CHILLICOTHE Step into History at Adena Mansion

& Gardens

This summer is the perfect time to visit the splendidly restored estate that father of Ohio statehood Thomas Worthington created on a hilltop just outside Chillicothe in the early 1800s. In addition to a 19th Century Independence Day Celebration and a Red, White and Blue Ice Cream Social, Adena Mansion & Gardens

Historic Site is hosting a party — think cake, concerts and artisans offering old-time wares to mark the 250th anniversary of Worthington’s birth in Virginia on July 16, 1773.

When Worthington began acquiring land in southern Ohio during the 1790s, Chillicothe was a fledgling but promising frontier town poised at the confluence of Paint Creek and the Scioto River. A tenacious advocate for Ohio statehood, Worthington not only helped write Ohio’s initial Constitution, but he also rode horseback from Chillicothe to Washington, D.C., to deliver it for Congress’ approval. Thus, Ohio became the nation’s 17th state in 1803, and Chillicothe served as the first state capital.

Besides serving as one of Ohio’s first U.S. senators and the state’s sixth governor, Worthington also influenced the Great Seal of Ohio, which for more than 200 years has depicted a view believed to be inspired by the one of Mount Logan from his estate.

“The inspiration for that image supposedly occurred after Worthington and his friends worked all night on Ohio’s Constitution, then watched the sun rising over Mount Logan,” says Kathy Styer, executive director of Adena Mansion & Gardens Historic Site.

Worthington’s acquaintances ranged from President Thomas Jefferson to the famed Shawnee leader Tecumseh. He even hired eminent architect Benjamin Latrobe to design the Georgian-style sandstone mansion where Worthington and his wife, Eleanor, raised their large family and often entertained prominent people. According to an 1811 entry in his diary, Worthington rechristened their home “Adena” after reading in a history book that the word means a remarkably delightful place.

Along with walking the gardens at the idyllic estate, visitors can tour the 20-room home that was once considered the most magnificent mansion west of the Allegheny Mountains. Tour guides point out original Worthington family furnishings, such as the foyer’s tall case clock and dining room sideboard, and they tell fascinating stories of the history that happened here. The Worthingtons’ house guests, for example, included Tecumseh, who ate with them in the dining room but slept on the lawn instead of in a bedroom. In appreciation for Worthington’s hospitality and goodwill, Tecumseh presented him with a handsome tomahawk peace pipe that is now displayed at the on-site visitor center.

Learn about Ohio’s Indigenous People

Performances of the outdoor drama “Tecumseh!” have been a Chillicothe summer tradition for five decades, captivating audiences with galloping horses and the sound of cannon fire. Staged under the stars at Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre, the production highlights