Licking County is located at the geographic center of Ohio. The history of the county began over 2,000 years ago when an ancient people known as the Hopewells occupied the area. While they disappeared for no apparent reason, the large earthen mounds left behind give modern man clues to their type of culture. Licking County is home to a countless number of these mounds with the Great Circle Earthworks being the largest. In 1808, Licking County was established with Newark as its county seat. The construction of the Ohio Canal began in 1825 and finished in 1833. The canal brought a new era to Licking County, and Newark became a beehive of activity. The railroads came and the canal gradually began to lose its value. In 1908, the great Ohio Canal was filled in. For the past 200 years, many people have had a connection to Licking County, and their names continue to keep the history of the county alive.