USA > Ohio > Scioto County > Scioto sketches; an account of discovery and settlement of Scioto County, Ohio > Part 6
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The big game of North America has been driven into the Rocky Mountains and the dense forests and muskegs of the North. And, only the most thorough
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protection by federal and state governments will pre- vent final extermination. The promise of such protec- tion seems bright, however.
XIII PREHISTORIC MOUNDS
The pioneers of Portsmouth found many prehis- toric earthworks in this vicinity; but the development of the city, and the cultivation of gardens and farms, has obliterated many of them. Others have been so leveled by plowing, that they may be traced only with diffi- culty. So great was the interest in these earthworks, however, that the principal ones were carefully sur- veyed long before they were altered or obliterated.
The earliest survey was made by the historian, Caleb Atwater. The plat of his survey, published first in 1820 and again in 1833,* shows the mounds and earthworks, on both sides of the Ohio, in the vicinity of the mouth of the Scioto. It further shows the locations of Alexan- dria and Portsmouth. Atwater has told us that the set- tlers, even prior to 1820, opened the graves of the In- dians for relics. In the walls of the old fort in Ken- tucky, a cache was found, containing "pick-axes, shov- els and gun-barrels evidently secreted there by the French, when they fled from the victorious and com- bined forces of England and America, at the time Fort Du Quesne, afterwards Fort Pitt, was taken from them."
Atwater described the parallel walls of earth that formerly extended eastwardly from the Scioto bank, thence northwardly to the earthworks on Grant Street in Portsmouth.
*American Antiquarian Society, Vol. I (1820).
The Writings of Caleb Atwater (1833).
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"Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley," a Smithsonian report already referred to, contains a very elaborate plat of the system of earthworks in the vicin- ity of Portsmouth, with separate plats, showing each group in detail. The value of this report is in its preser- vation of data, respecting such earthworks. The sur- veys, however, are not always accurate or complete, and the text does not disclose much scientific knowledge of archæology. This report, made in 1847, states that twenty miles of embankments, forming approximate parallel lines, were built in this vicinity by some prehis- toric race. The ancient earthworks of the Ohio and Scioto valleys, in the vicinity of Portsmouth, constituted a group of unusual value for the study of archæology. These earthworks were commonplace to the pioneer and early settler; for they saw them every day. For this reason, these monuments were neither appreciated nor preserved.
Probably, the most interesting of them are the works in Kentucky, opposite the mouth of the Scioto, known locally as the "old fort." An excellent descrip- tion of them may be found in the American Journal of Archæology, Vol. III, Nos. 3 and 4. These works consist of several small mounds, an effigy of a bear, and a square with two sets of lines, nearly parallel, extend- ing westerly from the northwest corner of the square and easterly from the center of its east wall. The walls of the square range in thickness from forty-five to sixty feet, and in height from eight to twelve feet. There are six entrances to the square, and an area of 13.20 acres is embraced within its inner lines. The easterly parallel lines are about 2,000 feet in length, 20 to 32 feet in width, and from one and one-half to three feet in height. The westerly lines are about 1,100 feet long, 35 feet in width, and from two and a half to three and « half feet high.
PORTSMOUTH
GROUP .
B.
Third Terrace
0
0
Lane.
Cemetery.
Rond ...
Naturel Elevation
Second Terrace.
SCALE.
Sections.
300 ft to the Inch. ..
.7
f.
Surveyed by E.G Squier and & H. Davis.
GROUP OF INDIAN EARTHWORKS IN PORTSMOUTH
This group was situated east of Greenlawn Cemetery. From Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley
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In 1886, the south wall of this ancient work was destroyed by engineers, who constructed a railroad through it. The railroad might just as well have been located a short distance north of this wall. The excuse given for the destruction of the ancient wall was the preservation of an ancient barn. Possibly the real reason was that the earth, removed, could be economi- cally utilized in making a fill.
Though this earthwork was probably known to white men, a century before the settlement of the Ohio Valley, the first authentic knowledge of it is derived from a letter, written from Fort Harmar on January 5, 1791, by Major Jonathan Heart, in which he states that prehistoric earthworks exist "along the Scioto to its junction with the Ohio, opposite which, on the Virginia side, are extensive works, which have been accurately traced by Colonel George Morgan."
The group of earthworks at the corner of Grant and Hutchins streets in Portsmouth has been partly pre- served. Originally it consisted of several small circular mounds and two horseshoe mounds of considerable size. What remains of this prehistoric group is within the boundaries of a plat of land that has been recently set aside for park purposes.
