New Concord: History, Glenn Museum, and Friendship Trail

New Concord brings together several distinct interests: the life stories of John and Annie Glenn, the history of Muskingum University and William Rainey Harper, and the Friendship Trail. At the John & Annie Glenn Museum, biography and historical perspectives on everyday life go hand in hand; the trail runs through downtown, across the university campus, and through a wooded area. If you’re looking for a hotel in New Concord, these themes can help guide your choice of destination: would you mainly like to explore history, or also shape your stay around a clearly described route?

John & Annie Glenn Museum

Through tours, collections, and galleries, the John & Annie Glenn Museum presents the life story of John and Annie Glenn. Visitors can also experience what life was like during the Great Depression and on the home front during World War II. The focus thus ranges from the couple’s biography to historical perspectives on everyday life in two named eras. This differs from the history of higher education and the biographical legacy William Rainey Harper left in New Concord.

Muskingum University and Harper’s Cabin

The charter for Muskingum University was granted by the Ohio state legislature on March 18, 1837. It provided for the education of the sons of the farming village of New Concord. The date and specific purpose give the university’s history a distinct connection to the town. Another chapter is the story of Harper’s Cabin: the building was constructed in 1834 and is the birthplace of William Rainey Harper. Harper later became the first president of the University of Chicago. The two stories emphasize different aspects: the early founding of an educational institution on the one hand, and a biographical milestone on the other. You can therefore explore New Concord through both institutional history and individual life stories.

Friendship Trail: Route and Stops

The Friendship Trail is nearly 3.5 miles long and runs from Stormont Street in New Concord to the East Muskingum School Complex on John Glenn Road. Its route passes through downtown New Concord, across the Muskingum University campus, and through a wooded area to the New Concord Pool. Friendship Lake is also part of the trail. The description therefore combines an approximate length and named start and end points with several different sections. This gives you more to plan with than a distance alone: downtown, campus, woods, and lake describe different parts of the route. If you’d like to include time for a walk in your trip, the named endpoints and length can help you factor the trail into your plans.

Historic National Road - Ohio

The Historic National Road - Ohio also passes through New Concord, along US 40. This is a different point of reference from the Friendship Trail: the National Road is a named route along a road, while the trail is a dedicated route with a starting point, destination, and several sections. This distinction can help you orient yourself between a road route through town and a clearly described trail.

Choosing New Concord as a Destination

To choose between these themes, first consider whether history or a described route should play a bigger role in your stay. The museum, university, and Harper’s Cabin offer different historical perspectives; the Friendship Trail adds a route with a stated length and named endpoints. Then choose hotels in New Concord based on your personal requirements.

Discover more destinations: Dresden, Zanesville.

See the main travel overview: Muskingum.