Kelleys Island can be reached by ferry (if you don't have your own boat) from Catawba. The question is whether to take the car. The thing to do seems to be to rent a golf cart...many establishments rent them, as well as bicycles. But don't forget your drivers license, as I did. So I walked.
Thankfully, all the touristy stuff is definitely within walking distance, a five minute or so walk from the ferry landing. But one of the main highlights of the island is the Glacier Grooves Geological Preserve, located down Division Street, 1.4 miles from the downtown. The state park and beach is also there. The walk was bearable, and very pretty, but I was hoping to hitch a ride back. No one saw my plea.
The ferry ride from Catawba Island is about 20 minutes long, and there is very little wait time for the next one. They run often. There is a parking fee on the mainland if one decides to walk on. With a car, I would have enjoyed seeing more of the island. All in all, in my opinion, the island is definitely worth the visit.
An interesting feature on the island, in the downtown area, is the Inscription Rock. It is a 32-X 21-foot native rock of limestone thought to have been carved by a tribe of Indians 300 to 400 years ago. The inscriptions, mostly of humans and animals, have been obliterated over time by the elements. It is said the rock was discovered nearly buried in the sand on the south shoreline in 1833. Iin 1850 an Army captain made a detailed relief of the drawings. His relief is pictured below. Tourists throw coins and make cairns on portions of the rock closest to the enclosure. The rock is one of Ohio's most famous rock art sites and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The German Reformed Church was built by the congregation in 1866 using local stone.
Division Street is a main thoroughfare on the island, running north and south between the downtown section and the state park. Many beautiful old homes with crisp landscaping and large stately trees line the street.
The beach and state park are located on the north end of Division Street.
Glacial Grooves Geological Preserve is one of its kind in the world. In fact, it's the most famous because it's so accessible to the public. The grooves were formed starting two million years ago by glaciers making their way south from Canada. Over thousands of years, the climate change from cold to hot and wet to dry carved the grooves into the limestone.
A local group of teens was formed to go into the grooves and clean up debris and chipped pieces of limestone.
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