Chillicothe
[key], city (2020 pop. 22,059), seat of Ross co., S central Ohio, on the
Scioto River; inc. 1802. It is the trade and distribution center of a farm
area that specializes in raising cattle and hogs and growing corn. The city
has long been noted for its large paper mills. Founded in 1796 by settlers
from Virginia, Chillicothe derives its name from the Shawnee word meaning
“principal town.” In 1800 it became the capital of the
Northwest
Territory; from 1803 to 1810 and from 1812 to 1816 it was the
capital of Ohio. Chillicothe grew in the 19th cent. as an inland port on the
Ohio and Erie Canal and a pork-packing center. During World War I, Camp
Sherman, a large Army training base, was built in Chillicothe. Notable are
Adena State Memorial and Ross County Historical Society Museum. Outside the
city is Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, containing
prehistoric Native American burial mounds (see National Parks and Monuments,
tablenational parks and monuments,
table). Chillicothe also has a state prison and a branch
of Ohio Univ.
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