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This home was built by Peter LeClercq in 1811, of Flemish and common bond brick, for his second wife. LeClercq arrived with the French 500 at the age of 17 and became the clerk of courts and postmaster at Gallipolis for 25 years. Colonel John Vance was given this home in 1837 as a reward for his work on the locks and dam system.  

Peter LeClercq House, Gallipolis

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This walking tour includes many of the historic buildings, monuments, and historical markers in Gallipolis. The tour also includes stops at the local CVB and several museums and cultural centers where visitors and residents can learn even more.

La Vue Premiere, by artist William P. Hopen, was unveiled in October 1990 during the City's Bicentennial. The statue symbolizes the unconquerable spirit of the first settlers. Dan Quayle, former Vice President, and George Voinovich, former Governor of Ohio, were the guests of honor for the unveiling.  

La Vue Premiere

Multiple historical markers and monuments are present around the park. The sandstone monolith at the center entrance to the park on First Avenue marks the height of the Ohio River floods of 1884, 1907, 1913, and 1937. The white shaft holds a replica of the rocker arm from the steamer John Porter. It is a memorial to the sixty-six people who died of yellow fever when the steamer brought the disease to Gallipolis in 1878. The fountain was donated by the family of Charles D. Kerr, a local drugstore owner, whose son drowned in the Ohio River.The focal point of the park, the bandstand, was built around 1876 by Stirling and Son as a memorial to Gallia County Civil War veterans. Two years after it was completed, the contractors threatened to tear it down because they were owed $40. The ladies of Gallipolis came to the rescue by hosting an ice cream social to raise the money. The Bandstand is still used today to host events; it is also a popular site for marriage proposals.After World War I the city of Gallipolis installed a doughboy statue to honor members of the community who served in the war. Titled “Spirit of the American Doughboy,” it is one of numerous identical statues placed in towns and cities across the nation following the war.

When the first French settlers came to Gallipolis, they arrived at what is now the city park along the Ohio River. Today, the park hosts events from food festivals to live performances. Every year during the Christmas season, the park is decorated with lights and trees paid for by local residents and organizations. The park also features markers commemorating various events in the city’s history.

Gallipolis City Park

The Marquis de Lafayette was born in 1757. He was orphaned at a young age and joined the French Royal Army at fourteen. In 1775, he heard about the American colonies’ struggle for independence and was excited by the idea of joining the cause. With help from his friend, the Comte de Broglie, Lafayette left for America with a letter from American diplomat Silas Deane promising him a position as a major general. The American government readily welcomed their noble, young volunteer and gave him his commission as Major General. Soon after, he met General George Washington, beginning a friendship that would last until Washington’s death. By the end of the American Revolutionary War, Lafayette had served in some of the harshest conditions, such as the infamous winter in Valley Forge, and had spent more than $200,000 of his own money on the colonies' efforts. Congress later repaid him and gave him land in the Louisiana territory.

Lafayette returned to the United States a few times in his remaining years, including one tour of the country in 1824 that attracted crowds at every stop. On that tour, Lafayette stayed at the Our House tavern and inn in Gallipolis. The tavern is now a museum which features some of his possessions. Lafayette died in 1834, but he was not forgotten by the people of Gallipolis. In town, there is a strip mall and apartment complex named after him in addition to the 1940 plaque dedicated to “the spirit of Lafayette”.

The plaque notes another French connection to the village of Gallipolis: the French 500. The name applies to a group of French settlers who came to Gallipolis in 1790. After arriving, they found out that the land they paid the Scioto Company for was never purchased from the Ohio Company, making their deeds worthless. Five years later, President Washington granted them free land in Scioto County, but the boundaries of counties in Ohio at this time were unclear. Some took advantage of this free land while others stayed behind and purchased land in Gallia County a second time.

This tablet was erected in 1940 to honor the "spirit of Marquis de Lafayette" and the nation of France for their assistance in the American Revolution. The Marquis de Lafayette was a young French nobleman who volunteered to fight in the American Revolutionary War. After the war ended and he returned home, Lafayette only visited the United States a few times. On at least one occasion, he stopped by the town of Gallipolis, which had French roots itself, being settled by the so-called French 500. The plaque is just one of many objects in town referencing America’s French ally Lafayette.

