church trip ohio

What to Expect When You Visit the Church’s Historic Sites in Ohio

On march 5, 2024, the church acquired the kirtland temple. it will be open for public tours beginning march 25. this page will be updated throughout the transition. , visiting with a group request a reservation for your class, bus tour, or other group. submit a request  here ..

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints offers guided tours of several historic sites in and around Kirtland, Ohio. As you experience them, you can gain a deeper understanding of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You can learn about prophetic leadership, revelation, bestowal of priesthood keys, the importance of temples, and the dedication of early members of the Church.

The majority of the places at these sites are accessible for visitors who are in wheelchairs or who walk with difficulty. However, a few of the outdoor paths are not paved, and two of the historic buildings have upper floors but no elevators. Missionaries at the sites will adapt their presentations to accommodate the needs of all visitors.

Trained service animals are allowed at the Church’s historic sites in Ohio, including inside historic buildings. However, emotional support, therapy, comfort, or companion animals and pets are not allowed. Please refer to the Church’s  Service Animal Guidelines  for more information.

The visitors’ center is open all year, but some of the other buildings may not be accessible during inclement weather. To check schedules and the availability of the sites, call 1-440-256-9805 or click  here .

Core Experience

1. kirtland, ohio, historic kirtland.

Your visit to Historic Kirtland begins at the visitors’ center. Missionaries will invite you to watch a 24-minute movie about the Latter-day Saints in Kirtland before they lead you on a tour of historic buildings. If you choose to experience the entire tour, you will visit Newel K. Whitney’s store, Newel and Ann Whitney’s home (pictured here), a sawmill, an ashery, and the Johnson Inn. You will visit places where Joseph Smith received revelations and where Latter-day Saints worked together to build a temple.

Joseph and Emma Smith Home

North of the cemetery is a home that once belonged to Joseph and Emma Smith. The structure of the home was recently restored to the way it was when the Smith family lived here.

Approximately 30-minute guided tours are available of the lower floor of the home. The tour is fully wheelchair accessible.

Historic Morley Farm

About a mile from Historic Kirtland is a place where Isaac and Lucy Morley once ran a large farm. The Morleys hosted Joseph and Emma Smith on their property from March 1831 to September 1831. While Joseph and Emma lived there, Joseph received 13 revelations that are now recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants. When you visit the site, you can go to a place where Joseph presided at a meeting of priesthood holders. To arrive there, you will need to take a short self-guided uphill walk, less than two-tenths of a mile, through a grove of trees.

Plan to spend 30 minutes or less at the Historic Morley Farm. Picnic tables on the property are available for you to use.

Kirtland Temple

For Latter-day Saints in Kirtland in the late 1830s, the temple was a sacred place of worship, learning, and community gathering. The temple still stands today, less than a half mile from Historic Kirtland.

For decades, Community of Christ preserved and cared for the Kirtland Temple. On March 5, 2024, ownership and stewardship of this beloved landmark was transferred to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tours of the temple begin at the Kirtland Temple Visitors’ Center, located at 7809 Joseph Street. They begin every 30 minutes and last approximately 60 minutes. On Monday through Saturday, the first tour is at 10:00 a.m. and the last is at 6:00 p.m. On Sunday, the first tour is at 1:00 p.m. and the last is at 6:00 p.m. Generally, groups are limited to 25 visitors. However, adaptations can be made for larger groups. To make a reservation, please call 1-440-256-9805 or click  here .

Historic Johnson Home in Hiram, Ohio

After Joseph and Emma Smith lived with the Morleys, they moved to Hiram, Ohio, where they lived for a time with John and Elsa Johnson. The Johnson home was a place of conversion, revelation, Church administration, adversity, and devotion. It has been carefully restored to its condition when Joseph and Emma lived there.

The Johnson home is southeast of Historic Kirtland, about a 45-minute drive away. If you want to take a complete tour of the home, plan to spend 30 minutes to an hour. If you do not have that much time, missionaries can adjust the tour to meet your needs.

Other Options in Kirtland

1. historic cemetery.

A historic cemetery is located just north of the temple. A number of early Latter-day Saints are buried there.

2. Stannard Quarry (at the Chapin Forest Reservation)

The Stannard Quarry, now part of the Chapin Forest Reservation, is located about two miles south of Historic Kirtland. It features a short trail with interpretive signs. In the 1830s, workers extracted stone from this quarry for the Kirtland Temple and other structures in the area. The site is no longer used as a quarry, but drill marks remain in the stone, revealing the quarrying process.

Making Life Blissful

Screen-Free Creativity

Activities , Family-Friendly Travel , Fun with Kids , LDS , TIPS AND IDEAS , TRAVEL , Travel Intineraries  ·  04/24/2019

The Best Church History and American History Road Trip Route

This post may contain affiliate links. 

How to travel by car from Ohio to Boston seeing all the church history sites and and American history sites with your kids.  Tons of road trip details to make it a great trip!

This past summer we took went on an amazing trip back east to travel through Church History sites of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .  The church is rich with history, true stories of struggle and faith, and you can visit so many of the places where the actual events happened.  We also spent some time in Niagara Falls, New Jersey and Boston, Massachusetts so we could see some of America’s great historical sites as well.  It was an epic family road trip–one I have wanted to do almost my whole life.  So to finally get a chance to see these places was a dream come true.  If you are interested knowing the route we took and the itinerary for our family church history road trip, I’m sharing all of that below and giving you some tips along the way.  I spent hours researching and trying to make all of this stuff happen in 10 days, so I hope this family road trip through Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts will help you too.

*This post may contain affiliate links that help support my blog at no cost to my reader.

Here’s our full itinerary for a 10 Day Church History and American History Road Trip:

A few things to keep in mind:  We flew into Cleveland, Ohio and then rented a car and drove all the way with that car until flying out of Boston, MA.  This worked well for us since we only had 10 days but if you have time to drive to Ohio, just use this itinerary to help you figure out the church history sites.  I will add the hotels and areas we stayed in as much as possible.  We also have older kids.  My kids are all tweens and teens at the time of this trip so that makes travel easier in some ways, especially packing up luggage everyday and staying in different hotels. 

