COLUMBUS – Ohio’s newest state park is dedicated to honoring the state’s original residents as well as the white pioneers who arrived in the area more than 200 years ago.
Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Natural Resources director Mary Mertz broke ground Monday on Ohio’s 76th state park, Great Council State Park, located just north of Xenia, in an area once home to Oldtown, one of the largest-known Shawnee settlements in Ohio, according to a release from DeWine’s office.
More than 1,000 people called Oldtown home from approximately 1777 to 1780 and their stories directly intersect with that of historic settlers like Daniel Boone, who was held captive in Oldtown.
The park will feature a 12,000-square-foot “interpretive center” with an architectural design based on the traditional council house form that was historically used by the Shawnee tribes.
The center will include three floors of exhibits, a theater area, a living stream, and a gallery “honoring the Shawnee tribes of the past while allowing present-day members to share their stories and legacy.”
The state is working with the three federally recognized Shawnee Tribes to develop the property.
The facility is expected to open in 2023.