The Indian mounds and walls in the vicinity of Portsmouth were so characteristic that every means should have been exerted to preserve them. For science and from sentiment, they should have been kept intact. For those who consider material things only, it may be well to add, that the preservation of these earthworks would have contributed more to the real worth and im- portance of Portsmouth and Scioto County than the use of their sites for building purposes. The statutes of Ohio delegate ample power for the purchase, and setting aside for park purposes, of lands historically valuable. No doubt, what these lands would have actu-
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ally cost has been frivolously wasted thousands of times. Had they been purchased years ago, the municipality would today have a property whose intrinsic value is beyond all price.
The purpose that these ancient earthworks were to serve is subject to much speculation. It has been urged that they could not have been defensive purposes; be- cause the Indians' method of warfare was open. Yet Celoron mentions the building of a fort by the Indians, and, in describing an Indian dance, Gist writes that they danced "quite round the fort." That many of them were used as burial sites and places for the cremation of the dead is certain; that some of them were for cere- monial purposes is probable.
The white man found many crude drawings of the figures of men and beasts on the rocks, along the Guyan- dotte and Ohio rivers. Of course it is not positive whether these pictures were the work of Indians or of some tribes that preceded the Indians. On the Ken- tucky shore, about opposite the foot of Bond Street, there still stands one of these inscribed rocks, known as the "Indian's head." A hundred years ago, this rock, and the Indian head cut on it, could be seen when the river was low. But, owing to changes in the channel of the river, the rock is now visible only when the river is exceedingly low. And the face, carved on the rock, is beneath the water, even at its lowest stages. On Sep- tember 9; 1894, the Ohio River was so low that about two feet of the rock was above the surface of the water; and the Indian head was about ten inches below the surface of the water. The head could be easily traced with the hand; and, at evening, when the setting sun shone fairly on the water, above the sculpture, the Indian head was plainly visible, beneath the waters. Doubt has been expressed as to this figure's being the work of ancient tribes. There is a tradition that stone
PORTSMOUTH
WORKS
AT THE MOUTH OF THE SCIOTO RIVER. Constructed by E.G. Squier, 1847.
Hills.
Chillicothe.
O
B.
010135
n
Ancient
PORTSMOUTH
Liner of Emhaarkment.
H 1 0
0
A
V
Lines
D
Hill.
Raud to arcenupsburgh.
High Til,
SCALE
One Mile to the lach .
MAP OF INDIAN EARTHWORKS IN THE VICINITY OF PORTSMOUTH The original outlet of the Scioto River is properly located on this map. From Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley
Gallipolis Road.
Road
Lines
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was quarried from the hill above it, during pioneer days, and that a quarryman carved the Indian face. Squier and Davis thus described it in 1847:
"It consists of a colossal human head cut in outline, upon the vertical face of a large rock extending into the river. It is always under water, except when the river is at its very lowest stages, and is not exposed oftener than once in four or five years. It is familiarly known as the 'Indian's head,' and is regarded as a sort of river gauge or meter. When the water line is at the top of the head, the river is considered very low."
The exploration of the Tremper mound has added much to the archæology of Scioto County. This Indian mound contained crematories, depositories where cre- mated remains were buried, and fire places in which sacred fires formerly burned. One hundred and thirty- six prehistoric pipes were taken from this mound; many of them being effigies of animals and birds. The animal pipes represented: black bear, mountain lion, fox, dog, wolf, raccoon, otter, wildcat, beaver, porcupine, opos- sum, mink, rabbit, and squirrel. Among the birds, were: eagle, hawk, parrakeet, owl, heron, crane, duck, quail, kingfisher, blue jay, and crow. The carvings on these effigies were made by a people of more than ordinary intelligence; for the art of the sculptor was well devel- oped among them. The carving is delicately executed and the art displayed, in working these pipes, is superior to that shown by any other ancient Indian work. The poses of the effigies are so faithful and characteristic that their identity is recognized at a glance. No other mound has yielded so valuable archæological specimens as has the Tremper mound. Persons who are interested in a complete description of the Tremper mound will find it in "Certain Mounds and Village Sites in Ohio" by William C. Mills, Vol. 2, part 3, and, also, in the publications of the Ohio Historical and Archaeological Society.
