Boston Store Trailhead

The main entrance to Boston Store is just beyond the trailhead information kiosk.

NPS / Arrye Rosser

Quick Facts

Location:

Accessible parking only at 1550 Boston Mills Road, Peninsula, Ohio 44264. Others park nearby at Boston Trailhead, 1508 Boston Mills Road.

Significance:

Boston Store Trailhead provides limited mobility access on the east side of the Cuyahoga River in the Boston Mills Historic District.

Designation:

Buckeye Trail; Ohio and Erie Canal District; Ohio and Erie Canalway National Heritage Area; Ohio to Erie Trail; Industrial Heartland Trail Network, Boston Mills Historic District

Amenities

17 listed

Accessible Sites, Audio Description, Baby Changing Station, Benches/Seating, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Information - Maps Available, Information Kiosk/Bulletin Board, Picnic Table, Recycling, Restroom, Restroom - Accessible, Toilet - Flush, Trailhead, Trash/Litter Receptacles, Water - Bottle-Filling Station, Water - Drinking/Potable, Wheelchair Accessible

The village of Boston grew up alongside a canal on the east side of the Cuyahoga River and a railroad on the west side of the river. Boston Store Trailhead provides limited mobility parking on the east side. This small trailhead does not accommodate over-sized vehicles.

When the Ohio & Erie Canal arrived in 1827, Boston grew from a small frontier hamlet to a busy canal town. The village bustled with a boatyard, brickyard, blacksmith shop, lumberyard, and mills. The trailhead is adjacent to Boston Store. Built in 1835, the building housed the Boston Land and Manufacturing Company Store during the canal era. Today, it is a refreshment stop with locally prepared food, snacks, and gifts.

People with limited mobility may also access the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail from this trailhead. The towpath is a relatively flat trail with a firm surface that is accessible for people with wheelchairs. Head north and cross Boston Mills Road to find outdoor exhibits about canal boat building. Lock 32 is another 0.1 miles to the north.

Boston Store

6 Images

Speculating on the rising fortunes of the Ohio & Erie Canal, the Kelley brothers built the Boston Store around 1836. Built as a store (literally to "store" objects, today's warehouse), the building's second floor was a warren of 13 rooms built to be boarding rooms for workers in the area. The building went on to become a post office, a private residence, and the park's visitor center before becoming a store once more.