OHIO BECOMES A STATE--
More or less...

The outline of Ohio in this 1803 map is recognizable.  That is the year it became a state.  The grid lines in the east, southeast and southwest are the results of early survey work to establish base and range lines from which townships, villages and ultimately cities would be formed.

The white area--not surveyed--in the southwest part of the new state was known as the "Virginia Reservation".  That area was then set aside for Virginia veterans of the Revolutionary War as homestead land in payment for their service.

The white area--also not then surveyed--in the northwest part of the new state was simply called "Indian Lands".  It was the area carved out of the new state by the Greenville Treaty of 1795; a line that forms part of the southeast border of Richland County to this day. 

That is the topic of Saturday's blog story.
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We tip our hat to Mike Cecil, a project manager with the Richland County Engineer's office, for providing the copy of this map by Rufus Putnam, first Surveyor General of the US.  Mike made his debut on Fogeyisms with his friendly and professional help on the blog story we did August 28, 2010 on Richland County's highest elevation.  Thanks again Mike!