About

Constitution
A Community in Washington County, Ohio

Constitution's steamboat landing is featured in this illustration from the Atlas of Washington County, Ohio, by D. J. Lake (1875). The Cutler family's Old Stone House can be seen at the far left, and the mill, tram, and quarries of the grindstone industry are visible in the background.

Constitution is a community that grew and prospered on a verdant spot between the Ohio River and the rocky hills of Warren Township in Washington County, Ohio. Located about halfway between the cities of Marietta and Belpre, Constitution was first settled in 1799, experienced its peak growth in the later years of the nineteenth century, and is now little more than a memory. The name "Constitution" was given in honor of its most respected citizen, Ephraim Cutler (1767-1853). Cutler was a member of Ohio's 1802 Constitutional Convention and is credited with keeping slavery out of the State of Ohio. 

Many people throughout the country still have ties to this community and work to ensure that its history is kept alive. In 1987 a pavilion was erected to commemorate the Constitution Post Office, and a special postmark was temporarily issued. A Constitution Friendship Reunion was held for many years in July, when former residents and descendants of those passed on gathered to share memories, photographs and stories. It is hoped that the blog, "Constitution Ohio," will encourage further appreciation and preservation of the community's past. In addition to the area known as "Constitution," the history of "Gravel Bank," "Briggs," "Tunnel," and other neighborhoods of Warren and Dunham townships will be explored.

My great-grandparents, Lycurgus Hall and Ada Mae Phillips Hall, were late-comers, having arrived in the area about 1900. I spent most of my childhood in Constitution and grew up hearing stories of the thriving community that once was. The highlight of my adult career has been serving as the caretaker of the Ephraim Cutler family papers at the Marietta College Library, a collection that chronicles the history of Constitution.

Linda Lee Showalter

Map of Washington County, Ohio, showing the location of Constitution in Warren Township. From History of Washington County, Ohio, H. Z. Williams Bro. (1881).

Copyright, Linda Showalter (Old Marietta Ohio), 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020. Unauthorized use of material presented on this site is prohibited.