Oh The Places Ohio Corn Fields Will Take You
We invited some dear friends to our lake house just outside of Eaton, Ohio. These friends had been to Lake Lakengren numerous times and we were looking forward to spending quality lake time with them. Usually they journey together, but this particular visit required them to drive separately. Making your way from Dayton to Eaton is really not complicated. It’s a straight shot west for the most part. However, our friend, shall we say, took the scenic route. What should have been an hour long ride turned into a tour of Southwest, Ohio.
Our friend was clear. “I don’t need a GPS,” he said, confident in his ability to navigate his way to our lake house. He texted at 3:45 pm to say he was on his way.
At about 5:30 pm, we became worried. What was taking so long? I called to check on him. No answer. Then, my worry kicked in. Where was he?
Several unanswered phone calls later, at exactly 6:40 pm, almost 3 hours after departure, our friend pulled into the gravel driveway.
“Where were you?” we all asked, relieved he looked ok.
“Well,” he began, “it all started when I got outside of Miamisburg. I recognized the road, so I just decided to follow the corn.”
I was pretty sure this was navigational error number one. I didn’t want to be the first one to tell him corn fields are literally all over this part of the world. He went on to say after quite the circuitous route, he found himself in downtown Hamilton. Sensing he was way off course, he turned around. More corn fields led him to the sign, “WELCOME TO INDIANA.” He was, quite simply, lost.
Truth be told, we had quite a few laughs at the expense of our no-navigational-skill-whatsoever friend. But it got me thinking about the very interesting and fun facts about all the little towns just on the other side of the corn that call Preble County home. I’m certain our friend drove through many of them before he took a wrong left turn.
Take Germantown, for example. Although just outside of Preble County, the historic district is lined with antique homes dating back circa 1865. They are charming and quite picturesque as you drive along Market Street. If only those walls could talk, right? I should have suggested to my friend he stop in to the Florentine Restaurant for a bowl of their French Onion Soup. Coming out of Germantown up the hill on Rt. 725 brings you to more corn fields. You have just enough time to breathe in the beauty of our rural farmland before you come to Gratis, the home of the historic post office that’s been in operation since 1823. Can you imagine the post riders or stagecoach deliveries from far away towns meandering along makeshift dirt roads?
And then there’s Camden, the village with the renowned train station. This was where President William Howard Taft gave a pre-election speech from the back of a train in 1912.
Sometimes we all need reminders of the richness in culture and history in our local midst. I’ve traveled enough to know sometimes Ohio gets the overlook by those who live in larger cities with taller skyscrapers. I can appreciate their homes, but I appreciate with affection our southwest Ohio stories that live within the corn fields. Even my grandkids know the towns that pave the way through Preble County. Next time my friend makes his way to Lake Lakengren, if he sees the sign, “WELCOME TO INDIANA” at least he’ll know the trip was well worth it. Oh, the places our Ohio corn fields will take you.