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Ross County

Ross County was the 6th county formed from the Northwest Territory. James Ross was a Federalist politician and friend of governor Arthur St. Clair.

Ohio's First Capital

Ross County's first courthouse was also Ohio's first statehouse. The courthouse was erected on the Public Square in 1801. Thomas Worthington, on of the building's superintendents, laid out the foundation. Chillicothe was the last capital of the Northwest Territory, and the final session of the territorial legislature met in the courthouse in 1801.

Ohio's first constitution was written in the courthouse in 1802. On March 1, 1803, Ohio's first General Assembly convened in the building, making it the statehouse.

Tecumseh, the Shawnee leader, delivered a speech in the courthouse in 1807 to reassure citizens that the Indians would remain peaceful.

The courthouse served as the statehouse from 1803 - 1810 and again from 1812 - 1816.

Great Seal State Park

The Great Seal State Park is located in Ross County about 5 miles northeast of Chillicothe on Marietta Pike. The park is about 1,864 acres in size.

2006 Fire

It was July 17th 2006 when the fire trucks rolled into historic downtown Chillicothe. A fire was already ravaging the historic buildings at 29 and 33 East 2nd Street. The buildings had been built in 1892. The fire department worked at saving what was possible, The Majestic Theater was next door.

When it was over, the Historic Theater had been spared but the outer structures of the other 2 buildings were all that was standing. During the next month a decision was made that the damaged buildings would need to come down.

By the end of August, demolition had begun and to everyone's surprise a Mail Pouch chewing tobacco ad appeared as the brick walls came down.

The historic sign, which has long been seen on barns throughout southern Ohio, had been painted on the side of the 25 E. Second Street building some time between 1880 and 1892. When the building at 29 E. Second was built, the sign was sealed off. The owner, Wilbur Poole stood in the charred bricks that had been his building and looking up at the newly uncovered sign and said “There’s more history in that (sign) than there ever was in these two buildings.”

The old mural was cleaned and sealed, preserving it for other generations to enjoy and appreciate a piece of Americana tradition.

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Chillicothe Ohio

Tshilikauthee- Chalaakaatha – Chelecothe – Chillicothe! A name with a special sound and meaning chosen from the Shawnee Indian language and denoting its meaning- “principal town.” Founded in 1796 by Colonel Nathaniel Massie, just above the confluence of Paint Creek and the Scioto River, he laid out the village to be called Chillicothe.

The construction of the Ohio-Erie Canal in 1831 made Chillicothe a major canal port and offered Ross County farmers to ship their crops to markets far from southern Ohio. The canal system combined with the construction of the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad attracted many new settlers from Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. One of these settlers was Colonel Daniel Mead, who purchased a paper making plant in 1890 eventually becoming the nationally known Mead Corporation – now NewPage.

Today, just south of Chillicothe on 3 Locks Road, you can still see large portions of the canal in tack. Although this area has not been developed as a tourist destination, it is still interesting to see the path the canal took along the road. Much of the area is dotted with houses and mobile homes.

Chillicothe

Statehouse Bell First Statehouse in Chillicothe

Chillicothe was Ohio's other capital city. Actually, it was the first and third capital of the state. When Ohio first became a state, the Ross County courthouse became the statehouse. At left is the bell that hung in the courthouse and was rung when Ohio became a state in 1803. That bell is on display in the Ohio Historical Center in Columbus.

Here visitors will find an abundance of history related to the origins of Ohio as a state. There are numerous attractions ranging from raceways to historical districts to fill your days and fine dining and accommodations to fill your evenings. Chillicothe has all the amenities a visitor would expect to find in a town relying on tourism as one of its major economic sources.

Rich in history and culture, Chillicothe has a lot to offer tourists and townsfolk alike. One of the things you won't see without a little digging around, are the underground tunnels that crisscrossed through the old city district. You've probably heard of the Underground Railroad used by escaping slaves during the 19th Century. Well, in Chillicothe, there was actually underground tunnels used just for that purpose.

