Oak Harbor’s rural community has access to water and recreation
Located along Portage River, Oak Harbor is a small village around 12 miles west of Port Clinton and the Lake Erie shoreline. Parks and natural recreation keep the community active, to go along with a small downtown retail and dining area. “The town is very quaint, with a lot of farm fields,” says Glenda Owens, a real estate agent with Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, who has about 8 years of experience. “It’s known as a get-away area. Everyone enjoys it because you’re not commercialized like in the cities. It has its own conveniences, but it’s also out in the country.”
Single-family homes spanning centuries
Most homes in Oak Harbor are lined along residential streets and accompanied by grassy front lawns dotted with mature trees. Narrow sidewalks line both sides of the road and street parking is common for those without a driveway. “It’s very reasonably priced. You can get a nice condo on the water for half the price in Port Clinton. In town, you’ll see more single-family homes,” Owens says. Two-story Victorian homes are common, built between the 1860s and the 1930s. Some properties have a more traditional design, while others resemble farmhouses or Dutch cottages – most Victorian homes have simple exteriors, pointed roofs and a front porch. Prices range from $120,000 to $260,000. Midcentury ranch-style homes have a similar cost.
Contemporary single-story homes are another popular housing style. These properties are newer, built between the 1990s and 2000s, and have Craftsman features such as front gables, pointed roofs and brick or stone accents. Most of the newly constructed homes in Oak Harbor from the 2020s are multistory Colonial Revivals. These newer properties are priced between $225,000 and $400,000.
Village parks and recreation along Portage River
Veterans Memorial Park is one of the larger green spaces, with four baseball/softball diamonds, five basketball courts and two tennis courts. There’s also a playground area, a skate park and a hill that’s used for sledding in the winter. Pet owners can visit Veterans Park Backyard Dog Park. Adolphus Kraemer Park has a grassy lawn and log cabin that’s often used to host events – where visitors can pose with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny during the holidays. The park also hosts a summer concert series on Sunday evenings. Oak Harbor Golf Club is a public, 18-hole course located south of the river.
The Portage River flows through the area. Kayaking, paddleboarding and fishing are all allowed on the water. A handful of campgrounds and marinas are found farther east. Additionally, the area is surrounded by various Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge areas. The Turtle Creek Island and Middle Toussaint locations are about 7 miles north of Oak Harbor. Visitors can go bird watching, hunting and fishing through Toussaint’s prairie habitat. The Little Portage and Turkey Run locations are to the east with hiking through the marshland. “The area is known for birdwatching. There are birds that migrate here at a certain point in the year, and they’ll only come to this area, so it draws people,” Owens says.
Retail and restaurants in downtown Oak Harbor
Dozens of shops and restaurants are found in Oak Harbor’s downtown area, along state Route 163. There’s a hardware store, auto parts store and a couple of clothing stores like The Clothing Corral. The Riverside Roost is a casual cafe serving both breakfast and lunch dishes. Black Swamp Tavern is a local watering hole and Pisanello’s Pizza is a regional chain. A handful of fast-food eateries are also found in the area, including McDonald’s and Taco Bell. For grocery shopping and pharmacy essentials, residents can head to Community Markets. “You literally only have your gas stations and a dollar general, so for your major shopping, you’re going into Port Clinton,” Owens says. “It gives you that old-town feeling more than anything else that’s commercialized.”
Bringing the community together for events
Oak Harbor’s community celebrates a handful of events throughout the year. The Oak Harbor Apple Festival is one of the more popular ones, taking place in October. "Our downtown area comes to life in living color during the apple festival. Folks from all over come to visit to eat from the food carts and shop from local vendors," says Lisa Deuschle, a real estate agent with Street Sotheby’s International Realty, who has over 15 years of experience. Festivalgoers can participate in a cornhole tournament, run a 5k, compete in a baking competition and enjoy a parade. About 3 miles east of the village, the Ottawa County Fairgrounds hosts the Ottawa County Fair every July. Events include rodeos, a demolition derby, horse racing and livestock sales.
Benton-Carroll-Salem public schools
Oak Harbor is served by the Benton-Carroll-Salem School District, which offers open enrollment and has over 1,300 students across its three schools. R.C. Waters Elementary School earns a B-plus grade from Niche and Oak Harbor Intermediate School has an A-minus. Oak Harbor High School receives a B-minus and offers a Health Careers Academy and courses in Agriculture Education. "The high school has a 'bring your tractor to school' day, and the rural kids just love bringing their tractors in," Deuschle says. All three schools are recognized as a Purple Star School for their support of military families.
Oak Harbor’s multiple options for navigating the area
There are multiple ways of getting around Oak Harbor. The town’s sidewalk repair and maintenance program is working to improve public sidewalks and increase walkability. Biking is another option. Ohio state Route 19, known as Locust Street, travels north and south through the area. Commuters can also use Ohio state Route 163, which travels east and west and heads to Port Clinton. The Erie-Ottawa International Airport is roughly 17 miles away.
