![Hocking River Athens](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Hocking_River_Athens.jpg)
The Hocking River (formerly the Hockhocking River) is a right
tributary
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage ...
of the
Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
in southeastern
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
The Hocking flows mostly on the unglaciated
Allegheny Plateau
The Allegheny Plateau , in the United States, is a large dissected plateau area of the Appalachian Mountains in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern and western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio. It is divide ...
, but its headwaters are in a
glaciated
A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such as ...
region. It rises in Bloom Township in
Fairfield County Fairfield County is the name of three counties in the United States:
* Fairfield County, Connecticut
* Fairfield County, Ohio
Fairfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,921. ...
and flows generally southeastwardly through Fairfield,
Hocking
Hocking may refer to:
Places
* Hocking County, Ohio, United States
* Hocking Township, Fairfield County, Ohio
* Hocking Hills, Ohio
* Hocking River, Ohio
* Hocking Canal, a former canal that ran parallel to the Hocking River
* Hocking, Western Aus ...
, and
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
counties, through the
Hocking Hills
The Hocking Hills is a deeply dissected area of the Allegheny Plateau in Ohio, primarily in Hocking County, that features cliffs, gorges, rock shelters, and waterfalls. The relatively extreme topography in this area is due to the Blackhand Sand ...
region and past the cities of
Lancaster,
Logan,
Nelsonville,
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
and
Coolville. It joins the Ohio River at
Hockingport. The Hocking's tributaries also drain parts of
Perry
Perry, also known as pear cider, is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, traditionally the perry pear. It has been common for centuries in England, particularly in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire. It is also made ...
,
Morgan, and
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
Counties.
Its name originally derives from a Native American name, roughly "Hokhokken" or "Hokhochen", which meant "bottle-shaped" or "gourd-shaped" and referred to the river's headwaters 7 miles north-west of present-day
Lancaster, Ohio
Lancaster ( ) is a city in Fairfield County, Ohio, in the south-central part of the state. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 40,552. The city is near the Hocking River, about southeast of Columbus and southwest of Zanesville. It is ...
. The river begins as a small stream, then immediately goes over a waterfall into a wide gorge. When viewed from above this feature looks like a bottle, which led to its name. The river was known as the Hockhocking River until the late 19th century.
The
Hocking Canal
The Hocking Canal, in southeastern Ohio, was a small 19th century lateral/feeder canal of the Ohio-Erie Canal. It began in Carroll, Ohio (which was on the Ohio-Erie Canal) and ran to Athens, Ohio. It paralleled the Hocking River in most places, ...
once linked Athens to Lancaster and the
Ohio and Erie Canal
The Ohio and Erie Canal was a canal constructed during the 1820s and early 1830s in Ohio. It connected Akron with the Cuyahoga River near its outlet on Lake Erie in Cleveland, and a few years later, with the Ohio River near Portsmouth. It also ...
, but was destroyed by flooding and never rebuilt. Due to frequent flooding of
Ohio University
Ohio University is a Public university, public research university in Athens, Ohio. The first university chartered by an Act of Congress and the first to be chartered in Ohio, the university was chartered in 1787 by the Congress of the Confeder ...
's campus, the Army Corps of Engineers re-channelized a section of the Hocking River in Athens during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Between Nelsonville and Athens, the Hocking today is roughly paralleled by a
rail trail
A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetcar ...
, the
Hockhocking Adena Bikeway. The path serves as a major source of recreation for the residents of the area, especially the students of
Ohio University
Ohio University is a Public university, public research university in Athens, Ohio. The first university chartered by an Act of Congress and the first to be chartered in Ohio, the university was chartered in 1787 by the Congress of the Confeder ...
and
Hocking College.
Major tributaries to the Hocking include (downriver to upriver)
Federal Creek Federal Creek is one of several major tributaries to the Hocking River in southeast Ohio. It drains an area in north-central Athens County, Ohio, as well as an adjacent area in Morgan County, Ohio. This creek is well known for severe flooding. The i ...
,
Margaret Creek,
Sunday Creek,
Monday Creek
Monday Creek is a tributary of the Hocking River, 27 miles (43.5 km) long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. Via the Hocking and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 116 square mile ...
, Scott Creek,
Oldtown Creek,
Clear Creek,
Rush Creek,
Pleasant Run,
Baldwin Run, and
Hunters Run
Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products ( fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn/antler, ...
. Many of these tributaries are affected by
acid mine drainage
Acid mine drainage, acid and metalliferous drainage (AMD), or acid rock drainage (ARD) is the outflow of acidic water from metal mines or coal mines.
Acid rock drainage occurs naturally within some environments as part of the rock weathering ...
.
Recreation
Canoeing
Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other acti ...
,
kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...
,
rafting
Rafting and whitewater rafting are recreational outdoor activities which use an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. Dealing with risk is often a ...
, and
tubing are very popular activities on the Hocking River. Hocking Hills Adventures and Hocking Hills Canoe Livery each operate trips suitable for all skill levels on the mid and upper sections of the river.
