Taking the Scenic Route
Driving the Scenic Byway US Route 62 north from Berlin to Wilmot is an education. This short length of highway contains the essence of Holmes County.
By Fran Mast
Driving Holmes County's Scenic Byway US 62 north from Berlin to Wilmot is an education. I am amazed as I travel the route. This short length of highway contains the essence of Holmes County. You will see Amish-English-Swiss heritage mingled together along the way. Holmes County's furniture manufacturing industry is well represented, along with cheesemaking, our dairy and poultry industry, the lumber industry, natural gas and oil, quiltmaking, home-baked goods, hospitality and great food, our cottage industry and tourism. Holmes County's small communities produce an abundance of churches and good schools, some of which also show up along this route.
We begin our drive at the fork in the road at the east edge of Berlin, where US 62 and State Rt. 39 divide. The Dutch Country Kitchen, one of Holmes County's fine Amish restaurants, sits at that point. Directly behind is Yoder’s Country Store, filled with all sorts of gifts, bulk food, furniture and a variety of other products. As we travel north, we pass The Oaks, a hometown bed and breakfast (see page 33 ), John's Wood Shop, manufacturers of oak and cherry furniture, and Kauffman Lawn Furniture, both of which are a part of the growing furniture industry in the county. A short side trip at County Rd. 168 to County Rd. 77 will take us to Behalt, the mural depicting the history of the Anabaptists seen at the Mennonite Information Center.
Going north on County Rd. 77, we come to Bunker Hill. We have to make a stop at Heini’s to taste their cheese samples, and then pick up some fresh baked goodies across the road at Kauffman Bakery. This takes us right back to Rt. 62 and we are again on our way.
The growth in Holmes County is apparent as more new houses seem to be built. It is especially interesting to see the changes in the styles of the Amish homes. Once easily recognized by their simple design and white exteriors, Amish homes now come in a variety of colors and designs. Looking for a barn or shed with a horse and buggy might be the only way you can tell an Amish from an English home today.
There are constant reminders along the way that Holmes County has an abundance of home businesses. Small signs announce furniture makers, home bakeries, or, in one case, Dundee Miniature Donkeys. And you cannot know that everything you see is not always what it seems. We just passed an Amish barn, looking very much like any other Amish barn...only this one happens to have a basketball court on its upper floor! Der Alte Quilt Shop, Meadow View Furniture, Pleasant View Wood, Yoder’s Woodshop. These represent the changing face of Holmes County as the Amish find other ways of maintaining their way of life on the farm as it becomes more difficult to sustain a family through agriculture.
With the appearance of the blue and yellow water tower on the horizon, we know that we are approaching Wendell August, a modern day forge where gifts of hammered aluminum, bronze, and silver are handmade. A stop here is one of the high points in a visit to Holmes County. (Wendell August also boasts the largest Amish buggy...and it's inside.)
Twin Oaks Barns is one of several manufacturers whose product, small storage sheds and barns, are built in Holmes County and shipped to many other destinations. Looking across the valleys, we see farmers plowing with their teams of horses, readying the ground for spring planting. Amish farmsteads dot the landscape. Dairy cows and horses share grazing land. Young colts and calves trail alongside their mothers, then romp away in the warm spring sun.
A sharp turn and deep dip in the road and we are going down Seven Lick Hill, so named, the story goes, because it takes seven licks of a whip 'til the horse gets to the top. As we go up the other side, we pass a lumber company, chicken houses, Alpine Structures (another barn manufacturer) and Sauder Eggs. Holmes County poultry and egg production offers one more avenue for Amish families to remain in agriculture and on their farms.
We pass a young Amish girl on a bicycle, a common sight in the area, even though the hills present a challenge for any biker. A rest stop at the Winesburg Dariette for an ice cream cone and we're on our way. At this point, we could turn south on State Rt. 515 and head for Trail and Walnut Creek, but that's not our destination today.
US Rt. 62 is built on a ridge and is one of the highest points in the county, so the views as we travel have been wonderfully scenic, with wide expanses of valleys and hills, fields and wooded hillsides. A sign to our right tells us we have arrived at Winesburg. The village has been faithfully cared for by its citizens, with few new buildings and many of the older ones restored.
Fresh meat, (great hot dogs) are available at Winesburg Provision, and Miller's Hickory Rockers displays their wood lawn furniture and hickory rockers outside where they're easily seen from the road. Winesburg’s stone houses are unusual. One has been restored and houses Winesburg Antiques and Sweets. Many travelers have stopped at the Grapevine House, an 1800s home, restored and now a beautiful bed and breakfast Across the street at Eagle Song Studio, artist Bill Kalberg displays his carved mantles and stone birdbaths. Whitmer’s Store, the Winesburg Restaurant, Winesburg Craft House and J & J Furniture are within walking distance. A short distance out of town, on Twp. Rd. 1026, Winesburg Carriage offers visitors the opportunity to view different carriages at their museum.
Leaving Winesburg, we pass the Pilgrim’s Inn Bed and Breakfast. In a nearby field, Amish children are playing a game of softball, which, along with volleyball, is a favorite sport during the summer.
Visitors to the area who enjoy a different mode of lodging may want to stay at Amish Country Campsite, one of the few camping areas in Holmes County.
A little way up the road, we stop at Alpine-Alpa Restaurant. Heidi, a Swiss gal with winning ways, opens the windows above the entrance and invites us in. We look up our old friend, Vernon Craig, also known as Komar, (see story on page 8). Alpine-Alpa, with its giant cuckoo clock, was one of the area's earliest attractions. With its beautiful Swiss mountain scenes painted by artist Tom Miller, and its Swiss and Amish menu, it remains one of the favorite stops in the county. Alpine Cheese products are sold at outlets across the country.
On our way again, we pass the Wooden Toy Shop, another outlet (wholesale only) for the many solid wood oak products which are handcrafted in the area. Amish families often have wood shops on their premises, producing furniture, craft items, and toys, for distribution at stores in the county and across the United States.
A fenced in area houses a deer herd. There are many of these in the area, along with exotic animals and birds. We are ever mindful of the number of deer which are not enclosed and often find their way onto the highways. Our woods and forest areas provide good cover for them. Drivers must be alert, especially in the hours before evening.
Rt. 62 Antiques has a new building. Just a few tenths of a mile up the road, we pass the 1881 Antique Barn and the Hasseman House Bed & Breakfast, and the Gateway House Antiques...a good area for antique shoppers.
As we approach the village of Wilmot, we can see the turret of the Inn at Amish Door, a Victorian inn complete with swimming pool and conference rooms. It is a part of the Amish Door Village which is made up of the Amish Door Restaurant (with one of the best salad bars you'll ever see), and its shops. At this “gateway to Amish Country”, we come to US Rt. 250. A left turn will head us toward Wooster; a right turn takes us to Dover/New Philadelphia, and a jog to the north will lead us to Canton.
We have driven approximately 11 miles on our journey from Berlin. The trip has been leisurely and relaxing. Now it's time to go home. Join us in our next issue for a drive on the other side of the county on one of Holmes County's Scenic Byways.
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