Chillicothe – Water Street
Water StreetBetween State Route 104 and North Mulberry Street
Chillicothe , OH 45601
Chillicothe – Water Street
Chillicothe, Ohio’s first capital, was a major 19th century commercial center and an important stop along the Ohio & Erie Canal. For a city its size it has an unusually large collection of significant historic buildings, including two warehouses that once were served by the canal.
Chillicothe, Ohio’s first capital, was a major 19th century commercial center and an important stop along the Ohio & Erie Canal. For a city its size it has an unusually large collection of significant historic buildings, including two warehouses that once were served by the canal.
As the Ohio & Erie Canal entered the north side of Chillicothe, it ran along what today is Yoctangee Parkway and then turned sharply east along a wide thoroughfare. Bounded also by a former oxbow bend of the Scioto River (today the lake in Yoctangee Park), Water Street was well named. Along the western part of its north side and all of its south side, the street soon became lined with commercial buildings, many of which shipped and received goods by canal. Most of them are still standing and are an important collection of 19th century architecture (as is nearly all of downtown Chillicothe). A former canal warehouse, on the north side at 125 West Water Street, is in use as an art studio and has an angled rear wall where the canal passed by it. Cars now drive up and down what once was the canal, but a little imagination can bring to life the days before the railroad arrived, when that narrow channel of water was the city’s economic lifeline. To the east, just past Mulberry Street, the canal made another sharp turn to the south and passed several other warehouses, one of which is still standing in mostly original condition.
Notes for Travelers
Chillicothe, Ohio’s first State Capital, is one of Ohio’s most historic cities. The historic downtown area is filled with outstanding 19th and early 20th century architecture, including commercial buildings, civic buildings, and residential streets. Yoctangee Park is located along Water Street and has facilities for picnics, trails and the Pump House Cultural Center.
There are two canal warehouses that survive along Water Street, as well as number of buildings that existed during the peak of the canal era.
For additional ideas for what to do and see while visiting, check the Visit Chillicothe website.
http://visitchillicotheohio.com/
The Ross County Historical Society operates multiple historic sites, including a museum and library at its Heritage Center, Knolls Log House and Franklin House. Check the website for details about hours and upcoming events.
https://rosscountyhistorical.org/
Credits
Jeff Darbee, Nancy Recchie, David MeyerAdditional Resources
Meyer, David. Life Along the Ohio Canal – Licking Reservoir to Lockbourne and Columbus FeederMeyer, David. Life Along the Ohio Canal in the Scioto River Valley