Navarre: Village History and Waterways

Navarre combines village history with experiences on the Tuscarawas River. A restored museum, a self-guided historic walking tour, and the waterways give the town a variety of character. The Congressman Ralph Regula Towpath Trail also has a historical dimension: in Navarre, it follows the route of the Ohio & Erie Canal. This lets you plan your trip around the focus you’d most like to explore—local history, riverside trails, or paddling.

Village History, from the Museum to the Walking Tour

The Navarre Bethlehem Historical Society purchased and restored the Mathews House Museum. The museum is located at 123 High Street, not far from Historical Rochester Square. The society also offers visitors a self-guided historic walking tour through the village. The house and walking tour offer two different ways to experience history: a specific museum site and a route that takes in the village as a whole. If you’re interested in Navarre’s past, this focus is easy to distinguish from the more water-related experiences.

Another name to note for those interested in cultural history is the J.D. Define Building. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This adds another named landmark connected to Navarre’s history alongside the museum and village walking tour.

Historic Route and Waterways

In Navarre, the Congressman Ralph Regula Towpath Trail follows the historic route of the Ohio & Erie Canal and passes through the town. A nearly 6.50-mile stretch runs south along the Tuscarawas River toward Bolivar. This connects a specific trail distance with the former canal route and the course of the river. If you like to include trails in your travel plans, you can consider this stretch as a separate option alongside the village walking tour.

For paddling, the Craig Pittman access point provides a specific landmark. The Tuscarawas River Water Trail includes the Craig Pittman Water Trailhead in Navarre; the access point is designated for paddlers with their own equipment to put in and take out. There is a vehicle crossing on the Towpath Trail shortly before the trailhead, where kayaks and canoes can be dropped off and picked up at the river. Waterway access conditions may change; check them before your visit.

In the wider region around Navarre, the Tuscarawas River Water Trail is 112.5 miles long and meets the 112-mile Muskingum River Water Trail in Coshocton. These waterways give the river experience a broader regional scale. The meeting of the two trails in Coshocton also shows how far you can look beyond a single access point in Navarre to explore the wider travel area.

A Quieter Perspective on the Town

The community invites visitors to take a leisurely walk through the village at the river bend. This is a different focus from paddling or a longer stretch along the river: here, the village and its location at the bend take center stage. For people traveling together with different interests, this walk can be combined with the cultural and water-related activities, so not every vacation day has to look the same.

When choosing a vacation rental in Navarre, consider which of these themes you want to shape your stay. Would you mainly like to plan around village history and the walk, focus on the historic riverside trail, or are you traveling with your own paddling equipment? Decide on your focus first, then tailor your vacation rental search to your travel plans.

Discover more destinations: North Canton, Canton, Massillon, Alliance.

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