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The
Allan W. Eckert Walking Trail at ETC
One of the attractions at Earl Thomas Conley Park in West Portsmouth is the Allan W. Eckert walking trail.
The walking trail is named
in honor of the American historian, naturalist, novelist and playwright whose works include the “Frontiersmen”
& the outdoor drama “Tecumseh” both of which chronicle early pioneer life in the Ohio Valley.
The
walking trail travels through the wooded areas surrounding the park and along the Ohio River and allows visitors the
opportunity to experience and interact with the natural beauty and wildlife of the park.
Remnants of the old Ohio
River Road can be seen along parts of the walking trail.
The road led to the former site of Alexandria,
Scioto County's first town that was established in 1799 but abandoned due to constant flooding.
Old Ohio River Road
Pictured at the right are the remnants of the old Ohio River Road built
by the settlers of Alexandria using sandestone that was very plentiful in the area.
Carriages and wagons with steel wheels traveled
on the stone portion of the road while the horse drawing the carriage or wagon walked between the lanes.
Alexandria Point
Alexandria Point is where the Scioto and Ohio Rivers meet.
In the 1790’s Revolutionary War
Colonel Thomas Parker founded the village of Alexandria at this location on the West bank of the Scioto River.
The
settlers of Alexandria were educated and skilled craftsman from the East and built their homes and roads from abundant sandstone rocks found
in the area
unfortunately they built their village in a floodplain.
Repeated flooding of the village during the decade forced the inhabitants to
abandon their homes and move to the town of Portsmouth that had been established on higher ground to the East by Henry Massie
of Virginia in 1803.
Eventually the continuous flooding destroyed the abandon village of Alexandria.
The only building that was part of the settlement that remains today is the Phillip Moore House located near Slab Run
in West Portsmouth.
Alexandra Point Park located at Front and Scioto Streets in the West end of Portsmouth
and provides a scenic overview of the confluence of the Scioto and Ohio Rivers. It is a great place for a picnic or
outdoor lunch and to enjoy the serenity and view of the two rivers.
There
is a long term plan to establish a walking trail from Earl Thomas Conley Riverside Park to Alexandria Point.
|
| The flooding of Alexandria |
