What a beautiful home. Thomas Worthington's estate is outstanding, full of history! The gardens were exceptional as well as the barn and other outbuildings. The museum was very informative...would highly recommend.
I was driving from Richmond ,Virginia to Chicago, Illinois. As I went through Ohio I saw a state attraction sign advertising "Adena Mansion and Gardens" which is actually in Chillicothe. I pulled off the road excited to see the attraction. Upon arriving to the visitor center I greeted the two attendants behind the desk. The center was decorated for a Murder Mystery dinner. I asked the attendants for information concerning the museum. I was told there were NO Brochures No information. I asked to purchase a ticket, the younger desk attendant told me that the 2:30PM tour had started(it was then 2:40PM) and that the next tour was at 3:30PM. Both attendants kept their eyes on their work and did not acknowledge my presence. I asked if I could join the 2:30PM tour group but was told that I could not because that tour was full, that there were over 20 people in that group. I asked when was the next tour? The younger attendant , finally looking me in the eye, rose from her chair towered over me and told me the next tour was at 3:30PM however they probably would not have the 3:30PM tour because of the Murder Mystery dinner. Feeling very un-welcomed I left. The parking lot contained only three cars, one of which was mine . How did the 20 people in the 2:30PM tour arrive? There was no evidence of 20 people on the property. I have traveled all over the world and never have I been treated so rudely. DON'T GO THERE
I'm from the Cleveland area and have friends in Jackson county that I visit every month or so and I'm always looking for new things to do with them. They had not been to the Adena Mansion, nor had I, and we all enjoyed the tour. The Adena Mansion was home to the sixth governor of Ohio, Thomas Worthington. A view of Mt. Logan from the land also inspired the design for the Great Seal of Ohio. The mansion itself had some very interesting features that I had not seen in other period homes. The living room and dining room had floor to ceiling rotating circular built-in shelves (I forgot the name the staff called them, but they were like lazy susans). That was so the original owners of the property, the Worthingtons, could entertain and the food could be refreshed without the interruption of indentured servants coming through the room. The house also had some very unique wallpaper from the period. Some of it was even recovered from pieces found in the house and reprinted so the rooms could be restored to their original look. One such pattern was called the "Adena Pinwheel." The house itself seemed MUCH larger when we were inside and is worth the $8 tour. It was air conditioned too.The museum on the grounds was nice and contained artifacts recovered from the grounds. There were other buildings on the property (spring house, barn, etc) and walking paths. There was also an Indian Mound there at one time, but I didn't realize that until after we had left. The Adena Mound was excavated in 1901 and destroyed. I don't remember seeing or hearing any mention of it when I was there. It would have been nice to have seen info on it.
This is the home of Thomas Worthington, Who was once Governor of Ohio and a well traveled representative of the Ohio territory. The home and most of the furniture is original and there are hourly tours. Nice visit to get away. No fees
Step back in time and see what times were like back when Ohio fist became a state. If it were not for Thomas Worthington Ohio might have been two states; this is the location of the inspiration for the State Seal of Ohio, also this is one of three houses still standing that Benjamin Latrobe designed. Learns fun facts like this and more. Plan to spend a few hours so you can tour the house (about an to tour the house) and see the rest of the grounds. The gardens are beautiful and well tended to.
We live over an hour away. The hours for this place are listed as 9-5. We arrived around 3:30 and were told that the last tour already left. We asked if anything was self guided, a staff member said no, muttered something about $8 admission then returned to arranging flowers. Wow. Thanks.
Adena Mansion is a very peaceful place to spend an afternoon. It is located high above the city of Chillicothe on a beautiful hill that has been very well preserved. I grew up visiting Adena on school field trips and now visit each year with my elementary students. In recent years, many new and exciting updates have been added to the grounds. The main house has been beautifully preserved and the grounds are very well maintained. The guides are helpful and will answer all of your questions without making you feel rushed. Your tour will include all of the rooms in the home. The buildings on the grounds can be explored and the old barn is beautiful. There are farm animals on the grounds that you can pet. Visitors can tour the garden area located right outside the main house. There is an area that looks out over the Scioto Valley and Mt. Logan. History states that this is the view that influenced the Great Seal of Ohio. There are many shady areas on the grounds to relax under and a large picnic shelter for you to enjoy a picnic lunch. The visitor center is home to the new interactive museum and there are friendly volunteers who will discuss the attractions with you. You will be able to view pictures of the Worthington family in this area. There is also a gift shop in this building that is nice. There are plenty of restrooms and a vending area with drinks. The staff is helpful and will refer you to other historical sites and restaurants in Chillicothe. They also hold weddings on the grounds and in the old barn. It is a nice place for families to visit.
Haven't been there in a long time but I use to take my classes there for field day back in the 70s. Well worth your time if you're a history buff or love old restored homes.
The museum entertained the children with reading the Polar Express and allowing a visit with Santa. We had a great breakfast and made keepsake ornaments and iced Christmas cookies. What a great time. The fellow that played the conductor looked just like Tom Hanks from the movie. He was great! No downside to this event.
Adena truly is a local treasure; however, when attempting to visit the grounds and take some photos, my friends/family and I were accosted by both a maintenance worker and an office staff member. They literally chased us down on a golf cart and berated us because we had not checked in at the visitor's center and because we did not pay a $50 photographer's fee. We explained that I was not a professional photographer and that we were simply walking the grounds to take pictures of the kids, but it didn't matter. These employees were extremely rude. One of our group even had a membership to the Ohio Historical Society which allows her into any Ohio historical attraction. We left the grounds of Adena and won't return. As a native of Chillicothe, I was both embarrassed and upset that we were treated so poorly. One does not have to pay an admission to simply enjoy the view or look at the grounds, yet if you take a camera out to snap some pictures, you are committing a horrible offense. I have paid to visit Adena, and as a local like to show off our history. I won't ever make the mistake of doing so at Adena again.