Canal Museum added to 250th celebration

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — America 250-Ohio, the official state commission responsible for leading Ohio’s commemorations for America’s semiquincentennial in 2026, has announced new sites for the Ohio Air and Space Trail. The list of new sites includes the Delphos Canal Museum.

The Ohio Air and Space Trail is a themed collection of over 40 sites across Ohio that celebrate the Ohioans and locations closely linked to air and space exploration over the past century. Participating sites correspond with one or more trail themes, including innovation, birthplace of aviation, service to country, space exploration, training, preservation and flying experiences, and aviation feats and spectacles.   

 The trail honors several famous Ohio pilots, including Neil Armstrong, Don Gentile, John Glenn, Orville and Wilbur Wright, and Ohio’s Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) from World War II. The new trail locations feature well-known sites, museum collections and hidden gems across the state, such as:  

• Cincinnati Observatory – The nation’s oldest professional observatory 
• Cleveland Museum of Natural History – Home to a new exhibit about the universe and solar system 
• Delphos Canal Museum – The story of Ida Holdgreve, a seamstress for the Wright Brothers and the first woman to work in the aviation industry

• Gentile Park – Honors WWII Fighter Pilot Don Gentile 
• Noble County Museum – Home of the first USS Airship Shenandoah exhibit 
• Wright State University at Fairborn – One of the most comprehensive Wright Brothers collections 
• National Veterans Memorial & Museum – Honoring veterans from all U.S. military branches and eras, including the Air Force. 
• Warren County Historical Society Harmon Museum – A new gallery celebrating the history of flight, aviators, and astronauts   

The Armstrong Air & Space Museum in Wapakoneta is also on the trail. A full list of participants, interactive maps, and other resources can be found on the Ohio Air and Space Trail website at ohioairandspace.com.    

  “From the nation’s oldest professional observatory —to the first woman working in the aviation industry and the most complete Wright Brothers collection in the world, Ohio’s legacy in air and space runs deep,” said Melinda Huntley, executive director of the Ohio Travel Association and member of the America 250 – Ohio Commission. “The Ohio Air and Space Trail provides an engaging and educational journey through aviation and space landmarks, museums, and historic sites that honor the Ohioans behind groundbreaking achievements. We look forward to showcasing our great contributions to America’s innovation in air and space.”  

The Ohio Air and Space Trail, along with the Ohio Creativity Trail, is part of America 250-Ohio’s Trails & Tales program. The Commission aims to create four more thematic experiential trails over the next year. More details about these trails will be announced in the coming months.   

In 2026, the United States will celebrate its semiquincentennial, which is the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Each state has been encouraged to create a celebration and commemoration of this anniversary to reflect the unique character and contributions of each state to the nation over the past 250 years. Ohio is fully embracing this opportunity. The Ohio Commission for the Semiquincentennial (aka America 250-Ohio Commission or AM250-OH) was created by the Ohio legislature and launched on March 1, 2022. The charge of the AM250-OH Commission is “…to plan, encourage, develop, and coordinate the commemoration of the two hundred fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the United States and the impact of Ohioans on the nation’s past, present, and future.”