Salt Creek Township

Salt Creek Township is named for the saline deposits near the area that would eventually become the village of Chandlersville. Native Americans gathered salt there long before the appearance of White settlers, and it might have been from them that the settlers in Marietta heard of the salt deposits, for which there was a desperate need. In 1795, Marietta had grown so much, that salt had become a scarce commodity. A company was formed to go north to locate the Salt Creek deposits, "mine" them, and ship much-needed salt back to Marietta and other river towns. It was a lucrative enterprise because everyone needed salt, primarily to preserve food.

John Chandler's grave marker in 
Chandlersville Cemetery

Capt. John Chandler (1757-1829), for whom Chandlersville is named, arrived with his family to the Salt Creek area from Connecticut in 1799. He purchased the Marietta company around 1801, and he and his older sons operated the salt works for about seven more years. The road used to convey the processed salt to points south became a much traveled highway, bringing more settlers to the area. A grist mill and a saw mill were established, as was a tannery, and one of Chandler's sons opened the first tavern in 1815. A Baptist church was organized in 1811, and a Methodist church in 1812. 

In December, 1808 the residents of the area sought to form a township. Although the record states this was accomplished at that time, apparently it wasn't, and it took seven more years (March 8, 1815) before Salt Creek Township was officially recognized.

Salt Creek Township saw several "firsts." It was the site of the first salt works in the Northwest Territory east of the Scioto River. It boasted the first brick schoolhouse in Muskingum County. The first circulating library (150 books) in Muskingum County was established here.