Outville Hay & Grain Co.’s feed mill operated from 1921 to 1982 and is now a real estate office. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

By Ken Drenten

In this week’s episode of Dusty Tires on the Road, we explore another sampling of Licking County, including the towns of Outville, Pataskala and Granville, as well as a brief tour of Denison University.

Outville, located a few miles north of Kirkersville on Outville Road, was founded when the Central Ohio Railroad was extended to the area in 1853.  At the outset, the railroad named the stop Kirkersville Station, since it was located not far from that village. Stationmaster James Outcalt renamed the town after himself in order to reduce the confusion.

Watch the video above by clicking on the red arrow. If this link does not show up in the email, please click on this link. https://youtu.be/45lSxPKoRwk

A depot was built in 1899 by a successor company, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the depot was closed after 1940. The restored depot building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is located on the grounds of the Harrison Township complex on Outville Road.

Another historic building is The Outville Hay & Grain Co. The feed mill opened for business in 1921 alongside the Pennsylvania and Baltimore & Ohio Railroad tracks and ceased milling operations in 1982.

Doug Smith Realty & Auction Co. purchased and restored the building in the mid-1990s and continues to operate the realty business from the building.

The video also features two popular Pataskala eateries, the Nutcracker Family Restaurant and The Dairy Hut.

Nutcracker Family Restaurant is a ’50s style diner that was originally opened as an ice cream parlor in downtown Pataskala in 1995. The restaurant now has much more to offer at its current location at 63 E. Broad Street (State Routes 16 and 310).

The diner is a time capsule capturing the fun and nostalgia of the 1950s, with a jukebox, red vinyl booths, neon signs and black-and-white checkered flooring. Their comfort food menu includes meatloaf, country fried steak, corned beef hash, towering sandwiches and fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, as well as breakfast all day. Added to this are a well-stocked candy counter, home-baked pies and other desserts, and a large collection of the restaurant’s namesake nutcrackers.

The Dairy Hut, 42 S. Main St., has been serving the community since 1973 with sundaes, splits, shakes, cones, blitzers and ice cream nachos and much more. They also offer sandwiches, burgers, coneys and sides. Hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Sunday through mid-October (closing for the season Oct. 12 in 2025; they will reopen in late March 2026). Connect on Facebook.

A few miles north of the center of Pataskala is Lynd Fruit Farm, in business since 1919 at its Licking County location at SR 310 and Morse Road. Seven generations of the Lynd family have worked at the farm, market and fruit processing operation.

Lynd Fruit Farm is a popular place in the fall with u-pick apples and pumpkins, a corn maze and activities for children and families. Their large farm market has every variety of apple imaginable available (in season) plus all kinds of produce, souvenirs, sauces, preserves, cider and much more.

Farm market hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily through Nov. 2; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday Nov. 2-26.

Then we drive north and east to Granville, which was founded in 1805 by New England settlers, many of whom came from Granville, Massachusetts. The town was planned to closely resemble a New England village.

Granville’s Buxton Inn was established in 1812 as a stagecoach tavern and inn, and has operated continuously since then. (Credit: Sandy Drenten)

Granville is a picturesque town of nearly 6,500 with many historical buildings; in fact, its entire historic district is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Granville Historical Society Museum, 115 E. Broadway, Robbins Hunter Museum, E. 221 Broadway and the Denison Museum, 240 W. Broadway, are all excellent places to learn more about the history of the village and area. Another unique and historic setting is Bryn Du Mansion, a 52-acre estate established in 1905, which hosts public and private events. 

Worthy of note is The Buxton Inn, 313 E. Broadway, established in 1812 as a stagecoach inn. The historic Buxton Inn is one of Ohio’s oldest stagecoach inn/taverns, and has operated continuously since its opening, providing fine dining, drinks and lodging.

Across the street from the Buxton is the Granville Inn, 314 E. Broadway, an elegant estate established in 1924 as a place for weddings, gatherings, banquets, celebrations and overnight lodging. The 39 guest rooms and suites offer authentic details and luxury amenities.

The video driving tour concludes with a look at Denison University, founded in 1831 and now one of the nation’s top-rated liberal arts universities. The university’s 850-acre campus includes more than 70 buildings and has been designated an arboretum with numerous tree species, wildflowers, grasses and wetlands.

Ken Drenten is creator and editor of Dusty-Tires.com, a travel blog for out-of-the-ordinary places in Ohio.

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