Pre-Glacial Drainage by George W. DeLong

Scientists have found much evidence that the pre- glacial drainage of a large portion of the state of Ohio was very different from its present drainage. 8

For our present discussion we need to note only a few of these changes. There seems to be very good reasons to believe that the Muskingum river flowed from Dres- den by way of Hanover, Newark, the Licking Reser- voir and Thurston, and joined the Scioto north of Circleville. The Hocking river flowed north from Rock-bridge, Hocking county, and joined the Muskingum near Canal Winchester. Northern Perry county was in- cluded in this pre-glacial drainage area. All the upper streams of the North Branch of the Moxahala. including Turkey Run flowed to the north- west and discharged their waters into the Muskingum at some point near the present Licking Reservoir. The South Branch of the Moxahala, which was joined by Buckeye Creek at Darlington, flowed along the present line of the C. & M. V. R. R., from that point to Zanesville, and, having joined its waters with that of the Licking river, united with the Muskingum at some point north or west of Zanesville. The differ- ent branches of Rushcreek flowed approximately along their present courses and joined the Hocking near Lancaster. When the great ice-sheet came down from the north, carrying with it a large amount of drift and till, the streams described above were dammed up in their courses and lakes formed at Zanesville, in Thorn and Hopewell townships in Perry county, and at Lan- caster. The waters of the Lake at Lancaster found an out- let over the low ridge at Rock-bridge and joined the southern half of the Hocking. The lake at Zanesville found an outlet in the low 9

ridge near the Muskingum and Morgan county lines and thus turned this stream to the south. The lake in northern Perry county found an outlet in the low ridge east of Mt. Perry and having united with Buckeye Creek at Fultonham joined the south branch at Darlington and this formed the present Moxahala River which drains so large a portion of Perry county. The Moxahala turned to the east at Darlington and after cutting its way through the hills, joined the Muskingum some miles below Zanesville. In time the outlets of these lakes cut canons in the ridges over which they flowed and thus the lakes were drained. 10

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