Ohio Valley – 18th Century

In the central Ohio Valley, 17 miles downstream from Cincinnati, there is an area now called the Oxbow. For centuries it has been an important floodplain and wetland for migrating birds. It was, and still is, one of the most productive and valuable areas in the Ohio Valley for waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds and other wildlife. From Hamilton County’s Shawnee Lookout Park, near Lawrenceburg, Indiana, you can enjoy sweeping views of the Oxbow and even see how glaciers formed the land.

Besides having important ecological value, this area also played a significant role in our history. Early explorers and settlers encountered the fierce and proud Shawnee, Wyandot and Miami tribes. The rich diversity of wildlife and vegetation in this valley provided abundant game and other sources of sustenance for the Native Americans. But when the settlers saw this magnificent valley they, too, saw its value and claimed it as their own. Violent skirmishes ensued with tragic loss of life on both sides.

24 x 30 Oil