Walkable Wonders: AJ's Heavenly Pizza & the American Civil War Museum of Ohio

Join Marketing intern and new ’Berg alum Em Swain, ’22, as they visit local businesses only a short walk away from Heidelberg University’s campus. It's Walkable Wonders, our summer web series!

Happy Fourth of July Weekend!

In celebration of the U.S.A., I partook in the two most American things I can think of: eating an entire AJ’s pizza on my own and visiting a small-town American history museum. AJ’s Heavenly Pizza is one of my favorite restaurants in Tiffin – it was the first restaurant my family ate at when I moved in as a freshman. I cannot speak highly enough of it. This was the first time I visited The American Civil War Museum of Ohio, located across the street from AJ’s. I’ve been talking about visiting it for years, and I’m happy to have finally made the time. With both locations, the affordability cannot be beaten! I spent less than $11 on the trip as a whole and walked back home full of pizza and Union pride.

AJ’s Heavenly Pizza

AJ’s is owned and operated by John Hill (the “J” in AJ’s). Members of the Heidelberg community are frequent patrons of AJ’s Pizza because of its close location and affordability for large quantities of pizza! AJ’s is the “Home of the Jumbo” – a pizza that measures 17 by 24 inches. That’s nearly 3 square feet of pizza – for $22 (for comparison – the same square footage of pizza from a popular chain pizza shop is around $35.) 

My favorite thing about AJ’s is the sauce. I’m not someone who enjoys a super acidic pizza sauce. AJ’s sauce is made with red bell peppers. When the pizza’s cold, you can really taste the bell pepper (which I enjoy) – but when it’s hot, you only really taste the sweetness that the peppers add. AJ’s sells pop by the cans in the storefront, which is something I always prefer over a two-liter. The meal I get is a 10-inch cheese pizza and a can of Dr Pepper – it’s enough to fill me up, but not too much that my friends ask for a slice. Just writing about it makes me want to go back and get some for dinner.

AJ’s Heavenly Pizza is located a 13-minute walk from the center of campus, at the corner of South Washington Street and Main Street. For more information, or to order online, visit their website.

The American Civil War Museum of Ohio

The American Civil War Museum of Ohio is a nonprofit organization in downtown Tiffin, whose mission is to share information about Ohio’s involvement in the Civil War. The museum is arranged chronologically, beginning with an exhibit about the socio-political forces that contributed to the South’s secession, and ending with an exhibit in the basement about the reconstruction, complete with a documentary, “Ohio's Role in the Civil War,” and a library.

I enjoyed visiting the American Civil War Museum of Ohio! To go alone was an almost meditative experience, interrupted occasionally by my interest in the crossword puzzles and coloring pages they had at every exhibit. I got to spend a lot of time in the library, going through the museum’s book of Civil War-era songs, which I remembered pretty well from middle school choir. In all, I spent about 90 minutes at the museum – but I didn’t even stay to watch the documentary! It was a great way to refresh my knowledge of our nation’s history in time for Independence Day. Next time I visit, I fully plan to bring some of my roommates or my family members – I know they’ll be as invested as I was in the battle diorama in the basement.

The American Civil War Museum of Ohio is a 13-minute walk from the center of campus. It’s located on South Washington Street, in what was formerly Tiffin’s post office. You’ll know you’re there by the cannons stationed out front. 

Admission is $3 for students, $6 for adults, and free for kids under 6. The museum is open from noon-4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays. They’re currently hosting a visiting exhibit from the Hayes Presidential Library & Museums. For more information about their exhibits and events, check out their website.