P.S. *UTAH TOUR INFORMATION: If you are looking to tour the Utah National Parks and want an awesome app to help guide you there, check out the ShakaGuide App!  It’s like a tour guide in your car and it’s amazing!  We’ve used them for Hawaii and loved it!  They help you know where to turn, park, stop for the bathroom all while telling you about the history and majesty of each place you visit.  Check out Shaka Guide ! *(affiliate link)

Arrive in Cleveland, Ohio.  We flew into the Cleveland airport.  It is very near Kirtland, OH which was our first destination.

We stayed at a Comfort Inn in Mayfield Heights, OH.  This location is very close to Kirtland.  We were able to unload, rest for the night and then get on our way with just a short drive for our first stop.

Visit  Kirtland, Ohio .  

We got up early and made it to the Kirtland Temple right as it opened about 9 am.  They do tours there for $5.00 per person every hour on the 1/2 hour and they last for about an hour long.  Remember that this historical site is NOT owned or operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but it has valuable historical information about Joseph Smith and the early Saints in that area.  Definitely worth stopping for, but we did enjoy the other history sites much more.

After this tour we drove a very short distance in Kirtland to other historical sites that are owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of of Latter-day Saints . There we were able to see the Newel K. Whitney Store (we loved this one!), the Whitney Home, and the Ashery and Sawmill.  This tour was FREE and took us about 1-2 hours.  The visitor’s center there had restrooms and drinking fountains (and air conditioning!). 

For lunch we packed a picnic lunch and ate it at the Morley Farm historic site.  They have grass and picnic tables for visitors to use.  There are not a lot of places to get food around these sites otherwise unless you drive back into the main part of Kirtland.  I suggest bringing food with you.  There is also a tour at the Morley Farm. It is very short though but still just as interesting.  

Afternoon: Drive to Erie, Pennsylvania.   After lunch we got back on the road and drove about 1 hour via I-90 to Erie, PA.  This was a beautiful drive . . . by the way, and we made it to Erie and stayed at a hotel that had a water park called The Splash Lagoon connected to it!

The Splash Lagoon is an indoor water park similar to the Great Wolf Lodge.  It has 3 different hotels connected to it, so you can stay in any of them and still get passes to the water park as part of your stay.  We stayed at The Residence Inn and found a deal that gave us 4 Splash Lagoon tickets and a King Suite room for only $199.  Guests are allowed to start swimming at noon on the day of their check-in (even though you can’t get into your room until 4 pm), and then your tickets are good for swimming the next day as well.

They have areas for younger kids and big slides, lazy river, wave pool, and much more for older kids and adults.  This was a great way to relax and just play after all the intense travel (flights, driving, and visiting historic sites).  I highly recommend adding in something just for fun to your historical road trip.

Day 3  

Drive to Niagara Falls in New York.   After swimming all evening and a good night’s rest we got up and drove 2 1/2 hours to Niagara Falls State Park near Buffalo, NY.  We decided to stay on the U.S. side of Niagara Falls since we had one child that did not have a passport, and I was told that you need one now to go to the Canada side, not totally sure if that is true though . . . anyone know?  Anyway, we thought the U.S. side was still wonderful though we’ve been told the Canada side is better. 

We did the Maid of the Mist Boat Tour and were able to go right down into the falls and see it up close.  So we really felt like it was still a good experience.

This picture above shows you basically how much you can see of the falls from the U.S. side.  The Maid of the Mist tour takes you on a boat right up close the the falls.  I LOVED IT!  They give you each a free poncho because you definitely get wet.  The loud roar and majesty of the fall is spectacular.  We still felt like we experienced Niagara Falls doing it this way and I recommend it if you only have a short time to visit.  Overall, this took us about 3 hours.

Afternoon/Evening:  Drive to Palmyra, New York .  After this we drove the 2 hours east to Palmyra area in New York state.  We actually found a hotel in Victor, NY.  It was a Homewood Suites with small kitchen and a suite-sized room.  This hotel served breakfast and a light dinner every night–awesome way to feed my hungry teens!  We stayed here for 2 nights.  Also, there are lots of toll roads in this area.  They are not too expensive, but they are kind of a pain.  Just FYI.

Visit the Palmyra Temple.   We took the rest of the afternoon and evening visiting the Palmyra Temple .  We called ahead and scheduled to do a session here with our teens.  Only members with a special recommend are allowed to go inside the temple, but the grounds are open for other guests to enjoy.  I love the stillness and quiet at the Palmyra temple.  It’s far away from traffic and a busy city so it’s very peaceful there.  It overlooks the area of The Sacred Grove and it’s very serene. 

Afterwards we had perfectly awesome ice cream shakes at the Palmyra Chill & Grill .  It’s a hamburger stand with all the good stuff . . .just ask the locals or the missionaries about it.  So dang good.

Visit Palmyra and Hill Cumorah .  We decided to take a little extra time in the Palmyra area. There is a lot to see here and we wanted to have time to soak it in.  The first day we visited the Smith Family Farm and decided it was one of our favorite places.  Tons to see here . . . the Smith Log Home, the Smith Frame Home and barn, the Cooper Shop, the Welcome Center, and The Palmyra Temple.

In the morning, we started our day at the Sacred Grove.  We went pretty early in the morning and had the grove mostly to ourselves.  We did pass the gardener and a missionary, but otherwise it was still and peaceful as can be.

The Sacred Grove is a quiet grove of trees located right by the Smith Farm and it is where Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ in the First Vision.  As far as I know, there is no tour for this and it’s just a self-guided kind of thing.  The morning light shining through the trees was simply perfection and I was able to get many beautiful pictures.  We let our children separate in this grove and just sit and think.  They have many benches around and we just found a peaceful place to ponder and enjoy it.  This by far was one of our favorite experiences.