The mid and upper portions of the Hocking River serve as an above-average
smallmouth bass fishery. Typical species of midwestern warm-water streams are generally found throughout the river.
The Hocking River Water Trail is now under development. There are currently river access points for fishing and for canoes and kayaks at
Logan, Ohio
Logan is a city in Hocking. The population was 7,152 at the time of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Hocking County. Logan is located in southeast Ohio, on the Hocking River 48 miles southeast of Columbus. The current mayor of Logan ...
, at
Hocking College at
Nelsonville, Ohio
Nelsonville is a city in northwest York Township in Athens County, Ohio. It is 60 miles southeast of Columbus. The population was 4,612 at the 2020 census originally, but an official citywide recount found the population to be 5,373, thus main ...
, on Hamley Run Road northwest of
The Plains, Ohio
The Plains is a census-designated place (CDP) in Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,080 at the 2010 census.
History
"The Plains" originally referred to the local region where the Mound Builders lived and built their signatu ...
, at West State Street Park in
Athens, Ohio
Athens is a city and the county seat of Athens County, Ohio. The population was 23,849 at the 2020 census. Located along the Hocking River within Appalachian Ohio about southeast of Columbus, Athens is best known as the home of Ohio Universit ...
, at County Road 24A near
Canaanville, Ohio
Canaanville is an unincorporated area, unincorporated community in Canaan Township, Athens County, Ohio, Athens County, Ohio, United States. It has an elevation of and is located at .
According to the Centennial Atlas of Athens County (1905), t ...
, and at the
Army Corps of Engineers'
Belleville Locks and Dam recreational access point on Frost Road near
Coolville, Ohio
Coolville is a village located in Troy Township, Athens County, Ohio, United States, in the southeast area of the state. The population was 496 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Coolville is located at (39.222197, -81.797639).
It is located on th ...
.
It is spanned by the
Rock Mill Covered Bridge.
Nonprofit organizations
There are two organizations particularly concerned with preserving the environment of the river and its adjacent lands, and with providing recreational access to the river: th
Hocking River Commission, based in
Athens County, Ohio
Athens County is a county in southeastern Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 62,431. Its county seat is Athens. The county was formed in 1805 from Washington County. Because the original state university (Ohio University) was fo ...
, and th
Friends of the Hocking River, based in
Hocking County, Ohio
Hocking County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,050. Its county seat is Logan. The county was organized on March 1, 1818, from land given by Athens, Fairfield, and Ross counties. Its n ...
. Friends of the Hocking River in conjunction with Hocking Hills Adventures sponsor an annual river cleanu
The event is usually held on the second Saturday in June and it concludes with a BBQ and music.
Variant names
The
Shawnee language
The Shawnee language is a Central Algonquian language spoken in parts of central and northeastern Oklahoma by the Shawnee people. It was originally spoken by these people in a broad territory throughout the Eastern United States, mostly north of ...
name is ''Wi'thakakkwathiipi''.
According to the
Geographic Names Information System
The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is a database of name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features throughout the United States and its territories, Antarctica, and the associated states of ...
, the Hocking River has also been known as:
* Big Hock-hocking River
* Great Hock-hocking River
* Hock-Hocking River
* Hockhocken River
* Hockhocking River
* Hocking Hocking River
* Hokhoking River
* Big Hockhocking River
* Big Hocking River
* Great Hockhocking River
* Hakhakkien River
* Hockhoking River
The form "Hockhocking" was generally used for the first century of Ohio's statehood, as reflected on old maps, while the shorter "Hocking" River form has been used for about the past century.
Flooding
Flooding on the Hocking used to be a yearly occurrence for the residents of Athens, Ohio. The floods determined many aspects of the residents' lives, for example where to build a house. Most of the houses in Athens are built up on the hills, or the higher ground. It wasn’t until the university needed to expand, due to an influx of students during the 1950s that anything was even built into the flood plain. Some mentionable floods were the 1907 flood, in which seven people died, and about twenty houses were swept away. Another notable flood took place in 1968 which was labeled "The worst flood in fifty five years". The 1968 flood is also of interest due to the fact that the re-routing of the Hocking River project began in 1969. The re-routing of the Hocking was undertaken by the US Army Corps of Engineers, and was paid for by the university. The project was completed by 1971 and reverted five miles of the river along the West Green.
Flood of 1907
This flood took place on March 14, 1907, and caused extensive damage throughout Athens and SE Ohio. According to the Athens Journal, seven people died during the flood and the rescue attempts which followed. The flood uprooted about twenty houses, as well as drowned countless heads of horse and cattle. Residents who owned rowboats spent the days after the flood rescuing as many people as possible from their flooded houses; many people were saved, but rescuers were among the seven people who died. Thousands of people were forced to leave their homes, and many people were arrested for looting in the days after the flood. Telegraph lines were ripped down due to the flood, leaving Athens residents with no way of communicating with the outside world in the days after the flood. The railroad, waterworks plant, and electric plant were flooded, leaving Athens residents without water or electricity.
