The photos I took in February 1971 depict the Caesar’s
Creek Friends Meetinghouse building (constructed in 1849 and later renovated
in 1905) and grounds, the stone wall surrounding the cemetery (the stone
wall was constructed in 1868-1869), the interior of the cemetery, as well
as the Haines and Wilson
tombstones. The photos I took in July 1973 depict the same Meetinghouse
building and grounds, as well as the same stone wall. The photographs
I took in February 1971 were taken after the Corps commenced to acquire
land for the project but before any actual construction began. Construction
began in October 1971. The photographs I took in July 1973 were taken
after construction had commenced but well before completion, which was
in 1978.
The old iron gate at the entrance in the stone wall to the cemetery “went
missing” subsequent to the time these photos were taken. The Wayne
Township Trustees (present owners) have indicated that they are planning
to make improvements, including finding a gate of some kind for that entrance
in the stone wall into the cemetery.
The first log cabin meetinghouse was built in what is now Chester Township,
Clinton County, on the east bluff of the Caesar Creek valley. The last
regular worship service was held at the Caesar’s Creek Meetinghouse
on November 20, 1967, after the Corps began acquiring land. The minutes
of the Caesar’s Creek Meeting authorized keeping a “book”
for recording burials, but I do not yet know exactly where that book (or
copies of it) is now kept.
Except for two very small parcels (.25 acres and .50 acres), the Caesar’s
Creek Friends Meetinghouse, the grounds, and the cemetery were excluded
from the land acquisitions by the Corps, and legal title remained with
the Society of Friends at Caesar’s Creek. Members of Caesar’s
Creek Friends Meeting donated the Meetinghouse building to Pioneer Village
in Massie Township, and donations were raised for the purpose of funding
the move of the structure eight miles to that location. On November 15,
1975, the Meetinghouse was moved off its old foundation to a nearby field.
On November 24, 25, and 26, 1975, a private contractor moved the Meetinghouse
building to Pioneer Village at a cost of $8,000.00. The Meetinghouse building
was set on a foundation at Pioneer Village in the spring of 1976.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began acquiring land in the Caesar’s
Creek valley and surrounding areas in Warren, Greene, and Clinton Counties
in 1962 for the purpose of constructing the Caesar Creek Lake project.
The Corps began actual construction of the Caesar Creek Lake project,
i.e., the dam, dikes, as well as clearing the Caesar’s Creek valley
and surrounding area, in October 1971, and construction of the lake project
was not complete until 1978. Water impoundment (flooding) of the Caesar’s
Creek valley actually began in January 1978, thereby creating the reservoir
now known as Caesar Creek Lake, which was formally dedicated in July 1978.
During the period the project was under construction, the Corps cleared
the valley of trees and buildings and the surrounding areas of buildings.
There was a lot of bow hunting for deer, hiking, and other recreation
in the creek valley and surrounding areas during this period of construction.
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