The village of Utica was first laid out by Major Robertson in 1815 and named Wilmington, but like many new Ohio towns when it came time to request the establishment of a post office, it was determined another town in Ohio had already established itself under that name. Several of the early residents had priviously lived in New York, and offered up the name Utica which was promptly adopted.
Joseph Conrad was most likely the first settler to arrive in Washington Township in 1805. As Conrad was building a mill in 1811, he uncovered the bones of a mastodon that were about 6 feet in length. A few years after Conrad first arrived, the Robertson brothers purchased several lots that would become Utica.
MOUND BUILDERS
Licking County has an abundance of mounds creating 100s if not 1000s of years ago. When the first settlers arrived in Utica, they found several earthen mounds. One of note was found on Eli Smoots farm located several miles south of Utica. The mound was about 75 feet in circumference at the base and 14 feet tall. When the mound was excavated in a crude fashion, a layer of flat stone was found and human remains.
Utica Sertoma Ice Cream Festival
The annual ice cream festival is held over the Memorial Day weekend and highlights the hometown ice cream company, Velvet Ice Cream. The festival was started as a fund raiser for the local Sertoma Club in 1975 and has been ushering in summers activities ever since.
The festival features plenty of contests, especially those that involve eating ice cream.