XIV THE OLD RIVER SYSTEMS OF SCIOTO COUNTY*
Almost the entire world is familiar with the won- derful works of prehistoric man in the Scioto Valley. Few persons, however, realize that the surface features of hill and valley are just as interesting; that they re- cord just as striking events that happened in this valley ages before the advent of even prehistoric man. The most recent of the mighty changes, to leave its im- press upon the surface of our valley, was the breaking up of old river systems and the establishment of new ones, with rivers flowing in courses directly oppo- site to the old ones. When one considers the arrange- ment of the present streams, and the character of the valleys in which they lie, questions arise. Why is the valley of the Scioto so much wider than that of the Ohio? Ascend the Kentucky hills, opposite the mouth of the Scioto, and look down the narrow Ohio Valley and then up the broad Scioto Valley. Is it not clear that these streams have been misplaced, when the main stream has a smaller valley than that of its tributary? Go to Minford, or to Stockdale, Pike County, and view the great valley, that is almost parallel with the Scioto Valley, and nearly as wide, and has no river flowing in it. This valley must originally have been cut out by a river. Where has that river gone, and why did it leave
*This paper was prepared in collaboration with Mr. Marius R. Camp- bell, of the United States Geological Survey. The draft prepared by the author was rearranged and largely rewritten by Mr. Campbell. His assistance is gratefully acknowledged.
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such a well defined valley? Here, indeed, are evidences of great changes in the drainage of the country.
Study carefully the Ohio, and note how the side streams enter its valley. All the tributaries, east of Wheelersburg, enter the Ohio in the direction of the flow of the main stream. Such is the natural course of tributary streams, and there is nothing surprising about it. But, where they hook back in the opposite direction, as they do between Wheelersburg and Manchester, it indicates that something has gone wrong; it suggests that when these side streams were formed the main stream (Ohio) was flowing in an opposite direction. What is the meaning of this change? If the Ohio flowed in the opposite direction, where did its waters find an outlet? What caused the change to present conditions? Only a casual glance at the country about Portsmouth is necessary to prove to one that the drainage has been greatly changed. It is to this geological disruption of conditions that prevailed in the far distant past, that the writer desires to call attention.
In order to understand what happened in this lo- cality, it will be necessary to take into consideration similar features at a distance. All who have passed over the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, between Hunting- ton and St. Albans, West Virginia, must have noticed that the railway follows a valley, cut several hundred feet below the tops of the hills, and now unoccupied by any river. The rock floor of this valley, known as Teays Valley,* is 700 feet above sea level at St. Albans, 650 feet at Huntington, 625 feet at Wheelersburg, and 600 feet at Waverly, its northward extension. In a few places, this old valley is occupied by the Ohio River, but generally, it is unoccupied, and is deeply filled with mud that settled in it in the long past. The evidence that this valley was at one time occupied by a large river is positive.
* Evidently named for Thomas Teays, a pioneer surveyor.
Trans- Allegheny Pioneers, p. 270.
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But what became of the river, and why did it change? Rivers do not abandon their valleys of their own accord. Hence, we must conclude that there was a plausible reason for this river's leaving its old course and wandering into a new one. In this particular case, the evidence is clear as to what stream cut and occupied this valley. The evidence consists of bowlders of black flint, which can be found in almost all parts of the valley from St. Albans to Waverly. This flint is peculiar rock, and comes from a bed, two to ten feet thick, which lies east of Charleston, West Virginia. It is perfectly clear that Kanawha River originally cut this valley, and occupied it for many, many centuries, and that it flowed northward, at least as far as Waverly. Naturally, if the Kanawha had this course, the stream, now known as the Ohio, could not have been in exist- ence; for the Kanawha would have crossed it, in its course to the north.
The meaning of these, and many other similar facts, has been worked out by geologists, who have given us an interesting story of the location of the rivers of long ago, and of the conditions which later prevailed and which caused them to be completely re-arranged into their present systems. Only the major features of the drainage problem have been settled, and much remains to be done in mapping deposits of silt and gravel. This may throw light on the details of the river history. To the late Professor W. G. Tight, of Denison Uni- versity, is due most of the credit for the solution of this problem. The results of his field work have been pub- lished by the United States Geological Survey .* The present paper consists merely of a condensation of that part of the text as is applicable to Scioto County. In places, the exact language of the text is
*Tight, W. G., Drainage Modifications in Southeastern Ohio and Adja- cent Parts of West Virginia and Kentucky. U. S. Geological Survey, (1903). Professional Paper No. 13.
