Henpeck: Caesar Creek Pioneer Village

Caesar Creek State Park in Waynesville, Ohio, boasts a scenic landscape, featuring lush forests, sparkling lakes, and abundant wildlife, making it an ideal destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Visitors can explore miles of well-maintained hiking trails, enjoy picnicking by the serene waters, or engage in various recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and camping amidst the beautiful natural surroundings.

Among the gems that visitors can experience is the Caesar Creek Pioneer Village, a historically recreated community of cabins located within the park. This living history museum showcases an open-air collection of over 15 restored log cabins and other buildings that date back to the 18th and early 19th centuries. The village boasts a collection of historic cabins that were originally from the surrounding area. Over the years, these cabins were saved from destruction by relocating them to what was previously known as the town of Henpeck.
Fun fact: Henpeck was the town’s name before it became Wellman. Local folklore suggests that the name “Henpeck” was derived from the old saying typical in the 1890s slang “henpecked,” which describes the stereotype of the weak “henpecked husband” who is intimidated by his strong-willed wife.

The land was initially settled by Quaker immigrants Levi and Elizabeth Lukens along Caesar Creek in the early 1800s. The area remained populated until the Army Corps of Engineers seized the land in the 1970s for a dam and public recreation area. Now, a group of volunteers cares for and preserves the community of cabins by offering events to raise money to maintain the buildings.

Caesar Creek runs through Clinton, Greene, and Warren Counties. Many legends surround the naming of this stream, including for an enslaved African, Caesar. Most believe he was either captured by the Shawnee on a raid in Ohio or escaped with the Shawnee from an army General
entering the lands in the 1700s. Legends state that Caesar died and was buried along the creek, which now bears his name. His disembodied voice was said to sweep up from the place along the water’s edge where he was buried with an old church camp song and was carried downstream, “Oh mourner, brother, you shall be free—” During its early years, before the lake was present, the ghost of an old woman roamed its banks, a large white figure disappearing when approached.

Caesar Creek State Park: The Pioneer Village

Trails at Caesar Creek State Park. Click here for a Caesar Creek State Park Trail Map

• Hiking Trails:
• Fifty Springs Loop Trail – 3.3 miles, rated moderate to difficult.
• Horseshoe Falls Trail – 0.7 miles, rated moderate to difficult.
• Old Woods Trail – Length not specified, rated moderate to difficult.
• Perimeter Trail – Length not specified, rated moderate to difficult.
• Connector Trail between Fifty Springs and Perimeter Trails – 0.1 mile, rated moderate to difficult.