USCG Station Ashtabula, Ohio

It looked like a normal bridge.  Then all at once lights began flashing, a gate lowered and we heard bells.  Slowly the entire road lifted straight into the sky right before our eyes.  The Ashtabula Lift Bridge kinda blew our minds.  In fact, you need to see to believe it.  It wasn’t a normal draw bridge.

We just saw regular boats pass under the raised bridge during our trip to Ashtabula, Ohio.  It could accommodate the larger freighters that played a role in the city’s industrial history as the “Iron Capitol” of the world with the largest iron-ore transshipment port on the Great Lakes.

We couldn’t wait to explore this unique town located almost half way between Cleveland, Ohio and Erie, Pennsylvania.

But First…

Before I dive into the local adventures, I discovered that currently the USCG Station Ashtabula is only open during the summer and manned with people from USCG Station Fairport about 50 minutes west of Ashtabula. But even if Ashtabula’s not your permanent duty station, it’s a fun place to explore.

Maritime History

OK.  Back to exploring Ashtabula.  It’s a modest sized city with about 13,000 people.  Summer brings tourists who flock to town to enjoy the beaches, boating and spectacular lake sunsets during the warm, humid days. During the winter, the tourists leave and Lake Erie brings lake-effect snow, ice and freezing temperatures to town.

The city was founded in 1803, thanks in part to the natural harbor formed where the Ashtabula River meets Lake Erie.  As I mentioned it, quickly became a huge shipping port and traffic exploded when the railroad arrived in the 1850s.  Raw materials would arrive by rail, be loaded on a freighter and then moved across the lake.

To learn all about Ashtabula’s unique maritime history, visit the Ashtabula Maritime & Surface Transportation Museum .  Appropriately, the museum occupies a former 1871 light keepers cottage. Unfortunately, it was closed the day we were visiting, but many people recommended it to us.

So we walked along the fenced bluff near the museum.  This area provided a nice view of the port plus the Merchant Marine Memorial and a very sophisticated weather station made the walk interesting.

From there we walked directly across the street to Point Park.  Again, the park provided great views of the harbor, including a prime bridge-raising photo spot.  Signs provided the history of the area too.

My husband took the giant staircase down from the park directly to the Coast Guard station and the little park across from it.  More signs explained the restoration efforts made on the river and harbor area.

We also found The Bum Boat, a historic bar in the harbor/river area, that served drinks, provided live entertainment and was a good place to relax and watch the traffic pass by.

Also down near the harbor several companies offered sport fishing trips on the lake.  Lake Erie teams with walleye, perch and steelhead.   So if fishing’s your thing, check out one of the many companies that offer fishing charters.

Beyond the Harbor

While the city started off as an industrial port, officials and entrepreneurs transformed its historic downtown into a place full of shops, restaurants and breweries that are definitely worth checking out. But don’t be confused.  The main historic street has a couple of names…Bridge Street…West 5th Street…and State Route 531.

Whatever you call it, this street seemed to be the center of activity. Places like Harbor Gardens, Harbor Perk Coffeehouse & Roasting Co. or the Rennick Meat Market can get you fed and ready for a day on the lake.

Also along this stretch of town, the Ashtabula Farmers Market takes place on Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. during the summer.  Unfortunately, we did not visit on a Sunday, so we missed checking it out.

If you head back up toward the intersection of Lake Ave and Walnut Boulevard, you’ll find the Hubbard House Underground Railroad Museum.  William and Katharine Hubbard participated in a network of people that helped slaves escape their lives in the South.

Their particular home was the last stop on the UGRR before the former slaves crossed into Canada.  It was code named Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard and The Great Emporium.

The museum has very limited hours with a tour at 1 p.m. and another at 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day.  I’d suggest using their website to make a reservation or at least call before going.

Enjoying Lake Erie

Make a left after leaving the UGRR, West 1st Street ended at  Walnut Beach Park.  This park protects a large sandy beach that’s staffed with lifeguards during the summer.  Other amenities include a bocce court, sand volleyball, a playground, concession stand and birdwatching trail.

A large bird migration through this area makes the park popular with birders during in late summer through December and then again in spring.

Getting farther out on the lake, of course, requires a boat. Don’t have one? No problem.  From Memorial Day through Labor Day you can rent a canoe or kayak from Harbor Yak.  They even offer guided tours that range from a combined kayak & yoga on the beach tour to a captained sunset cruise.

Festive Events

Ashtabula has no shortage of year-round events. I’ll hit the top three, in my opinion. The town’s top event involves wine and fish.  Oh, didn’t I mention that Ashtabula County is the heart of Ohio Wine Country? Well, it is.  Thus the town built a whole festival around it and fish from Lake Erie.  Each July the Wine & Walleye Festival takes over Bridge Street with local wineries, fresh caught walleye, carnival rides, concerts, vendors and fireworks.