This Smith Farm area opens at 9 am.  There are FREE tours at the Smith Farm and all the sites owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Each home has a very interesting story and we loved being able to go inside and see where everything happened.  The grounds are beautiful here as well!  We also went to the Hill Cumorah Site  to see where the gold plates were buried and found.  There is a visitor’s center here as well and you can walk up to the top of the hill.  There is also a back route that we were told was the way Joseph Smith would have gone on the night he was given the plates.  That is the way we went and it was definitely the more scenic and shady route.  We missed the Hill Cumorah pageant, but I’ve heard that is something cool to see if you are there at that time.

The next stop was the Grandin Building where The Book of Mormon was printed.  This is actually a much bigger visitor’s center than I expected!  Definitely worth a stop here.  The site has FREE tours and a lot of interactive and interesting information for families.  There’s more than one floor of displays and information and it’s a great museum.  Kids will enjoy this one, I think.  This is located in Palmyra, just a few blocks away from all the other sites.

Afternoon: Drive to the Whitmer Farm in Fayette, NY .  The Whitmer Farm is a short drive from Palmyra.  It seems like it took us 30-45 minutes to drive there.  This is the site where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was first organized.  You can go inside the Peter Whitmer home and there is also a large Visitor’s Center there, complete with restrooms and drinking fountains.  They have movies and displays to see here.  The tours are FREE here as well and we liked this one.  I really felt the goodness of this place and learned so much about the early days of the church here.

On the way back we stopped at Sauder’s Amish Store for the BIGGEST ICE CREAM CONES EVER.  The missionaries recommended this place to us.  Amish food, jams, jellies, goods, and food.  And the ice cream cones are huge.  And delicious.

Then it was back to our hotel in Victor for one more night.  We were able to get almost all of Palmyra done in a day and a half.  You could definitely spend more time there, depending on the attention span and stamina of your kids, but we felt like this was a sufficient amount of time to see everything.  Just in case we needed more time, we did plan a little extra time in our schedule, just in case.

Drive to the Priesthood Restoration Site in Pennsylvania .  The Priesthood Site is in kind of a random area in PA, near the Oakland Township (27832 St. Road 171 according to Google Maps).  It’s about a 2 1/2 hour drive from Palmyra.  So we got up early and started this drive.  This day has a lot of driving ahead, so stay tuned. . . .

The Priesthood Site is a not like it used to be, I’m told.  In the past it was really only a monument or something.  But now it has A LOT of stuff to see.  WE really enjoyed this stop.  It has Joseph and Emma’s home (we learned a lot about the translation of the Book of Mormon here–stuff I never knew before!).  There’s also Emma’s childhood home, the priesthood monument, and the actual site of the Aaronic Priesthood restoration in a beautiful grove of trees near the visitor’s center there.  There’s also a cemetery there where you can see the grave of Emma and Joseph’s child and Emma’s parents.  Then a little way down the road is the Susquehanna River where more keys to the priesthood were restored (pictured above).  There is a place you can park and walk down a little way to sit on the bank of the river.  Worth a quick stop for sure.  We learned a lot in this area, so I highly recommend it.

Afternoon: Drive to New Jersey.   With the bulk of our church history sites over with, it was time to get to Boston and see some American history.  But we really wanted to stop and see the Statue of Liberty so we made a quick detour and drove over to Morristown, New Jersey (3 hour drive) where we had a hotel for the night.  We stayed at a Best Western Plus or the Morristown Inn in New Jersey.  This one was a little older but had some patriotic flare to it.  It came with free breakfast and we used the gym facilities since we had been driving a total of 5 hours that day.

Drive to Liberty State Park to see Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty.   When researching how to quickly see the Statue of Liberty without getting caught in New York City traffic, I found out that you can get a Statue of Liberty Tour on the New Jersey side starting at Liberty State Park.  We could see the beautiful statue without dragging our kids to New York City in the middle of the hot summer (I figure that’s a trip to do another time).

You can park at Liberty State Park and then head over to the water’s edge to get in line for the ferry.  The tickets to take the ferry to see Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty are combined into one.  You can purchase them ahead of time online at Statue Cruises , which I highly advise you to do, because they go fast.  We ordered ours a couple months in advance and tickets to the very top of the statue at the crown were already sold out.  However we were able to get tickets to the next highest point of the pedestal.  It cost us $83.00 total for 5 people to do this, including Ellis Island and the ferry ride.

Loved the stop at Ellis Island too.  Look at the picture above ^^.  It’s such a gorgeous building and the museum inside is spectacular with many displays, information, a movie, and help finding ancestors too.  I was able to find my great-grandma and her mother on the Wall of Honor because they crossed the ocean from Switzerland and immigrated during this time period.  Pretty darn cool.

Going inside the statue up to the pedestal was still a memorable experience, even if it’s not the crown.  You climb steps to get up there and there’s a museum inside also.  You must go through security and cannot take certain items in.  Be sure to check that out before you go.  Great experience for all of us.  All the patriotic feels during this part.  Do not miss this experience if you can help it.  Our ticket time was at 11:00 am and we still had time to drive to Boston afterward.

Afternoon/Evening: Drive to Boston .  We took the rest of the day to drive all the way to Boston so we could spend a few days there seeing everything.  This drive took us about 4 hours to get to Waltham, MA (not quite to Boston, but still close).  We arrived late in the evening at the Embassy Suites by Hilton there.  Pretty awesome hotel, I must say one of our favorites . . . but also more pricey.

Visit Boston Temple, Lexington Green, Minute Man Visitor’s Center.   For us this day was Sunday and we decided to go to church first thing in the morning at the Arlington Ward in Belmont, MA.  This church building is right by the Boston Temple so that was an obvious place to stop next.  Gorgeous temple, beautiful grounds, perfect for a Sunday stroll.

Not far from the Boston Temple is Lexington and Concord.  These places are full of important sites to see.  I wish we had made more time to really study and see these, but we did get a basic feel and it was probably all my kids could handle in one day anyway.  So there’s the Lexington Green National Historic Site where the opening shots of the Revolutionary War were fired.  There’s a small visitor’s center there and some other historic sites that you can pay to see.  We did not do any of those though.  We wanted to keep it as free as possible.  There is a free tour guide dressed as a revolutionary out in the green there to give you historical facts and tell some stories.  

