The village of Chickasaw is located in the northern part of the
Marion Township in Mercer County. It is in the Marion Local School
District.
Chickasaw took its name from the "Big" and "Little" Chickasaw
Indians who lived in the area. The village was laid out and surveyed
July 27, 1838 by John Nutter and James Brooks. It was incorporated
in 1890.
The first settlers came from England and Ireland. In the 1840's
German Catholic settlers traveled on the Miami and Erie Canal and
settled in the area. Many early settlers earned a living by hunting,
trapping and cutting timber.
Chickasaw was considered a "rough" town with its eight saloons
and the first jail in Mercer County.
Located on the east edge of town was an underground railroad
stop-over for black slaves before the Civil War. This was their last
stop on the underground railroad. When released the next day they
were on their own. Many of them stayed and found employment with the
farmers of the area.
Chickasaw was an important trade center. In 1880 the Cincinnati,
Hamilton and Dayton Railroad was built. The population and economy
grew after the coming of the railroad. Among the businesses were a
brickyard, hardware store, three hotels, a flour mill, handle
company, general store, blacksmith shop, harness shop, wagon
factory, monument shop, doctor's office, sawmill, machine shop,
grain elevator, train depot, livery stable and a bank. |