These 8 Historic Villages In Ohio Will Transport You Into A Different Time

At Roscoe Village near Coshocton, you'll truly feel as if you've stepped back in time. It's a restored 1830s canal town full of fun places to explore. Take a living history tour, check out the shops and take a horse-drawn canal boat ride while you're here. (Please note: From January to March no tours are available.)

The small town of Zoar, Ohio is a historic German village most people in the state (surprisingly) don’t know about. Beautifully preserved and full of fun places to explore, you’ll fall in love with this little-known town. The village of Zoar has more than 50 of the original historic structures and buildings still standing today. Consequently, the town has preserved much of its old world charm.

Tucked away in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, you'll find this quiet Summit County township, home to just 1,664 residents. What was once the small town of Boston Mills is now a well preserved historic town. Pictured is the Boston Store, which was built in 1836 for traffic along the Ohio and Erie Canal. Today, it is the Boston Store Visitor Center. Inside, you'll find several exhibits about the canal. In the summertime, the little town comes alive with hikers, bikers and explorers passing though along the Towpath Trail.

If you try to find a village like the charming village of Grand Rapids, Ohio, you likely won’t be able to. Along the southern bank of the Maumee River, just southwest of Toledo, you’ll find a restored canal town that’s truly one of a kind. With a population of about 986, it’s a quaint place to live and the perfect place to visit for a day trip. (At the town's Providence Metropark, you can even ride on a canal boat pulled by mules down the restored Miami & Erie Canal.)

Within Wayne Township in Warren Country, you’ll find the village of Waynesville. It’s a quaint, historic town with a population of approximately 2,834—but it’s rumored to have more than 30 haunted places. Founded in the late 1700s, Waynesville has a rich history as one of the oldest towns in southwest Ohio. It was an early Quaker settlement and many of those cultural influences still thrive in the town today. Many of the town's buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Just south of downtown Columbus, you'll find this quaint, historic village, which was settled by a large number of German immigrants in the mid-1800s. Despite economic decline in the early 1900s, it is now one of the best places to live in the Columbus area. Stroll the cobblestone streets and spend some time admiring the German architecture. (Book lovers will definitely want to stop at The Book Loft, which features 32 rooms of books.)

With more than 150 years of history, a charming train depot and an iconic deli, this small village that's home to just 2,700 residents is one of Ohio's most underrated small towns. Stroll the historic streets, visit the train museum, enjoy the local park and make a day trip out of Dennison.

Near the historic riverboat town of Marietta, you'll find this beautiful village. The Harmar Railroad Bridge (pictured) allows pedestrians to cross over the Muskingum River and into the historic Harmar Village. No matter what time of year it is, it's a gorgeous village to explore.