Ohio to New Jersey. A drive of nearly six hundred miles that would take the better part of the day. The smart thing to do would be to get up early, have a good breakfast, and immediately start driving east. That would be intelligent. Responsible. Reasonable. But that would also be boring and not what we do here at The Open Road Ahead! So on a Friday morning, with many hours of driving in our future, my wife and I detoured to two cool stops before finally heading home. I invite you to sit back, relax, and enjoy this conclusion of our Midwest road trip!
Our last day on the road would take us almost six hundred miles, and with stops, approximately twelve hours of driving.We awoke before dawn and got an early start to Marblehead Lighthouse State Park to visit the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes.Built in 1821, it has operated for nearly 200 years, keeping ships away from the rocky shores of Sandusky Bay along Lake Erie. Its current light is an LED that can be seen up to eleven miles away.Nearby is the museum, which was once the home of the lighthouse keeper, until the lighthouse became automated and no longer required a live-in attendant.Between the NJ Lighthouse Challenge, trips through New England, and now a visit to the Great Lakes, my wife and I are becoming lighthouse tourists (Is that a thing? It should be!).Before heading to our next destination, we stopped at Victory Coffee & Company, an outstanding independent coffee shop. We enjoyed a delicious caffeine fuel-up and a nice chat with the owner, and then headed on back to Fremont, Ohio.Our final stop for the day was the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museum, the first Presidential Library in the U.S. The center tells the story of the life of Hayes, the 19th President who served from 1877-1881.As we were nearing the entrance to the library, my wife and I both paid special attention to the entrance steps. As we both work in the field of disability services, we noticed that the steps and the handicapped access ramp are integrated into each other. No separate entrances, no access issues – just one easy way into the building for everyone. Very, very cool!Talk about riding in style! President Hayes purchased this Landau horse-drawn carriage at the beginning of his Presidency for $1,150, the equivalency of $28,000 today. The carriage was built by Brewster and Company. Brewster later became the primary supplier of bodies for Rolls Royce cars in America.President Hayes won a narrow election in 1877 over Democrat Samuel Tilden. Although Hayes lost the popular vote, he won the electoral college by exactly one vote.This sideboard is from the Hayes White House, as are the dishes. The sideboard was sold off as surplus furniture by the White House in 1903, and the museum purchased it in 1967.The basement tells of the personal lives of the Hayes family. Before serving in the Civil War, Hayes was a lawyer in Ohio and defended runaway slaves in court. He fought for the Union, and was injured during combat twice. His wife also served – as shown in this display, Lucy Hayes spent her time during the war as a nurse, tending to wounded soldiers.One room in the basement is a special exhibit focused on the military heritage of the Hayes family. Rutherford’s son Webb served in the Spanish-American War, the Philippine-American War, and World War I, attaining the rank of colonel. Many of the items in this collection were gifted by Webb to the museum.The basement also held a special exhibition of holiday trains! The display was self-serve: simply switch on the power and play with the trains to your heart’s content.The train display filled four rooms – we caught it on the second-to-last day of its operation.President Hayes only served four years in office, pledging upon his election not to run for a second term.I tend to keep politics out of this blog, but this quote on the wall of the atrium is perfectly worded.The Library and Museum are built on the grounds of President Hayes’ home. The 31-room mansion was the home of the Hayes family beginning in the 1870s. It is now part of the museum, and presents the home life of the Presidential family.Behind the house, down a small tree-lined path is the tomb of President Hayes and his wife. Behind this tomb are the graves of Hayes’ son Webb and Webb’s wife Mary.As we were leaving, we noticed the gates – these were the gates to the White House during President’s Hayes time in office, and when they were due to be replaced (as they proved too narrow for vehicle traffic), Hayes’ son Webb asked to install them at his father’s library and museum. They have been at the museum since 1928.We were back on the road, and with rain clouds settling over the highway, we crossed into Pennsylvania.The next six hours were spent in Pennsylvania, heading east, stopping only for gas or a quick break. Despite the gray skies, the views were still terrific.Nearing home, we did make one last stop in Easton, Pennsylvania: dinner at Stemie’s 1818 Tavern. The number “1818” is thought to indicate its original address, as the building was built in the 1700s to act as a statehouse and brothel (ahem). It is also reportedly haunted by at least one ghost, who several staff have claimed to have encountered (via The Morning Call).Ghost stories aside, it’s definitely a neighborhood bar -we had the feeling we were one of the few people not from the local area, but we were certainly never made to feel unwelcome! The service was fantastic, and the food was delicious. I ordered a crab cake sandwich (made only with crab meat and spice – no fillers!) and my wife got the scallops provencal. It was a really good meal, and I would definitely return to Stemie’s!At night, in the rain, at 65 miles per hour, well… you’ll have to trust me that the sign on the left says “Welcome to New Jersey.”And finally… home!
Marblehead Light State Park is open year round and is free to visit. The lighthouse is currently undergoing renovations, but should be re-opening by this coming Memorial Day. The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museum is open from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Tuesday through Sunday during the winter (the library is open seven days a week after March). Admission is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors age 65+, $10 for teens ages 13-18, $6 for children ages 6-12, and children 5 and younger can enter for free, but do check online for discounts, as the museum offers several options for reducing your ticket prices. The last leg of our return journey was long, but filled with fun and good memories.
The Trip Summary
The map of our trip, from the furthest point west to the further point east.
Beginning Mileage: 44,665
Ending Mileage: 47,465
Total Mileage: 2,800 miles (exactly!)
States: NJ, PA, OH, IN, IL, WI, MN, IA
Snowstorms: 1
Ice Storms: 1
Fuel Stops: 7
Average Miles Per Gallon: 21.3
Total Cost of Journey: Priceless
The journey to the Midwest for the holidays was one of the best road trips I have ever taken. The memories my wife and I made, the sights we saw, the attractions that caught our eye along the road… it all made for a wonderful trip. Special mention also goes to “Grace,” my wife’s 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which performed admirably, soaking up the highway miles with ease, offering ample cargo space to hold our luggage and gifts, and providing ferocious all-weather performance.
Thank you for coming along on this extended journey down the open road ahead.
Haha, a “priceless” journey indeed. Great adventures! Twelve hours in one day is a pretty good jaunt. At least you had a comfortable ride to do it in. I like the model train set. I’m surprised you didn’t climb to the top of the lighthouse (do they even allow that?).
It was certainly one of the best road trips I’ve ever taken. The lighthouse is currently closed for renovations, otherwise we definitely would have climbed it. Thanks for reading!
The Open Road Ahead 
Haha, a “priceless” journey indeed. Great adventures! Twelve hours in one day is a pretty good jaunt. At least you had a comfortable ride to do it in. I like the model train set. I’m surprised you didn’t climb to the top of the lighthouse (do they even allow that?).
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It was certainly one of the best road trips I’ve ever taken. The lighthouse is currently closed for renovations, otherwise we definitely would have climbed it. Thanks for reading!
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