Jackson in Jackson County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Trails
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The Kanawha Trail
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 15, 2009
1. Trails Marker (Side A)
Trails
Plunging herds of buffalo seeking salt licks and grazing lands wore trails through the Ohio Country when it was an Indian no-man's land. Later, Indians found the same trails suitable for their needs.
The tawny paths were highways as well as highest ways. Indians found ridges and summits superior to valleys for trails because they were drier, wind-swept of snow, never clogged by flood debris and safer.
The Kanawha Trail
Here Shawnee warriors, intent on raiding Virginia frontier settlements, passed on the Kanawha Trail. Fur traders used this route for their pelt-laden pack trains. Colonel Andrew Lewis led his mauled but victorious militia over the trace in 1774.
The trail extended north from the Kanawha River valley, across the Gallipolis flats through the present towns of Rio Grande, Centerville, Remple, Jackson, and Kingston to Circleville and the famous Scioto Trail.
Erected 1965 by Division of Wildlife, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 2-40.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Indigenous Peoples and Communities.
this page online
Location. 39° 3.173′ N, 82° 38.302′ W. Marker is in Jackson, Ohio, in Jackson County. It is at the intersection of Main Street (Ohio Route 93) and Portsmouth Street, on the right when traveling east on Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 181 East Main Street, Jackson OH 45640, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southern Ohio Hill Country. It is also in the American Midwest, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds 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 marker: John Wollam / Andrew's Raid (here, next to this marker); James M. Compston (a few steps from this marker); Lewis R. Hall (a few
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 15, 2009
2. The Kanawha Trail Marker (Side B)
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., August 15, 2009
3. Trails / The Kanawha Trail Marker
Looking east along Main Street, with the county courthouse in background.
Photographed by Dave Browne, May 20, 2022
4. The Kanawha Trail Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on August 19, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 23, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 2,803 times since then and 61 times this year. Last updated on August 18, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 23, 2009, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. 4. submitted on May 23, 2022, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
