Belmont County, Ohio

Belmont County, Ohio
Belmont County is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 66,497. Its county seat is St. Clairsville, while its largest city is Martins Ferry. The county was created on September 7, 1801, and organized on November 7, 1801. It takes its name from the French for "beautiful mountain".
Belmont County is part of the Wheeling metropolitan area.
History
Dille, Ohio, also known as Dilles Bottom, was located across the Ohio River from Moundsville, West Virginia. It was founded by the sons of David Dille (b. 1718) around 1790 and was initially a fort called Fort Dille.
Belmont County was authorized in September 1801 by the Northwest Territorial legislature, with area partitioned from Jefferson and Washington counties. The county would be organized two months later with St. Clairsville being named as the county seat in 1803. Its area was reduced in 1810 when area was ceded for the formation of Guernsey County and again in 1813 for the formation of Monroe County. It has retained its boundaries unchanged since 1813.
Belmont is the French toponym meaning "beautiful mountain". Settlers migrating westward followed Zane's Trace through the county. Later, the National Road was built through the county.
Quakers were among the county's first settlers. Many of these people would become outspoken critics of slavery, including famous abolitionist Benjamin Lundy.
Geography
Belmont County lies on the east side of Ohio. Its east border abuts the west border of West Virginia (across the Ohio River). The Ohio flows southward along the county's east line. Captina Creek flows eastward through the lower part of the county, discharging into the Ohio at Powhatan Point, and McMahon Creek also flows eastward through the center of the county, discharging into the Ohio at Bellaire. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, etched with drainages. All available area is devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the east, with its highest point, Galloway Knob (1,396' or 426m ASL) at southeast of Lamira. The county has a total area of 541.27 sqmi (1492 km2), of which 532.13 sqmi (1378 km2) is land and 9.14 sqmi (23.69 km2) (1.7%) is water.
Adjacent counties
Harrison County – north
Jefferson County – northeast
Ohio County, West Virginia – east
Marshall County, West Virginia – southeast
Monroe County – south
Noble County – southwest
Guernsey County – west
Major highways
Protected areas
Barkcamp State Park
Dysart Woods Natural Monument
Egypt Valley Wildlife Area
Lakes
Barnesville Lake
Barnesville Reservoir #3
Belmont Lake
Piedmont Lake (part)
Demographics
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 70,400 people, 28,679 households, and 18,761 families in the county. The population density was . There were 32,452 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 94.0% white, 4.0% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 26.0% were German, 17.9% were Irish, 12.4% were English, 10.1% were Italian, 9.0% were Polish, and 6.2% were American.
Of the 28,679 households, 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.6% were non-families, and 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.85. The median age was 43.4 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,320 and the median income for a family was $47,214. Males had a median income of $42,022 versus $26,926 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,266. About 12.1% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 70,226 people, 28,309 households, and 19,250 families in the county. The population density was . There were 31,236 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 94.98% White, 3.64% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. 0.39% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.2% were of German, 12.5% Irish, 12.0% American, 10.3% English, 10.2% Italian and 9.0% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 28,309 households, out of which 28.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.10% were married couples living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.00% were non-families. 28.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.90.
The county population contained 21.80% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 18.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,714, and the median income for a family was $37,538. Males had a median income of $31,211 versus $19,890 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,221. About 11.70% of families and 14.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.40% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
Belmont County is an Appalachian county in Southern Ohio, and as with many counties in this region was solidly Democratic from the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration through the 1990s. Back in the 19th century, the county frequently voted Republican, including voting for Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 election. Similar to counties in neighboring West Virginia and Kentucky, the Democratic margins began to shrink in the 2000s, and the county became reliably Republican by 2012.
|}
Government
Most of the county's government offices are located in the Belmont County Courthouse. Belmont County has a three-member board of county commissioners who administer and oversee the various county departments, similar to all but two of the 88 Ohio counties. The elected commissioners serve staggered four-year terms. As of 2019, Belmont County's elected commissioners are: Jerry Echemann (R), J. P. Dutton (R), and Josh Meyer (R).
Corrections
Belmont County is served by several detention centers located around St. Clairsville. The Belmont Correctional Institution is located on between St. Clairsville and Bannock on State Route 331. The facility houses 2,698 inmates as of 2009. The Belmont County Jail in St. Clairsville is located near Belmont College and Ohio University Eastern Campus. The facility contains 144 beds and also houses the county sheriff's offices. The county is also served by Sargus Juvenile Detention Center, a 17-bed facility that also serves surrounding counties. Sargus Center is located next to the county jail.
Education
K–12
Belmont County is served by these local schools:
Barnesville Exempted Village School District
Bellaire High School
Belmont County Educational Service Center
Bridgeport High School
Buckeye Local High School
East Richland Christian School
Harrison Central High School
Martins Ferry High School
Olney Friends School
Saint Clairsville High School
Shadyside High School
Union Local High School
Powhatan Elementary School in Powhatan Point
Higher education
Belmont College
Ohio University Eastern Campus
Communities
Cities
Martins Ferry
St. Clairsville (county seat)
Villages
Barnesville
Bellaire
Belmont
Bethesda
Bridgeport
Brookside
Fairview
Flushing
Holloway
Morristown
Powhatan Point
Shadyside
Wilson
Yorkville
Census-designated places
Bannock
Glencoe
Lafferty
Lansing
Neffs
Wolfhurst
Unincorporated communities
Alledonia
Anvil
Armstrongs Mills
Badgertown
Barton
Blaine
Boston
Businessburg
Captina
Centerville
Colerain
Crescent
Dilles Bottom
Egypt
Fairpoint
Farmington
Hendrysburg
Hunter
Jacobsburg
Key
Lamira
Lloydsville
Maynard
McClainville
Pleasant Grove
Riverview
Sewellsville
Somerton
Steinersville
Stewartsville
Tacoma
Temperanceville
Uniontown
Warnock
Townships
Colerain
Flushing
Goshen
Kirkwood
Mead
Pease
Pultney
Richland
Smith
Somerset
Union
Warren
Washington
Wayne
Wheeling
York
Notable people
James E. Boyd (1834–1906), mayor of Omaha and the seventh governor of Nebraska
William Boyd (1895–1972), film and radio actor, portrayed Western character Hopalong Cassidy from 1935 to 1954
Don Fleming (1937–1963), a graduate of Shadyside High School, played football for the University of Florida and the Cleveland Browns.
Joey Galloway (1971), a graduate of Bellaire High School, played football for Ohio State and in the NFL for 15 years.
John Havlicek (1940–2019), a graduate of Bridgeport High School, played basketball for Ohio State and the Boston Celtics in the NBA. Elected to Hall of Fame.
Bushrod Johnson (1817–1880), one of the few Confederate States of America generals born in the North, was born in Belmont County.
Lance Mehl (born 1958), born in Bellaire. NFL football player
Stan Olejniczak (1912–1979), born in Neffs. NFL football player
Wilson Shannon (1802–1877), first native-born governor of Ohio
Drusilla Wilson (1815–1908), temperance leader and Quaker preacher
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Belmont County, Ohio
References
Further reading
Thomas William Lewis, History of Southeastern Ohio and the Muskingum Valley, 1788–1928. In Three Volumes. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1928.
External links
Belmont County Government's website
Belmont County Economic Development
Belmont County Port Authority
Ohio counties on the Ohio River
Appalachian Ohio
Counties of Appalachia
1815 establishments in Ohio