SOUTHERN OHIO – Pickaway county is full of great parks, but there are other parks in surrounding counties that are also great, that’s why our local Pickaway county park district has joined together with Ross County and Fairfield County for a group hike once a month to highlight parks in each county.
The event starts March 2nd, and runs until November. People interested in these group hikes with like-minded individuals can meet at the designated parks at 9:30 am.
This month Fairfield county is highlighting Cross Chapel park located just outside of Stoutsville Ohio at 11615 16th Road SW which is maintained by the Fairfield county park district and has two unique features a WPA pedestrian bridge and a cross mound.
The bridge was built in 1936, the suspension-type bridge sits over Salt Creek and has amazing views in the fall, but the mystery surrounds how the ancient earthwork of the cross mound was created. It is in the shape of a plus sign, or cross has four identical arms each about 12′ wide, 3′ high, and 45′ long. In the middle of the cross is a circular-shaped depression that is 20′ in diameter and about 12″ deep. That depression may have been deeper at one time but has filled in overtime. The orientation of the arms nearly aligns with the cardinal points of north, south, east, west. There are small stone mounds near the cross.
Archaeologists have suggested its western arm was carved out of the surrounding landscape as opposed to the traditional approach of mounding soil to create a structure. No one knows what it was really used for, other than they can tell it is man-made and huge.
More information on parks to visit are on the flyer below or you can get info at the county district websites.
