Misty forested hills in southeastern Ohio with a narrow dirt path leading past an abandoned cabin toward a winding river in the Appalachian foothills, evoking isolation and secrecy.

The Ideal Location for a Hidden Colony: McConnelsville, Ohio

ByTC Marti

If America ever fell victim to a high-magnitude terrorist attack like it did in my Beyond the Lost trilogy, McConnelsville, Ohio would be a safe haven.

The biggest challenge for Beyond the Lost Horizon was figuring out where the hell I was gonna put an off-the-grid colony. Several locations came to mind, and I contemplated putting it closer to Jefferson County, where Quinn Cozens and Yui Kikuchi spend most of the book’s plot.

There were several contenders. But with a small city like Steubenville so close to places like Smithfield, Ohio, just to throw a place out there, I ventured away from Jefferson. I was still primarily using Google as a search engine at the time, so I went onto Google Maps and ventured southwest, checking off places as I went.

Finally, I stumbled across McConnelsville, gave it a fictionalized layout, and put the colony deep into the forested land surrounding it. This worked on several accounts.

The first is that McConnelsville, while somewhat close to a small city called Zanesville, is still far enough out there to be secluded. Despite its status as the seat of Morgan County, it has roughly 1,700 people living in it, which was another major plus.

Throw in the fact Morgan County is Ohio’s third-least populous county, and it was even more attractive. A goldmine for sure, and one I could add a couple abandoned buildings for my characters to briefly lay low in.

McConnelsville isn’t without charm in real-life

Beyond the Lost Horizon by TC MartiWhile I exaggerated McConnelsville’s features in Beyond the Lost Horizon (I’ve passed through it maybe twice), it’s a hidden gemstone on the western edge of the Appalachian foothills. It’s home to the Big Muskie Bucket, which houses the remains of one of the most famous draglines ever, Big Muskie.

There’s also the Morgan County Courthouse, a place that has allegedly seen paranormal activity, along with a nearby Opera House. Unfortunately for Quinn and Yui, they don’t get to tour much of the place’s finer attractions since, well, America had fallen victim to the most notorious terrorist attack in its history.

Instead, they need to navigate some harsh forested terrain to reach the colony. All while keeping on the lookout for random terrorists and drifters. How do they fare? You’re adrenaline’s gonna be pumping if you care to find out. Beyond the Lost Horizon has the answer. Get it now.

For more profiles like McConnelsville, head over to the Beyond the Lost Hub.

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