Lower Shawnee Town

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Lower Shawnee Town, also known as Sonnontio, was one of the earliest known Shawnee settlements within the boundaries of the present state of Ohio. Established in 1738, it was located at the mouth of the Scioto River, where it empties into the Ohio River at present Portsmouth, Ohio. The village was a major center of trade with the French and the British during the 18th century. When the French were laying claim to the Northwest Territory just prior to the French and Indian War, Celeron De Bienville placed one of the lead plates at the village site to indicate French control of the area. In 1758, the Shawnee abandoned the site of Lower Shawnee Town due to a number of reasons including white encroachment and problems with flooding.