Best things to do in Millersburg

Turn of the century Dover, Ohio was like most small towns of the day. Residents worked hard, believed in progress, took pride in their community and sat down together to enjoy the evening meal.

Such was the case for one of Dover’s most famous residents, Ernest “Mooney” Warther. Born in 1885 to Swiss immigrants, Mooney, as he was known to all, would leave a mark in the community that is still visible to this day.

Mooney found his way out of the steel mills where he worked and into his workshop where he began making knives in order to make carvings of ebony, ivory, and walnut, a hobby that would later make him a recognizable figure across the nation.

With only a second grade education, Mooney would become a master carver that can only be explained through his genius. Noted professors from Case Western Reserve explained the degree of skill in the creation of the pliers tree, one of Mooney’s more unique carvings, would require an advanced degree in mathematics. His talent lives on in members of his family and his story is told in a family-friendly museum that celebrates the life of this remarkable man.

Warther Museum is like no other museum in the world. Situated on eight acres in the tree-lined residential neighborhood where Mooney once lived, the Swiss chalet-styled Warther Museum gives visitors a glimpse into the life of Mooney, his wife Frieda and their family.

Still operated by the third and fourth generation of the Warther family, Warther Museum features Mooney’s home, restored to appear as it would when he and Frieda started their life together. Mooney’s original workshop, built in 1912, features his tools, an extensive collection of Native American arrowheads and the fireplace where he would forge the steel he used in the kitchen knives. In the museum are the priceless collection of 64 ebony, ivory, and walnut trains carved by Mooney at different stages of his life. Each carving is painstakingly accurate with moving parts that are remarkably to scale.

The truly unique button house is home to Frieda Warther’s collection of more than 73,000 buttons displayed on the walls and ceiling of the quaint structure located just outside the original Warther home on the edge of the garden.

Throughout every season of each year, the Swiss styled garden is meticulously maintained. It remains a dear reminder to the Warther family of their proud Swiss heritage.

Troyers Country Market located along Route 39 in the heart of Amish country invites you to take the taste of your Holmes County visit back home. This is the perfect place to stock up on groceries for the coming season-whether it's bulk packaged pantry staples, a case of your favorite pickled beets, or a wheel of cheese. Jerky fans will want to gather up all the varieties of the Troyer Beef Jerky found here. This, and other Troyer foods are created from an old-fashioned recipe and produced by Troyer's. Everything is truly one of a kind!

Akron Zoo welcomes more than 1 million visitors per year who come to see approximately 700 animals from more than 90 species in six recreated regions of the world. Meet the zoo's lions, tigers, sloth bears, and red pandas at the tiger valley, and get close to endangered Humboldt penguins. See leopards, jaguars, and lemurs in their habitat, which includes a 7.5 m (25 ft) waterfall. Numerous bats also inhabit the wilderness, while the indoor exhibit features a Komodo dragon, giant Galapagos tortoises, and golden monkeys. Check out the exhibits of marine animals, such as seahorses, jellyfish, lionfish, and octopuses, and look for the interactive touch tank.

Witness the splendor of early 20th-century America at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, the country's sixth-largest historical home open to the public. The landscaped estate and its buildings, including the vast manor house, were built for F.A. Seiberling, founder of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. The estate now encompasses 28 ha (70 acres) with eight historical gardens and five historical buildings, including the 65-room manor house. Various tours of the estate take you from the manicured grounds through the glamour of the manor. You'll see its indoor swimming pool and music room with an organ, as well as the servants' quarters and utility rooms. Many different tours are available; you can find details and buy tickets online.

The West Virginia Penitentiary is a gothic-style prison located in Moundsville, West Virginia. Now withdrawn and retired from prison use, it operated from 1876 to 1995. Currently, the site is maintained as a tourist attraction, museum, training facility, and filming location.