Spirit of Lafayette Memorial

The Doughboy monument in the Gallipolis City Park is not one of a kind. It was produced by the artist Ernest Moore "Dick" Visquesney, a veteran of the Spanish-American War, who came up with the idea in 1918. The first “Spirit of the American Doughboy” statue was erected in Nashville, Georgia in 1922. Before his death in 1946, Visquesney made and sold more than 160 bronze, copper, and stone Doughboys and “Spirit of the American Navy” statues (about 120 survive today). Visquesney called “The Spirit of the American Doughboy” his “greatest and most sincere effort.”

On May 30th, 1931, Gallipolis’s Doughboy statue was dedicated in memory of a young soldier, John Oliver, who was killed in World War I. The Women’s Auxiliary of American Legion Lafayette Post 27 bought the statue and oversaw its installation. The statue stands where Oliver and other members of the Company F, 7th Ohio Volunteer Infantry as well as soldiers from the Civil War trained.

Overall, “The Spirit of the American Doughboy” has fared well in Gallipolis. Annual celebrations on Memorial Day honor Gallia County’s veterans, with a wreath being laid near the Doughboy statue and other markers in the park. After years of facing the elements and occasional vandalism, the Doughboy was restored in 2012. His missing rifle was replaced with a new one made of bronze, and a dry ice sandblasting process restored his finish from green to copper.

“The Spirit of the American Doughboy” statue was erected in the Gallipolis City Park in 1931. The statue was paid for by the local Women’s Auxiliary post to honor World War I veterans from Gallia County, Ohio. It is one of over 160 “Doughboy” (a nickname for WWI soldiers) statues designed by sculptor Ernest Moore Visquesney. 

Gallipolis Doughboy Statue

Oscar Odd McIntyre was born February 18, 1884 in Plattsburg, Missouri, but he grew up under his grandmother’s care in Gallipolis, Ohio. There, he got his first newspaper job at the Gallipolis Journal. When he dropped out of high school, he began to work for newspapers exclusively. He quickly began to realize the power of print by seeing how excited residents would be anytime their names appeared in the paper. He also noticed the love people had for performers at the local Ariel Theatre. These two observations would shape his future career as a columnnist.

After moving to find higher-paying jobs in some of Ohio’s cities, McIntyre and his wife, Maybelle Hope Small, left Cincinnati for New York in 1911 or 1912 (sources differ). Eventually, McIntyre became the most-read and one of the highest-paid columnnists of his time. His daily columnn New York Day by Day and his short stories captivated small town America with its pop-culture references and vivid descriptions of a glamorous New York. He approached writing about celebrities and entertainment with a sense of wonder and good-nature that he never lost, no matter how many stars he met. And he met plenty. Some of his friends included actors Charlie Chaplin and Will Rogers and writers Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. 

Despite being so well-known across the country, few knew that McIntyre struggled with mental illness most of his life. He suffered from depression, had phobias that included being patted on the back, and dreaded seeing the doctor. Today, it is thought that many of his health problems were caused by pernicious anemia. Whatever caused his anxieties, they only got worse as he aged. Toward the end of his life, he could only write if his wife was in the room, and he only left the house at night. O. O. McIntyre died of an apparent heart attack on February 14, 1938, four days before his 54th birthday. His remains were brought to Gatewood, the house he planned to retire in but never visited. He was buried on Mound Hill overlooking the Ohio River.

The Gatewood house was built in 1847 and owned by some of Gallipolis’s most prominent residents, including Andrew W. Allemong and Fred M. Bovie, both successful grocers. The most famous owner of the house was writer O. O. McIntyre, who was the most widely-read columnnist of his time. McIntyre grew up in Gallipolis before moving to New York and writing a columnn about the city and its celebrities. He bought Gatewood for his wife in 1933 and spent $50,000 renovating it. The name “Gatewood” came from Mrs. McIntyre’s mother. Unfortunately, O. O. McIntyre died five years later before he could even set foot in the house.

