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The History of the Century House

Mohican Adventures Team — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 23:04:36 +0000

For many years, the sandstone residence, now known as the Century House, was owned by the Fuller family (and the entire property thus was called the “Fuller Farm”). A genealogy of the Pells, a branch of the Fuller family, contains most of the recorded early history of the structure and the property.

According to the Pell genealogy, compiled around 1970, the first owner of the land on which the residence stands was Calvin Hibbard, who came to Hanover Township from, ironically, Hanover Township in Pennsylvania sometime around 1820. Mr. Hibbard may have received a land grant through his service in the War of 1812. Accompanying Mr. Hibbard was his mother and two young & recently orphaned nephews, named Calvin and Gilbert Pell.

In 1837, Gilbert Pell, then 33 years of age, married Catherine Fuller, the daughter of Dr. E.B. Fuller, who came to Loudonville from Tioga County, Pennsylvania in 1831. After Gilbert Pell’s untimely death in 1850, Catherine married Calvin Hibbard, thus firmly establishing the Fuller connection with the property. The second son (and third child) of Gilbert and Catherine Pell, Josiah Calvin Pell, later became a doctor, practicing in Loudonville. According to Pell genealogy, Josiah owned the original Hibbard homestead, known as the Old Stone House. The Old Stone House was originally a tavern, and was (and still is) one of the oldest landmarks in the area. The genealogy goes on to say that the House was built before 1820.

However, there is reason to question if the House was built before 1820. The first pioneers did not come to this area until after 1810–and for the next decade or so, very few people lived in Hanover Township. According to Knapp’s 1863 History of Ashland County, only 15 people cast a ballot in Hanover Township’s first election in 1818. Also, Hill’s 1880 History of Ashland County notes that in 1825, there were only 30 people residing in Hanover Township, among them Calvin Hibbard and Gilbert Pell. Finally, Knapp’s work includes a brief biography on Mark Mapes, which says that in 1822, when Mapes cleared and built on land a mile or so south of the Hibbards, they were Mapes’ closest neighbors–the rest were four or five miles away.

With so few people around, it’s easy to wonder how they could have constructed such a large house from heavy pieces of sandstone that somehow had to be moved from a quarry to the construction site. Equipment (and know-how) needed for moving and hoisting the stone would not like have been available in the area until the railroad was built through Loudonville in the early 1850s. However, the house could have been built before then by itinerant stonemasons. With there being no comparable surviving structures (dwellings or otherwise) in the area, there is simply no reference point for estimating when the building was put up.

State Route 3–the road that the Century House and Mohican Adventures is on–for the most part follows the “old stage route” between Columbus and Cleveland, so it would seem reasonable that the old house once saw duty as a tavern, or even a wayside inn. Unfortunately, there is no record as to when the “old stage route” was established–probably not until the 1830s or perhaps later.

An 1874 Hanover Township plat map included in Caldwell’s Atlas of Ashland County lists Calvin Hibbard as the owner of the farm on which the house stands, while an 1898 plat map shows A.B. Fuller (son of E.B. Fuller, and also a doctor) as the owner. An interesting travelogue, penned several years earlier, in Baughman’s 1909 History of Ashland County says “this ancient landmark, The Old Stone House, was owned in succession by two of Loudonville’s eminent physicians, Doctors J.C. Pell and A.B. Fuller”, and at the time was the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Whisler. The author tells of stopping at a stone spring in front of the house for a drink of water.

A.B. Fuller’s son, Gaillard, who also became a doctor practicing in Loudonville, owned the property in the 1930s and 1940s, probably having inherited it from his father. Because of their profession, it is doubtful that any of the Fullers actually made the house their full-time residence. Most likely, they rented it to tenant farmers on the land.

There is some evidence that the House served as a stop on the “Underground Railroad”. In Hill’s 1880 biography on E.B. Fuller, he says “[Fuller] was bitterly opposed to the fugitive slave law. In 1856, two fugitives came to his house early in the morning. He fed them and sent them to Robert Wilson (near Widowville), where they were cared for and taken beyond the reach of the United States marshals and bloodhounds.” A lengthy circa-1960 newspaper piece on the Underground Railroad also lists the House.

The name “Century House” is believed to have been started in the early 1950s by a man named Ziegler (father of current Loudonville resident Larry Ziegler), who opened a restaurant in the house and called it “The Century House”. A guest of Mohican Adventures once stopped by to chat about the House. She worked there when the House was a restaurant, and remembers stories of a family physician that had a sick daughter who died in the House. She said that the Century House will always have a presence that no other house can offer.