Next we visited the Minute Man Visitor’s Center .  Lots of good info here and a great movie to get your thinking about the American Revolution.  Again, lots more we could have done here and if you can spend more time, do it.  We had lunch here.  There were some picnic tables and we had our packed lunches.  This was only open until 5:00 p.m. so you gotta get there early enough to enjoy it.

Afternoon:  North Bridge and Visitor’s Center in Concord and Walden Pond.   Only a short drive away is Concord, MA and this is full of history as well.  The North Bridge and the Visitor’s Center are a must-see in my opinion.  The Old North Bridge is part of a fascinating story in the Battle of Concord on the first day of the Revolutionary War.  A park official was also there to tell us  the full story and he was one of the best story tellers I’ve every heard.  This is the place where the first enemy fell in this war.  Tons to learn here.

Also nearby are The Orchard House where Louisa May Alcott lived and was inspired to write Little Women .  The Concord Museum , the famous Walden Pond , and the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery where many American authors are buried like Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, The Alcott family, and Henry David Thoreau . . . just to name a few.  We stopped at the Cemetery for a few minutes and it was cool to see all these authors (I majored in English, so you know . . .)

When the day was over we went back to our same hotel and enjoyed the rest of our Sunday.

Visit Downtown Boston.   This day was our chance to see as much of downtown Boston as we could.  For this excursion we decided to ride the Boston Metro and avoid all the traffic.  Boston traffic is heavy and the roads are a little crazy, so riding the Metro made things easier.

We decided to walk The Freedom Trail (FREE with many historic sites along the way).  We started near Faneuil Hall Marketplace.   Many notable people have stopped there and given speeches (including President Obama).  There’s also entertainment and shops to see there. 

Then we walked to the Boston Massacre Site at the Old State House .  This is a historic site that you have to pay for the tour, so we actually just took pictures, looked at the spot of the massacre and then walked on.  Pretty cool to see though, I have to say.  Such an old building (for America)!

Afternoon:   Old North Church and North End Italian Food .  Next stop was Paul Revere’s house (it’s in a busy area and you also pay to go inside this one), and some famous Boston Italian food in the North End for lunch at the highly rated Ben Cotto restaurant.   I had THE BEST pumpkin ravioli with a delicious butter sage sauce.  I’m still dreaming about it.  On a different day we went back to the North End and tried another Italian restaurant that was just as good.  So may options . . . you gotta stop there.

Continuing on our walk we made it to the Old North Church that is famous in Paul Revere’s story (one if by land, two if by sea . . . remember that?).  And then you can continue on to Bunker Hill and the famous neighborhoods of Beacon Hill too near the Boston Common.  We did not quite make it to those because we were tired and hot by then.  So we turned around and headed for home, but not before stopping at the AMAZING Ghirardelli Chocolate Ice Cream Shop in Faneuil Marketplace on the way back.  Best ice cream sundaes on a hot afternoon!

For our hotel this night we stayed at The Wayside Inn in Sudbury, MA .  This inn is THE OLDEST OPERATING INN in AMERICA!  It’s famous for being part of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poetic book Tales of a Wayside Inn from 1863.  It’s 300 years old and it’s rich with history.  There’s an amazing restaurant and old-time rooms you can stay in.  The grounds are beautiful with an old church, school house, grist mill, and it’s all actually quite picturesque.  This was a highlight of our trip!  We loved it so so much.  I definitely recommend staying here, eating at the restaurant, or at least stopping by for a few minutes to look around.   

Visit Wayside Inn, Boston and Red Sox Game .  So by day nine we were tired.  We were feeling lazy after our busy Boston day.  So we slept in and we had an amazing breakfast at The Wayside Inn.  Then we spent the morning being slow and just exploring The Wayside Inn grounds and property (there’s a lot to see).  And then honestly, I don’t remember what else we did that day.  It was a do-whatever-kind-of-day . . . it’s kind of a blur, that is until we went to the Boston Red Sox Game at the historic Fenway Park .

Tickets at Fenway Park are pricey.  This was definitely a one time splurge for our family but it was worth it to be a part of this piece of Americana.  Very nostalgic and classic.  We had hot dogs, of course, and cheered like crazy.  Though I do have to say it was super muggy and humid the night we were there and I was STICKY the whole time.  But it was still just pure awesome and a once in a life time opportunity.  Really got me in the mood to watch A League of Their Own , you know what I mean?

Visit John Adams National Historic Park in Quincy, MA .  Our final day of our trip was one of my very favorites.  I loved visiting the homes of John Adams.  I’m a huge history buff and one of my favorites is John Adams.  His home and personal items are so perfectly preserved and there is a lot to see here.  In one trip, with one ticket, you are taken by trolley service to see 3 homes.  First you see the birthplace home of John Adams (and it is OLD and yet so well preserved).  Then you go to the home he and Abigail lived during much of their early years of marriage and where John Quincy Adams was born.  The tour guides really know there stuff here and they fill you with great stories and information.  LOVE LOVE LOVE IT>

Finally, you go to Peacefield, the final home of John and Abigail and the place where they both died.  It was left in the Adams family for many generations and you can see it just as they left it.  All the items in the home belong to someone in the Adams family.

So may pieces that belonged to John, Abigail, John Quincy, and many others who came after before it was turned into a historical site.  There’s also the famous Stone Library that contains over 12,000 volumes of classic literature.  This collection is highly valuable and contains so many wonderful books and my English major heart was so happy.  And most notable for the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that this library contains Emma Smith’s copy of the 1841 Book of Mormon .  If you ask about it, the tour guide will tell you if they can.  {READ MORE ABOUT THAT HERE}

I could’ve stayed here for hours, but we were on a time crunch since we had flights to go home on this evening and had to get to the airport.  And that basically ended our 10 day church history and American history trip in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Boston.  I hope this helps you get an idea of how long the traveling takes and where to stop along the way. 