Gatewood (The McIntyre House)

Construction of the Colony&nbsp;Theatre began in 1936, but the great Ohio River flood of 1937 delayed its completion until the end of 1937. When it was finished, the single-screen movie theater could seat 600 patrons. A contest was held to name the new theater, the winners being W. O. Atkinson and Mrs. Cora Withers. Their name, the “Colony Theatre” earned them six months of free movies and&nbsp;beat out other suggestions such as Wheelereel, New Deal, French Colony, and the Palace.&nbsp;The first movie shown there was Vogues of 1938 on November 24, 1937. In 1938, the theater hosted a mock “Hollywood Premiere” for which locals dressed as celebrities and were chauffeured to the theater. After being operated for three generations by the Wheeler family, the Colony Theatre closed in the 1990s.

Ownership of the building passed between several people and companies over the next two decades, and the building gradually&nbsp;fell into a state of disrepair. By 2013, when Randy Breech and Jim Blair bought the theater and began renovations, the roof leaked, the chairs were removed, and mold grew inside. The two hoped to bring the building back to life rather than let it crumble or be turned into “cheap rental units.” Breech said, “Somebody’s got to jump in and start doing something before everything just totally falls apart.”&nbsp;Husband and wife David and Karen McCarty were the next to take over the theater. Their goal was to provide Gallipolis with a unique dining experience. The Colony Club, as it was renamed, opened on November 1, 2015. The restaurant features a variety of entertainment such as class movie-screenings, stand-up comedy, and live bands. The Colony Club can also be rented out for events.

The Colony Theatre opened in 1937 and was operated by three generations of the same family. Similar to many other historic downtown theaters designed for one screen, the Colony Theatre faced declining patronage by the 1980s as modern multiplexes could offer multiple screenings simultaneously while the more elaborate theaters of another era required significant maintenance. Following its closure in the 1990s, the former theater building remained empty for many years and fell into disrepair. Following significant renovations, David and Karen McCarty opened the Colony Club restaurant which features live entertainment and movie-screenings.

Colony Theatre (1937) and Colony Club Restaurant (2016)

The Ariel Opera House (sometimes called the Gallipolis Opera House) was built in 1895. The 180-seat theater was later dedicated on April 23, 1896. In the early 1900s, it became known as the Gallipolis Theatre and was used mostly for vaudeville shows. Famous performers such as Will Rogers, Sarah Bernhardt, and the Ziegfeld Follies all made appearances on the Ariel’s stage. Once movies began to replace live theater as America’s choice of entertainment, the Ariel underwent change. In 1930, it expanded to include more retail space on the first floor as well as meeting spaces on the second and third floors for the local Masonic Lodge. The outside was changed from the Italiante design to a simpler façade befitting the Great Depression. The theater closed after years of neglect in 1963.

Twenty-five years later, local musician Lora Lynn Snow realized the need for a professional orchestra in Gallia County, Ohio. She chose the Ariel Theatre to be the home of the Ohio Valley Symphony, but first, the theater needed renovating. Lora and other volunteers cleared the theater of debris beginning in the fall of 1988 while keeping an eye out for pieces that could be restored. The woodwork was refinished, the plaster was replaced, and new wiring and plumbing were installed. Just before the planned opening of the Ariel, workers discovered stenciling on the ceiling; so, volunteers worked overnight to reproduce it. Finally, the Ariel Theatre reopened on June 9, 1990. It was rededicated by local resident Major General George E. Bush, who made his own debut at the Ariel in 1906.

In recognition of the Haskins family’s contributions to the community, the theater was renamed The Morris &amp; Dorothy Haskins Ariel Theatre in 1991. In 2005, philanthropist Ann Carson Dater bought the theater and gave it to the community as the permanent home for The Ohio Valley Symphony and for use as a performing arts center. It was rededicated as the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Perfoming Arts Centre on April 22, 2006, almost 110 years after the original dedication ceremony. The final stage of restoration was completed in 2010 when the Third Floor Ariel Chamber Theatre opened. This theater can also seat 180 patrons and boasts acoustics as good as in the main auditorium. From 2014 to 2015, workers turned one of the theater’s storefronts into an 1895-style box office.

Today, in addition to serving as a performing arts center, the Ariel Theatre’s two auditoriums, banquet hall, and meeting rooms are all available to rent for other organizations and events.

