Museums & History

Morgan County was formed in 1817 and is named after General Daniel Morgan, a decorated officer in the Revolutionary War. The county was carved from three others and its location was along the Muskingum River, which made it very attractive to pioneers moving into the Northwest Territory following the Indian Wars in Ohio in 1795. An abundance of timber and furs plus the rich river bottom land provided a “wealth” of opportunity for the new settlers. Once the lock and dam system was completed in 1841 the movement of goods and people on the river increased. The Muskingum River Lock and Dam system are the oldest remaining hand-operated systems in America that are still in use. The county seat is McConnelsville and is named after General Robert McConnell, another Revolutionary War officer, who purchased the land in 1817 for $1.75 per acre. Many of the country's most noted attractions are related to its history and include the Big Bottom Memorial, the site of the Big Bottom Massacre in 1792; the Muskingum River Locks and Dams built in 1841 and recognized as a National Civil Engineering Landmark; Miner’s Memorial Park at Jesse Owens State Park, home to the Big Muskie Bucket, and the Twin City Opera House, one of very few first-floor auditorium theaters built in the late 1800s and located on the square in downtown McConnelsville. The natural beauty and resources that drew the early pioneers into the area nearly two centuries ago are what continue to draw folks into the county today. Morgan County Ohio, is a story of resilience and reinvention in the authentic Appalachian tradition.