Mount Gilead, Ohio
Mount Gilead, Ohio | ||
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FIPS code 39-52738[3] | | |
GNIS feature ID | 2399412[2] | |
Website | http://www.mountgilead.net/ |
Mount Gilead is a village and the county seat of Morrow County, Ohio, United States. It is located 41 miles (66 km) northeast of Columbus. The population was 3,503 at the 2020 census. It is the center of population of Ohio.[4][5] The village was established in 1832, eight years after white settlers arrived in the region. Before their arrival, the forest was a hunting area for the Shawnee tribe.
Located in the center of the village is Morrow County's historic
History
Settlement
The first settler to make Mount Gilead (Mt. Gilead) home was Lewis Hardenbrook, in 1817, though it was then called Whetstone and was located in Marion County. In 1824, Judge Jacob Young drew out the village; the plan consisting of 80 lots and also included a public square. Several years later, in 1832, Henry Ustick added an additional 70 lots to the village as well as an additional public square. The original public square was then referred to as the south square and the newer square, the north square. Many years later, in 1919, the north public square would become home to the Victory Shaft World War I Monument. This monument was given to the county for having the highest per capita war bond sales during a two-year period.[6] Charles Webster built the first cabin in the village in December 1824. He served as the first Postmaster and operated the Post Office from the cabin, as well. In 1832, a measure was proposed to change the name of the town. Residents were asked to vote between the names Warsaw and Mt. Gilead. Mt. Gilead was chosen by a significant margin and the village was incorporated by state legislature several years later in 1839.[7]
In 1848, Mt. Gilead was almost unanimously chosen to be the county seat for the newly formed
Railroad
Soon after being named county seat, there was talk of building a rail line that would pass through Mt. Gilead between
Industry
From its beginnings, industry has been a main support for Mt. Gilead. Various mills were an early staple in the village history, followed by a tile factory and with technological advances, eventually the still well known Hydraulic Press Manufacturing Company or HPM.[7] HPM maintained some level of operations in Mt. Gilead until 2001.[9]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 3.40 square miles (8.81 km2), of which, 3.39 square miles (8.78 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.[10]
Mount Gilead is considered to be a part of "Mid Ohio."
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1850 | 646 | — | |
1860 | 789 | 22.1% | |
1870 | 1,087 | 37.8% | |
1880 | 1,216 | 11.9% | |
1890 | 1,329 | 9.3% | |
1900 | 1,528 | 15.0% | |
1910 | 1,673 | 9.5% | |
1920 | 1,837 | 9.8% | |
1930 | 1,871 | 1.9% | |
1940 | 2,008 | 7.3% | |
1950 | 2,351 | 17.1% | |
1960 | 2,788 | 18.6% | |
1970 | 2,971 | 6.6% | |
1980 | 2,865 | −3.6% | |
1990 | 2,846 | −0.7% | |
2000 | 3,290 | 15.6% | |
2010 | 3,660 | 11.2% | |
2020 | 3,503 | −4.3% | |
Sources:[11][12][13] |
2010 census
As of the
There were 1,482 households, of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.0% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 3.01.
The median age in the village was 36.9 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.5% were from 25 to 44; 22.9% were from 45 to 64; and 17.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.
2000 census
As of the
There were 1,291 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the village, the population was spread out, with 24.0% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $31,894, and the median income for a family was $42,529. Males had a median income of $35,714 versus $22,425 for females. The
19th-century census data
According to A.J. Baughman's History of Morrow County, Ohio (1911), early population data is as follows:
Year | 1850 | 1860 | 1870 | 1880 | 1890 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Population | 646 | 789 | 1,087 | 1,216 | 1,329 |
Historic sites
Four properties in Mount Gilead are listed on the
The Victory Shaft was erected in Mount Gilead's
Government
Mount Gilead is governed by a
Education
The city has a public lending library, the Mount Gilead Public Library.
Media
Mt. Gilead had two media sources available to them in the 19th century, Democratic Messenger and The Whig Sentinel. Both papers began publishing in 1848 and both papers experienced a name change around 1860 with The Sentinel becoming The Morrow County Sentinel and The Messenger becoming The Union Register. The Union Register was published until 1971, while the Morrow County Sentinel is still in existence today.
Notable people
- Tim Belcher - former Major League Baseball player
- Oswald Bruce Cooper — graphic designer
- Claude Dallas — self-styled mountain man convicted of involuntary manslaughter
- C.B. Dollaway — professional mixed martial artsfighter
- Frank K. Dunn - Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
- Merrill Gilfillan — author
- William Vermillion Houston — president of Rice University
- Robert Byington Mitchell — soldier and governor of New Mexico
- Walter Olds — Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court
- Edwin Taylor Pollock— United States Navy Captain
- Dawn Powell — satirical author
- Samuel Snider — U.S. Representative from Minnesota
- Lefty Webb — baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates
- Samuel Newitt Wood — Kansas state legislator
References
- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Mount Gilead, Ohio
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ [1] Archived copy at WebCite (June 22, 2013).
- ^ "Mt. Gilead, Ohio WWI War Monument". Retrieved October 18, 2013.
- ^ a b c Baughman, A.J.; Bartlett, Robert F. (1911). History of Morrow County, Ohio. Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 233–299.
- ^ History of Morrow County and Ohio. Chicago, IL: O.L. Baskin & Co. Historical Publishers. 1880. pp. 303–317.
- ^ "HPM North America". Retrieved October 18, 2013.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
- ^ History of Morrow County, Ohio. Lewis publishing Company. 1911. Retrieved December 22, 2013 – via Internet Archive.
- . Retrieved December 31, 2013.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ Owen, Lorrie K., ed. Dictionary of Ohio Historic Places. Vol. 2. St. Clair Shores: Somerset, 1999, 1075.
- ^ Mount Gilead, Ohio Village Administration
External links
- Village website
- Mount Gilead travel guide from Wikivoyage