Named for the southern Ohio city of Chillicothe, located at the confluence of the Scioto River and Paint Creek, on the occasion of the bicentennial of its founding by Nathanial Massie. The name is derived from the Shawnee Indian word meaning “principal town”. This area was occupied by the Adena Mound Builders over 2000 years ago and at the time of its founding by the Shawnee Indians. Chillicothe served as the capital of the eastern section of the Northwest Territory and was the first capital of Ohio from 1803 to 1816. Name proposed by F. N. Bowman, who independently made the principal identification involving this planet and who lives 20 miles southwest of Chillicothe.