Ohio Historical Marker – Ohio & Erie Canal in Groveport/Scioto Valley Interurban
Blacklick Park770 Blacklick Street
Groveport, OH 43125
Ohio Historical Marker – Ohio & Erie Canal in Groveport/Scioto Valley Interurban
Blacklick Park in Groveport is the site of an Ohio Historical Market and serves as the trailhead for a walking trail that leads to Lock #22, which has been carefully restored by the city of Groveport. The trail runs along a portion of the canal right-of-way, later used by the Scioto Valley Traction Company’s interurban line that connected Groveport to Columbus and other nearby communities.
Blacklick Park in Groveport is the site of an Ohio Historical Market and serves as the trailhead for a walking trail that leads to Lock #22, which has been carefully restored by the city of Groveport. The trail runs along a portion of the canal right-of-way, later used by the Scioto Valley Traction Company’s interurban line that connected Groveport to Columbus and other nearby communities.
The Ohio and Erie Canal helped to open the interior of Ohio to move goods to outside markets. The canal opened in the unplatted village of Groveport on September 25, 1831 and contributed directly to Groveport's success as a center of commerce. A variety of businesses clustered along the banks of the canal. In the mid-nineteenth century, a canal boatyard and dry dock were operated in what is now Blacklick Park. Canal boats were built and repaired in this facility that was considered the first notable such operation on the canal below Baltimore, Ohio.
While Groveport flourished during the canal era, the town was removed from relative isolation with the introduction of the electric railroad operated by the Scioto Valley Traction Line. The tracks, which are still embedded and visible in Blacklick Street, were part of a system that connected Groveport to Columbus and Lancaster. The line was completed in 1904, and the first trip was made from Columbus to Canal Winchester. From Groveport, the trip to Canal Winchester took only five minutes, as the car reached an amazing speed of 62 mph. The interurban allowed residents to work, shop, or seek entertainment outside of Groveport. Passenger service on the interurban ceased in 1930 when automobiles and buses made the system obsolete.
Notes for Travelers
A walking trail connects Blacklick Park with Lock #22 (separate website entry) in Groveport’s Recreation and Aquatic Center Park. Portions of the interurban were built along the canal right-of-way. Today, walking along this trail, you can see the canal lock, the interurban route, a nearby railroad, and cargo and military planes flying into Rickenbacker Airport overhead – two centuries of transportation innovation!
The historic Town Hall houses a local history museum that includes photos, information and artifacts from both the canal and interurban eras. Visitor information is available at the website below.
https://www.groveport.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/Heritage-Museum-4
https://www.facebook.com/GroveportHeritageSociety
Sharp’s Landing (separate website entry) is an historic canal building that was moved from its original location and reconstructed on a site across the street from Heritage Park (with its restored log building). Sharp’s Landing is staged to portray its original use along the canal as as an ice house, bakery and smokehouse.
https://www.columbusmessenger.com/marking-history.html
Other Ohio Historical Markers are located in Blacklick Park (Blacklick Street) and Heritage Park (551 Wirt Road). The marker at Blacklick Park is a separate site entry. A restored log house is located in Heritage Park, the site of a Nature Center with occasional programs. Check the website below for details.
https://www.groveport.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/Groveport-Nature-Center-3
Credits
Jeff Darbee, Nancy Recchie, Dave 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
Palsgrove, Richard. The Changing Village.
Palsgrove, Richard. Groveport and Madison Township, Ohio.
Groveport Heritage Society created a documentary film, “Groveport: A Town and its People” which is available on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK5LkCDa3IY
WOSU-TV, Columbus Neighborhoods program had a short segment on preservation of the canal locks in Groveport and Lockbourne. The link is below.
https://columbusneighborhoods.org/video/preserving-the-locks-groveport-and-lockbourne/
The historic Town Hall houses the Groveport Heritage Museum that includes photos, information and artifacts from both the canal and interurban eras. Visitor information is available at the website below.
https://www.groveport.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/Heritage-Museum-4
https://www.facebook.com/GroveportHeritageSociety
https://www.groveport.org/411/History
History of Groveport: https://www.groveport.org/DocumentCenter/View/158/History-of-Groveport-PDF?bidId=