Colonel William Grice’s Plans in Reference to That Famous Landmark – A Prospective Park
The great lookout point, known as Raven Rock, will soon be one of the most attractive spots in Scioto county. While the owner, WB Grice, does not contemplate laying off into town lots the fine table-land on top of the mountain, he does expect to improve the rock and its surrounding, that it will be easy to access by cutting a road, making steps, etc., up the steep, rugged hill-side, cutting away the superfluous trees and undergrowth, and so arranging that when once on the rock the grand view up and down the beautiful valley of the Ohio will be unobstructed.
The view from the rock is grand, extending from twenty-five to fifty miles up and down the river. It was on this rock the Indians used to place their sentinels, watching for the early white settlers, as they were trying to float down the river unobserved by the Indian. As their canoes came around the Sciotoville bend a signal from Raven Rock would give the camp below warning of the approach of the canoe, and many a scalp was added to their girdle through this sentinel work. This rock is peculiarly fitted for this, as when the trees and underbrush are trimmed, a person while standing is an opening or crevice behind the main rock can look through windows, or port-holes, unobserved from the road or river. From these crevices one has a good view up and down the valley.
Mr. Grice contemplates so arranging this grand old historical spot that it will be a pleasure to visit it. A park will be made of the level ground; shade trees will be placed where needed; convenient buildings will be erected to shelter in case of storm, and in the near future Raven Rock will be a retreat for picnic parties and others wishing to spend a day where they can get their western breezes and avoid the foul smell of the Scioto bottoms and the disease germs of the city. 1
