Wellington, Ohio: Spirit of '76 Museum
An odd collection, partly dedicated to the man who created the "Spirit of '76" painting, and partly to the anything-goes use of it during the Bicentennial.
- Address:
- 201 N Main St., Wellington, OH
- Directions:
- North of Columbus, OH on I-71, exit onto Hwy 58 North. Continue about 30 minutes. It is one block north of the town square.
- Hours:
- Summer M-Sa, winter Sa only or call for appt. (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
- Phone:
- 440-647-4367
- Admission:
- Free
Results 1 to 2 of 2...
Visitor Tips and News About Spirit of '76 Museum
Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.
Really interesting little museum. Plenty to see!
[Stephen Francia, 07/25/2020]
The Spirit of '76 is a well-known painting done by the basically unknown Archibald Willard in 1876. This painting, for those who are less familiar, is of three Revolutionary War soldiers walking down a road playing a drum, and a fife.
Archibald Willard was a wagon painter in Wellington, OH and happened to see three guys walking down the road warming up their instruments. He drew a sketch of them and the rest is history.
That is the basic summary of the museum. The museum boasts over 4,000 artifacts dating to the time (1876) of Willard, none of which are things that were actually his. They also have a bi-centennial collection of "Spirit of '76" paraphernalia. including a toilet paper roll printed with a replica of the painting. The museum also has several prints of some of Willard's other artwork. Willard is basically the original one-hit-wonder!
Wellington, OH is evidently a very historical place, although we never saw anything else historical.
[Chuck Mielke, 09/13/2007]Nearby Offbeat Places
Amish Horse and Wagon ATM, Wellington, OH - < 1 mi.
Underground Railroad Tracks, Oberlin, OH - 8 mi.
24-Hour Roadside Pet Wash, Amherst, OH - 15 mi.Latest Tips Across Roadside America
Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road.
Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!
Unique destinations in the U.S. and Canada are our special obsession. Use our attraction recommendation and maps to plan your next road trip.
Wellington was the home of the artist who created the iconic three-marching-men Spirit of '76 painting.