Opened in 1895 as an opera house, the Ariel Theatre featured various forms of entertainment, from vaudeville acts to orchestra performances. Business declined in the 1920s and 1930s as movies became more and more popular, leading the theater to rent out its upper floors to local organizations. Eventually, the theater closed in 1963. Thanks to the efforts of local musician Lora Lynn Snow, it reopened in 1990 as a performing arts center and home to the Ohio Valley Symphony. In 2006, the theater was renamed the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre in honor of the woman who bought the theater in 2005 and gave it to the community.

Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre

Established in 1987, the Gallia County Convention and Visitors Bureau offers resources and personal assistance for visitors to the area. The office offers several visitors guides and the website also offers contact information for area historical and cultural sites as well as a calendar of events. 

Gallia County Convention and Visitors Bureau

Growing conflict between settlers and Native American tribes led to the killing of members of the Seneca tribe in early 1774. Two of those killed were related to Chief Logan, an important Mingo Chief, causing his tribesmen to demand vengeance. Despite agreements of protection between the British and the Ohio Valley tribes Logan began launching raids on white settlers. His attacks killed thirteen people in western Pennsylvania before he returned to his tribe.In response, the British garrison at Fort Pitt and the Colonial Governor of Virginia, Lord Dunmore, prepared to retaliate. A force of over one thousand men under the command of Colonel Andrew Lewis traveled through the Kanawha valley towards the Ohio River. Their orders were to construct a fort where the two rivers met at Point Pleasant and then attack the Ohio Valley tribes, particularly the Shawnee. At the same time Lord Dunmore, who commanded a similarly sized force, marched to Point Pleasant from Fort Pitt. After arriving at Point Pleasant, Colonel Lewis's army was surprised by the attack of one thousand Shawnee warriors under Cheif Cornstalk on Oct. 10, 1774. The battle lasted five hours, despite the initial surprise of the attack the Shawnee were forced to retreat.Following the battle, Lord Dunmore arrived at Point Pleasant and crossed the Ohio river traveling towards the Shawnee villages with his army. He stopped and created Camp Charlotte, where he demanded that the Shawnee come and discuss terms. The Shawnee, Seneca, and Mingo agreed in the Treaty of Fort Stanwix that they would only settle and hunt west of the Ohio River, allowing the land east of the river to be settled by white colonists. Some historians would claim that Lord Dunmore's War was the first act of the Revolutionary War, but it is more commonly depicted as another conflict between Native American tribes and encroaching colonial settlers.The map marker commemorating the war is located in Gallipolis, Ohio, near the Gallia County Courthouse. Other monuments can be found at Point Pleasant, West Virginia.

This historical marker in Gallipolis commemorates Lord Dunmore’s War, a 1774 conflict between the colony of Virginia and the Native American tribes of the Ohio Valley. The Delaware, Mingo, and Shawnee contested colonial control of the region in a series of skirmishes that reached its climax in the Battle of Point Pleasant on Oct. 10, 1774. In this battle, Virginian soldiers under the command of Colonel Andrew Lewis fought the warriors of Shawnee Chief Cornstalk. The war ended with the agreement that the tribes would remain to the west of the Ohio River, an agreement that facilitated the further settlement of the region by European colonists but had devastating consequences for area's tribes. While some consider this conflict to be the first battle of the American Revolution, the battle is best understood as one of many battles where Native American tribes defended their territory but lacked the capacity to wage a prolonged war without access to supplies. As a result, native tribes often sought alliances with at least one European power.

Lord Dunmore's War (1774) Historical Marker 

Our House was established in Gallipolis, Ohio in 1819. Its name came from owner Henry Cushing inviting Ohio River travelers to “come over to our house." &nbsp;Henry and his sister Elizabeth Cushing Foster (both members of a prominent family in town) ran the tavern and inn until the 1860s when it was used as a hospital during the Civil War. After the war, it became a private home and later a boarding house. The cost to stay in the inn, seventy-five cents, was considered expensive at the time, making Our House more exclusive than its nearby competitors. One of the most esteemed visitors to Our House was the Revolutionary War General Marquis de Lafayette, who stayed at the inn May 22, 1825 during a tour of the United States.Dr. Charles E. Holzer purchased Our House in 1933 in memory of the French who settled Gallipolis, known as the French 500. In 1944, the Holzers donated the property to the Ohio Historical Society. Today, the museum is managed by The Friends of Our House Committee and staffed by volunteers. Some points of interest inside of the museum include General Lafayette’s jacket that was left behind during his visit, the Summer Kitchen, taproom, dining room, a large ballroom for social functions, The Tavern Room and artifacts in the attic.&nbsp;

