Canal Society of Ohio Mini-Tour and Trustees Meeting in Sugar Grove, Ohio

Saturday March 30, 2019

Our meeting place: Appalachia Ohio Alliance’s (AOA) Mercer House located near the Mercer Woods Old Growth Forest Preserve.  AOA has protected over 100 properties and 11,000 acres in central, south-central and southeastern Ohio, including Hocking Canal Lock #8, which CSO helped to purchase.  Mercer Woods is located in the scenic Hocking Valley in the Hocking Hills. It is a part of AOA’s Hocking River Conservation Corridor initiative.

Medicinal Plant Walk

mercer woods mini-tour 2019  reflections

"Lock #8 on the Hocking Canal has been saved by the AOA with help from the Canal Society of Ohio."

SEE LINK BELOW FOR DIRECTIONS to Mercer House.  

Mercer Woods
9016 Buckeye Troxel Road
Sugar Grove, OH 43155


The Mercer House address is 9016 Buckeye Troxel Road.  Below is a Google map link that takes you to the driveway.  The house is up the drive which doglegs to the right. 


https://www.google.com/maps/place/9012+Buckeye+Troxel+Rd,+Sugar+Grove,+OH+43155/@39.6738287,-82.6353706,13z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x8847f2e9a66f715b:0x439d53ef8426c791!8m2!3d39.6044164!4d-82.5375039


Canal Society members met on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at the Mercer House, south of Sugar Grove, Ohio, in the scenic Hocking River Valley. The Mercer House is a lodge maintained by the Appalachia Ohio Alliance (AOA), a non-profit land conservancy serving Central and Southeastern Ohio.  AOA protects more than 100 properties on more than 11,000 acres, and partnered with the Canal Society of Ohio to preserve Hocking Canal Lock #8. The Mercer House is available for short term rental -- contact Al Atfater for information alfater@sbcglobal.net.

In the morning, participants carpooled to visit Lock #8, Lock #11 and Lock #12 (Sheep’s Pen Lock), led by our AOA hosts Steve Fleegal and Al Alfater.  Lock #8 is easily accessible from US Route 33, and has been cleared of many trees so the structure is more visible.  AOA plans more work days soon to remove trash from the floor of the lock. After a catered luncheon at the Mercer House, CSO trustees held a business meeting. 

Mercer House Exterior

Mercer House Interior

Canal Society of Ohio Inc.

These two photographs by Steve Fleegal, March 2019

"The mossy stones in this picture are the remains of Lock #11, hidden deep in the Mercer Woods."

Mercer Woods - Hocking Hills