Meigs County
MEIGS COUNTY — In this addition of “Tales and Tidbits” we are looking at some current “Tidbits” from each township before continuing with stories from the Chester Shade Historical Association’s Bicentennial Kickoff.
Bedford
· Population: 1,212*
· One of two Bedford Townships in Ohio
· Unincorporated communities: Darwin, Kingsbury, Hemlock Grove
Chester
· Population: 2,332*
· One of five Chester Townships in Ohio
· Unincorporated community: Chester, first county seat
· Two sites on the National Register of Historic Places: Mound Cemetery Mound and the Old Meigs County Courthouse and Academy.
· The only county township without a border on another county.
Columbia
· Population: 1,018*
· One of two other Columbia Townships in Ohio
· Unincorporated community: Carpenter
Lebanon
· Population: 1,029*
· The only Lebanon Township statewide
· Unincorporated community: Portland
· It is the second-farthest upstream of the river facing townships and has the most Ohio River frontage
· National Register of Historic Places: Buffington Island
Letart
· Population: 641*
· The only Letart Township statewide.
· Unincorporated communities: Letart Falls, Antiquity, Apple Grove
· Racine Locks and Dam/Hydroelectric Generating Plant is located in the township
· Unique geographical feature: composed of a peninsula jutting southward into the Ohio River.
Olive
· Population: 1,874*
· One of two Olive Townships statewide
· Unincorporated communities: Reedsville, Long Bottom, Tuppers Plains
· It is the farthest upstream of the county’s river facing townships
· Location of Belleville Locks and Dam, Eastern Local School District, Forked Run State Park, Shade River State Forest
Orange
· Population: 934*
· One of six Orange Townships statewide
· Unincorporated communities: Tuppers Plains, Alfred
· National Register of Historic Places: Reeves Mound
Rutland
· Population: 2,347*
· It is the only Rutland Township statewide
· Village: Rutland, the smallest village in Meigs County
· Unincorporated community: Langsville
Salem
· Population: 944*
· One of fourteen Salem Townships in Ohio
· Unincorporated community: Salem Center, Dexter
Salisbury
· Population: 6,441*
· It is the only Salisbury Township statewide.
· Two villages: Middleport, largest village in the county; Pomeroy, county seat
· It is the farthest downstream of the county’s river facing townships.
· National Register of Historic Places: John Downing Jr. House, William H. Grant House, Meigs County Fairgrounds, Grandstand and Racetrack, Pomeroy Historic District
· Meigs Local School District is located in the township
Scipio
· Population: 1,050*
· One of two Scipio Townships in the state
· Unincorporated community: Harrisonville
Sutton
· Population: 3,250*
· The only Sutton Township in Ohio.
· Incorporated villages: Racine, Syracuse.
· It is the second-farthest downstream of the county’s river facing townships
· Southern Local School District is located in this township.
*Population numbers are taken from census date and represent an approximate estimate of the township’s current population
There is so much to learn about Meigs County, so many interesting “Tales and Tidbits”. If you have some you would like to share, please send them to L.Faudree.Hart@gmail.com. Lorna Hart is a freelance writer for The Daily Sentinel.