Connect with me on Instagram to ask any questions or to let me know about your church history trip.

You may also like:

ALSO IF YOU ARE EVER VISITING UTAH AND WANT AN EASY TOUR GUIDE APP TO PLAY IN YOUR CAR TRY THE SHAKA GUIDE TOUR APP .  I love this app so much!  They have UTAH TOURS for all the major national park areas.  We use it all the time in Maui to drive the Road to Hana .  Check it out!

About Lisa Jorgensen

I was hit by an intoxicated driver when I was walking on the sidewalk. I was also 6 months pregnant at the time. I learned a huge lesson about miracles and not taking life for granted. I believe in finding the good and making life blissful with family, food, and fun ideas. Every moment matters.

Hi I'm Lisa! This is the place for families who are looking for screen-free activities to keep kids entertained and discovering the world around them. If you are looking for crafts, travel ideas, family activities, and recipes then this is the place! I'm a regular, freckle-faced mom of 3 dreaming of travel and posting between laundry loads. I believe in God, miracles and all the positivity I can get! Thanks for stopping by!

Join my newsletter!

• My Accident and Miracle Story
• Life Lessons
• Gift Guides

Church in CENTRAL Ohio

Experience the life-changing presence of a loving god., central ohio church, latest sermon.

Get The App

Stay connected and get the latest content..

SEU at The Tree

Highlights of what we offer.

Worship Services

Youth and Children's Ministries

Connect Groups

Special Events

Ready to dive in and explore all that the tree church has to offer , central oh church.

Church in Central, Ohio

The tree church kids, we'd love to hear from you, interested in attending our church or simply want to say hello we're here to help feel free to reach out today - we'd love to connect and hear from you. call: (740)-654-5894 | email: [email protected].

• Personalization

All GO Trips | Crossroads Church

Change the world, take a trip.

• Martin County, KY
• Puerto Rico
• Johannesburg
• Vulnerable Children
• Exploited Individuals
• At Risk Communities

• Crossroads Anywhere
• Southwest Ohio
• Central Ohio
• Northern Kentucky
• Central Kentucky

Watch with us

• Watch online
• Find a location
• Ways to watch
• Humans of Crossroads
• Next Level Academy
• Our History
• Historical Timeline
• Seven Hills We Die On
• What We Believe
• Statement of Faith
• Crossroads Students
• Next Gen Leaders
• Why We Give
• Annual Report

Media Inquiries

• In The News
• Share Your Story
• Church Resources
• Privacy Policy
• Download iOS App
• Download Android App
• Cookie Settings

• Church History Tours
• Youth Church History Tour
• Testimonials

A Spiritual Journey

Guided church history tours with tom pettit.

Join one of our many Church History Tours as we visit Palmyra, Fayette, Susquehanna, Kirtland, Independence, Liberty Jail, Far West, Adam-ondi-Ahman, Nauvoo, Carthage Jail, and so much more!

Jun 5 - 15, 2024

SEPtember 2 - 12, 2024

Ultimate Church History Tour

October 7 - 17, 2024

NOV 8 - NOV 14, 2024

Hawaii Church History Tour

september 1-11, 2025

October 6-16, 2025

Coming Soon!

St. George Church History Tour

The Pioneer Heritage Tour

Hear what others are saying.

Thanks for putting together the vacation of a lifetime. It’s amazing how complete strangers come together so well with one known commonality…the gospel.

It’s AWESOME!!! I would definitely recommend it and I hope my younger siblings go! I could feel the spirit of God like a fire burning inside me and it changed my life for the better.

It was a life-changing experience for me, and I would recommend anyone and everyone to do it! It not only solidified my testimony of the Book of Mormon, but it made those stories I’ve heard my whole life really come alive to me!

Our Church History Tours not only provide the history and information, but help you liken everything you see and learn to your own life. Our unique focus on these tours is not to just teach the history, but to help you draw closer to the Savior by applying the lessons learned from these historical events to your own daily life.

Visit our Blog to learn more about us and to hear some of the stories which we share on our tours.

Book Your Tour Today

Hear the stories and read the revelations at the actual sites where they took place.Be taught while traveling and while visiting sacred sites by historical guides, set apart missionaries, and each other. We won’t just talk about the history of these places, but how the stories of the past can help us draw closer to the Savior in our everyday lives!

Get Involved

Experience deep history, abundant stories and stunning natural beauty.

Whether you’re planning a day trip—or just want to see what’s nearby—you’ll be inspired to get out and enjoy all that Ohio’s rich heritage has to offer. Before you travel, and once you’re there, be sure to See Ohio First!

How would you like to see Ohio?

Explore by theme.

We've created categories to get you started exploring.

Search on your own

Have a particular travel date, place to visit or interest already in mind?

Have a look at our exciting tours!

Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches

Begin each track at the location indicated. Important sites from the tour are marked on the map and under each track heading. Sites that are highlighted in blue link to additional information.

• Saint Michael Catholic Church
• Saint Augustine Catholic Church
• Lock One Park
• Saint Aloysius Catholic Church
• Carthagena Union Cemetery
• Fort Recovery State Museum
• Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics

Stream Audio here

Download (and burn to CD)  Here

For instructions on handling Zip Files, please click here.

Ohio Bus Trips & Bus Tours

Sublime Tours offers exceptional bus trips and bus tours in Ohio

The Best Bus Trips & Bus Tours in Ohio

Looking for a bus tour or a bus trip in Ohio? Well, your search ends here because Sublime Tours offers top of the line bus tours with a variety of bus trips around the US that leave from Ohio. Bring your whole family along because our bus trips our safe and fund for the entire family from kids to adults.

Our team is committed to accommodating the best bus tours in Ohio. Our staff’s exceptional knowledge in travel make your Ohio bus trips that much more memorable. If you are looking for a bus tour or bus trip in Ohio then choose Sublime Tours!

Ohio Bus Tour Services

Multi Day Bus Tours in Ohio & Ohio Multi Day Bus Trips

Take multi day bus tour in Ohio and find out some exciting places that you may have never known about. Our multi day bus trips in Ohio are accommodating for overnight travel.

