The Overland Inn at McCutchenville, Ohio

Today my family traveled to the northern part of Ohio. And, on the way we passed through the village of McCutchenville. On the south side of this quaint village is an old stage coach inn from pioneer days. I immediately made a note to find out more when I got back home. This is what I have learned.

THE OVERLAND INN
It is probably best to start with the history of the Ohio State Route 53. Ohio 53 generally follows the path of the Harrison Trail trough Wyandot County in Ohio. The Harrison Trail was a trail mapped and used by General William Henry Harrison during the War of 1812. His unrealized plan was to not only use this trail to defend the Ohio frontier from Indians, but to also use this trail in a possible invasion of Canada. Harrison's Trail followed very closely the Scioto Trail. This Trail was burned by Native Americans in Ohio from the confluence of the Scioto and Ohio Rivers at Portsmouth, Ohio all the way north to Lake Erie at Sandusky, Ohio.

At the conclusion of the War of 1812, Harrison's Trail became an important stage route in Ohio. And, it was upon this stage coach route that the village of McCutchenville was founded in the early 1800s. One of the first buildings erected in this village was the Overland Inn. It was built in 1829 by Colonel Joseph McCutchen. A famous visitor to this inn was author Charles Dickens.

Over the years, the Overland Inn has served as a hotel, a stage coach stop and finally an apartment building. In 1964, the Wyandot County Historical Society purchased the property and began a lengthy restoration process. After three years, the original restoration was complete and the Wyandot County Historical Society dedicated the Overland Hotel as a historic stage coach museum. In 2002, a redecoration project was begun. This project soon turned into another restoration project that lasted for four years. The Inn was rededicated in 2007.