Escaping slaves had bounties on their heads for their return. Bounty hunters would roam the country side, especially in areas near the Ohio River where the escaping slaves would more likely be found. The tunnels were used to hide the slaves when bounty hunters were in the neighborhood.

TOSRV Riders Pass by County Courthouse

TOSRV bike riders pass by the Ross County Courthouse

James M. Thomas Museum: Located in the Chillicothe Telephone office building, the James M. Thomas Museum is a unique museum with a collection of telephone directories dating back 100 years. The museum also features antique telephone equipment including a magneto switchboard, wooden conduit, and various telephones and related equipment. Thomas established one of the earliest telephone companies in Chillicothe.

68 E. Main Street
Chillicothe, Ohio 45601
(740) 772-8200

Ross County Historical Society

Ross County Historical Society's Heritage Center: The Ross County Historical Society's Heritage Center, as it is now called, is a combination of the original museum which is now joined to the McKell Library. The Heritage Center explores the complete history of Ohio, with particularly interest in surrounding areas.

45 West Fifth Street
Chillicothe, Ohio 45601
(740) 772-1936

Yoctangee Park:

Yoctangee Park

Pump House, Chillicothe

Pump House Center for the Arts: Located on Enderlin Circle in beautiful Yoctangee Park. The Art Center has art shows and exhibits throughout the year and a beautiful gift shop open year-round. The 1882 historical brick building offers tours and rentals. Free Admission.

Chillicothe Railroad Museum

Chillicothe Railroad Museum: A unique railroad museum housed in 2 restored B&O Cabooses, one of which has been restored to its original 1927 condition. Tour each of the B&O cabooses, one a C-2115 and the other a C-3893, which contain various artifacts and items related to railroad history. Displays include a model train with a village set up, a 1900 B&O railroad map, a B&O engine bell and morse code equipment.

Yoctangee Park
Chillicothe, Ohio

Majestic Theater

Majestic Theatre: The Majestic Theatre has been in continuous operation since 1853. The Majestic offers theatrical productions, concerts, special events and movies. Tours of the theatre are available through advance notice. The theatre is also available for rent.

45 East 2nd Street
Chillicothe, Ohio 45601

Lucy Hayes Birthplace

Lucy Hayes Birthplace: She was Ohio's first lady as her husband served 3 terms as Ohio's governor. Her husband's military comrades called her Mother Lucy. The press called her Lemonade Lucy, and the world recognized her by the title First Lady for the first time in American history. Her name was Lucy Webb before she married Rutherford B. Hayes, who would later become the 19th President of the United States. See where the first woman to be called First Lady, was born. After serving as First Lady, she also garnered another nickname: Lemonade Lucy because she refused to serve alcohol at social affairs while in the Whitehouse.

Nearby attractions include:

Hopewell Mounds Hopewell Indian Mounds: This National Park is dedicated to the ancient culture of the Hopewell Indians and allows visitors to walk around the historic Indian Mounds.

16062 State Rt. 104
Chillicothe, Ohio 45601

Adena Mansion and State Memorial: This is the estate of Thomas Worthington, one of the first United States Senators from Ohio and an early founder of Ohio. Thomas and his wife Eleanor, raised ten children on the Adena hilltop that overlooks the Scioto River Valley. The house has 20 rooms, 3 large halls and 16 fireplaces.

847 Adena Road
Chillicothe, Ohio 45601

Seip Mound: The Hopewell Indians (100 BC-AD 500) built Seip Mound for burials. This culture had a highly developed craft industry, as is evidenced by artifacts found with bodies in the burial site. Seip Mound is located southwest of Chillicothe on US50.

Tecumseh Historical Drama: Throughout the summer in Chillicothe visitors have the opportunity to experience the Tecumseh-Historical Outdoor Drama. This nightly show depicts the life story of the legendary Shawnee leader, Tecumseh. Also on site is the Tecumseh Restaurant Terrace, the Prehistoric Indian Mini-Museum, gift shop, and for those interested, a backstage tour. Break a leg.

5968 Marietta Road
Chillicothe, Ohio 45601