1883 History of Fairfield and Perry Counties, Ohio, Part 4, Hocking Twp. Hocking township was the home of the first settlers in this region of the country, and in part only, contains some of the fair fields , after which the county was named. The northwestern portion of this township is somewhat undulating, but rich in soil, and produces large crops of all kinds of grain. The whole of the southeastern portion is made up of valleys and hills.
Pasture is very poor and the timber, mainly chestnut, oak and pine, attains to a considerable size.
The old red sandstone predominates, and generally leaf mould and vegetable deposits are found mixed with clay and iron. In the extreme southeastern corner of this township, is the State Farm, consisting of 1210 acres of ground, or nearly two sections of land which meet at opposite corners. At this junction are the buildings of the institution. The buildings consist of the Main building, the Ohio. Hocking, Muskingum, Cuyahoga, Scioto, Huron, Miami, Erie, Maumee, and Union family buildings, shoe, brush, blacksmith, tailor, paint, carpenter, bake shops, carriage, meat, ware, engine, gas, ice, corn and green houses, water tower, hospital, mending room, knitting room, chamber of reflection, laundry, two horse barns, a piggery, cow barn, and out buildings.