Hello, this is my recounting of the last day of my Canton, Ohio adventures, and y’all, let me tell you, I’m glad this trip didn’t end one day earlier, cause I would have missed out on my favorite meal of the adventure.
I woke up and made sure all of my stuff was packed up. I checked multiple bags multiple times, because my OCD kept trying to convince me that I was forgetting something important. Spoiler alert: I didn’t forget anything, but did misplace my earbuds for three days, and my brain had convinced me that somehow I left them in the car or the hotel room despite listening to them all the way until I walked into the house. Good thing I am learning more every day which parts of my brain are worth listening to.
All of that to say, this is the day I was going home, but not before I visited the trolls and ate some pizza.
Before you ask, yes, “The Troll Toll” song was stuck in my head all morning as I made my way to the Troll Hole Museum in Alliance, Ohio. Still in Stark County, Ohio, this unique museum features the (Guinness Book-affirmed) largest collection of trolls in the entire world.
Of course, I had to see it.
And y’all, there were trolls of the movie variety, fat trolls from the 50s variety, Nordic trolls that reminded me of Mugly, and even some homemade trolls made of spray foam. Look, I’ll just show you some pics. Not all the pics though, cause I took a lot:
There were 14 rooms filled from top to bottom with trolls, and it was honestly quite a surreal experience. And they were surprisingly busy for first thing on a Saturday! They also serve coffee and fresh-made stroopwaffels. I didn’t get either because I had a long ride ahead of me and also a pizza. So, I got into a Lyft where I encountered yet another driver who was a delight.
I noticed some patterns with a lot of the folks I talked to on this trip:
- They really loved where they lived. I heard this from drivers, from bartenders, from waitresses, from the hotel people, from the folks at the art museum gift shops. There was just so much pride of place in Stark County, Ohio.
- People are afraid of AI data centers. I DID NOT BRING THIS UP, I PROMISE. Every time I had a conversation about this topic, people were scared. Scared about losing quality of water and the sound pollution, and they just don’t want them anywhere near their town.
- Folks in Canton, Ohio were EXCITED about America 250. I will blame that on all the First Lady stuff and the President McKinley angle. It did feel kind of Stepford-y.
My final stop was my last meal of the trip. But first, I had to go to my hotel room and get all the stuff that I packed up the night before. I was surprisingly organized this trip, which I will blame on Mickey gearing up for a travel job in the weeks before (which he is no longer working, but instead doing something much more fitting for his brain). I definitely left with more than I showed up with. I had a big white shopping bag bursting at the seams with souvenirs, including, but not limited to:
- The Declaration of Independence
- A bottle of Port sealed with red wax
- What has become my new favorite blanket
- I almost didn’t get this and now, in fact, wish I had at least three more.
- A lovely watercolor print of the Saxon McKinley house
- Holy water
And I was about to add two more things to the list:
- Pizza
- The best garlic knots since Pizza Bruno
That place was Mike’s Pizza in Canton, Ohio (obv), and I wrote a whole piece about it for Only In Your State (which I will link here when it goes live… when I remember). So, I won’t get too wordy about it here other than it might have been the best meal of my trip?! There were some specials, and I got two of them, and brought some home to have for dinner and to share with Mickey. A little taste of Canton, you know?
Here is my photographic evidence:
So, that’s my trip! If you want to see me write more formally about this fun part of the country, check out my stuff on Only In Your State. (ugh that feels so weird, but I like what I write there, too. it’s just different. more formal and whatnot.)
