Hopewell Township
Hopewell Township is in the southeastern quadrant of Licking County. Hanover Township is situated to its north, Muskingum County to the east, Muskingum County and Bowling Green Township to the south, and Franklin Township to the west. The dominant feature of Hopewell Township is the Flint Ridge geological formation. The hills of Flint Ridge have prevented any substantial creeks or rivers from crossing the township, though the origins of several feeders to the Licking River can be found here. The Ridge limited settlement and agricultural development of the area. The only settlement, the small village of Gratiot, lies at the southern border, partly in Licking County and partly in Muskingum County. The township was first settled by Europeans around 1805 and organized in 1814. [1]
Flint Ridge
The remarkable geological feature of Flint Ridge runs for more than seven miles across Hopewell Township and into Muskingum County. The average width is around two miles. There are numerous pits and quarries dug through the area. It is from these pits that native Americans and early European Settlers quarried the striking flintstone of the region from the ground. [2] Today, a large portion of land along Flint Ridge is dedicated as a preserve and historic site. Flint Ridge Ancient Quarries and Nature Preserve possesses hiking trails and a picnic area spread across 533 acres. Evidence of the ancient quarries and workshops remain visible to the eye. [3]
Gratiot
Gratiot was a village established along the route of the National Road, like many of the settlements along the southern border of the county with the Refugee Tracts. Established in 1829 by Adam Smith, Gratiot quickly attained a post office (1831), but the village never grew beyond the modest population that it had attained by the mid-nineteenth century. In 1870, tiny Gratiot had only 154 residents. [4] Gratiot was named for General Charles Gratiot, the man who supervised the construction of the National Road. The village is unusual in that it straddles a county line, being half in Licking County and half in Muskingum County. Even the post office of Gratiot has changed between counties. [5]
For more information see also:
Flint Ridge Ancient Quarries and Nature Preserve website http://www.flintridgeohio.org/home
J.G.
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References
- ↑ Hill, N., History of Licking County, (1881), 480
- ↑ Smucker, I., Centennial history of Licking County, (1876), 9
- ↑ https://www.ohiohistory.org/visit/museum-and-site-locator/flint-ridge-quarries
- ↑ Smucker, I., Centennial history of Licking County, (1876), 21
- ↑ Ohio Ghost Towns: No 44 Licking County, ed. Helwig and Helwig, (1998), 83-84
