On land that was once inhabited by Native Americans, the city of Pickerington is now a bustling suburb of Columbus, Ohio. Step into the downtown area, though, and one will catch a glimpse of the rich history of what was once a small village before its population boom. In 1811, James Looker of Rockingham County, Virginia, purchased land in Violet Township. Although he never lived on the land, his children called it home, building log cabins along Sycamore Creek. Ann Looker, one of his daughters, married Abraham Pickering, who established a town and named it Jacksonville. In 1827, citizens honored Pickering by petitioning the state legislature to change the name of the town to Pickerington. By 1865, there were 37 buildings in Pickerington, and some of those still stand to this day.