School Bus Trips in Ohio & Ohio School Bus Tours

Children of all ages enjoy traveling and taking bus trips from Ohio to explore and learn. Our Ohio bus tours provide a safe environment for kids to travel and experience different places.

Church Bus Trips in Ohio & Ohio Church Bus Tours

Churches and large groups can explore a variety of religious destinations with our fantastic bus tours in Ohio. Our bus trips take you to places that you have longed for and will remember for a lifetime.

Red Eye Bus Trips in Ohio & Ohio Red Eye Bus Tours

Looking to take a bus tour or bus trip overnight in Ohio? Our Ohio red eye bus tours provide comfortable sleeping accommodations for the whole ride.

Bus Trips Near Ohio

Angel Repayment

Nyc christmas red eye (dec 15th – 17th).

December 15, 2023 - December 17, 2023

NYC Christmas Red Eye (Dec 1st – 3rd)

December 1, 2023 - December 3, 2023

Salem, MA (October)

October 20, 2023 - October 22, 2023

New Orleans Red Eye (August)

August 11, 2023 - August 13, 2023

NYC Summer Red Eye (July)

July 21, 2023 - July 23, 2023

Ohio Bus Tours

Ready to take a bus trip from Ohio? Then, Let’s Go! Sublime Tours USA will take you to prime destinations across the United States and you can create memories and have moments that might have never been possible in Ohio. Explore with safe travel and take a bus tour in Ohio with Sublime Tours for your next adventure.

Other Bus Trip & Bus Tour Locations

Offering the cleanest, safest, most kid friendly bus tours from ohio.

Worship Celebrations

Join us the 1st & 2nd Sundays of every month at 10am for our Worship Celebrations.

Disciple Making Training

Join us for Disciple Making Training at 10am every 3rd & 4th Sunday. We gather around tables and practice walking out The Great Commandment & The Great Commission.

House of Prayer & Worship

Our House of Prayer & Worship is open Monday through Friday, 6-8am & 12-2pm, as well as Monday evenings 6-8pm.

Our Mission

Gerald Murphy

Lead pastor, our latest sermons.

Power & Privilege: Overcoming the Political Spirit | Part 2

Power & privilege: overcoming the political spirit | part 1.

1 Peter | Living Out Grace | Series Recap

1 Peter | Living Out Grace | Part 5

Prayer For Our Nation

1 peter | living out grace | part 4.

communion with her Bridegroom

The purpose of our Worship Celebrations is to come together to lift up an offering to the Lord. Garden City emphasizes the vertical connection between Jesus and His Bride. We will allow the Spirit of God to bring us into authentic corporate encounters where we worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth. Seekers and non-believers in the room will be provoked, brought to repentance and salvation primarily by being in a room of people obsessed with Jesus!

West Side // Hilltop

Bringing the heart of Jesus to the streets of Columbus.

Garden City Church

3880 Clime Rd. Columbus, OH 43228

Arise, Soldiers of Christ

Discover Our Parish

Recent Flocknote Messages

• Eastside Catholics Newsletter 005 3 days ago We hope you've been enjoying our newsletter so far. We wanted to let you know that we will be turning this into a bi-weekly newsletter moving forward.  Our goal is to keep you informed on the top...
• Eastside Catholics Newsletter 004 a week ago 004 newsletter is here. More NEW coming your way! Our goal for the newsletter is to keep you informed on the top news, notes, and upcoming events in our family of parishes. Plus we add a little fun...
• Eastside Catholics Newsletter 003 2 weeks ago Rolling on to our third weekly newsletter. The goal is to keep you informed on the top news and notes, and upcoming events in our family of parishes. Plus a little fun fact for the week.  LABOR DAY...

Flocknote Signup

Find us on facebook.

• Around The Valley
• Everyday Living
• Entertainment Calendar
• special-section
• High school
• Local/Youth
• Sports Columns
• Other Sports
• ANNIVERSARY/MEMORIAM Form
• BIRTHDAY MEMORIAM
• ESTATE NOTICE
• NAME CHANGE NOTICE
• FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE
• INCORPORATION NOTICE
• GO Local 365

Haitians in Ohio find solidarity at church after chaotic week

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (AP) — For many Haitian immigrants, Sunday mornings in Springfield, Ohio, are spent joyfully worshipping God as they sing and pray in their native Creole. This Sunday, they needed that uplifting balm more than ever.

Contact Information The Mon Valley Independent monvalleyindependent.com 1719 Grand Bouleveard Monessen, PA 15062 Phone: 724-314-0030

Staff Directory Stacy Wolford Managing Editor 724-314-0019 [email protected] Jeremy Sellew Sport Editor 724-314-0040 [email protected]

Staff Directory Lori Byron Advertising and Circulation 724-314-0019 [email protected] Pete Kordistos Accounting 724-314-0023 [email protected]

Contact Information McKeesport Office monvalleyindependent.com 409 Walnut Avenue McKeesport, PA 15132 Phone: 412-896-8460

trending now in US News

Sean 'Diddy' Combs arrested at NYC hotel by Homeland Security...

Teen cheerleader from 'America’s Got Talent' dead at 17 in...

JD Vance reveals what Trump told him minutes after ex-president...

'Migrant influencer' who urged migrants to be squatters is...

San Fran neighbors in heated 15-year feud over row of windows,...

Would-be Trump assassin exploited security hole that Secret...

NYC educrats took own kids to Disney World on trips meant for...

Florida boy, 11, gets handcuffed, thrown in jail after sheriff...

Ohio gov. mike dewine says springfield bomb threats are ‘hoaxes’ coming from ‘overseas’.

Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine revealed Monday that a recent spate of bomb threats targeting the town of Springfield have all been “hoaxes,” with some originating from “one particular country” overseas. 

The 77-year-old governor told reporters Monday that law enforcement has responded to at least 33 separate bomb threats made against Springfield government offices, schools and medical centers since the town was thrust into the national spotlight over the influx of Haitian migrants. 

