Lake White State Park

• Lake White provides excitement for anglers, offering nice catches of bluegill, largemouth bass, crappie, saugeye and catfish.
• The current state record for Kentucky Spotted Bass was caught at Lake White in 1978.
• A valid Ohio fishing license is required.

• The 337-acre Lake White offers unlimited horsepower boating.
• A launch ramp provides access to the lake.

• A small but nice swimming beach provides recreation for swimmers and sunbathers.
• Change booths are located by the parking lot on SR 551.
• Check for water quality advisories

• Lake White offers a picturesque setting for picnickers.
• Two picnic shelters can be reserved or if not reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Lake White also has a meeting room ideal for reunions and holiday entertaining as well as other group activities.
• The facility is enhanced with a kitchen facility, fireplace and a balcony overlooking the lake.
• Reservations for the meeting room can be made by calling the park office at (740) 947-4059.

• Pike Lake State Park and State Forest are located south of Bainbridge, near State Route 124. Pike Lake features camping, cabins, swimming, fishing and hiking.
• Adena State Memorial , the restored home of Thomas Worthington is one of The Ohio Historical Society's premier sites. It includes Worthington's newly-restored 1807 mansion and a 13,000 square foot Museum/Visitor Center.
• Scioto Trail State Park and State Forest are about nine miles south of Chillicothe off S.R. 23. Camping facilities, fishing and hiking are available. The forested hills, typical of southern Ohio, are ideal for an enjoyable walk or a quiet weekend.

The cultural history of this area dates back to the Adena and Hopewell Indians who settled in the Scioto Valley around 800 B.C. These mound building tribes left behind extensive earthworks throughout the Scioto Valley region. Adena, near Chillicothe, was the site of the first mound excavation attributed to these prehistoric people. Other mounds in the area include Seip Mound, Spruce Hill, Fort Hill and Serpent Mound.

The Scioto River played an important role in the early history of this area. Indian and frontiersmen alike paddled the stream from the Ohio River to the heart of the new frontier. The Shawnee used the river as their primary means of transportation from one village to another. The river also brought the first European settlers to the area in the 1790s. Many of these first Ohioans were veterans of the Revolutionary War claiming land due them for military service.

The construction of the Ohio and Erie Canal heightened the hopes of those along its path that were destined to prosper from canal traffic. Initial plans placed the canal through Piketon, bypassing Waverly. This aggravated an intense rivalry between Piketon and Waverly citizens. After persistent lobbying by Waverly promoters, the canal route was changed and Piketon was bypassed. The Waverly cause was aided greatly by Ohio Speaker of the House, at that time, Robert Lucas, who owned land near Waverly and stood to gain greatly by the new route.

In 1832, the canal was opened. It was announced that the water would reach Waverly on the morning of September 6, and preparations were made to welcome its arrival. The canal banks were packed with residents for a great distance, but the water never arrived. Unfortunately, it had hit an expansive gravel deposit which absorbed most of the water. Eventually the gravelly areas became saturated and the water reached Waverly by noon much to the delight of cheering crowds.

The prosperity of the canal era was short lived. With the advent of rail transportation, goods could be shipped more efficiently throughout the country. As early as 1860, use of the canals had dropped dramatically. In 1913, the Ohio and Erie Canal was officially closed.

Part of Lake White State Park includes the remains of the old canal channel. The lake was built during the depression by the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.). Most of the land surrounding the lake is privately owned. Lake White was officially dedicated as a state park in 1949 when the Division of Parks and Recreation was created.