It is not known if Dr. Gaillard Fuller still owned the property at the time of his death in the mid-1950s. If so, it may have been sold at that time, or possibly his widow retained ownership until her death in 1973. Robert D. Thompson eventually (1960s?) acquired the whole farm, possibly from the Fuller estate. R.D. Thompson’s vision was to develop the property into a large RV park. He passed away before the park could be opened.

Doug and Patty Shannon acquired the property from the estate in 1998. With the help of their daughter and son-in-law Michelle & Josh Gray, they have since developed a full adventure park. Mohican Adventures has 44 cabins on its property ranging from smaller camper cabins, full-service cabins, and houses that sleep 16 people. The Century House is one of these houses, and is a family favorite for many of our guests. In addition to the cabins, Mohican Adventures now has approximately 200 RV sites, 200 primitive tent sites, 3 mini golf courses, 3 go-kart tracks, an aerial adventure park, and was the first canoe livery in Ohio.

Outfitters Mohican Adventures’ Staff Enjoy:

Mohican Adventures Team — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 17:57:22 +0000

Gunflint Lodge

A premier wilderness vacation resort located on the Gunflint Trail in Northeastern Minnesota.

Ozark Outdoors

A riverfront resort offering cabins, camping, canoeing, and more in the middle of beautiful Missouri.

Canoe Kentucky

For Over 30 Years, CANOE KENTUCKY has been the Premier Paddle Sports Shop For the State of Kentucky!

Indian Head

Offering river adventures and deluxe accommodations on The Delaware River, rated as a national “Scenic and Recreational River.”

River and Trail Outfitters

Offering outdoor adventures from whitewater to climbing to camping near Historic Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.

Adventures Unlimited

Florida’s most unique family adventure location offering river trips and zip lining adventures along with camping and resort accommodations.

Big Bear Adventures

Northern Michigan’s hot spot for adventure offering river trips, ropes courses, lodging, and more!

Voyager Canoe Outfitters

Where all of your Gunflint Trail vacation needs are taken care of, offering destination canoe trips and beautiful accommodations.

Bass River Resort

Visit the heart of the Ozarks and enjoy riverside camping, lodging, river float trips, and more!

Buffalo Outdoor Center

Arkansas’ premier cabin, canoeing, and zip line resort surrounded by the state’s finest mountain scenery.

WI River Outings

Midwest’s best multi-day sand bar camping experience!

Trading Post

Welcome to Northern Indiana’s Premier Outfitter Since 1971!

COVID-19 Policies:

Mohican Adventures Team — Sun, 10 Jan 2021 20:00:23 +0000

The 2022 camping & paddling season faces the same challenges as the 2020 & 2021 seasons in the climate of COVID-19. Transparency is important to you as a customer, and to us as a business. We acknowledge and respect personal choices regarding mask-wearing, or the lack thereof. That being said, we also ask of our customers the same level of respect towards each other as well as towards our employees. During your time with us, you will see masked and unmasked people. This variation of choice is the climate of our area and our business. We do not want opposing viewpoints to create issues between our guests or with our employees. Our goal is to provide an exceptional recreational experience for everyone regardless of their decision to wear a mask or not.

We will open April 1st, 2022.

Campground & Cabins
Canoe Livery & Fun Center
Indoor Pool and Hot Tub
Pedal Boat rentals
Playgrounds, Sports Courts, and Shower Houses
Day-time Visitors NOT permitted in our Campground.
All guests are required to be listed on the reservation, for the entire reservation, prior to arrival and check-in.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Our River Trips & Fun Center include activities such as canoeing, kayaking, rafting, tubing, aerial park, mini golf, and go-karts. Our Campground & Cabins include all camping reservations and cabin rentals.

To make campground reservations for the 2022 season, please call us at 419-994-2267 or visit us online at www.mohicanadventures.com/reservations. You may choose a specific site using the online reservations system by zooming in on the map and clicking “reserve now” on that specific site. If you do not choose a specific site, the system will put you on a random site.
Please keep in mind that we do charge a $5 convenience fee for booking online. All reservations must be made 48 hours prior to their desired arrival date.

We have revised our check-in process to minimize contact and expedite your check-in. We will be requiring all reservations to be paid in full at the time of reservation. Please be sure to verify the number of people staying with you at the time of your reservation.
No changes can be made at the time of check-in or after. Please remember to bring your printed and signed documents with you to check in.

Please continue to check our social media pages and website for the newest COVID-19 updates during the 2022 season.

