Ashtabula County was created in 1808 and organized in 1811. It is the largest county in Ohio by land area, and its name comes from a Native American word often translated as river of many fish.
Ashtabula Harbor on Lake Erie became an important stop on the Underground Railroad. The Hubbard House, now a museum, sheltered freedom seekers waiting to cross the lake to Canada. Later the harbor grew into a busy port for iron ore and coal.
On December 29, 1876, a railroad bridge over the Ashtabula River collapsed beneath a passenger train, one of the worst rail disasters of the nineteenth century. Today the county seat of Jefferson, the Grand River Valley wineries, and lakeside towns attract many visitors.
Places to Explore
The Hubbard House Underground Railroad Museum, historic Bridge Street in Ashtabula Harbor, Geneva on the Lake, and the county’s many covered bridges, celebrated each fall at the Covered Bridge Festival.
Did You Know?
Ashtabula County is home to more than a dozen covered bridges, including the Smolen Gulf Bridge, one of the longest covered bridges in the United States.
Save this history pin on PinGallery and explore more stories about the communities, landmarks, and people of Ohio.