There’s adventure hiding everywhere in Ohio, it seems. We Clevelanders pride ourselves on maintaining a landscape that’s worthy of exploration, but it never hurts to take a road trip here and there to explore an entirely new site. Next to the local Fort Hill earthworks site, there are not many local man-made sites that date back to before the founding of Cleveland. Fortunately, if you’re looking to explore the region’s history, you don’t have to travel far:
Welcome to Kelleys Island!
Derek Jensen/Wikimedia Commons To get to know the culture of Kelleys Island, check out this enchanting video by Ohio’s Lake Erie Shores & Islands Welcome Center:
This dreamy coastal paradise is just a road trip and a ferry ride away from Cleveland.
Matthew Dillon/Flickr You buy a ticket to ride the ferry or pay to take your car, but many locals choose to explore Lake Erie’s islands by foot or golf cart.
But one site on the island will be of particular interest to local history buffs.
Virginia Hill/Flickr This unusual structure houses what locals call the Inscription Rock. This limestone boulder is named for petroglyphs — a term archaeologists use to describe carvings in stone — that date back to a time before American settlers populated the region.
The stone was first found by settlers in 1833, purportedly half-buried in the shoreline.
Picturesque America/Wikimedia Commons Weathering and deterioration have made dating the inscription difficult. While it is almost certainly less than a thousand years old, archaeologists have determined that it was most likely created between 1200 and 1600 C.E.
Today, the limestone Inscription Rock is open to the public.
Kelleys Island Chamber Online The petroglyphs are indeed fading, though the shelter above them helps shield the reliefs from the detrimental elements.
Nobody is quite sure what the inscriptions mean.
Virginia Hill/Flickr There are at least eight anthropomorphic figures on this stone, as well as a multitude of squiggles and lines. The most popular theory is that this rock was something of a message board, allowing locals to note details about hunting, fishing, and the routes they were taking.
A small-scale replica is displayed next to the rock, showing how the inscriptions appeared based on a rubbing made in the 1850s.
sgpjroh/TripAdvisor Remnants of at least two Erie villages have been unearthed nearby, adding credence to the “message stone” theory. At least one other similar stone once existed on the island, but it was destroyed by men working with dynamite in the quarry.
Though it is quickly fading, the incredible story on this stone offers a glimpse into local history.
Kelleys Island Chamber Online
Next time you’re looking for an unforgettable day trip, look no further than Lake Erie.
Steve1362/TripAdvisor
sharronc413/TripAdvisor
This incredible site tells a story about local history, though the exact meaning of the petroglyphs is unknown. Locals love spending a warm day on Lake Erie’s islands, but this incredible limestone boulder makes such a day trip especially memorable for history buffs.
Derek Jensen/Wikimedia Commons
To get to know the culture of Kelleys Island, check out this enchanting video by Ohio’s Lake Erie Shores & Islands Welcome Center:
Matthew Dillon/Flickr
You buy a ticket to ride the ferry or pay to take your car, but many locals choose to explore Lake Erie’s islands by foot or golf cart.
Virginia Hill/Flickr
This unusual structure houses what locals call the Inscription Rock. This limestone boulder is named for petroglyphs — a term archaeologists use to describe carvings in stone — that date back to a time before American settlers populated the region.
Picturesque America/Wikimedia Commons
Weathering and deterioration have made dating the inscription difficult. While it is almost certainly less than a thousand years old, archaeologists have determined that it was most likely created between 1200 and 1600 C.E.
Kelleys Island Chamber Online
The petroglyphs are indeed fading, though the shelter above them helps shield the reliefs from the detrimental elements.
There are at least eight anthropomorphic figures on this stone, as well as a multitude of squiggles and lines. The most popular theory is that this rock was something of a message board, allowing locals to note details about hunting, fishing, and the routes they were taking.
sgpjroh/TripAdvisor
Remnants of at least two Erie villages have been unearthed nearby, adding credence to the “message stone” theory. At least one other similar stone once existed on the island, but it was destroyed by men working with dynamite in the quarry.
Steve1362/TripAdvisor
sharronc413/TripAdvisor
If you like learning about local history, you’ll love these unusual stories from Cleveland’s past.
After exploring Cle’s history, you could enjoy these attractions with your family and friends or special someone.
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