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used. The Geological Survey, also, has published, in connection with its contour map of the vicinity of Camp Sherman, a brief account of drainage modifications in the Scioto Valley .*
The geologist, in attempting to reconstruct the drainage systems of the far-off time before the Ohio River was in existence, gathers all evidence, regarding old abandoned channels; such as, Teays Valley in West Virginia, Flatwoods Valley in Kentucky, and Califor- nia Valley in Ohio; evidence of direction of flow, based on grade of the rock floor of the various old valleys; and evidence of reversal of drainage, as indicated by the direction at which tributaries join the main streams.
As shown on a previous page, the Ohio River was not in existence in the period of Teays Valley. Conse- quently, the Kanawha was the trunk stream of the sys- tem of southern Ohio. The present course of the Kanawha from St. Albans is nearly north; its ancient course through Teays Valley was nearly due west to Huntington. For some distance below Huntington, the old valley has been obliterated, by the cutting of the Ohio River; but opposite Ironton, a portion, eight or ten miles long, and known as the Flatwoods Valley, is still preserved. The grade of the old valley floor, be- tween St. Albans and Ironton, has been determined by engineers as 7.2 inches to the mile. This rock floor is covered by a pavement of quartz bowlders, which must have been washed down from the Blue Ridge, upon the summit of which Kanawha River has its source.
Below Ironton, the old valley is again obliterated by the Ohio. At Wheelersburg, the valley trends due north, while the Ohio River turns to the west and ceases to follow it further. In the early days, the old valley, north from Wheelersburg, was known as California
Campbell, M. R., The Country Around Camp Sherman, printed on back of map of Camp Sherman. U. S. Geological Survey (1918).
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Valley, from the region about Stockdale, which was for- merly called Little California. After several broad curves, the California Valley joins the Scioto Valley at Waverly, and is not known, north of that place, as a separate valley, except a short distance below Chilli- cothe. Minford, Stockdale, and Beaver are situated at the edge of this abandoned valley. As black flint bowlders abound as far north as Stockdale, it is evident, as stated before, that this is the course of the ancient Kanawha. Professor Tight says:
"Its old course from St. Albans across Teays Valley to the Ohio and thence through the Flatwoods Valley and northward along the present Ohio to Wheelersburg, and from this point through the old California Valley to the Scioto at Waverly, seems to be estab- lished beyond all question."
It is not always possible to outline the old drainage basins accurately; but it is supposed, that the ancient Kanawha received from the west, only small streams in this part of its course. This assumption is based on the fact that a drainage divide, in both Ohio and Ken- tucky, approaches Ohio River at Portsmouth. At the place, where this divide appears to have crossed the present course of the Ohio, the valley is narrow, and has all the appearance of a channel recently cut across high land. The Ohio River crossed this old ridge at this place, because there was here a low pass, or col. This is frequently, though incorrectly, spoken of as the Portsmouth col .* Tygart Creek was on the east side of this old divide, and flowed northeastward into the Kanawha River.
The drainage basin that included what is now the site of Portsmouth, was comparatively small. It con- sisted mainly of Kinniconick Creek in Kentucky and other small streams in both Kentucky and Ohio. These, on account of their northeastward direction, are as-
*There is no Portsmouth col today, hence the name is not strictly correct.
Waverly
Z
...
HIGHLAND
O
P
I
E
OLD
IS
C K
Stockdale
D
I
·Lucasville
Harrisonville
A DA M
S
S
C
HA
CE
...
Portsmouth
Wheelersburg
2
Manchester
E
R
MASO
K/
E
T
C
K
G
E:
E
NUP.
Drainage Modifications in Scioto County Adapted from United States Geological Survey
LEGEND
Pre-Glacial drainage
Pre-Glacial col and divide
Abandoned valley
Scale
O
5
10
15 20 25 MILES
E
fro
L
E
S
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sumed to have flowed toward Portsmouth. They are restricted on the west, in both states, by a divide which appears once to have crossed the present course of the Ohio, five miles above Manchester. The place, where this divide was trenched by the Ohio, is still marked by a narrow portion of the valley; and by high bluffs on either side.
Although the drainage of Kinniconick Creek, and its tributaries, concentrated near Portsmouth, there is no evidence to show that it joined the Kanawha near this place. It seems probable that it turned north, along what is now the course of the Scioto, and joined the trunk stream (Kanawha River) at Waverly. This stream, however, was very small, scarcely larger than Kinniconick Creek is today; consequently, its valley, north of Portsmouth, bore no resemblance to the wide valley that we find there at the present time.
