Campbell Hill

The highest points of many states in the US, especially those west of the Mississippi River, are lofty mountain peaks. In some of the flatter states of the Midwest, though, a state’s highest point may be in an unexpected location.

Ohio’s highest point, Campbell Hill at 1549 feet above sea level, is on the grounds of a vocational-technical school, the Hi-Point Career Center. The school grounds were once home to the Bellefontaine Air Force Station and the 664th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron. The unit ran an early-warning radar installation. The base closed in 1969, and the school was founded on the site in 1974.

The highest point is at the end of the paved driveway that curls up to the top of the hill at the flagpole, with the survey marker at the flagpole’s base. One can sign the guestbook and take a certificate in a nearby brick post. The school is closed on Sundays, but can be visited during business hours Monday through Saturday.