Welcome to Steubenville & Jefferson County, Ohio!
Steubenville is one of Ohio’s oldest cities, founded in 1797, and serving as the County Seat of Jefferson County, which covers an area of 411 miles and is located in Eastern Ohio along the beautiful Ohio River.
Come and discover us by spending a day or two or more. Following are some suggestions of places to visit while in Steubenville & Jefferson County. Stop by the Visitor Center to get maps & more information.
Historic Fort Steuben is a reconstructed fort built on the original site, with the adjacent First Federal Land Office west of the Alleghenies. The various buildings are filled with exhibits and offer you the opportunity to experience frontier life first hand with knowledgeable, friendly tour guides who will make history come alive for you, or you may explore on your own with the help of a detailed Self-Guided Tour Brochure. Tours of the Fort are provided either by reservation or walk-in from May until November. The Fort Steuben Visitor Center is open year round with an Exhibit Hall with displays which change throughout the year, a gift shop, and tourist information and services.
Steubenville is known as the ‘City of Murals’ and at present offers 24 larger than life art works on buildings throughout the city depicting the area’s history. Step-on guides for group guided tours of the Murals may be arranged through the Steubenville Visitor Center and also maps & information are available for self-guided tours.
Historic Union Cemetery is noted as one of the most beautiful in the country and is the final resting place of the grandparents of Woodrow Wilson and the family of Edwin M. Stanton, Lincoln’s Secretary of War. Unique attractions at Union Cemetery include the Old Stone Chapel built in 1892, the Old Stone Bridge built about 1880 (which still carries traffic from the main road) and the Dog Marker, which marks the grave of John Boillin. Boillin, a molder was blinded by an accident and a stray dog adopted him and became his seeing-eye dog. After Boillin’s death the dog would neither eat nor drink and soon grieved itself to death. Boilin’s fellow molders cast the metal dog at the Foundry where he worked to be placed on Mr. Boillin’s grave. Details and a map of the numerous historic attractions in the cemetery are available at the Visitor Center if you wish to make this one of your visits.
Historic Beatty Park is a scenic historic park with 1.7 mile loop trail, located at the South end of Steubenville and connects to Historic Union Cemetery.
The Jefferson County Historical Museum is housed in an elegant 19th Century Steubenville mansion consisting of 19 rooms which exhibit period furniture and artifacts, including a Dean Martin Room and Vivian Snyder Genealogical Library, which contains one of Eastern Ohio’s finest collections for family history research. The Museum is open limited days, so it is suggested that you call ahead and arrange for your stop there. The number to call is 740.283.1133.
Steubenville’s Seventeen Downtown Historic Churches offer beautiful stained glass windows and stunning architecture. Details on viewing these churches is available on this website as well as at the Steubenville Visitor Center.
Franciscan University of Steubenville boasting a beautiful campus including its Portiuncula Chapel, a reproduction of the site in Assisi, Italy, is an ideal place to visit while in Steubenville.
Village of Mount Pleasant is a picturesque Quaker village on the National Register of Historic Places and designated as a National Historic Landmark District of the Underground Railroad. It was a center for antislavery activities with five Underground Railroad Stations that still stand in the village. The Historical Society of Mount Pleasant owns five and operates six museums in the Village, which is the home of the Quaker Meeting House. It is located in southern Jefferson County and has an annual Historic Home Tour the 1st weekend of August. For more information on tours or visiting, contact the Steubenville Visitor Center or call 800.752.2631.
Black Sheep Vineyard, located on historic US 250 at the junction of State Rt. 150 near Mt. Pleasant, is a quaint and curious, family owned vineyard on a former sheep farm. A once historic peg and beam barn, has been enchantingly changed into a lofted tasting room with exceptional ambience, serving site-grown wines, breads, cheeses and other accompaniments as well as live entertainment. Tour the vineyard and wine making process, then relax inside. More information may be acquired at the Steubenville Visitor Center or by calling 740.546.3741.
If Shopping for diverse antique & unique items and gifts at locally owned and operated shops is appealing to you, Steubenville has a number of impressive options including Nelson’s of Steubenville, a very large Steubenville family business manufacturing and offering a wide variety of items sold not only locally but around the world; Antique Warehouse, housing over 77 different vendors with a broad spectrum of items; Historic Fort Steuben Museum Shop, selling a wide variety of items from hard to find historic books to wooden old time toys, as well as Steubenville and Fort Steuben memorabilia; Drosselmeyer’s Nutcracker Shoppe, offering not only a selection of Nutcrackers from around the world, but a variety of other gift items as well; Bookmarx Bookstore, a charming little bookstore that either has that hard to find book you are looking for or most likely can get it, serving coffee and a place to sit and read as well!
The Visitor Center can provide you with information for visiting these as well as other local area shopping destinations.
For Outdoor Enthusiasts, Jefferson County offers bike paths, hiking trails, swimming, boating, fishing, camping, golfing, and tennis in some beautiful venues, including Austin Lake Park & Campground, located near Toronto, and Friendship Park, located near Smithfield.
These and other sites, including golf courses, are listed on this website under “What To Do/Recreation/Outdoor”
There are 11 Ohio Historical Markers placed throughout Jefferson County honoring local people, places and important events, including markers for Steubenville native, Dean Martin; Edwin M. Stanton , Secretary of War under Abraham Lincoln and Steubenville Native; Historic Fort Steuben and Federal Land Office; the Benjamin Lundy Home; Abraham Lincoln’s Visit to Steubenville, and more. If you wish to include a visit to any or all of them, you will find a complete list with locations on this website under “What to Do/Historic Sites and Museums/Historic Markers”.
Perhaps you would like to time your visit to attend one of our popular Annual Festivals such as:
Ohio Valley Frontier Days (First weekend of June)
Steubenville Dean Martin Festival (June)
Grecian Food Festival (June)
Historical Society of Mount Pleasant Annual Home & Garden Tour (August)
Toronto Festival of the Arts (First Weekend of September)
Christmas at the Fort and Advent Market (Thanksgiving through end of year)
Steubenville Nutcracker Village (Thanksgiving through end of year)
While you are here you will find a variety of choices for dining and/or snacking. There are many to choose from including these hometown favorites-
Naples located right in downtown on North Street, one of Steubenville’s oldest restaurant, with a unique atmosphere and delicious Italian food, as well as other menu choices; Yorgo’s, located downtown, offers Greek and American selections, from Gyros to ‘Your way’ baked potatoes, to soup and burgers and fries. Scaffidi’s Restaurant & Tavern, located in the Hollywood Shopping Plaza, offering Italian as well as other menu selections and a Sports Bar. Froehlich’s Classic Corner is downtown and offers a diverse menu as well. There is also The Farm Restaurant, which as it names indicates, is located in a beautifully restored old farm house sitting in the rolling hills of Adena. Not only is the food delicious and the farm-house restaurant lovely, the grounds are beautiful and offer an opportunity to stroll around or sit on one of the benches and relax and enjoy the stunning view. These and so many more offer you an impressive selection and you are sure to find something that suits your taste.
If pizza is more to your liking, Steubenville has a huge selection, ranging from long standing local shops with “old” and “unique” recipes to numerous ‘chain’ establishments. And just FYI Steubenville is the ‘home’ of ‘square’ pizza!
Please check out our area’s restaurants and pizza establishments on this website under ‘Where to Eat’.
If you have any questions, for assistance in planning your visit or for more information on any of these attractions, events or places, please contact the Steubenville Visitor Center, 120 South Third Street Steubenville, Phone: 740.283.4935; email: info@visitsteubenville.com.