Henry Cushing’s tavern and inn, Our House, was open from 1819 until 1860. It was a social hub for many Gallipolis residents and a place of rest for travelers along the Ohio River. One of the inn’s most famous guests was General Marquis de Lafayette, a French nobleman who fought in the American Revolution. After Our House closed to serve as a hospital during the Civil War, it was used again as a private home, and later a boarding house. Ultimately it was donated to a local historical society and made into a museum.

Our House Tavern, Gallipolis 

This historic frame house demonstrates was operated as a tavern from 1820-1829 by Nathaniel Gates who also served as the county auditor at this time. The tavern was located directly across from the Our House, and according to an interview of the director of the Our House Tavern Museum, the Eagle was known to cater towards men who were looking for trouble while Our House served a more "genteel" crowd. The Holzer family restored the structure during the 1930s and today, the house still retains some of the original glasswork surrounding the entrance.  

Eagle Tavern

This art gallery and museum hosts artists and displays their work through exhibits and special programs. The center also works to preserve the cultural history of the Ohio Valley, with exhibits that feature historical items and programs for children and adults. The organization traces its roots back to 1964 when Raymond Hoy, a local furniture dealer, started an effort to create art courses for adults in the area. The idea attracted other supporters and the group rented a room downtown and started an organization that soon began an effort to create a more permanent space. By 1971, the group had secured commitments of over $120,000, allowing them to purchase the current facility and acquire a small art collection that continues to grow. 

French Art Colony

<div>Charles E. Holzer arrived in Gallipolis in 1909 with the intention of working for only one year at the institution that was then known as&nbsp;Ohio Hospital for Epileptics. Recognizing the need for medical care in this growing Ohio River town, Holzer opened a small seven-bed hospital in a former private home in 1910. Seven years later, Holzer opened this hospital with 25 beds. In 1949, he created a nonprofit foundation that operated his hospital with the help of his son who completed his medical education three years prior. The seven-bed hospital that Holzer began is now one of the largest medical centers in the region.&nbsp; </div><div></div>A nearby historical marker tells the story of Charles E. Holzer Sr. and his son Charles who joined his father in 1946 and established the Holzer Clinic in 1950. In 1972, Holzer Medical Center and Holzer Clinic opened at its present location on Jackson Pike. Today, the hospital and clinic established by the Holzers form the basis of Holzer Health Systems.&nbsp;

This hospital was the second operated by pioneering Gallipolis physician Charles E. Holzer and opened in 1917 with 25 beds. As the city grew and demand for medical services increased, additional wings were added to the building with the last addition being completed in 1961. After the present Holzer Health Systems opened on State Route 160 in 1972, this structure was abandoned and the building was unoccupied for many years until it was restored in 1993 and opened as the First Holzer Apartments.

First Avenue Holzer Hospital and Charles Holzer Historic Marker

The African American Episcopal Church was first established as Bethel Church in 1818, making it the first African American church in Gallia County, Ohio. Once the original building became dilapidated, church trustee John Gee donated land for the construction of a new church. Gee was Gallipolis’s largest landowner as well as a skilled carpenter and conductor on the Underground Railroad. Because of his contributions to the city and the congregation, the new church was named the John Gee African Methodist Episcopal Chapel after his death.



