May, 1912.] A Study of Buckeye Lake and Vicinity. 
53i 
Newark valley had several large pre-glacial tributary valleys. 
There is one from the northwest and now occupied by Raccoon 
creek, which near its mouth must have been of the nature of a 
gorge, bordered on either side by rock hills % of a mile apart ; and 
now covered by a thin drift mantle. Two well records in the 
center of the valley at the mouth or point where the pre-glacial 
tributary joined the Newark valley show that bed rock has been 
excavated to 436 and 427 feet above sea level, 444 and 453 feet 
respectively below the present surface level. The valley of the 
tributary broadens abruptly from this point into that of the 
Newark river. Farther south is a tributary from the northwest. 
This valley is now occupied by the South Fork of the Licking 
river. It trends almost due east, then turns abruptly to the 
southeast and must have entered the Newark valley near the 
Bloody Run Swamp, where it suddenly widens. From the east 
Newark valley received a large branch which is now occupied in 
part by the eastern portion of Buckeye Lake and in part by the 
western portion of the now eastward flowing Jonathan creek. It is 
very evident from an inspection of the region and a study of the 
topographic maps of the Thomville and Zanesville quadrangles, 
that Jonathan creek is a composite stream. 18 That part of the 
creek west of its union with Turkey Run flows in a larger, more 
open and older valley than that immediately to the east of this 
point. In the eastern portion to within a mile of Fultonham the 
stream flows in a narrow gorge like valley between rock hills. 
Turkey Run, a tributary from the south, flows northwest, which 
is almost at right angles to the course of Jonathan creek, then near 
its outlet makes a decided curve, turning north and then east, 
following closely the base of the hills, before it joins the larger stream. 
The valley of the headwaters of Jonathan creek broadens toward the 
west. A mile east of Thomville station it is 2 miles wide. Valley 
Run, its largest tributary from the north, also occupies a valley 
out of proportion to the size of the present stream. Moreover it 
comes in from the northeast and joins Jonathan creek headed or 
pointed up stream. These data seem sufficient on which to base 
the conclusion that the western portion of Jonathan creek is flow- 
ing with reversed current in an old valley, (a valley whose maturity 
suggest that it is at least pre-Wisconsin, probably pre-Illinoian.) 
This valley continues westward to its union with Newark valley, 
at the northern margin of the lake and about a mile west of the 
Buckeye Lake terminal of the Ohio Electric railway. A gas well 
record in this field bordering the lake at this point shows that the 
rock floor has been excavated to 450 feet above sea level, 442 feet 
below the level of the lake. This is the deepest record found close 
to the lake and indicates the location of the outlet of the ancient 
tributary. 
16. Davis. H. J. Modification in the Jonathan creek drainage basin. Bull. Den. University 
11: 165-173. Mar. 1899. 