Flood of 1968
The Flood of 1968 caused more severe damage. Four inches of rain fell in twenty-four hours, causing the river to crest at twenty-five feet, eight feet above flood level. Students actually helped the National Guardsmen in rescue efforts and sandbagging in an attempt to control the flooding. The flood made national news, worrying parents and relatives who were tuning in. Students were also seen diving off the balcony in front of Brown Hall, and out dorm windows on the West Green. It was reportedly the worst flood in fifty-five years, and caused $8.9 million in damage to Athens county, and $750,000 to Ohio Universities campus.
Re-routing project
A year after the 1968 flood the re-routing project began. The project was carried out by the Army Corps of Engineers, and was funded by Ohio University. The University needed to expand its campus into the flood plain without having to pay annual damages, and without putting students at risk. So the re-routing project, which had been proposed years earlier, became one of the only viable solutions for the university's dilemma. It has been speculated that the new river channel has three times the carrying capacity of the old one, and should reduce chances of flooding by 86%, preventing an estimated $800,000 annual flood loss.
The project began on April 12, 1969. It was estimated to cost $11 million, and was to re-route a five-mile strip of river that ran along the West Green. Also, a four-laned bridge was constructed along Richland Ave, which can still be seen today. The project was completed by 1971, and OU reportedly paid $375,000 per year for twenty-two years. The project had a lasting effect on the campus of OU; the pre-1969 Hocking would have run directly through the bottom floor of the new Baker Center. US Army Corps has estimated that since the project was completed, $48 million in flood damage has been averted since completion. The project was put to the test in May 1990 when heavy rains caused the river to crest at twenty- three feet in Athens. President Bush declared Athens and three other counties "Disaster Areas"; the flood caused $4 million in damage to SE Ohio, but physical plant director Chuck Culp estimated that rerouting the river saved OU more than $500,000 in flood damage.
The most visible change to Athens due to the rerouting project was the building of Baker Center. Baker Center is built right in the original flood plain of the Hocking river; the second floor of Baker would actually be stream level.
Namesakes
The
Hocking Valley Railway
The Hocking Valley Railway was a railroad in the U.S. state of Ohio, with a main line from Toledo to Athens and Pomeroy via Columbus. It also had several branches to the coal mines of the Hocking Valley near Athens. The company became part of ...
was formed in 1870. Today, the
Hocking Valley Scenic Railway
The Hocking Valley Scenic Railway is a non-profit, 501c3, volunteer-operated tourist railroad attraction that operates out of Nelsonville, Athens County, Ohio. It is also located near the popular Hocking Hills State Park in nearby Hocking Co ...
still runs as a tourist attraction.
Hocking County, Ohio
Hocking County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,050. Its county seat is Logan. The county was organized on March 1, 1818, from land given by Athens, Fairfield, and Ross counties. Its n ...
is named after the river, as are the
Hocking Hills
The Hocking Hills is a deeply dissected area of the Allegheny Plateau in Ohio, primarily in Hocking County, that features cliffs, gorges, rock shelters, and waterfalls. The relatively extreme topography in this area is due to the Blackhand Sand ...
, which include Hocking State Forest and
Hocking Hills State Park
Hocking Hills State Park is a state park in the Hocking Hills region of Hocking County, Ohio, United States. In some areas the park adjoins the Hocking State Forest. Within the park are over of hiking trails, rock formations, waterfalls, and ...
.
The
Hocking Canal
The Hocking Canal, in southeastern Ohio, was a small 19th century lateral/feeder canal of the Ohio-Erie Canal. It began in Carroll, Ohio (which was on the Ohio-Erie Canal) and ran to Athens, Ohio. It paralleled the Hocking River in most places, ...
existed from 1838-1890.
Hocking College is a technical college located at
Nelsonville, Ohio
Nelsonville is a city in northwest York Township in Athens County, Ohio. It is 60 miles southeast of Columbus. The population was 4,612 at the 2020 census originally, but an official citywide recount found the population to be 5,373, thus main ...
.
The Hocking Glass Company was formed in 1905, and merged to become
Anchor Hocking
Anchor Hocking Company is a manufacturer of glassware. The Hocking Glass Company was founded in 1905 by Isaac Jacob (Ike) Collins in Lancaster, Ohio, and named after the Hocking River.
That company merged with the Anchor Cap and Closure Co ...
by 1937.
General Hocking Brick Company, Hocking Iron Company, Hocking Valley Products Company and Hocking Valley Clay Company were all former manufacturers in the area.
The Hocking River's name was the inspiration for the call letters of Lancaster's
Country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
radio
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...
station WHOK-FM (now
WXMG).
See also
*
List of rivers of Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the Great Lakes region of the United States. The state takes its name from the Ohio River, whose name in turn originated from the Seneca word '' ohiːyo, meaning "good river", "great river" or "large creek". The Ohio ...
*
Little Hocking River
The Little Hocking River is a small tributary of the Ohio River, long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. Via the Ohio River, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of on the unglaciated portion of the ...
References
External links
Link to EPA Water Quality page for the Hocking River
{{authority control
Rivers of Ohio
Tributaries of the Ohio River
Rivers of Athens County, Ohio
Rivers of Fairfield County, Ohio
Rivers of Hocking County, Ohio