Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches Scenic Byway
Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches Scenic Byway is a State Scenic Byway in Ohio. Within Ohio it covers roughly 40 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches Scenic Byway with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches Scenic Byway runs 45 miles through Shelby, Auglaize, and Mercer counties in western Ohio. It's named for the more than fifty steepled churches that dot the landscape, tracing German Catholic settlement that began in 1832 at Minster, alongside smaller communities of Quaker, French, Irish, Black, and Welsh immigrants who also settled the area, and many of its churches and related buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The drive begins at McCartyville, follows State Route 119 to Fort Recovery, then heads north on State Route 49 to State Route 29 west of Wabash. The cultural landscape remains heavily agricultural today, with the same farm families and parish communities that built the churches still working the surrounding fields.
- 45 miles, Shelby/Auglaize/Mercer counties
- 50+ NRHP-listed churches
- German Catholic settlement since 1832
- Minster & Fort Recovery
- strong agricultural heritage
Plan a drive on Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches Scenic Byway →
What is a State Scenic Byway?
State Scenic Byways are roads a state has formally recognized for their scenic, natural, historic or cultural value — each state's own curated collection of drives worth taking slowly.
Where to Stay along Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches Scenic Byway
No campgrounds are listed close to Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches Scenic Byway yet, but there are rooms near the route.
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