Welcome to Danville, the village where the Kokosing Gap Trail ends and the Mohican Valley Trail begins. As you visit the area we want you to learn the history of Ohio Railroads and their significance to the growth of these towns. In the late ’90s, Knox County began to explore the idea of taking the abandoned rail beds and converting them to a multi-use recreational trail. We hope you are enjoying our Points of Interest trail. 

Mohican Valley Trail

Danville is known as the “Gateway to Amish County” as Route #62 (Millersburg Road) will lead you through the rolling hills of Ohio. The Mohican Valley Trail provides spectacular views of the Mohican River Valley. The trail connects with the Holmes County Trail, ½ mile east of the Bridge of Dreams. Horses and Amish buggies share the trail with other trail users, so do not be surprised to see some horses upon your visit.

The village of Danville was founded by George Sapp in 1813 who was a veteran of the War of 1812. St. Luke Roman Catholic Parish was founded in Danville in 1820 and is the second oldest parish in the state of Ohio. The Catholic were the religious Pioneers of the area.

Danville had an important railroad depot plus a grain elevator and stockyard specializing in sheep. The former Cleveland, Akron and Columbus Railway had a passenger depot in Danville, that depot is now occupied by the Danville Feed and Supply. The passenger service was discontinued in 1950.

Agriculture was prominent in the village as a stockyard specializing in sheep mapped Knox County as having more sheep than any other county east of the Mississippi River. The production of turkeys was also well known in the valley as a turkey hatchery was the largest type of industry in the area.

Danville is known as one of the oldest towns in the eastern part of Knox County. It stood at a standstill before the railroad was established and after that, the town flourished. It included a (2) dry goods stores, a grocery and clothing store, a hardware, hotel, blacksmith, copper shop and post office. In earlier years small towns of Buckeye City and Rossville existed and later consolidated to become Danville. Rossville was laid out upon the completion of the railroad. and Buckeye City was laid out in 1880. 

The Little Jelloway Creek is a corridor along this section of the trail. It is a tributary to the Kokosing River as it flows into Big Jelloway Creek and then empties into the Kokosing River (which was known as Owl Creek). Indian encampments were common among these bodies of water as there was an abundance of fish and wildlife to hunt. A somewhat noted Indian called Tom Jelloway is whom the Jelloway Creeks are named from. Tom stayed long after many of his tribe left the area and he became very much adoptive to the White ways such as dress and style of living and refused to go when the Government removed the Indians in this part of Ohio to the West.

A notable figure born in Danville was William Stanley who served as the 15th Governor of Kansas in 1880.