Top 5 Activities you can do in Ohio

Mohican Adventures Team — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 01:32:38 +0000

Our friends at https://trip101.com/ have a ton of knowledge on traveling and the best places to visit in the area. Check this out:

Are you planning a trip to Ohio?

Of course, visiting the big cities of Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati should be on your itinerary, but what about when you want to get off the beaten track and escape into nature? Well, thankfully, you can do that too! And you don’t have to visit an Amish community to disconnect from modern life! Ohio has some stunning national parks and outdoor activities just waiting for you to discover them.

With that in mind, we’ve decided to help you plan your trip to The Buckeye State. In this post, we’ll look at the top 5 best activities in Ohio. Hopefully, our post will help you to plan out your vacation and really make the most of it!

1.Get out into the great outdoors and hike

No matter where you travel to in Ohio, there’s great hiking. There’s the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Hocking Hills for a start! Whether you want to spend your vacation trekking through forests, appreciating views from hilltops, or being inspired by rugged cliffs, you’ll find a hike in Ohio to suit you!

One of the best hikes in the Mohican Area is a place called Lyons Falls. It’s easily accessible from Loudonville. Other awesome hikes include The Gorge, Firetower, and Covered Bridge. If you need help or information to find them, just ask the friendly staff at Mohican Adventures!

2. Enjoy fun for the whole family

If you’re traveling with the family, you’ll want a whole range of activities that will be able to keep everyone entertained, right?!

One day, you could be teeing off at an adventure golf course and seeing who the best in the family is. The next day, you could be looking down from the treetops at an aerial adventure park. Even if you don’t have a head for heights, this is a lot of fun! You can do courses according to difficulty, so if you’re new to treetop assault courses (and everyone is at some point), you don’t have to do something that ends up being too scary!

If aerial adventures and golf aren’t high octane enough for you, then how about challenging yourselves and others to a test of nerve and skill with go-karting? Race against family members and friends, or just try to beat your personal best on a track that suits you. If you’re looking for somewhere to do all of these, head for the fun centre at Mohican Adventures campground! You’re sure to have an incredible time!

3. Get wet and wild on Ohio’s rivers

All of the activities above are undoubtedly great fun, but some people might think that they’re a bit dry! Ohio can get pretty hot in the summers, so why not check out some ways to stay entertained and keep cool at the same time?

Stand up paddleboarding has exploded in popularity and is currently one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. There are plenty of locations in Ohio where you can try this serene and relaxing, yet challenging sport.

Looking for something that will get the adrenaline flowing a little more? There are tons of other activities you can take part in on Ohio’s rivers that will do just that. Rafting is great fun as part of a team, while tubing will get you down the river faster than anything else! Prefer to go solo and work those arms out? A canoe or a kayak might be for you! Like the super fun activities listed in the point above, you can take part in some really cool watersports activities at Mohican Adventures – just check out their river trips!

4. Ditch your hotel and connect with nature

When it comes to finding a place to stay in Ohio, hotels are all well and good in the big cities, but when you’re in the great outdoors you might want something with a little more, let’s say… character!

To really connect with nature, why not consider camping? Staying in a tent means you’ll get to experience the sights and sounds of nature on the other side of your canvas wall, and who knows, you might even get to sleep better! For those travelling in an RV, campsites are a great option too where you can hook up your vehicle and enjoy all your home comforts before stepping outside and enjoying the flora and fauna of Ohio.

Camping is a little too primitive for you and you don’t have an RV? Don’t worry, you’re still not out of options… how about renting a cabin instead?! These are great for group and family celebrations and a holiday you’ll really remember!

5. Get off the beaten track in the national parks

Ohio is home to 59 areas designated as national parks, so you don’t just have to take our word for it that it’s stunningly beautiful! The most popular include the Wayne National Forest, Hocking Hills State Park, and the favorite of locals and tourists alike, Cuyahoga National Park. One of the coolest ways to see Cuyahoga National Park is by train – the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad has lots of train tours which can be tailored to your needs – whether you’re traveling with the family or on a solo backpacking trip! It’s an easy way to see stunning forests, farmlands, and flora and fauna along the Cuyahoga River. Make sure you pack your camera, as you’ll see coyotes and eagles, as well as awesome panoramic views!

The best thing about Cuyahoga is that it’s just a hop, skip, and a jump from the big cities of Cleveland and Akron!

So, now that you know five of the best activities in Ohio…

It’s time to start booking your trip to The Heart of It All. And one of the best places that you can experience Ohio, is at Mohican Adventures. This awesome site has places for camping, and you can do all of the activities mentioned above and more there! So, it looks like you have a good starting point for your Ohio vacation!