Bellevue is home to three outstanding museums: The Bellevue Historical Society (including the Tremont House), The Mad River & Nickle Plate Railroad Museum, and Historic Lyme Village. Use these quick links to find out more.

Bellevue Historical Society

P.O. Box 304, Bellevue, Ohio 44811-0304
http://www.bellevuehistoricalsociety.com/
http://www.tremonthouse.org/
Facebook: bellevue historical

The City of Bellevue, on the west line of Western Reserve, the west line of Firelands, the west line of Huron County, the west line of Lyme Township, Huron County, and the east line of York Township, Sandusky County, was first settled by Mr. Mark Hopkins and family from Genessee County, New York, and was soon followed by Elnathan George from the same New York home. They built log houses near the crossing of the north and south county line road and the east and west road, now Main street. The third settler was Mr. Return Burlington who located on the York Township side and the new settlement now was named as York Cross Roads.

Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum

253 Southwest Street, Bellevue OH 44811-1377
(419) 483-2222 
www.madrivermuseum.org
Email: madriver@onebellevue.com
Facebook: Mad River NKP Museum

Opened in 1976 as a Bicentennial project, the Mad River is the largest railroad museum in the state of Ohio. The museum showcases a number of historical train engines as well as freight and passenger cars and cabooses.

One of the earliest railroads that ran through Bellevue in 1839 was the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad, and the first engineer of the “Sandusky,” Thomas Hogg. The Mad River & NKP Railroad Society, a non-profit organization, chose this as part of our name when we formed. In 1976 we opened the museum as a lasting bicentennial project. Henry Flagler, who built the Florida East Coast Railroad once lived on the property where the museum is now located.

NKP is the AAR reporting mark for the Nickel Plate Road (New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad Company) which ran through Bellevue from 1882 until 1964 when it merged with the Norfolk & Western Railway. Bellevue was a hub for the Nickel Plate operations and a division point for the railroad’s Buffalo to Chicago route. Bellevue housed the principal classification yards, the largest roundhouse in the system, all maintenance of way equipment for the road, the principal icing station, an engine terminal for both diesel and steam, headquarters of the general superintendent, and facilities that were used by four of the Nickel Plate’s divisions.

An Interesting Video: It’s been 40 years since this modern steam engine has made any trips. In this video it’s heading back to the Historical Train Museum in Bellevue, Ohio currently on the east side of Fremont, Ohio https://youtu.be/zC6L93SbzTA

And thanks to Brenda for taking the time to share these great photos of the museum (and her dog!).

National Postmark Museum

Located in Lyme Village
Email: g2hslm@msn.com
http://www.postmarks.org/museum/

The Margie Pfund Memorial Postmark Museum and Research Library (also known as the National Postmark Museum or PMCC Museum) is located near Bellevue, Ohio in the Historic Lyme Village. The library is available to club members for postal history research. The Post Mark Collectors Club is organized to encourage postmark collecting and the study of postal history, and to provide support for the Museum and Library. The goal of the museum is to provide education about postmarks and preserve postmark history. The Museum’s holdings comprise the largest single collection of postmarks in the world, with nearly two million philatelic and postal history items in all.