minutes to the town of Chillicothe. Once the
capital of Ohio, Chillicothe was the center of a 2000 year old American Indian peoples
archeologists have named the Hopewell. With their extensive trade network, masterful artistry,
and command of geometry the Hopewell peoples built a highly developed cultural center
shown in the enduring footprint of geometric earthworks and earthen mounds.
Watch the sunset from Mound City and find comfortable lodging in historic downtown Chillicothe.
Charles Young
Buffalo Soldiers
National Monument
Throughout his life, Charles Young overcame countless
obstacles in his ascent to prominence. Born to enslaved
parents, Young graduated West Point and rose through the
military ranks to become one of the most respected leaders
of his time. Make a quick stop to browse the park grounds
and view the historical markers located near the roadway
as you consider the contributions of Colonel Young and the
achievements of all Buffalo Soldiers in their duty to the United
States. Visit the park’s “Guided Tours” webpage to view a list
of open house dates.
Insider Tips/
Youngsholm
1120 U.S. Route 42 E
Wilberforce, OH 45384
Phone Number: 937-503-5614
www.nps.gov/chyo
Fee Free Site; The site is
open to the public on select days
throughout the year. Please check
the park website for open house
dates and upcoming events.
• Wilberforce was an important stop on the
Underground Railroad and the site of two
historically black universities. A self-guided Cell
Phone Tour is available to provide depth and
perspective on the institutions and peoples that
made this a pivotal location in the fight for
equality. Download the Cell Phone Tour on the
park’s webpage or dial 937-556-4215 to get
started.
• Be sure to visit the nearby National Afro-Ameri
can Museum and Cultural Center at 1350
Brush Row Road, Xenia, OH 45385.
Ranger Tips/
• Watch the 10 minute video “A Triumph of Tragedy: The Life of Charles Young” on
the park’s website.
Fun Fact/ The term “Buffalo Soldier” derives from the Plains Indians who
encountered and fought the African-American troops on the frontier in the late 19th
century. It is said that the Indians referred to the black cavalry troopers as “Buffalo
Soldiers” because their hair resembles that of a buffalo.
Hopewell Culture
National Historical Park
Mound City Group
Visitor Center
Mound City Group Visitor Center
16062 State Route 104
Chillicothe, OH 45601
Phone Number: 740-774-1126
www.nps.gov/hocu
Earthen mounds and embankments forming huge geometric
enclosures grace the landscape of the Ohio River Valley.
These monumental structures were built by American Indian
hands almost 2,000 years ago. The Hopewell peoples
gathered at these earthworks for feasts, funerals and rites
of passage.
Start your visit at the Mound City Group Visitor Center. Here
you can begin with the 19 minute park video “Mysteries
of the Ancient Architects”. Walk through the park museum
displaying some of the most amazing examples of art from
a pre-contact American culture. Use the interactive computer
display to explore the extent of earthwork construction and a
trade network that stretched thousands of miles.
Take time to walk among the reconstructed earthen walls and
mounds of the Mound City Group or travel a short distance
to see the genuine remains of the Hopewell Mound Group.
Fee Site; Open 8:30 A.M. –
5:00 P.M. seven days a week.
The Visitor Center is closed
January 1st, Thanksgiving Day,
and December 25th but the
grounds are always open from
dawn to dusk. Short Walks,
Accessible Trails, Interpretive Trails
Have a little extra time?
Consider this additional site:
Adena Mansion & Gardens
847 Adena Road
Chillicothe, OH 45601
www.adenamansion.com
Phone Number: 800-319-7248
Fee Site
Insider Tips/
• There are five sites around the Chillicothe area
that make up the park. Four of these are open
to the public year-round – Mound City Group,
Hopewell Mound Group, Hopeton Earthworks
and Seip Earthworks.
• Join park rangers at Mound City Group for
guided tours from Memorial Day through
Labor Day. Check the park website for
scheduled times.
Ranger Tips/
• There is so much to discover below the
surface. Speak with a park ranger or attend a
guided tour to learn the intricacies of this
ancient culture, as well as the continuing
research to find answers to enduring mysteries.
• Throughout the year the park hosts many
special events from evening programs, to
paddling trips, and guided hikes of remote
archeological sites.
DAY
FOUR
SERPENT MOUND & THE EDGE OF APPALACHIA NATIONAL NATURAL LANDMARKS
Travel Information: 154 miles, 3 hour drive time
The final leg of your journey will take you into the scenic hills of Southern Ohio’s river valley.
Travel one hour south of Chillicothe to the site of perhaps the most notorious earthwork in
Ohio, Serpent Mound. There you will see not only one of the best representations of an effigy
mound found anywhere in the world, but also how the practice of earthwork construction
spanned cultures over hundreds of years.
