Coshocton agencies trying to preserve Old Stone Fort
COSHOCTON – Two local agencies are working to acquire and protect a historic property that includes one of the oldest buildings in Ohio.
Coshocton County Prosecutor Jason Given and Coshocton County Treasurer Janette Donaker said their offices have received several public inquiries regarding the current legal status of the properly known as the Old Stone Fort, near West Lafayette.
A lien has been filed against the property for delinquent real estate taxes, however that was a strategic legal maneuver intended to move the property towards transfer as a way to preserve it for historic purposes.
The Old Stone Fort is titled to the Coshocton County Archaeological and Historical Society, a non-profit organization that ceased to exist in 1982. This means the property does not have a current owner able to deed it to a new owner.
“Therefore, steps need to be taken to facilitate the transfer of the property to a new owner that will appreciate and protect the Old Stone Fort’s important place in Coshocton County’s inventory of historical assets,” according to the agencies. “The prosecuting attorney and the treasurer understand and appreciate that the Old Stone Fort is an important piece of Coshocton County history and their joint goal is to preserve it for future generations to study and enjoy.”
The legal filings are believed to be the best way to start the process of finding a community partner interested in taking over and preserving the landmark. In the next few months, both offices will explore several legal avenues in transferring the property to an existing entity, yet to be determined.
The Old Stone Fort is on County Road 254 along the Tuscarawas River, just southeast of the intersection of Ohio 751 and U.S. 36.
The fort is believed to have been built by French explorer Pierre Lemoyne d’iberville around 1679. D’iberville was an aide to Robert de La Salle, who was responsible for building a series of French forts in the Ohio and Mississippi river areas, primarily along waterways. The 14.5 foot by 14.5 foot stone structure has openings for firearm positions.
Glenn Kinkade, then-president of the Coshocton County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogy Society, told the Tribune in 2003 that the fort could be the oldest building in Ohio. However, in recent years, who built the fort and for what purpose has been questioned. One theory is that it was actually built in the 1700s by Irishman George Croghan as a fur trading post.
According to a 2013 column in the Tribune by Carole Etchells Cross, the Coshocton County Historical Society acquired the property in 1952 and raised $2,000 for a renovation project. It was dedicated in 1953 for Coshocton County’s sesquicentennial. The building trades program of the Coshocton County Career Center put a new roof on the fort in 2003, according to a Tribune story at the time. llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com @llhayhurst