Gist Settlement

Ohio was a battleground state before the Civil War for people of color, especially those seeking freedom and those who had been freed through manumission. A multi-year collaborative project between OVAI and Mr. Paul LaRue’s Research History class at Washington Senior High (Washington Court House, OH) delved into the archaeology and history of manumission at the Gist Settlement in Highland County, OH. Students and OVAI archaeologists participated in excavations around original cabin sites dating back to the 1830s, conducted geophysical survey to document unmarked graves in the settlement’s cemetery, and located and uncovered portions of the foundations from the settlement’s 19th century school and church. OVAI staff, along with Mr. Paul LaRue and Gist Settlement descendant and resident Mr. Paul Turner, received a Public Education and Awareness Award from the Ohio Historic Preservation Office for their work on this project.