Adena Mansions and Gardens

847 Adena Rd, Chillicothe, OH 45601
http://adenamansion.com

Quick Review: In 1803 Ohio became the 17th state in the union. Find out here what happened.

Adena is one of those places that one might never hear of if it wasn’t for the guide books. This is probably because it is small, or because it is tucked away in a small town in the middle of the state. But even with all that going against it, it is a place to go if one really wants to know how Ohio became a state.

Also known as the place where the great seal of the state of Ohio was dreamed up, the mansion and museum tells the story of Thomas Worthington and acquaintances. The museum focuses on people connected to the area and how they formed the state of Ohio from the Northwest Territories. The mansion gives a tour of the life of Worthington.

The museum is small but still has plenty of hands on exhibits and videos that allow one to feel the struggle of an early state. The mansion is historic and not overly grand. It feels as if Worthington was just a slightly richer than normal farmer that loved the area and wanted to give back to it. Unlike some grand historic homes which make you feel as if you are following the footsteps of greatness who kept the status quo, Adena is more the home of a man who became great to serve the common good.

Even though the place is historic and one knows that it is, it still is just an old house at times. The view of where the seal was envisioned is nice but nothing spectacular. Some of the gardens feel like home gardens, not grand jungles. This helps the common man fell of the place but doesn’t help the grandness that it needs to draw people in. Go once but that might be all that you need.