The Enchanting Village In Ohio Is One Of The Best Places To Enjoy Autumn
By Sarah McCosham|Published November 06, 2023
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
Southwest Ohio really comes alive in the waning weeks of autumn. While the northern parts of the state has experienced peak fall foliage, the southern regions enjoy a slower, more gradual crescendo of color. Between the changing leaves and crisp temperatures, it’s the perfect time to enjoy an autumn day trip in Ohio, and there’s one historic and enchanting village that makes a picture-perfect destination.
Carillon Historical Park is a living history museum in Dayton, Ohio, that celebrates the Buckeye State's many contributions to our country's history, including some momentous milestones in innovation that changed the nation -- and the world!
The Ohio park, just like the city in which it's located, is best-known for aviation. Carillon Historical Park houses the John W. Berry, Sr. Wright Brothers National Museum featuring the original 1905 Wright Flyer III, an artifact that, having seen it in person myself, is worth the road trip alone!
Autumn is an especially fine time to visit Carillon Historical Park, because, in addition to its indoor exhibition halls, the 65-acre park is home to an outdoor living history museum that's simply sublime during the height of fall foliage.
Consisting of Newcom Tavern (Dayton’s oldest standing building, ca. 1796), the William Morris House (ca. 1815), the Hetzel Summer Kitchen (1817), Newcom House (ca. 1841), the Watervliet Shaker Building (ca. 1819), and Locust Grove School No. 12 (1896), Carillon Historical Park’s Early Settlement Area harkens back to the early days of the Gem City, a town that would grow and evolve to eventually change the world.
Exploring the immaculately landscaped grounds feels like stepping back in time, especially if you visit on a day when live "performers" wander the premises.
The park's quite acclaimed for its period demonstrations, in fact -- candle-dipping, gardening, hearth-cooking, quilting, sewing, musket firing, blacksmithing, woodworking -- these are all activities you might come across during your visit!
My favorite feature of this park is the onsite brewery. The country's only production brewery in a museum (and the only U.S. brewery replicating the historic brewing process), Carillon Brewing Co. is a unique place to grab a bite and drink -- and, if you're not a big drinker (same!), the brewery makes a delicious root beer that could rival any craft soda.
Historic village aside, the titular carillon is truly a sight to behold. Standing 151 feet tall, the Deeds Carillon is an iconic Dayton landmark and the largest musical instrument in Ohio. During the sun drenched, foliage flush, blue-skied days of autumn, the scene is breathtakingly beautiful!
Have you visited this enchanting village in Ohio before? Carillon Historical Park is an underrated gem in Ohio that’s always worth exploring, especially during late-autumn!
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