The church served as much more than a place of worship, contributing to humanitarian movements in the city. In the 1830’s, the church supported a school for “colored” children operated by Elisha Barnes. The school birthed famous leaders, like James Madison Bell, who gained notoriety for his association with John Brown’s raiders, and Harvey Cain, who addressed the US. House of Representatives in 1872. During the Civil War, it also housed refugees heading North looking for freedom.&nbsp;



In 1888, the church hosted the Ohio Conference, which included a number of Black leaders: Bishop B.W. Arnett, from Greene&nbsp;County, who, in 1879, was chaplain of the Ohio House of Representatives and later served in this body from 1885-1887; the Honorable Benjamin Lee, who served as President of Wilberforce University in Xenia, Ohio; the Rev. Phillip Tolliver, the host pastor, is credited for planning the largest Emancipation Proclamation Celebration in the history of Gallia County in 1887; that celebration, hosted at John Gee, is part of the on-going celebration purported to be the longest, continuous observance in the country.&nbsp;For 180 years, services were held at the John Gee Chapel. The last service was held in August 1997, when the church was down to two members. The trustees and members decided to donate the building to the Black community for use as a historical center. Their desire was to create a living representation of the culture, heritage, and contributions of African Americans living in Southeastern Ohio.

The John Gee Black Historical Center is a museum of African-American culture located in a former church. The church, the first for African Americans in Gallia County, was established as Bethel Church in 1818. Once the original building became worn-down, church trustee and Gallipolis’s largest landowner John Gee donated land for a new church. After his death, the church was renamed the John Gee African Methodist Episcopal Chapel. The church ended its services in 1997 and was donated to the Black community for use as a historical center.

John Gee Black Historical Center

John Gee was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1798. His mother was a slave, and his father was rumored to be William Henry Harrison, partly justified by the fact that&nbsp;President Harrison did have six children with a slave.&nbsp;During his life, laws were especially oppressive toward African Americans. For example, they were not allowed to have medicine in their houses so they could not “poison whites,” forcing Blacks to grow herbs to treat ailments. It was also against the law for African Americans to gather in a public place&nbsp;unless a white man was present.

Though the laws of the city, state, and country worked against him, Gee built much of the city&nbsp;of Gallipolis, where he moved around 1818. First, Gee became a well-known carpenter, building houses that were so well-crafted, some still stand today. He eventually became the largest landowner in the city, building a racetrack and&nbsp;a farm and laying bricks for streets and sidewalks. He was also one of the first trustees of the nearby Bethel Church, renamed John Gee African Methodist Episcopal Church after his death. Moreover, he served as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved African Americans make their way further North in pursuit of freedom.

Gee’s first wife, Barbara Stowers, died giving birth to their sixth child in 1842. Because she could not be buried in the all-white cemetery on Pine Street, Gee donated land for a cemetery for African Americans. It became known as the Pine Street Colored Cemetery. Other notable people buried there include Leah Stewart, the first African American to live in the city of Gallipolis, and Phoebe Smith, who established the local Mutual Aid Society, an organization that worked to free African Americans from oppression. At least fifty-seven African American soldiers were also buried there.

Recently, a&nbsp;“welcome” marker in the cemetery sparked controversy. In 2016, the Gallipolis City Commission placed a marker in the front of the cemetery reading, “Welcome to Gallipolis, Old French City. Founded in 1790.” Residents complained that the placement was in poor taste. At a town meeting, resident Marlin Griffin explained his objections:

<blockquote>“I feel — and some of the citizens of Gallipolis feel — to put a sign or a marker in this historical cemetery is a travesty. For one, to put this sign five feet from someone’s burial grave is a travesty. Two, not even to consult or contact the John Gee Society or any of the African Americans in the city is also a travesty. Three, to have this sign in the making of a headstone to be in this cemetery. Furthermore, is putting signs in cemeteries the thing we are doing now? I feel we have no regard for sacred and holy ground. If this sign can be placed in Pine Street Colored Cemetery, can political signs or digital signs be put in there also? It is a disgrace to not only Gallipolis and the Black community as a whole. I’m standing here to ask the question, ‘Why did the city (not communicate) in putting this marker there?’”3</blockquote>

The Commission ultimately agreed to move the marker closer to the street and down an embankment.

Pine Street Colored Cemetery served as a burial site for African Americans when other local cemeteries were still segregated. It consists of four acres of land donated by John Gee, an African American carpenter, land-owner, and religious leader who invested in multiple buildings in the area. After his wife passed away during childbirth, Gee was not allowed to bury her in the cemetery on Pine Street, leading him to donate land for a “colored” cemetery. 

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Gallipolis Ohio Walking Tour

Peter LeClercq House, Gallipolis

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