For many years, the Ohio Historic Markers Program has brought attention to a wide variety of noteworthy persons, places and events from Ohio's past.
Knox County's first marker was approved and erected in 1976 to recognize the beautiful Christ Church at the Quarry, near Gambier.
The stories below describe, illustrate and locate each of the ten markers you can visit in our county.
Knox County's first official Historic Marker was approved and erected in 1976 to commemorate the restoration of the Christ Church at the Quarry, near Gambier, Ohio. The project had been conducted by the "Quarry Chapel Group," a committee of the then recently reenergized Knox County Historical Society of the 1970's. It is thus designated as #1-42, as Knox County stands 42nd alphabetically among Ohio's 88 counties.
Our second Historic Marker, #2-42, commemorates the site of a native American gathering place and the first pioneer settlement in Knox County, known as "Little Indian Fields."
Mary Ann Ball was born between Mount Vernon and Fredericktown in 1817. Her tireless efforts as a nurse during the Civil War brought her the undying love and admiration of the boys she cared for.
John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, spent a good deal of time in and around Knox County from the early days of Ohio's statehood until about 1828, when he moved on further west.
We still mark the spot where he once owned two prime lots next to the Kokosing River in downtown Mount Vernon.
Even today, it is hard to imagine 10,000 folks gathering on Mount Vernon's Public Square to listen attentively for two hours or more to an energized political speaker.
But gather they did to hear a speech that we remember today as an important benchmark event in America's Civil War story.
One of America's outstanding writers was recognized in 2003 for his years in residence at Kenyon College.
Kenyon College came here in the early days of Knox County, and for nearly 200 years has maintained a distinguished standard for higher education in the United States.
As the Civil War neared, Kenyon College's President Lorin Andrews set an example by becoming Ohio's first volunteer for military service.
The beautiful farmhouse residence of Columbus Delano has now been preserved as the administrative offices for the Mount Vernon Nazarene University.