COLUMBUS, Ohio – As Ohio ramps up its celebrations for the nation’s 250th anniversary, a local Lancaster landmark is taking center stage in a new statewide tourism initiative.
America 250-Ohio, the official commission for the U.S. Semiquincentennial, announced today the launch of the Ohio Transportation Trail. This experiential driving trail features more than 80 historic sites across the state—including Lancaster’s Soap Box Derby Museum—showcasing how Ohioans revolutionized the movement of people, trade, and ideas.
A Roadmap of Innovation
The Ohio Transportation Trail is the fifth of six planned routes under the “Trails & Tales” program. The trail highlights the state’s deep roots in aviation, automotive history, and rail travel.
Lancaster’s inclusion via the Soap Box Derby Museum puts a spotlight on the city’s unique contribution to automotive racing and youth engineering. The museum will be promoted alongside world-class institutions such as:
- The National Aviation Hall of Fame (Dayton)
- The Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum (Cleveland)
- The Ohio Railway Museum (Worthington)
- The Canal Experience at Providence Metropark (Toledo)
“The Ohio Transportation Trail is about more than getting from point A to point B,” said Lance Woodworth, a team leader for the Trails & Tales program. “It’s about discovering how movement shaped who we are as a state. From our waterways to our roadways, Ohio has always been a crossroads of innovation.”
Official Launch Event
The trail will be formally inaugurated during the Transportation Celebration held April 25-26 at the Dennison Railroad Depot Museum in Dennison, Ohio. The weekend-long event will celebrate Ohio’s legacy as a global leader in transport technology.
The “Trails & Tales” Mission
The Transportation Trail joins four other existing themed routes designed to draw tourists to every corner of the state by the 2026 anniversary:
- Ohio Air & Space Trail
- Ohio Creativity Trail
- Lake Erie to Ohio River Trail
- Ohio Innovation Trail
The sixth and final trail is expected to be announced later this year.
Plan Your Trip
Lancaster residents and travelers can find full details on the sites included in the trail, including interactive maps and historical narratives, at america250-ohio.org.
