Indian Head Rock | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

The Indian Head Rock Project was initiated by Steve Middleton during the filming of his documentary Between the Rock and the Commonwealth in the summer of 2016. The collection consists of documentation and images on the history, and folklore, of the Indian Head Rock that was located in the Ohio River across from Portsmouth, Ohio. Included in the collection are newspaper clippings, photographs, and videos interviews with individuals associated with the removal of the rock from the river and the political and legal actions that followed.

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Portsmouth Works: At the Mouth of the Scioto River

E. G. Squier

Map of the Portsmouth, Ohio earthworks as drawn by E. G. Squier on December 31, 1845. Found in the book Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley.
Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley, pages 299-300

E. G. Squier and E. H. Davis

Pages 299 and 300 of E. G. Squire's and E. H. Davis' book Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley, published in 1848.
Hanging or Hieroglyphical Rock; Colossal Bust at Low Water Mark, Used as a Metre by the Aborigines (Close up of Indian Head Rock)

James J. Egan

Close up of Indian Head Rock from scene three from the Panorama of the Monumental Grandeur of the Mississippi Valleypainted by John J. Egan circa 1850. The original is owned by the Saint Louis Art Museum.
Hanging or Hieroglyphical Rock; Colossal Bust at Low Water Mark, Used as a Metre by the Aborigines

John J. Egan

Scene three from the Panorama of the Monumental Grandeur of the Mississippi Valley painted by John J. Egan circa 1850. The original is owned by the Saint Louis Art Museum.
The River is Now Within Three Inches if the Indian Head

Portsmouth Inquirer

An article published in the Portsmouth Inquirer on the Indian Head Rock from September 26, 1851.
Old River Men Say...

Portsmouth Daily Evening Tribune

An article in the Portsmouth Daily Evening Tribune from September 5, 1854 describing the Indian Head Rock and the low river levels from 1839 to 1854.
A Singular Stone

Gallipolis Journal

An article published in the Gallipolis Journal on an artifact found near the Indian Head Rock from November 26, 1868.
River News

Portsmouth Times

An article in the Portsmouth Times mentioning the Indian Head Rock from August 26, 1871.
Collin's Historical Sketches of Kentucky: History of Kentucky

Richard H. Collins and Lewis Collins

Entry in Richard H. Collins' History of Kentucky on the Indian Head Rock from September 14, 1854.
A Profile of the Bed of the Ohio River

Portsmouth Daily Times

An Article in the Portsmouth Daily Times on the Indian Head Rock from September 12, 1874.
On a Bar in the Ohio River

Wheeling Daily Intelligencer

An article published in the Wheeling Daily Intelligencer on July 7, 1876 referring to the Indian Head Rock as "extracts from a river pilot's diary."
The Traditional Indian Rock

Wheeling Daily Intelligencer

Article published in the Wheeling Daily Intelligencer on the Indian Head Rock from October 15, 1879.
Ohio River Distances

Portsmouth Daily Times

Indian Head Rock mentioned in the Portsmouth Times on June 4, 1887.
The "Indian Rock"

Portsmouth Times

Article published in the Portsmouth Daily Times on the Indian Head Rock from October 17, 1891.
The "Indian Head"

Portsmouth Times

Article on the Indian Head Rock published in the Portsmouth Times on October 31, 1891.
Sounds from the Streets

Portsmouth Daily Times

An article in the Portsmouth Times on Indian Head Rock published on November 5, 1892.
The Making of the Ohio Valley States 1660-1837, page 170

Samuel Adams Drake

Page 170 of Samuel Adams Drake's The Making of the Ohio Valley States 1660-1837 published in 1894.
River News

Madison Daily Herald

An Article in the Madison Daily Herald on the Indian Head Rock from September 12, 1894.
River News

Madison Daily Herald

An article published in the Madison Daily Herald on the appearance of Indian Head Rock on September 12, 1894.
A Massive Water Guage Near Springville

Portsmouth Semi-Weekly Blade

An article published in the Portsmouth Semi-Weekly Blade from September 22, 1894 on the Indian Head Rock.
Image of Indian Head Rock, 1894

Portsmouth Semi-Weekly Blade

Image of Indian Head Rock published in the Portsmouth Semi-Weekly Blade on September 22, 1894.
Reached the Twenty Inch Mark

Portsmouth Daily Times

An article published in the Portsmouth Daily Times on the Indian Head Rock from October 12, 1895.
Reached the Twenty Inch Mark

Portsmouth Times

Article published in the Portsmouth Times on the Indian Head Rock from October 12, 1895.
Indian Head Rock Visible

Cincinnati Commercial Gazette

Article published in the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette on the appearance of Indian Head Rock on October 20, 1895.
Indian Head Rock Visible

Warren Evening Democrat

An article published in the Warren Evening Democrat on the Indian Head Rock from October 21, 1895.