The first home built on Westerville Rd. was an Underground Railroad safe house ➡️ Zenus Jackson built the home circa 1860 at what is now 3845 Westerville Rd., and it became known as “Fort Jackson”. The house was built from the land using mostly cherry and walnut timber from the adjoining farm. It was especially large for its period, measuring 3,700 square feet. The 10-room structure boasted 12-foot ceilings in its bedrooms. It also contained two hidden rooms in its basement that sheltered freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad. The home is also surrounded by a massive earthworks 250 feet long, built by indigenous Adena people who lived here long before the Jacksons. The earthworks’ purpose remains unknown, but are thought to be ceremonial. Zenus Jackson died in 1868, and the house became a private home for many generations of Ohioans. Today, Fort Jackson serves as transitional housing for people who have been recently incarcerated, an echo of its past life. 📍 Browse our n...