From there you will travel to the southern boundary of the state where craggy hill tops and
scenic views offer a panorama of Appalachian beauty. The banks of the Ohio River have
been instrumental in the formation of the nation. Its water provided transportation and trade,
its boundary the opportunity for freedom, and its hills and towns the backdrop for the lives of
many of our national leaders and influential figures. But this land also serves as a sanctuary
for plant and animal species. Buzzardroost Rock Nature Preserve stands in stark contrast to
the development of the metropolitan areas that began your trip. A hike in the preserve offers
a chance to appreciate the importance of a nature preserve not just for the species that call
it home, but also for what it offers the soul of those who visit.
Once you have finished your hike, return to your starting point in Cincinnati via scenic
US-32 West.
Serpent Mound
3850 State Route 73
Peebles, OH 45660
Phone Number: 800-752-2757
www.ohiohistory.org/serpentmound
Parking Fee; $8/vehicle
Fees waived for Arc of
Appalachia Members & Ohio
History Connection Members
Fee Free Site; Serpent Mound
is open daily, year round, from
9:00 am to dusk. The associated
museum is closed January and
February.
Serpent Mound is an internationally known National Historic
Landmark built by the ancient cultures of Ohio. It is an effigy
mound (a mound built in the shape of an animal) and shows
the form of a snake with a curled tail. Nearby are three burial
mounds–two created by the Adena culture (800 B.C.– A.D.
100), and one by the Fort Ancient culture (A.D. 1000-1650).
The Serpent Mound has no associated burials and was likely
used for ceremonial purposes.
Insider Tip/The head of Serpent Mound is
aligned to the setting sun on the summer solstice
and the coils are often aligned to the summer
and winter solstice and equinox sunrises. These
alignments support the idea that Serpent Mound
had a ceremonial purpose.
Fun Fact/From the tip of its nose to the end of its
tail, the serpent is 1,427 feet long.
The Edge of Appalachia,
Buzzardroost Rock
Nature Preserve
3223 Waggoner Riffle Road
West Union, Ohio 45693
Phone Number: 937-544-2188
www.cincymuseum.org/nature
www.nature.org/edgeofappalachia
Fee Free Site
The Buzzardroost Rock Nature Preserve is just one component
of an 18,000 acre area known as the Richard and Lucile
Durrell Edge of Appalachia Preserve System. This impressive
collection of woodlands, xeric limestone prairies and dolomite
outcrops is jointly owned and managed by The Nature
Conservancy and the Cincinnati Museum Center and protects
habitat for over 100 species considered rare or endangered
in Ohio. Among these are the Allegheny woodrat, green
salamander and Canby’s mountain lover.
Buzzardroost Rock itself is a large dolomite promontory
offering unrivaled panoramic views of the Ohio Brush Creek
Valley. This extraordinary geologic formation is one of the most
popular sites to visit and is accessible via a 4.4 mile roundtrip hiking trail considered moderately difficult. Buzzardroost
Rock is one of four designated National Natural Landmarks
located at the Edge of Appalachia Preserve System, which
features a total of nearly 10 miles of hiking trails.
Insider Tips/
• The 4.4 mile round-trip hike to Buzzardroost Rock is moderately difficult and hikers
should allow a minimum of two and a half hours to complete the hike. Dangerous cliffs
are present and visitors with small children should be particularly cautious.
• Parking is limited and may be difficult for large RV’s or buses.
Fun FacTs/The Edge of Appalachia Preserve System is one of the largest privately
owned nature preserves in the eastern United States. Buzzardroost Rock has been a
tourist destination for over 150 years.
Also Check Out:
has successfully acquired and provides
The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System is a nonprofit organization that
sites in southern Ohio. Serpent Mound is
stewardship for over 4,000 acres of forests, waterways, and historic
other locations including Fort Hill and
just one of the sites they help to administer. Consider visiting one of their
the Highlands Nature Sanctuary. Find out more at arcofappalachia.org
largest privately owned protected natural
The Richard and Lucile Durrell Edge of Appalachia Preserve is Ohio’s
in the Midwestern U. S. Visitors can
systems
natural
of
collections
diverse
ly
biological
most
area and one of the
waterfalls, giant promontories and
openings,
prairie
,
woodland
rugged
explore
to
hike nearly 10 miles of trail
out more.
find
and
maps
download
to
ppalachia
clear streams. Visit nature.org/edgeofa
The U.S. National Park Service cares for more than 400 national parks and
special places, and helps communities preserve their historic sites and open
spaces so that all may experience our heritage.
The “All-American Adventures” series was produced under a partnership
arrangement between the National Park Service and AAA. We invite people
everywhere to discover their own personal connections to parks.
TRAVEL RESOURCES
Check out the following trip planning
resources as you plan your All-American Adventure.
NPS.gov
Find details on all national parks,
including things to do, activities and lodging.
AAA.com/TripTik
Plan your next road trip with a custom
routing showing you points of interest along the way.
AAA.com/Travel
Book Diamond-Rated hotels, plus reserve a rental car
or book an airfare to get you going on your adventure.
AAA Mobile® App
Download the AAA Mobile app for directions,
travel resources and roadside assistance.
Get information in-person
Be sure to visit your local AAA office or National Parks Service
location for information on your next national parks excursion.