New Athens in Harrison County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

New Athens, Ohio

Platted 1817 by John Walker and John McConnell

Photographed by Craig Doda, October 21, 2022

1. New Athens, Ohio Marker

Inscription. As its name implies, this village was conceived as a cultural and educational center. Here, 1818, Rev. John Walker founded classical Alma Academy. The academy became a college in 1825; it was renamed "Franklin" the following year. Old Franklin was early a center of intense Abolitionism; her moral force sent forth some 400 Servants of Christianity. Her notable alumni include Wilson Shannon, first native-born Governor of Ohio; Joseph Ray, whose "Arithmetics" were long companionate to McGuffey's Readers; and John A. Bingham, Statesman, Prosecutor of Lincoln's Assassins, and the Minister to Japan. In 1921 Franklin College merged with Muskingum of New Concord.
New Athens saw the Classical and Practical joined; Oliver H. Burdette, native inventor, developed here the removable-link chain and the famous steam traction engine.

Erected 1965 by Harrison County Historical Society. (Marker Number 6.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Government & Politics. A significant historical year for this entry is 1818.

Location. 40° 11.252′ N, 80° 59.748′ W. Marker is in New Athens, Ohio, in Harrison

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County. It is on North Main Street (Ohio Route 9) 0.1 miles Wheeling Street (Route 519), on the right when traveling south. Marker is located at the Franklin Museum. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: New Athens OH 43981, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is 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 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Franklin College / Cornerstone of Civil Rights (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named New Athens (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Flushing (approx. 3.6 miles away); Flushing Friends Cemetery (approx. 4.1 miles away); Georgetown (approx. 4.2 miles away); Civil War Memorial (approx. 4.3 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 4½ miles away);

Photographed by Mike Wintermantel, December 21, 2014

2. New Athens, Ohio Marker

World War I & World War II Memorial (approx. 4½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in New Athens.

Photographed by Mike Wintermantel, December 21, 2014

3. New Athens, Ohio Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on November 30, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 21, 2014, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,258 times since then and 67 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on October 28, 2022, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. 2, 3. submitted on December 21, 2014, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.