About the Area

Martha Starkey is a young "old pro" at connecting people with fabulous destinations. For the past 13 years, Martha has been the executive director of the Wayne County Convention and Visitors Bureau in downtown Wooster, the county seat of Wayne County, Ohio. She is also the current president of the Ohio Association of CVBs.  Read Story.

Wayne and Holmes counties in northeast Ohio, along with parts of their surrounding counties, are home to the largest concentration of Amish in the world. Approximately 32,000 Amish reside in this area. The main mode of transportation for the Amish is the horse and buggy. The charming clippity-clop of the horses' hooves and the sight of a buggy full of barefoot Amish children bring smiles to the faces of many visitors to our area. The average buggy is six feet wide and travels at a speed of five to eight miles per hour.  Read Story.

Wayne and Holmes counties in northeast Ohio, along with parts of their surrounding counties, are home to the largest concentration of Amish in the world. Approximately 32,000 Amish reside in this area. The main mode of transportation for the Amish is the horse and buggy. The charming clippity-clop of the horses' hooves and the sight of a buggy full of barefoot Amish children bring smiles to the faces of many visitors to our area. The average buggy is six feet wide and travels at a speed of five to eight miles per hour.  Read Story.

The Victorian House Museum sits majestically on a hill overlooking Millersburg, as it has done for more than one hundred years. For the first two weeks of November, the house will be a frenzy of holiday activity. According to Mark Boley, executive director of The Holmes County Historical Society, each room in the house will be decorated by a different local.  Read Story.

As we leave the noisy Interstate with its giant semis and signs that beckon one to eat here, drink here, sleep here, we drive down Route 39 toward places like Charm, Mount Hope and Winesburg. We go into a world without cell phones, television or game boys. Here, time stands still.  Read Story.

Summer. Ice cream. They just naturally go together. Whether you're on vacation or at home, ice cream just seems to be the perfect thing to eat, morning, noon or night.  Read Story.

All summer long, visitors have come to the Amish heartland. They have come to enjoy the green beauty of scenic hillsides laid out in a patchwork of abundant fields and pastures. They have strolled the sidewalks of country villages, buying fresh produce and handmade quilts and crafts.  Read Story.

Every once in a while, it's good to have some period of time with no agenda, schedule or even purpose. Time that's all yours, simply to see where the road takes you. And there's no better place and time than early autumn in Amish Country for a leisurely day of...whatever! A recent afternoon such as this reminded me of the value.  Read Story.

Are you looking for summer fun that's exciting, interesting, loads of fun, appeals to the whole family, features good food, and doesnt cost very much? Then mark your calendar now to attend one or more of the Ohio Heartlands county fairs! For more than 150 years in most cases, the county fairs of this area have been a source of family.  Read Story.

What do a mammoth tusk, early surveying equipment and a Lincoln campaign flag have in common? They are all part of the Wayne County Historical Societys current exhibit, "The History of the World According to Wayne County." The exhibit, which runs until June 27 in Wooster, is part of the society's Centennial celebration and features a timeline of history beginning in.  Read Story.

Recently my mother, sister and I set out on what we called a "girls' day out" in Amish Country. However, our outing quickly became a sort of "taste of Amish Country" as we imbibed delectable treats and sweets almost every place we ventured. Our first stop of the day was Guggisberg Cheese near Charm.  Read Story.

On any visit to the Amish Heartland, you won't have to look for things to do and see. Eastern Holmes County alone includes hundreds of shops, inns, restaurants and attractions, with more being added all the time. But this grand plethora of things to see and do in "Amish Country" can sometimes be a bit daunting to the would-be visitor.  Read Story.

Whether you're a certified history buff or simply interested in the heritage of the Amish Heartland area, you are in luck! From the Alpine Hills (of Sugarcreek) to the costumed residents of Zoar, and in honor of the Ohio Bicentennial celebration, here are our favorite picks for historical thrills and local culture.  Read Story.

Fun Facts Elevation -- Highest point: near Bellefontaine, 1,550 ft. above sea level; lowest point: near Cincinnati, 440 ft. above sea level; average elevation: 800 ft. above sea level.  Read Story.

On a crisp October morning, a thick blanket of frost covered the still-green grass, and an icy mist hung over the Holmes County countryside. Smoke curled from chimneys on Amish houses and schools. Cozy lights shone from barn windows.  Read Story.

It was a snowy, blustery day this past March when an old friend and I decided to take in the 2nd Annual Amish County Quilt Show, held in Holmes County. Jennifer and I have been pals since high school, and our friendship was recently renewed upon her return to this area from Texas (along with her husband and two young children)..  Read Story.

Throughout the Amish Heartland, the Amish culture is clearly visible. From the tidy farms with their large houses and crimson barns, to the distinctive black buggies clip-clopping leisurely down the road, it's difficult to miss the visions of a unique lifestyle that draws millions of visitors to the area each year. But another culture is also prevalent in the Amish Heartland,.  Read Story.

The Amish are not the only group of German Swiss descent to inhabit the Amish Heartland. This part of Ohio is also heavily populated by the Amish church's religious "cousins," the Mennonites. In fact, it might be more correct to refer to the Mennonite church as the "mother" of the Amish religion, as the two groups have common roots.  Read Story.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit one of this area's most revered institutions - the Kidron Auction. Nearly every small town in the Amish Heartland holds a weekly livestock auction, but the Kidron establishment holds the distinction of being Ohio's oldest. In 1918, a group of local farmers and businessmen held the first livestock auction in the tiny village of.  Read Story.