Green Camp Ohio 43322
Located in Green Camp Township
A warm and friendly village with lots of history
The village was first named Berwick and was laid out in 1838. The first house built in Berwick was a log cabin built by John Thatcher. It was built where the current Green Camp Methodist Church now stands. The cabin was unoccupied until May 1843 when John Bradshaw moved in and became Berwick first citizen and he operated the Holderman mill in the village Berwick was known as the head of navigation on the Scioto River and boats carrying merchandise to the community were quite common. In 1892 a gentleman in prospect Ohio built a steam boat named the gazelle. It was 30ft long and 8ft wide at the beam-it had a capacity of 20 passengers. It was powered by a steam engine. Regular trips from Prospect to Green Camp were made as an excursion boat.
Green Camp Township became historically prominent before receiving its name when Captain Daniel Green with a company commercial soldiers camped during the war of 1812 1 mi. north of Berwick on the banks of the Scioto River. Early settlers referred to this as Green camp and it is supposed how the Township and village received there names,
Captain Green and soldiers built the old block house on crest of a hill now known as St.Rt, 739 &203 for protection against hostile Indians. This now where Carter Lumber Co. sets. There was a Pioneer and Indian grave yard there and this was removed to the Green camp Cemetery and put in a mass grave and now has a marker on it.
A settler named Geo Wright was for a number of yrs. Associated with the Wyandot Indians in Upper Sandusky. He married one of them and had two children. Eventually he left her because the other settlers said it was wrong to live with a woman of such color. He gave her is land and all he had . Geo came back to Green Camp and brought seventy two acres and the Indiana continued to visit him to have their rifles repaired. When Mr. Wright died he left his farm to the township for school purposes. The Elgin school district still receives interest from this farm. This original will is on file in the Marion County Probate Court and his grave is on Prospect Upper Sandusky road, South one half mile north of Green Camp. It is honored each year on memorial day by the school children in the district.
The village has had a vibrant history -at one time a trolley car ran from green camp to route 4 to connect with the interurban to get to work in Marion. The 1970 census said there were wood planks and at the turn of the century began to be replaced with sandstone and concrete. In 1880 a calaboose (jail) was built and is still standing on land along the river across from the Methodist Church and is still used for council meetings etc. In 1894 council purchased twenty-four coal oil street lamps costing $.25 per day. Telephone service came to the village in 1901. In 1906 the Columbus, Delaware and Marion Railway Co. constructed a street railroad on Main and Water Street.
In 1916 electric power came to green camp, United Electric co. constructed the system for $3931.98. A bandstand was constructed in the small park across from the bank. There were grocery stores, meat markets, candy store ,florists, street dances (round and square) were popular. Free movies were shown on summer evening on the side of the hardware building , ice cream, social and so much more. IN 1975 celebration was held to commemorate 100yrs . As an incorporated village, a parade, carnival rides, bingo, street dances etc. Were held the next year. June 1976 a two day celebration to honor our nation 200th birthday , a Bicentennial Time Capsule was buried in the center of town where the bandstand used to be and is to be opened in 2038, 20yrs. After the founding of Berwick.
Growth in big box stores and modern times have caused most little markets, stores and neat things in the village to go by the side. Green camp is still a wonderful little village full of great active people who love their families, churches and school. A great place to live and raise a family .
