Bellefontaine

Bellefontaine offers some unusual points of interest: a theater with 17th-century Dutch architecture, a historic walking tour through downtown, and Campbell Hill, the highest natural point in Ohio. There is also a long trail that begins in Bellefontaine and passes through other towns. If you’re looking for a vacation rental, you might first consider whether theater and local history, a trail for different activities, or the natural landscape is the main focus of your trip.

Theater History and Architecture

The historic Holland Theatre is located in downtown Bellefontaine. It is an atmospheric theater and the only atmospheric theater in the United States with 17th-century Dutch architecture. The building’s architecture therefore reflects a distinctive tradition. The name Schine’s Holland Theatre is associated with another specific chapter in its history: on February 12, 1931, it opened as a movie palace with 1,400 seats. For culture enthusiasts, it offers a glimpse into Bellefontaine’s architectural history as well as a chapter in its movie-theater history.

Downtown and Historic Buildings

The Historic Walking Tour leads through downtown. Bronze plaques on building facades introduce visitors to Bellefontaine’s history. The architectural perspective ranges from the 1850s to new construction: the tour includes buildings representing styles from across this long span of time. This makes it possible to explore the town’s history through different forms of architecture, rather than limiting it to a single decade or style. For a stay focused on architecture and local history, this tour is a distinct point of interest.

Court Avenue also has a special place in the history of civil engineering: in 1976, the first concrete-paved block of the street in Bellefontaine was designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. The designation applies specifically to this block of Court Avenue. It adds a concrete example from the history of paved roads to the architectural perspective offered by the Historic Walking Tour.

Trails and Nature

The Simon Kenton Bike Trail is 35 miles long and partly paved and partly unpaved. It is intended for biking, walking, and running, starts in Bellefontaine, and passes through West Liberty, Urbana, and Springfield. In Logan County, there is an access point on Carter Avenue in Bellefontaine. If you’d like to include biking, walking, or running in your trip, you can make the trail a focus of your stay. Both types of surface are part of the character of this 35-mile trail.

Myeerah Nature Preserve covers 450 acres and is maintained by the Bellefontaine Joint Recreation District. For nature enthusiasts, it is another distinct point of interest alongside walks around town and the Simon Kenton Bike Trail. Its size gives the preserve a concrete scale, without making it the same as the trails mentioned above.

Campbell Hill and Choosing Where to Stay

Campbell Hill is 1,549.09 feet above sea level and is the highest natural point in Ohio. Its historic marker is at the summit below the Ohio Hi-Point Campus, at 2280 OH-540 in Bellefontaine. This prominent high point is quite different from downtown history and trail activities, and offers another reason to consider Bellefontaine as a destination.

When looking for a vacation rental in Bellefontaine, these different interests can help shape your choice of where to stay: theater architecture and historic buildings offer a cultural focus, while the Simon Kenton Bike Trail provides a route for biking, walking, and running. As you plan your trip, you can decide which aspects you’d particularly like to consider, without combining all the activities into a single outing.

If you’d like to explore other town pages, you can also find East Liberty here.

For the broader travel overview: Logan.