There’s A Little Town Hidden In The Ohio Countryside And It’s The Perfect Place To Relax
By April Dray|Published March 06, 2018
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April Dray
Author
April is the Ohio staff writer for Only in Your State. She is an Ohio native with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. With more than 10 years of writing experience and a background in news reporting for Ohio newspapers, she's published pieces in multiple print and online publications. When she's not on deadline or chasing after her toddler, she's hunting for hidden gems in Ohio or getting lost in a good book.
If you’ve ever heard of Ohio’s urban legend of “Hell Town,” you should know it’s loosely based on a town that’s actually quite charming, historic and anything but spooky.
Boston Township in northeast Ohio is a quaint, rural village that’s seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Its history and rural setting are both well preserved because it sits in the middle of Ohio’s only national park—which makes it even more special and well worth a visit. It’s far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the popular Amish Country stops, so a visit here makes it seem like you’re a million miles away from everything. Take a look:
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.
Pictured is the town's well preserved, vintage gas station. Inside, you'll find art exhibits and other little pieces of history.
Just the sight of this quaint gas station is sure to incite nostalgia. The entire town reflects the early 19th-century canal era and the early 20th-century industrial era.
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The Boston Township Hall is a truly unique piece of architecture you'll want to observe while you're here. It was designed by John Eisenmann.
The building was initially designed in 1887 as a school, which is what gives it a unique appearance compared to most town halls. In 1939, it was purchased by the township and then used as the municipal building.
Throughout the town, you'll find several Ohio Historical Markers explaining the sights and paying homage to the notable individuals who helped establish the town.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park was officially established as a National Park in 2000. This unique park preserves a rural setting in an urban environment, which isn't common for national parks.
The Boston Mills Ski Resort stands out from the rest of the town, as it was added much later. (But it's definitely worth a visit in the wintertime.)
