Lift Bridge will be closed for approx. 6 months starting March 17, 2008. 

Check "Map" page for detours.

The natural beauty of the area and a rich architectural heritage dominate the Ashtabula Harbor scenic and historic waterfront community.

Each of us who live and work in the Ashtabula Harbor area welcome you to relive the past, enjoy the present, and celebrate the future.

During the summer season, the historic Bascule Lift Bridge along the appropriately named Bridge Street rises on the hour and half hour for pleasure boats making their way to Lake Erie.

Restored public parks, such as Lake Shore Park and Point Park offer views of the Ashtabula Lighthouse and a working harbor.

Charmed themed shoppes on Historic Bridge Street, retail and service establishments along Lake Avenue, and taverns and restaurants throughout the harbor offer something for everyone.

At the turn of the 20th century, Ashtabula Harbor was a bustling port town. Ore and coal docks dominated the landscape making Ashtabula Harbor one of the largest ports in the world.

Huletts or ore unloaders worked 24 hours a day unloading cargo from a ship's hold. Workers needing to keep up with the demand, immigrated from Scandinavia, Italy, England, Scotland and Portugal.

Families made new homes in Ashtabula Harbor and brought unique cultures and traditions from their homelands.

Today, the Marine Museum and Hubbard House Museum celebrate this rich, ethnic heritage. Both museums are open Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the summer season and charge a small fee at the door.

You will be given a personal tour from a very knowledgeable guide and leave with a wealth of information you will not soon forget.

A retail shopping district along Bridge Street is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Many of these buildings built between 1889 and 1910 still retain their tin ceilings, brick walls and corbels and are wonderful examples of ornate adornment that was all the rage.

Lake Avenue is the main thoroughfare between Ashtabula Harbor and downtown Ashtabula. A portion of it leads you from Rt. 531 east to Bridge Street as Rt. 531 continues on to Conneaut. Ohio's 21st Scenic Byway called the Lake Erie Coastal Trail follows Rt. 531, where it cuts through the center of the Harbor. Twenty-seven miles of coastline through Ashtabula County is something you do not want to miss.

Walnut Beach welcomes sunbathers of all ages to frolic in the waves and rest on the sandy beach. Visitors will find a concession stand, pavilions, restrooms, and lifeguards throughout the summer season. Lake Shore Park boasts the longest and oldest pavilion along the Great Lakes. It also has concessions, restrooms, pavilions and lifeguards as well as, a duck pond, a boat launch and disc golf.

Many other attractions sure to be on your list while visiting Ashtabula Harbor and Ashtabula County are our famous 16 covered bridges, more than 15 wineries, numerous bed and breakfasts, the Greenway Trail and our many museums and historic sites.