When you take a one-tank trip across the buckeye state, a place you may want to consider is West Liberty in west central Ohio....where you might be surprised to discover castles.
Tucked into the hills of Logan County, you'll come across a pair of stately, gothic-style chateaux, clearly built to resemble castles, complete with turrets and stone arches. There's Mac-a-Cheek and, about a mile away, Mac-o-Chee.
The names pay tribute to the nearby Shawnee village of Mackachack. They were built by brothers Abram and Donn Piatt (pronounced "pee-ott"). Construction began during the Civil War and was completed in the 1870s. To wander the halls here is to stroll through both a family's and Ohio's history.
There's a fascinating display of family military memorabilia from Revolutionary War days all the way through both world wars. Among the more distinctive attractions, you'll find a wide assortment of chairs made from horns, which always get the tourists' attention and were said to be a favorite of Teddy Roosevelt.
Piatt Castles is open daily from 11-5. There is an admission charge. For more information go to their website.
The Piatt's are actually intermarried with our local Worthingtons...which is how Chillicothe's Piatt Street (pronounced "pie-ut') gets its name, though mispronounced.