“Thirty-three threats; Thirty-three hoaxes,” DeWine said during a press conference in Springfield. “I want to make that very, very clear. None of these had any validity at all.” 

The governor indicated that the threats were being made by foreign actors. 

“We have people unfortunately overseas who are taking these actions,” DeWine said. “Some of them are coming from one particular country.” 

The governor declined to name the country, but Russia and Iran have both been accused by US officials of attempting to influence the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.

“We think that this is one more opportunity to mess with the United States,” DeWine said of the foreign actors making the threats. “And they’re continuing to do that.”  

“We cannot let the bad guys win. Our schools must remain open,” he added, noting that additional law enforcement resources will be deployed in Springfield amid the flurry of threats. 

“The people who are doing this are doing this to sow discord in our community,” Andy Wilson, director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, said. “We just can’t let them do that. We can’t let them do that. We have to keep providing the services that the citizens of Springfield and Clark County expect.”

Former President Donald Trump declared during last week’s presidential debate that Haitian migrants in Springfield had been abducting and eating pets, comments many have attributed to jump in threats against the town.

“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating — they’re eating the pets of the people that live there,” the Republican presidential nominee said, repeating unfounded claims circulating on social media. 

Springfield city manager Bryan Heck has said there are “no credible reports of specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community.”

The town canceled its upcoming annual celebration of diversity, arts and culture in response to the increase in threats, officials said Monday. 

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

• What Is Cinema?

Trump Reportedly Has Super-Helpful Plans to Visit Springfield, Ohio, the City He and JD Vance Continue to Spread Baseless Lies About Re: Haitian Migrants Eating Pets

Donald Trump reportedly plans to visit Springfield, Ohio, the Midwestern city that’s become the subject of his and running mate JD Vance ’s false claims regarding Haitian migrants stealing people’s pets and eating them. Trump’s plans were revealed Sunday by NBC News, and if you think it’s a good idea for the former president to show up in Springfield at a TBD date, you probably also believed Trump when he declared at last week’s presidential debate, “They’re eating the dogs…they’re eating the cats.”

To be clear, it would surely be helpful for Trump to go to Springfield and say the words: “There is absolutely no truth to the baseless claims that migrants here are consuming people’s pets, and anyone saying otherwise is simply trying to stoke division and hate. These claims have been thoroughly debunked and must stop now.” But obviously that’s not going to happen.

One reason that’s clearly not going to happen is that Trump is Trump, and he is incapable of uttering a coherent thought. Another, as The Bulwark notes , is that the Trump campaign is not actually bothered by the fact that it’s “been widely condemned for spreading the urban legend of Haitian migrants eating cats and dogs in Springfield, Ohio,” because it allows Team Trump to avoid discussing things like abortion. These people want to keep these repugnant lies about Haitian migrants going, which Vance effectively admitted over the weekend when he said he was happy to “create stories.”

In an interview on Sunday, the Ohio senator told CNN’s Dana Bash: “The American media totally ignored this stuff until Donald Trump and I started talking about cat memes. If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m gonna do.”

This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.

After Bash noted that it sounded a lot like Vance was saying he’d made these stories up, he insisted: “It comes from firsthand accounts from my constituents. I say that we’re creating a story, meaning we’re creating the American media focusing on it. I didn’t create 20,000 illegal migrants coming into Springfield thanks to Kamala Harris ’s policies. Her policies did that. But yes, we created the actual focus that allowed the American media to talk about this story and the suffering caused by Kamala Harris’s policies.”

Officials in Ohio—including the mayor of Springfield and the governor of the state—say there is absolutely no evidence to support Vance and Trump’s claims, which have led to a spate of bomb threats against schools, hospitals, and other institutions. (Speaking to Bash, Vance said it was “disgusting” for the media to suggest any of his comments had led to those threats, which may be the richest thing anyone has said on TV this year.) On Sunday, a bomb threat caused officials at Clark State College in Springfield to close the campus and hold classes virtually this week. A day prior, bomb threats targeted a trio of medical facilities and Wittenberg University, a small private college in Springfield. In an alert, the college said Sunday activities were canceled over a threat that “targeted Haitian members of our community.” On Friday, two elementary schools were evacuated, while a middle school was closed.

Speaking to ABC News on Friday, Springfield mayor Rob Rue said: “This is a very concerning time for our citizens, and frankly, a lot of people are tired of just, you know, the things that have been spread about our community that are just negative and not true. We need help, not hate.” Without mentioning Trump and Vance by name, he stressed that “anybody on the national stage that takes a microphone needs to understand what they could do to communities like Springfield with their words. They’re not helping. They’re hurting communities like ours with their words.” In an interview with NBC News, conducted before Trump’s plans to visit Springfield were reported, Rue said that if the ex-president were to visit the city, “that could be difficult, a very difficult visit.” Asked what he’d say to Trump if given the chance, the mayor responded: “We need help and not hate. And we need calm voices.”

More Great Stories From Vanity Fair

Everything You Missed at the 2024 Emmys

See Every Emmys Red Carpet Look

. . . And the Very Best-Dressed Stars

The Full List of 2024 Emmy Winners

Why Shōgun Made a Historic Showing at This Year’s Emmys

How Baby Reindeer Became an Unlikely Front-Runner

Politics Correspondent

Trump plans to visit Springfield, Ohio, the site of his baseless claims about Haitian immigrants

Former President Donald Trump plans to visit Springfield, Ohio, "soon," a source familiar with the planning said.

The town has become the center of a national political fight on immigration, with Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, spreading baseless conspiracy theories that Haitian immigrants in Springfield are eating dogs and other pets.

Though the unfounded claims have circulated online in right-wing circles for weeks, they went mainstream last week when Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris met for a debate in Philadelphia.

“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in. They’re eating the cats. They’re eating — they’re eating the pets of the people that live there. And this is what’s happening in our country. And it’s a shame,” Trump said on the debate stage.

Trump ally Vivek Ramaswamy also  announced on X  that he will visit the town Thursday.

