West Jefferson, Ohio

Formerly a trading post on a dirt road leading to Columbus, Ohio, West Jefferson is now a slice of Americana on the original National Road – Route 40.

The village, named after Thomas Jefferson, benefited from the expansion of Route 40 into a 4-lane highway in 1940. It quickly became a gathering point for business people and farmers.

West Jefferson is home to a campus of the Battelle Memorial Institute, one of America's primary research laboratories.

The bordering Big Darby Creek provides a protected natural habitat for examples of some of Ohio’s endangered wildlife as well as recreational opportunities such as nearby Praire Oaks Metro Park.

Major attractions include:

• the West Jefferson Ox Roast;
  
• the West Jefferson Farmer's Market;
  
• the Fourth of July Streetfest;
  
• Converse and Garrette Parks;
  
• Christmas in the Park, with nearly 300,00 lights, it's one of the nation’s largest free Christmas lighting exhibitions;
  
• Prairie Oaks Metro Park;
  
• Battelle Darby Metro Park; and
• Ann & Tony’s Restaurant, a true destination restaurant.