Village of Amesville

Amesville has been the home to many people. Slaves escaping the South walked through Amesville as part of the Underground Railroad. Its landmarks -- such as the Masonic Hall on Franklin Street -- are important to families living there, as well as visitors to the village. Other landmarks, such as the old Clover Farm Stores building, have been abandoned or torn down, but new landmarks and memories are taking their place. Amesville is perhaps best known for the Coonskin Library. At an 1803 town meeting -- held to discuss roads -- settlers talked about their desire for books and their lack of money to pay for them. Most of the business was done by barter, so little money was in circulation. However, the surrounding forest had pelts that could be sold in the East to buy books. In the spring of 1804, Samuel B. Brown was given the pelts and, accompanied by Ephraim Cutler, went east to bring back books for the town. Fifty-one books -- mostly on religion, travel, biography and history -- were purchased for $73.50. These books were passed from home to home until Ephraim Cutler was elected librarian in 1804. The original books can be found at the Ohio Historical Society, as well as Ohio University's Alden Library. A commemorative marker, placed by the Nabby Lee Ames D.A.R. Chapter of Athens in 1925, is located near the Community Bank on State Street. The Coonskin Library Museum opened in May of 1994 in the former cafeteria of the Amesville Grade School.