Prehistory of Licking County
The history of Licking County begins nearly 14,000 years ago when the area was still covered by a giant glacier. [1] Near the end of the last Ice Age, the glacier began to retreat and Ohio's climate grew warm and greenery began to takeover the area. During that time, animals wandered into the area, including mastodons, giant beavers and sloths, and saber toothed cats, searching for food. Soon after, the first people came to inhabit the area called Paleoindians, named by scientists to mean really old Indians. [1] These Paleoindians were hunters who survived by hunting and following the herds of animals as they settled across Ohio. They hunted with spear like weapons called atlatl. The Paleoindian culture dominated the area for nearly 6,000 years while the climate continued to grow warmer still. [1]
The history of county picks back up again about 2000 years ago when the area was occupied by the Hopewell Indians. They lived on the land for a number of years, before disappearing for no apparent reason. They left behind a countless number of mounds in the Great Circle, the largest named Earthworks. [2] Ohio is reported to contain more remains of the Mound Builders than any other state, with Licking County being one of the most prominent locations. After the Hopewell Indians came the Wyandotte, Shawnee and Delaware Indians who settled in the area" It is believed that it was during this time that Licking County got it's name from the salt licks that littered the banks of the river.
Soon after, English settlers from the east came to explore the area. Christopher Gist was the first white man to set foot in Licking County in 1751. [3] He came as a member of the Ohio Company of Virginia, and crossed the Licking River near the mouth of Bowling Green Run, about four miles east of Newark. After the came John H. Phillips, and his two younger brothers, and Thomas and Eramus, immigrants from Wales. John H. was supposedly skirting the law, and left the country to avoid arrest. Together the men purchased 2000 acres of land in the northeast corner, now Granville. Two other early settlers, Elias Hughes and John Ratliff brought their families to settle in the Bowling Green region, east of present day Newark in 1798. [4] Newark was the first permanent settlement in Licking County established in 1802.
Artifacts
Earthworks
Located in XXX, the Newark Earthworks are the largest geometric earthworks in the world. [5]
Flint Ridge
Where is Flint Ridge?
Moundbuilders Indians
Background on the Native Americans
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Hite, A. (1997, February 6). Prehistoric People of Ohio and Licking County. Ace News.
- ↑ Rutter, C. (2008). A Brief History of Licking County. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
- ↑ Rutter, C. (2008, January 1). A Brief History of Licking County. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
- ↑ Hall, L. (1983, October 23). On land where buffaloes once roamed, early settlers founded town of Newark. The Newark Advocate, p. 1D.
- ↑ Stare, F. (2002, February 10). Newark, Licking County home of many firsts. The Newark Advocate.