As we have sketched the outline of the river systems, as they were before they were changed to their present form, it is appropriate for us to consider what it was that forced them to abandon their deep valleys, to seek new courses, and new outlets; what instrumentalities it was, that reversed the flow of these mighty rivers. Geologists tell us that it is due to the work of great glaciers, and they designate the time when it was done, as the Great Ice Age.
During this age, a number of ice sheets advanced into Ohio from the Canadian highlands. The first ice sheet, that is known to have reached central Ohio, is called by geologists, the Illinoian glacier. It covered thousands of square miles, and it was hundreds, if not thousands, of feet thick. It pushed south from Colum- bus, up the old Kanawha Valley, until it was arrested by the hills, south of Chillicothe. Here, it had a depth of at least 450 feet. This great body of ice served as an effectual dam to the old Kanawha River, and prevented
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its waters from finding their northern outlet. As a re- sult, these waters were ponded to a depth of probably 100 feet. This impounded water flooded many valleys of eastern and southern Ohio, as well as the valleys of adjacent states. The Allegheny and Monongahela rivers in Pennsylvania were similarly blocked, and similar lakes were formed in their valleys. The water rose until it reached the height of the lowest col in the divide which separated one drainage basin from another. As soon as it reached that height, it began to flow over the col into the adjoining basin. Other divides were crossed, in the same manner, and the new river, now known as the Ohio, was established. This stream finally reached the Kanawha; then, it overflowed the col at Portsmouth, then the one at Manchester; and finally the Ohio was complete. This river became the outlet for all former northward flowing streams, south of the ice-front, as well as of the water from the melting ice itself.
A strong current was soon established in the branch- ing lakes, formed by the melting ice, and the river cut its channel deeply into the low ridges, which formerly separated the drainage basins. The water came in tor- rents. Any Scioto Valley farmer, who has seen a levee overtopped during a flood in the Scioto River, will un- derstand how rapidly such a stream could cut down its barriers. While the lakes were in existence, Teays Valley, as well as California Valley, were deeply filled with material, washed in by tributary streams. Con- sequently, when the water was drained off by the Ohio, the valley bottoms were so high that no streams could flow through them. Hence, those valleys were defi- nitely abandoned by the streams, and remain unoccu- pied, even to the present day. The melting ice. at the Chillicothe gateway, furnished a great quantity of water, and this found an outlet southward, not by way
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of the old Kanawha, whose valley was blocked with silt, but by way of the valley of Kinniconick Creek and, thus, part of the Scioto River was born. As this was a large stream, cutting in generally soft rocks, it widened its valley to its present dimensions. When it joined the Ohio, and flowed on west, it cut off the point, west of Portsmouth, and carved the two valleys into one. This carving was done, not by the original stream, but by the generally southward flowing waters.
Great quantities of gravel, brought south by the ice, were discharged as the ice melted. This material was swept southward by the streams, building great bars and fans. The coarsest material was dropped near the ice front, and great banks, 80 to 100 feet above the level of the present stream, were formed. These gravel banks are very conspicuous from the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad below Chillicothe. It is probable that the finer gravel was swept down as far as Portsmouth; the gravel banks in this vicinity have not been examined closely enough to determine this point. Many of the high level beds of gravel in Portsmouth contain lumps of coal, worn round and smooth by flowing water, which fact indicates that the material did not come down the Scioto, where there is no coal; but either down the Kanawha or down the Ohio, at a time when these streams were flowing at a much higher level than the Ohio has today.
Finally, the Illinoian ice sheet melted and retreated beyond the Great Lakes. A long period of mild climate, and great activity of streams, followed, during which the Ohio River cut its channel to its present depth, or possibly, even below its present floor; the tributary streams did likewise. Then, came another advance of northern ice, known as the Wisconsin glacier; and again, the ice banked up against the ridge of hills at Chillicothe. As the streams at this time all flowed
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southward, there was little or no disarrangement of their courses. Great floods again swept down Scioto River, carrying sand and gravel to the Ohio, and building low bars of this material all along its course. Finally, this ice sheet melted away; and the country was left in much the same condition as one sees it today.
To the glaciers and the streams, we are indebted for the broad, fertile Scioto Valley. The silting up of the old valleys, during the lake epoch, gave the rich agri- cultural belt, extending northwestwardly from Wheel- ersburg to Waverly. These old valleys are peculiarly adapted to the construction of railroads, which now afford important lines of communication between the southeast and the northwest.
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