Kinnikinnick Creek is a shallow waterway that is part of the
Scioto River
The Scioto River ( ) is a river in central and southern Ohio more than in length. It rises in Hardin County just north of Roundhead, Ohio, flows through Columbus, Ohio, where it collects its largest tributary, the Olentangy River, and meets t ...
watershed, flowing through southern Pickaway and northern Ross Counties in
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 ...
. The area through which the creek flows, which includes the villages of Wisler,
Kingston and Kinnikinnick, Ohio is known locally as the Kinnikinnick Prairie.
The Kinnikinnick has two branches, the main (north) branch, and the south branch. The creek’s northern headwaters form near the
Pickaway County
Pickaway County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 58,539. Its county seat is Circleville, Ohio, Circleville. Its name derives from the Pekowi band o ...
village of Leistville, Ohio, and flow south to the confluence of the creek’s southern branch, which has its head waters in
Ross County. There, the creek begins its west-southwest path until it merges with the Scioto River north of the city of
Chillicothe, Ohio
Chillicothe ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ross County, Ohio, United States. Located along the Scioto River 45 miles (72 km) south of Columbus, Chillicothe was the first and third capital of Ohio. It is the only city in Ross Count ...
.
The creek was named for the Native American tobacco product
kinnikinnick
Kinnikinnick is a Native American and First Nations herbal smoking mixture, made from a traditional combination of leaves or barks. Recipes for the mixture vary, as do the uses, from social, to spiritual to medicinal.
Etymology
The term "kinniki ...
.
The creek was a resource for Native Americans in the days before European Settlement. When white settlers moved into the region around 1800, Kinnikinnick was a significant source of fresh
water
Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...
for consumption, and crop
irrigation
Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow Crop, crops, Landscape plant, landscape plants, and Lawn, lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,00 ...
.
The Kinnikinnick is considered a major waterway feeder for the Scioto River by
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...
Extension Services. Portions are navigable by canoe.
Location
*Mouth: North of Chillicothe at
*Source: Pickaway County at
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 ...
References
External links
Topography Map of the Kinnikinnick’s path
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Rivers of Ohio
Rivers of Pickaway County, Ohio
Rivers of Morrow County, Ohio
Rivers of Ross County, Ohio