WestLiberty

Located on the southern edge of Logan County, about halfway between Bellefontaine and Urbana, on U.S. 68, in the heart of the "Simon Kenton Corridor" is West Liberty. This peaceful village on the Mad River in Mac-O-Chee Valley (meaning "Smiling Valley" in the language of the Shawnee), was once the homeland of such colorful historical figures as the frontiersmen, General Simon Kenton, Daniel Boone, Isaac Zane, Col. Alexander McKee, and the renegade Simon Girty.

Feared Indian chiefs such as Blue Jacket, Moluntha, Tarhe, Tecumseh, Blackhoof and Chief Cornstalk's sister, the Grenadier Squaw, also made this area their home. One of the state's most noted early frontiersman, Simon Kenton, was captured by the Shawnee living in this area and was forced to run the gauntlet.

Mad River

One of Ohio's few freshwater trout streams is located just minutes from town and is called the Mad River. The Mad River is a spring creek and flows from just north of West Liberty down through Springfield and has provided excellent trout fishing.

The Mad River received its first stocking of brook trout in the late-1800s and was stocked with rainbows beginning in 1884. The Ohio Division of Wildlife started its own program in 1931 and continued adding rainbows until 1984, when it turned to stocking only brown trout. The Division annually stocks 10,000 to 15,000 browns in the 6" - 8" range. Some of the Mad River browns have grown huge. Books have been written about fishing the Mad River.

Annual Fire Sale in West Liberty

On Thursday, May 13, 1880 the majority of the downtown area that can be seen today was lost to what will long be remembered as "the day of the fire." The fire began in the stable of Mrs. Lyman Cook and soon spread to the main part of town. This event is remembered in May when West Liberty marks the event with a village wide garage and sidewalk sale, known as "The Annual Fire Sale".

 

Piatt Castles

After the Civil War, General A.S. Piatt returned home to West Liberty with plans to build a 30 room Norman-French style Chateau located just west of town. His home became known as Mac-o-Cheek Castle. Later, his brother, Civil War Col. Donn Piatt built his Flemish style Chateau, Mac-O-Chee, next to the Pioneer House in 1879.

Located just a mile or so east of West Liberty on SR 245, the limestone castles are about 1 mile apart and are open for interpretive tours that take visitors through these historic homes that are furnished much as they were in the mid to late 1800s. Open hours vary and visitors should check beforehand.

Mac-A-Cheek Castle Ten years earlier, Donn’s younger brother, Abram Sanders Piatt was a widower newly remarried to Eleanor Watts Piatt when he finished his limestone mansion named Mac-A-Cheek . The two buildings sit a mile apart on opposite ridges of the Mac-A-Cheek valley. The names of the homes, the valley, and the stream that runs through it are all derived from the word, Macachack, the name of a Shawnee village that was located there in the late 1700s.

Mac-O-Chee Castle was home to Donn Piatt the older brother of Abram S. Piatt. The framed portion of the building was erected prior to 1824 and the stone additions were built between 1879 and 1881.

Ohio Caverns

The public first got a glimpse of the caverns underneath the hills of northern Ohio in 1897 when a local farm boy tried to find out where the water was going as it was drained out of the field. After digging down several feet he found an opening to a cave. That was the first exploration that soon opened up an underground exploration that eventually would be called Ohio Caverns and captured the nickname as being the most beautiful of all Ohio caves.

In 1925 a larger, more extensive cave system was discovered. As sediment was removed by hand and buckets, the cave system that we see today began to reveal itself. This newer section had a variety of calcium deposits that formed both stalactite and stalagmite formations. In many areas the walls are covered with rust colorations that providing dramatic compositions.

Ohio Caverns is still an active cave system meaning that the formations are still being formed from the continuous drip of water. Our guide pointed out one particular formation of a stalactite on top and the mirror image stalagmite on the bottom were almost touching. The two formations were just 1/16" apart yet he said it would take another 40 years for the two to join and become a column.

In other areas there were columns hanging from the ceiling and stopping in mid air. Visitors actually had to duck to pass underneath. It was explained that when the cave was excavated, the sediment had to be removed to complete the passageway, yet the formation was preserved, leaving it suspended.

Today the 35 acre park is open year round except for Christmas and Thanksgiving. The cave temperature is a year round 54 degrees. Most of the cave tour is relatively flat except for descending a set of stairs at the beginning, but at the end of the tour you're faced with a climb of 65 steps that bring you back to the surface.

A park is located directly above the cavern and contains shelter houses, picnic tables, gemstone mine and a playground. A souvenir and gift shop is located within the entrance building. A courteous and attentive staff is at your service.

Ohio Caverns Gift Shop

Guided Tours

9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (April - October)
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (November - March)

Location

Ohio Caverns
2210 State Route 245
E West Liberty, OH 43357