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A Journey through Holmes County’s Doughty Valley

Holmes County’s courthouse and red brick jail are parked in Millersburg at the intersection of Ohio 83 and US 62. In the village, these are Clay and Jackson Streets. If you take Route 83 south out of town, it will twist and turn, rise and fall, through a mixture of Amish and English countrysides, and after 8.5 miles, County Road 19 will take you east into the Doughty Valley, where Amish farms and businesses spread out across the landscape. This provides one of the most picturesque journeys in Holmes County, and the farms and one-room schoolhouses are worthy subjects for the finest of photographs. There are sharp turns and narrow passages on this convoluted journey, so drive slowly and pay attention to the road signs to make sure that you stay on County 19. Be sure to stop at the general store in Becks Mills, with its wonderful selection of Amish fabrics. This comes up 5.4 miles east of Ohio 83. If you find yourself trapped behind a slow-moving buggy, just be patient. Consider it an opportunity to slow down to an Amish pace and take in the scenery.

Then continue east on County 19 for a total of 1.3 miles from Becks Mills, making the little jog onto Township 156 to drop down into Charm, with its dense cluster of quaint shops and businesses. On a Saturday, there might be Amish people playing volleyball at the village school. Turn left here onto Ohio 557, and be sure to visit the very large Keim lumber and hardware store at the top of the opposite hill, where the collection of Amish power tools that don’t require electricity is intriguing. In fact, you’ll find the whole store to be an eye-opener, because it’s not like anything you’d expect in Amish country. If you then proceed north and west on Ohio 557, the Guggisberg Cheese factory, store, and chalet restaurant are excellent places to stop, 1.7 miles beyond Charm. If you continue northwest on 557, you’ll want to watch for the faded red sign that calls you back to Miller’s Bakery. Further along 557, be sure to stop at Hershberger’s farm, bakery, and produce market. You won’t miss it because it’s so large. At the end of 557, turn left on Sr 39/US 62 to head back into Millersburg, and if you play it as I have often done, take a seat on one of the chairs or benches around the courthouse. If you are lucky, a local resident might stop to strike up a conversation. If not, you’ll still see plenty of Amish families in their buggies, making the trip into the big city for business at the courthouse, or maybe just for a burger at McDonald’s.