Get A Glimpse At Pre-Settlement Ohio At Barkcamp State Park
By Sarah McCosham|Published August 09, 2023
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
Though not part of the Original 13, Ohio became a state in 1803, making it the 17th to join the burgeoning US of A. We’re quite proud of our history here in Ohio, and across the state you’ll find remnants from our earliest days. It’s not often, though, that we get to catch a glimpse of pre-settlement Ohio; what Ohio’s forests looked like prior to settlement. And yet, that’s precisely what you’ll find at Barkcamp State Park… in addition to post-settlement landmarks, top-tier camping, and some of the best kayaking in Ohio.
Do you ever wonder what pre-settlement Ohio looked like? Because while our state is over 200 years old, it was settled much, much earlier than 1803.
The Palaeo-Indians were the first humans to reach the Ohio territory approximately 12,000 years ago. That's a long time; an inextricable part of Ohio history worth investigating. But where? Ohio doesn't look the same in 2023 as it did in 1803... and certainly bears little resemblance to prehistoric times.
There are, however, some places where one can get a glimpse of pre-settlement Ohio; Barkcamp State Park is one of them. This area was first inhabited by the Moundbuilders, then later by Wyandot, Delaware, and Shawnee tribes.
You'll find this Ohio State Park in Belmont County, one of the earliest areas settled in Ohio -- and tragically, the scene of several violent conflicts between settlers and Native Americans.
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Today, visitors can explore some of Ohio's most rugged and untouched land along the park's 17 miles of hiking trails.
These hiking and equestrian trails venture through the sandstone hills of the Appalachian Plateau in eastern Ohio. Barkcamp State Park is one of the few places where visitors can glimpse what Ohio's forests looked like prior to settlement.
Even better? As one of the lesser-visited Ohio State Parks, there is a peace and quietude here not unlike the state's very earliest, pre-settlement days.
Of course, most folks know Barkcamp State Park for its post-settlement features; namely, the 19th-century Mail Pouch barn that stands in its original location near the campgrounds. The barn was built by Major Solomon Bentley, a veteran of the War of 1812 as well as an acclaimed orchardist.
In fact, Belmont County's famed National Pike Wagon Trail literally crosses through Barkcamp State Park. This is a yearly journey from Grantsville, Maryland, to Uniontown, Pennyslvania, wherein participants travel by horseback, covered wagon, and by foot on the 42-mile trek down the "Road That Made The Nation" - Route 40.
History isn't relegated to the past -- it's unfolding right before our eyes. It's everywhere; we're part of it. And in Belmont County, Barkcamp State Park is a place where pre- and post-settlement Ohio collide, not in cacophony, but in quiet and captivating synchrony.
Have you explored Barkcamp State Park before? The opportunity to experience pre-settlement Ohio in such a scenic and sublime state park is one you shouldn’t pass up!
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