In WOSU's Curious Cbus series, viewer questions often open the door to surprising stories about the region. Some of the most compelling questions explore the Indigenous history that shapes Ohio.
Ohio’s landscape is richly layered with Indigenous histories of trails and waterways, of ancient earthworks and of resilient place names.
Here are three videos from the series that delve into stories of the state's American Indian heritage.
The Surprising History of Ohio's Highways
Before Europeans settled here, Ohio was home to many different Indigenous cultures. From the Adena and Hopewell people, who constructed massive earthworks such as the Serpent Mound, to the Lenape or Delaware people, who were forced from their lands on the East Coast by expanding colonies.
That history inspired Karen Wolford to ask WOSU's Curious Cbus if the highways we drive in Ohio today follow the same path as American Indian trails from centuries ago.
The short answer is yes. Many of Ohio’s major roadways lie on American Indian trails that were later used by white settlers.
Gahanna's Name Explained
There's a common misconception that Gahanna, Ohio, is named after Hell, but the name actually has a much more serene origin.
Why would someone think Gahanna is named after Hell?
“I've always laughed about the similarity of the word 'Gahanna' to 'Gehenna,' which is used as a synonym for Hell in the gospels," question asker Maureen Duffy said.
And she is right. There is a hellish place from the Bible whose name looks awfully similar to Gahanna.
Was Circleville built on Ancient Indian Earthworks?
Circleville, Ohio was established more than 200 years ago, but the land where it sits has a cultural history that goes back much further.
Cassandra Welch wrote in to WOSU's Curious Cbus to ask for more details: “Is it true that Circleville used to be called Roundtown because it was built on ancient Hopewell Indian ground, and is that why some streets are at certain angles?”
Back in 1810, Pickaway County was established and the search began for a location for the county seat. The site that was selected housed a circular earthwork just east of the Scioto River. The circle was more than 1,000 feet across with a wall of earth about 20 feet high.
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