Exploring Mantua Trail Town along the Buckeye Trail

A walk through Mantua, Ohio on the Buckeye Trail

Mantua Station was created at the intersection of the Cleveland-Mahoning Railroad Crossing on the Painesville-Ravenna Road in 1856. The site eventually became the commercial center of Mantua Township superseding Mantua Corners two miles to the north. The Village of Mantua was incorporated three decades later in 1898. As a Buckeye Trail Town, the Buckeye Trail passes through Mantua. Follow along as we journey through Mantua.

Mantua Station and the Buckeye Trail

The hiking journey begins at to the north-east side of Mantua where the Buckeye Trail joins the Headwaters Trail near the corner of Peck and High Street. Running concurrently with the Buckeye Trail, the Headwaters Trail follows the tracks of the former railroad line of the aforementioned Cleveland-Mahoning Railroad. As you enter the village, you will spy oil storage tanks on the right. The Buckeye Pipe Line Company started in 1886 in Lima Ohio and completed a pipeline into Mantua in 1888. Originally formed as part of the Standard Oil Trust, Buckeye Pipeline has been a presence in Mantua for more than 130 years. Continuing along the trail, you will notice the Marsh Wetlands State Preserve to the south of the trail. The Preserve was dedicated in 1990 and is an excellent example of an emergent marsh along the Upper Cuyahoga State Scenic River. 

Classic architecture

The Village of Manuta Maintenance facilities, housed in classic brick architecture, is located to the north of the Buckeye Trail. It can be hard to see when the trees have leafed out, but there is a gap that will provide a beautiful vista and is well worth a few moments. As you cross the bridge over the Cuyahoga River, a paved walkway to the right will take you to Buchert Park. This is Mantua’s largest park and hosts picnic grounds, playground, and a canoe/kayak launch. This park hosts a variety of community events, included the annual Mantua Potato Festival in the fall. The park is located on East High Street. 

Mantua’s Historic Business District

The Buckeye Trail then enters the downtown area, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 as a Historic Business District. C.H. Thompson, a local businessman, built many of the blocks beginning in 1873. The Prospect Block contains buildings that have, at one time or another, been part of the Mantua Grain and Supply Company. C.H. Thompson built the Thompson Block in 1884 and the grain elevator in 1898. The green pole barn, built circa 1965, housed bulk fertilizer. The next building is the white wooden structure referred to as the Straw Barn. In the days of the locomotives, railroad cars could directly access the Straw Barn and offload supplies along a plank walkway. The Mantua Grain is last. This building is frequently used for pop up businesses, and during Mantua events, such as Art on the Hill (which is held every summer). Across the street is an old Carriage House that, in pre-automobile days, offered carriages and horses for rent. During Mantua festivals, the building is open and several old, horse-drawn carriages are out on display. They range from fully restored to “barn find” condition and provide insight into transportation before cars. 

A poem along the route

Lining the south side of Prospect Street is a block of historic storefronts known as the Pellettiere Thompson Block. The facades on this block have a more consistent outline and articulated by slightly projecting piers or buttresses. Jake’s Restaurant, also located on this bock, is a great place to rest and refuel during or after your hike. Stop for a stretch and enjoy old photos on the village on the restaurant’s walls. 

Plenty of good food and drink

Continue down Prospect Street until you reach Main Street, also known as State Route 44. You will find a mini-park with sun sails and seating. A poem written by the third-grade students at Crestwood Elementary is on display here. Next door to the mini park is Restoration 44, a coffee shop that offers coffee, tea (including bubble tea), and pastries. The Village Tavern on the opposite side of the street houses an excellent kitchen and stocked bar. If you wander north down Main Street, you will see the famous Mantua Mural. The Buckeye Trail turns left at the corner of Prospect and Main Street where the Mantua Train Station is located. The building is a gable-roofed, one-story frame structure. The depot served the Cleveland-Mahoning Valley beginning in 1856 and later the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad. 

The Buckeye Trail crosses the railroad track as it heads out of town to the south. Refreshments on the south side of town include a fast-food restaurant, Mama’s Eats, and The Chilling Station, an ice cream shop. If you are interested in water sports, you will pass by Break Away Excursions where you can rent a kayak or canoe to tour the Cuyahoga River. A left turn on Canada Road leads out of town. This is the only road in the village zoned for Rural Residential. The first farmhouse on the right has a barn that was built in the 1830s. As you cross a bridge over an unnamed creek, you will notice a small hill on the left. This is an Indigenous Peoples Mound, as confirmed in a historic site survey by archeologists from Kent State University. 

Mantua is worth the visit

We hope your hike through Mantua will bring you back to enjoy one of our festivals, or to enjoy a meal, coffee, ice cream, or enjoy time on the Cuyahoga River.