About the Hemlock Falls Property . . .
 

"It is my hope that, whoever owns Hemlock Falls after me, will revere it in the way I have and will take care of it. We really don't own a property such as this, but are only caretakers for a short while." --Commodore Johnston Newark, Ohio 1994

Two small spring-fed streams cascade down the face of massive sandstone cliffs in the shade of tall hemlock trees. One of the falls drops about 60 feet and the other about 100 feet. Hemlock Run is a tributary of the Clear Fork River which flows into Pleasant Hill Lake. Huge slump blocks have separated from the rock walls by weathering. One slump rock may be the largest in Ohio. The rock is Black Hand sandstone deposited in deltas at the edge of the great salt water ocean during the Mississipian period -- about 350 million years ago.  The Black Hand sandstone cliffs stand at the edge of the pre-glacial Groveport River, a west-flowing tributary of the Teays River. The river was blocked by a glacier during the Pleistocene galciation and later reversed its flow cutting through the Clear Fork Gorge National Natural Landmark four miles northeast of Hemlock Falls. Bunker Hill Road and Tugend Road were once part of the Old Groveport River bed. When the last glacier retreated, the waterfalls and sandstone combined to leave behind an ecosystem more typical of the edge of the glacier. Plants like those of the Applacian Plateau (and rare to Richland County) can be found in this unique area. With help of individuals, foundations, corporations, conservation groups, garden clubs, and service organizarions, Mohican School had previously purchased the 188 acres surrounding the falls and started development of the Environmental Learning Center. For the past several years, the school had leased the Falls from the owner Commodore Johnston, III. During that time, both parties got to know each other better, and both realized that their common goal was to respect and perserve this property. After the untimely death of Mr. Johnston, MOS and Mrs. Johnston agreed to a price of $100,000 and the Falls was purchased in April of 1999. We are still accepting donations to continue conservation efforts of this area.