Millersport in Fairfield County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Deep Cut at the Licking Summit / Millersport and the Ohio-Erie Canal
Deep Cut at the Licking Summit
Digging of the Ohio-Erie Canal began in 1825, and the first canal boat navigated the Deep Cut at Licking Summit in 1831. The surrounding swamps were drained to create the Licking Reservoir, today known as Buckeye Lake, in order to supply adequate water for the canal going north to Coshocton and south to Circleville. After the canal route was established, the state engineers discovered that there was a ridge of hills located south of the proposed reservoir through which they would have to cut the canal. Since it was impossible to raise the level of the reservoir, the ridge had to be cut down to the level of the reservoir. This “Deep Cut” marks the deepest part of the canal at 32 feet and runs south from Millersport for nearly two miles. Unskilled laborers, primarily Irish immigrants, tirelessly dug the canal using picks, shovels, wheelbarrows, and oxen-cart.
Millersport and The Ohio-Erie Canal
In 1825, Mathias Miller settled in the region just north of the prosperous town of Monticello. Millersport grew from Miller's idea to build a wharf at the side of the canal to create a port for canal boats. Located in the region between Licking Reservoir and the northern entrance of the Deep Cut, Millersport flourished as canal trade increased, however, Monticello's location on high ground spelled its doom. Travelling by canal, Millersport is 191 miles from Cleveland and 117 miles from Portsmouth. During its peak years, as many as 3,000 canal boats utilized the canal. With the insurgence of the railroad system and a major flood in 1914 that damaged a portion of the waterway, the canal system was abandoned.
Erected 2002 by Ohio Bicentennial Commission, The Longaberger Company, Millersport Lions Club, and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 3-23.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1825.
Location. 39° 53.977′ N, 82° 32.096′ W. Marker is in Millersport, Ohio, in Fairfield County. Marker is at the intersection of Lancaster Street (Ohio Route 204) and Canal Drive, on the right when traveling south on Lancaster Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Millersport OH 43046, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Millersport World War II Memorial (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Buckeye Lake (approx. 3.1 miles away); Buckeye Lake Dam (approx. 3.7 miles away); Buckeye Lake Park (approx. 3.8 miles away); The History of Thurston (approx. 4.2 miles away); Hebron (approx. 4˝ miles away); a different marker also named Hebron (approx. 4.9 miles away); Hebron Mill (approx. 5 miles away).
Credits. This page was last revised on June 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 15, 2008, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 2,257 times since then and 78 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 13, 2023, by Alex Krempasky of Obetz, Ohio. 3, 4, 5. submitted on December 15, 2008, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. • Christopher Busta-Peck was the editor who published this page.