Road Trippin’ with Truda: Fort Recovery

Today, visitors can tour the excellent museum, follow a walking tour of the battlefield and see the monument that honors U.S. soldiers killed during the battles.

The museum consists of three floors. The first-floor features exhibits about the battles and their historical context. The second floor has some great interactive displays for kids and explores the precontact era of the area. The basement space includes a video, more kids' activities and restrooms.

Maps of the walking tour are available both inside and outside the museum. The first stop is right outside the museum's front door and leads visitors around a series of 15 wayside exhibits. I'm the first to admit that I'm directionally challenged, so I might have gotten lost had I been by myself on this trip. But luckily, my colleague Neil could have been an army scout in a past life. He happily led us through the walking tour, during which we saw a log cabin, the Fort Recovery Monument, the Pioneer Cemetery and much of the lovely Village of Fort Recovery. I would highly recommend the walking tour. However, if you aren't up for a walk, the museum is well worth visiting on its own.

The Fort Recovery Museum includes three floors of exhibits.

Be sure to explore the blockhouses, located right outside the museum.

Address: Fort Recovery is located at 1 Fort Site Street in Fort Recovery, OH.

How much time: I'd budget about 45-60 minutes to explore the museum and another 60-90 minutes to do the walking tour around the town of Fort Recovery.

Truda's Tips: Fort Recovery Museum is cash or check-only. While you won't need to pay for your admission since you have an Ohio History Connection membership, you'll want to be sure to have some cash or your checkbook available to make purchases in the gift shop, which features books, toys and other souvenirs. There is an ATM next door.

Don't forget to go in the blockhouses that are located right outside the museum.

Kid Friendly? For elementary school aged kids and up.: There are a lot of things at Fort Recovery that would appeal to kids. The grounds are perfect for running around. I know my kids would have had a ball running from sign to sign to learn about the history of the site. Inside the museum, the third floor has pump drills, a weaving activity and animal bones and deerskins that they can touch. Kids would also enjoy the blockhouses (open during normal hours) and reading the map during the walking tour.

Lunch: You know lunch is a very important part of any road trip for me! There are lots of picnic tables available in the park behind the Fort Recovery Museum, so bringing your lunch is a great option. There are also some cute restaurants in the Village of Fort Recovery. If you're interested in eating in town, I would ask the museum staff for recommendations.

The monument that honors U.S. soldiers killed during the battles in Fort Recovery is just one of the many sites you'll see on the walking tour of the village.

The famous Maid-Rite sandwich!

We opted to drive about 30 minutes south to Greenville to eat at the Maid-Rite Sandwich Shoppe. My brother-in-law had been telling me about Maid-Rite and their loose meat sandwiches for years, so I jumped at the chance to visit. I was not disappointed.

If you're not familiar with the concept of a loose meat sandwich, think sloppy joe without the sauce. I ordered a Maid-Rite and a Cheese-Rite (which is just a Maid-Rite with cheese). The sandwich consists of browned ground beef, onions, pickles and mustard on a bun. I had expected it to be a little soggy or greasy, which it wasn't at all. The toppings gave the sandwich a slightly sweet taste that I enjoyed. I would recommend that you order two to make a meal. I also ordered a chocolate milkshake, which was thick and delicious. Two of my coworkers ordered the same thing I did, and my colleague Emily had a strawberry shake, which she reported was yummy.

The restaurant itself has been a Greenville staple since 1934 and not much has changed about it. There's indoor seating-both booths and counter seating-as well as a thriving drive-thru option. There's plenty of parking on the north side of the building. Bathrooms are located in the auxiliary building next door. I would highly recommend a visit to Maid-Rite, both for the food and the historic atmosphere. Greenville residents clearly love their Maid-Rite and I think you will too.