Discover historic opera house, charming museums an hour east of Columbus
Sometimes the little towns you intend to drive through along the way to somewhere else surprise you the most with their hospitality and curiosities.
We found this to be the case with McConnelsville, located an hour and a half east of Columbus. I’m not quite sure where we were headed at the time when we stopped there last summer, but I remember well the little village on the Muskingum River. It had a friendly farmer’s market, historic opera house and several charming museums. My daughter, Rosie, especially enjoyed a strawberry sundae at the Blue Bell ’50s Diner, 2 W. Main.
The Twin City Opera House, at 15 W. Main St., is one of only a handful of opera houses still standing in Ohio and has been in operation since 1892. Built in 1890, it was later dedicated to MacDonald Birch, a successful stage magician born in Morgan County in 1902. Today, visitors can see first-run movies in the 550-seat auditorium, which has the original wood floor. On the first and third Saturdays of each month the opera house hosts the Ohio Valley Opry, a country, gospel and bluegrass music show.
The Morgan County Historical Society Museum, 168 E. Main St., features an eclectic mix of treasures including original drawings by American artist Howard Chandler Christy. Born in 1873 in Morgan County, Christy is famous for painting patriotic World War I posters and the Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States, which hangs in the nation’s capitol. Other museum objects include uniforms from the Civil War, early American currency and an 1865 newspaper that announces the death of Abraham Lincoln. The museum is open from 1 to 3 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is $3.
The Evelyn True Button House, 142 E. Main St., is a Federal-style home built in 1836 that’s filled to the nines with Victorian furnishings. The home was once owned by Evelyn True Button (1875-1975), the great-granddaughter of Revolutionary War hero General Robert McConnel, who founded McConnelsville in 1817. Button’s father, Dr. Hiram L. True, was a Civil War surgeon, and visitors can see his library and desk. Hours: 1 to 3 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. Admission: $3 adults; and free for those 18 and younger.
The Doll House, 126 E. Main St., contains more than 2,500 dolls from the 1890s through today, including antique China dolls, Madame Alexander dolls and early Barbie dolls. One doll even survived a massive flooding of the Muskingum River in 1913. The doll is maid of celluloid, an early form of plastic, and has a chip in its heel from the ordeal. Hours are 1-3 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. Hours: 1 to 3 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. Admission: $3 adults; and free for those 18 and younger.
For more information, visit www.morgancounty-oh.gov.
