Kenton's Gantlet

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., November 14, 2008

1. Kenton's Gantlet [Gauntlet] Marker

Inscription. Here, between the site of the old Shawnee Council House and the hill to the south, Simon Kenton, in 1778, successfully ran an Indian Gantlet, 158 rods—almost one half mile—long.

Erected 1930 by Ohio Revolutionary Memorial Commission.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Settlements & Settlers • War, US Revolutionary. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Revolutionary Memorial Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1778.

Location. Marker has been permanently removed. It was located near 39° 43.47′ N, 83° 56.156′ W. Marker was in Oldtown, Ohio, in Greene County. It was on U.S. 68, on the left when traveling south. Marker is between Oldtown and Old Springfield Pike, about one mile north of Xenia and in the Xenia zip code area. Touch for map. Marker was in this post office area: Xenia OH 45385, United States of America.

We have been informed that this marker is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.

Regionally, this marker was in Ohio’s Dayton Metro

and in the Miami Valley.

It was also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it was in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: Birthplace of Tecumseh (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Bullskin Trail

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(approx. 0.3 miles away); The Sexton Point (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Bullskin Trail Marker (approx. 0.3 miles away); Tecumseh (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Sexton Point Marker (approx. 0.3 miles away); A Vision of Oldtown (approx. 0.3 miles away); Welcome to Great Council State Park (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oldtown.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Ten Kentucky Soldiers Memorial (was approx. 0.3 miles away but has been permanently removed).

More about this marker. This historical marker is part of the Ohio Revolutionary Memorial Trail series (type C) which was put in place in 1930 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Ohio's Revolutionary War era Battle of Piqua, by the Ohio Revolutionary Memorial Commission.

In order to accomplish this, in 1929 the state of Ohio created the Ohio Revolutionary Memorial Commission, and then in 1930 this commission created 22 military trails, throughout western Ohio, between Cincinnati, Ohio on the state's southern border and Toledo, Ohio on the state's northern border. Each of these military

Kenton's Gantlet Marker in 2008 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., November 14, 2008

2. Kenton's Gantlet Marker in 2008

Looking south along US Route 68. The Bullskin Trail marker in foreground.

trails represented the routes, or trails, used by military leaders during either the Revolutionary War, the Indian Wars of 1790 to 1795, or the War of 1812. Each of these military routes connected various related historical sites, that were marked with Ohio Revolutionary Memorial Commission (type C) markers, along each of the military trails.

The routes of these military trails were in turn marked by type A and type B Ohio Revolutionary Memorial Commission markers that served as directional (type B) and distance (type A) markers.

Originally, back in 1930, there were erected 70 some of these Ohio Revolutionary Memorial Commission, type C, markers. To date, there are only 20 some of them that have been located and posted on the Historical Marker database. A number of them are presently missing, and presumed to be permanently lost, including this featured marker.

Also see . . .
1. Kenton's Chillicothe. Ohio History Connection website entry (Submitted on December 5, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)

2. Ohio Revolutionary Memorial Trail System. A description of the Revolutionary Memorial Trail System developed by the state of Ohio in 1929 - 1930. (Submitted on June 30, 2011, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio.)

Additional commentary.
1. Marker Missing October 4th, 2011
On Tuesday the 4th of October

Former Locations of Three Historical Markers at the Roadside Pullout image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Charlie T. Wallace, July 19, 2009

3. Former Locations of Three Historical Markers at the Roadside Pullout

Visible here are the Bullskin Trail (in the distance—facing the road), Kenton’s Gantlet, and The Sexton Point Markers.

Kenton’s Gantlet went missing by 2011. In 2024 the other markers were removed, re-erected, and interpreted on accompanying signs at the Great Council State Park Visitor's Center grounds a quarter mile north, on the opposite side of the highway.

I stopped at the location of the Kenton Gauntlet Marker but it was missing. The Bullskin Trail marker and the Sexton Point markers are still present.
Use caution when parking at the marker location as Highway 68 is an extremely busy route. Note To Editor only visible by Contributor and editor

— Submitted October 5, 2011, by MIchael Border of Leesburg, Ohio.

Additional keywords. Kenton's Gantlet [Gauntlet]

Ohio Revolutionary Memorial Trail Map image. Click for full size.

Image courtesy of the MidPointe Library System (www.MidPointeLibrary.org)

4. Ohio Revolutionary Memorial Trail Map

A view of an original Ohio Revolutionary Memorial Trail Map, from 1930. For a better view double click on this picture.

Ohio Revolutionary Memorial Commission Marker Types image. Click for full size.

Image provided by Ohio Revolutionary Memorial Commission publication, dated 1931.

5. Ohio Revolutionary Memorial Commission Marker Types

View of the three types of markers used by the Ohio Revolutionary Memorial Commission. The marker on the left is a type A marker, the marker in the middle is a type C (just like this now missing marker), and the marker on the right is a type B. For a better view double click on this picture.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 16, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 2, 2008, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 6,569 times since then and 127 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 2, 2008, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. 3. submitted on July 19, 2009, by Charlie T. Wallace of Cincinnati, Ohio. 4. submitted on September 8, 2014, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. 5. submitted on June 27, 2019, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.