Officials in Springfield and elsewhere in Ohio have resoundingly condemned all allegations that immigrants in the city have been eating pets.

In a statement to NBC News on Monday ahead of the debate, the Springfield Police Division said that "there have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community."

GOP Gov. Mike DeWine told ABC News on Sunday that there is no evidence that immigrants in Springfield have been eating pets and that the conspiracy theories were "garbage."

"The Haitians who are in Springfield are legal. They came to Springfield to work. Ohio is on the move, and Springfield has really made a great resurgence," DeWine said.

Since the debate, municipal buildings in the city have been the target s of bomb threats and immigrants in Springfield have reported feeling unsafe .

"We're in pain right now," Mayor Rob Rue said Friday on NBC News' "Meet the Press NOW," adding that if Trump decided to visit, "that could be difficult, a very difficult visit."

Asked what he'd say to Trump if he had the opportunity, Rue said: "We need help and not hate. And we need calm voices." 

On Sunday, Vance d isputed that his claims about the Haitian immigrants were unfounded, telling NBC News' "Meet the Press," “I hear you saying that they’re baseless, but I’m not repeating them because I invented them out of thin air.

“I’m repeating them because my constituents are saying these things are happening," he said. "Clearly, these rumors are out there because constituents are seeing it with their own eyes.”

Later, in an interview with CNN, Vance echoed his remarks and blasted the "American media" for not paying attention to what he alleged was happening in Springfield.

"If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do,” Vance said.

Questioned about what he meant by "creat[ing] stories," Vance said, “I say that we’re creating a story, meaning we’re creating the American media focusing on it.”

Asked whether she accepts that Trump and Vance's claims are untrue, Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump, who is Trump's daughter-in-law, told Fox News: "It is not up to me to decide that. This information came directly from the people of Springfield. No one at our campaign — Donald Trump did not make this up himself."

Jake Traylor is a 2024 NBC News campaign embed.

Alexandra Marquez is a politics reporter for NBC News.

Advertisement

Vance Sticks By Pet-Eating Claims and Says He’s Willing to ‘Create Stories’

Mr. Vance, who amplified false claims that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating pets, said he was willing “to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention.”

• Share full article

By Maggie Astor

• Sept. 15, 2024

Senator JD Vance of Ohio, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, said Sunday that he stood by the debunked claims he and former President Donald J. Trump have spread suggesting Haitian migrants were eating pets, saying that he was willing “to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention.”

And Mr. Vance responded indignantly when asked about the bomb threats that have upended life in Springfield, Ohio, the city where he and Mr. Trump falsely claimed that the pets were being eaten.

“I’ve been trying to talk about the problems in Springfield for months,” Mr. Vance said on CNN, referring to strains he said that a large influx of Haitian migrants had placed on the city’s public services. He went on: “The American media totally ignored this stuff until Donald Trump and I started talking about cat memes. If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do.”

When the CNN host, Dana Bash, noted that he had used the word “creating,” Mr. Vance replied, “I say that we’re creating a story, meaning we’re creating the American media focusing on it.”

Even as Mr. Vance was standing by the claims in interviews on CNN, CBS News and NBC News, Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio, a Republican, was rebutting them in an interview on ABC News. Mr. DeWine said the claim that migrants were eating pets was “a piece of garbage that was simply not true.” And the governor said that while there had been some “challenges” involved in accommodating thousands of migrants, they were there legally and had benefited Springfield economically.

Mr. Vance said that the claims — which have been debunked by city officials in Springfield, and which resemble smears that have been lodged against immigrants for decades — had come from “firsthand” accounts from his constituents. He called one of his interviewers a “Democratic propagandist” for connecting his words and Mr. Trump’s to the bomb threats, and told another that she should “ignore” the threats and focus on Vice President Kamala Harris’s immigration policies instead.

And he demeaned immigrants in vivid terms, saying they spread diseases and claiming that Democrats wanted to “overwhelm” cities and towns with them.

“This is what Kamala Harris wants to do to every town in this country,” Mr. Vance said on CBS. “Overwhelm them with migration, stress their municipal budgets, see communicable diseases on the rise. What is happening in Springfield is coming to every town and city in this country if Kamala Harris’s open border policies are allowed to continue.”

The false claims about the immigrants in Springfield have exploded since Mr. Vance became the first prominent national figure to promote them last week, repeating them on social media. The Trump campaign quickly amplified them , and Mr. Vance subsequently acknowledged that “it’s possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false,” while encouraging his supporters to continue spreading them.

But Mr. Trump amplified the claims when he repeated them to an audience of tens of millions of people during his debate with Ms. Harris on Tuesday.

Mr. Vance’s interviewers on Sunday noted that Springfield city officials had asked national figures like him and Mr. Trump to stop demonizing the migrants, who are mostly in the country legally under a temporary authorization program for people whose homelands are in crisis.

“All these federal politicians that have negatively spun our city, they need to know they’re hurting our city, and it was their words that did it,” the mayor, Rob Rue, told WSYX, a local news station in Ohio .

But Mr. Vance expressed no regret about any of his statements and responded testily to mentions of the bomb threats.

“I want whoever made these threats to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” he told Margaret Brennan of CBS. “But we don’t believe, Margaret, in a heckler’s veto in this country.” He added: “I think that we should ignore these ridiculous psychopaths who are threatening violence on a small Ohio town and focus on the fact that we have a vice president who’s not doing her job in protecting that small Ohio town.”

On CNN, Ms. Bash asked what Mr. Vance, as a senator from Ohio, had done to help Springfield. “Instead of saying things that are wrong and actually causing the hospitals, the schools, the government buildings to be evacuated because of bomb threats, because of the cats and dogs thing, why not actually be constructive in helping to better integrate them into the community?” she asked.

Mr. Vance called the question “more appropriate for a Democratic propagandist than it is for an American journalist” and denied that his and Mr. Trump’s words had any connection to the threats that immediately followed them.

Maggie Astor covers politics for The New York Times, focusing on breaking news, policies, campaigns and how underrepresented or marginalized groups are affected by political systems. More about Maggie Astor