Shawnee

Shawnee, named after the Shawnee Nation, grew from early 1800’s European-American settlement drawn first by the salt of Saltlick Township and then by coal, which led companies to build stores and homes for workers. Miners, angered by unjust work conditions and lack of pay, joined with their union, The Knights of Labor, in protests and strikes. The conflict ended when a small group of strikers sent a burning coal cart into a nearby mine, setting the whole mine on fire. That incident, set in New Straitsville, closed nearby mines forever, left many people out of work, and made the brick industry the town’s main employer, while the underground fire still smolders today. Shawnee is now surrounded by natural areas primarily in the Wayne National Forest, and Tecumseh Lake, named after Shawnee political leader Tecumseh, lies within a five minute walk, with loop trails offering hiking and nature exploration.

Shawnee, Ohio · United States