5500 Cincinnati-Zanesville Rd NE (US-22)
Lancaster, OH  43130

Not Yet Open to the Public

Hand-Dug Well Near Zane’s Trace

32+ acres in Pleasant Township in the east-central part of the county.

The site was acquired 1994 by donation from Evelan Hansel, née Fischer.  Evelan was a librarian who ‘devoted her life to encouraging literacy’ and was an avid proponent of the bookmobile service to rural areas.  She worked for libraries in Monroe County (c. 1939-1944) and Hocking County (1944-1957).  In 1957, she accepted the position of head librarian at Lancaster Public Library in Fairfield County.

Some of the activities you can enjoy at this park are viewing the log-framed house and well, birding and nature watching, photography, hiking or walking, dog walking, playing in the mown grassy areas, and picnicking.

The park sits close to what was once Zane’s Trace, one of Ohio’s first roads.  Find more about the original Zane Trace which ran through Mambourg Park, just across the road.

At this time, the house at the front of the property and the log cabin are being leased as private dwellings.  When using the park please be respectful of those living on the property and do not knock on their doors or make requests to see the buildings.

Hand-Dug Well Near Zane’s Trace

There is an early-1800s log cabin that is said to have been the first doctor’s office in Pleasant Township.  It was moved onto this property.

Near the cabin is an 84′-deep hand-dug, stone-lined well.  It is surrounded by a matching brick patio and wall.

Although it is called the Log Cabin and Well on Zane’s Trace, careful research has revealed that it is actually on what was called The New Road just north of the original Zane’s Trace.

The log cabin was probably built in the early-1800s and was the first doctor’s office in Pleasant Township.  The heavy white oak front door is said to have been removed when it was necessary to be used as a surgical table.

The 84-feet deep, hand-dug well is still in excellent condition and is surrounded by a matching brick patio and wall. Some have said that Ebeneezer Zane himself dug the well but that account cannot be verified. Zane died in 1811.

Content (to be added).

Trails are being developed.

There is no picnic shelter at this location.

There are picnic tables and benches at this location.