Field Notes Ohio

Ohio's parks, forests and wildlife areas with camping, the ancient mounds beside them, and the Buckeye Trail that links them. Stories, trails, wildlife, and where to eat and fuel up nearby. Book campsites on ReserveOhio.
Try:
The Buckeye TrailA 1,444-mile blue-blazed loop around Ohio, with all 26 sections.
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Mounds & Earthworks43 ancient sites, including the Great Serpent Mound and the Newark Earthworks.
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Historic Sites39 places, from Fort Steuben and Zoar to Camp Chase and the Rankin House, from the frontier to the Civil War.
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Road Trips33 drives, from the Lincoln Highway to the Morgan Heritage Trail.
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Lake Erie Beaches20 public beaches from Conneaut to Toledo and the islands, with a map.
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Oddities & Roadside Attractions19 giants, ghosts and folk-art stops, plus a Mothman just over the line.
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Caves & Caverns12 show caverns, recess caves and rock shelters, with a map.
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Waterfalls34 falls from the Cuyahoga Valley to the Hocking Hills, with trail notes and a map.
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Explore Ohio

One map for every park, mound, historic site, beach, cave, waterfall and oddity in the app.

Lake ErieWest Virginia27 places277 places77 places73 places35 places519 places1913 places1319 places1916 places168 places810 places1010 places109 places98 places820 places204 places43 places3Barkcamp State Park4 places47 places77 places76 places69 places917 places173 places3Harrison Lake State Park2 places2Forked Run State Park3 places32 places26 places610 places103 places32 places2

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117 parks in 7 regions

World's Largest Bobblehead

West Bellville · Richland County
Giant statue

Visiting information you can trust

Check before driving — this site is seasonal, approximate, privately run, or otherwise uncertain. Confirm hours and access with the official source above.
Content last reviewed
September 2026 — this is when Field Notes Ohio's content was last checked, not a live status.
Location confidence
Approximate — boundary or exact point not confirmed
Approximate location, use the address

Prices, hours, closures, campsite availability and trail conditions shown elsewhere on this page are not live — always confirm with the official source before you go.

A 35-foot Chef Jacques statue behind the Buckeye Express Diner whose head bobbles when the wind blows.

Where
On a hill behind the Buckeye Express Diner
Statue
A restored 35-foot statue named Chef Jacques
Trick
Watch closely: the head bobbles in the wind

The story

Behind the Buckeye Express Diner on State Route 97 in West Bellville, a restored 35-foot statue of a chef called Jacques stands on a hill, and it has been billed as the world's largest bobblehead. When the wind blows, its head bobbles. It is one of those Ohio roadside stops that makes travelers pull over for a photograph and a burger.

The map location is approximate.

Visiting

Status
Roadside view
Hours
Visible from the highway; the diner keeps its own hours.
Cost
Free to look.
Phone
See the diner
Please note
Stop at the diner rather than in the road.
Address
810 State Route 97, Bellville, OH 44813
DirectionsShow on the map

The pin on the map is approximate; use the address for directions.

Hours, prices and even the attractions themselves can change. Confirm before a long drive.

Parks nearby

Malabar Farm State Park
About 15 miles · A working farm state park.
Open
Mohican State Park
About 25 miles · A gorge and canoe river.
Open

Road trips

Johnny Appleseed Historic Byway
A road trip that passes near this stop
Open

Details last checked 2026-09-22. Confirm hours and prices before you go.