Groveport, Ohio: Ohio Historical Marker – Historic Groveport

648 Main Street
Groveport , OH 43125

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Groveport, Ohio: Ohio Historical Marker – Historic Groveport

Settlement in the Groveport area dates back to the early days of the 19th century. The opening of the Ohio & Erie Canal spurred growth in two adjacent settlements – Rarey’s Port and Wert’s Grove. They merged into Groveport in 1847. The canal crossed Main Street immediately east of this marker. The restored Lock # 22 (separate site entry on the Heritage Trail) is located nearby in a Groveport Park and remnants of the canal can be found in and near Blacklick Park.

Settlement in the Groveport area dates back to the early days of the 19th century. The opening of the Ohio & Erie Canal spurred growth in two adjacent settlements – Rarey’s Port and Wert’s Grove. They merged into Groveport in 1847. The canal crossed Main Street immediately east of this marker. The restored Lock # 22 (separate site entry on the Heritage Trail) is located nearby in a Groveport Park and remnants of the canal can be found in and near Blacklick Park.

Marker text: Pioneers began to settle in the Groveport area around the year 1800. Subsequent growth was spurred by the opening of the Ohio Erie Canal, and, in 1847, the adjacent settlements of Rarey's Port and Wert's Grove merged to form the village of Groveport. The canal, which crossed Main Street immediately east of this marker, declined in importance as a commercial lifeline with the local arrival in 1868 of the faster and more flexible railroad system. By 1900, boat traffic on the canal ceased entirely. Traces of the canal bed are still visible throughout the area.

After the canal fell into disuse, it was used for recreational purposes such as fishing and ice-skating.

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Notes for Travelers

On street parking is available in Groveport’s historic district. Groveport has a restored Town Hall where the Groveport Heritage Museum occupies the first floor. It features photographs, artifacts and other information about its canal history. It is open several days a week. Check the website below for current hours of operation.

https://www.groveport.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/Heritage-Museum-4

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

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 an ice house, bakery and smokehouse.

https://www.columbusmessenger.com/marking-history.html



Credits

Jeff Darbee, Nancy Recchie, David Meyer

Additional Resources

Meyer, David. Life Along the Ohio Canal – Licking Reservoir to Lockbourne and Columbus Feeder

Meyer, 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=