Southeast Ohio was the first territory settled north of the Ohio River. The history has been left behind in our forward-thinking society, leaving the small communities feeling forgotten and isolated. Southeast Ohio is a part of the Appalachian Valley. Appalachia is home to many interstates and travelers. These travelers date all the way back to the emergence of the underground railroad. Southern Ohio had nearly 300 miles of routes used as escape paths.
This area offered safe harbor for many people. There is another place of safe harbor found for the people of today off of route 50 in Coolville, Ohio. Ohio’s smallest church is open 24 hours for nomads to seek refuge and pray or meditate. My group and I will travel to Coolville to learn about the Healing Chapel..
Today Interstate 81 runs through Pennsylvania, meandering through the Great Appalachian Valley. This area of the country is highly traveled but rarely explored. At Valley Reality we, are producing stories for travelers and community members to learn about the region’s history, and we encourage exploration of the quirky places.
The Appalachian Valley has many outdoor activates and places to hike like Hocking Hills and Lake Hope. Come back later to see what places we think you’ll like!