Bethesda () is a

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...

in Belmont County,

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

, United States. It is part of the

Wheeling, West Virginia Wheeling is a city in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Located almost entirely in Ohio County, of which it is the county seat, it lies along the Ohio River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and also contains a tiny portion extending ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

. The population was 1,256 at the 2010 census.

History

Bethesda has had three names: Burrs Mills, Fairmount, and Bethesda. When the railroad reached the village in 1852, the

Central Ohio Railroad The Central Ohio Railroad was the third railroad to enter Columbus, Ohio, and the first to connect Columbus with the east coast. It eventually became a part of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. History It was realized that a railroad from Bellai ...

built a station and named it Burr's Mills in honor of Merrick S. Burr, who operated a sawmill in the area. In 1855, Burr laid out a village which he called Fairmount because of its high and beautiful location. Prior to that time, there was a store, the Bethesda Methodist Church, and a post office, all located about 2 miles south of the current town on what now CR 26, and the post office was named after the church. The store proprietor was the postmaster and when he moved his store to the town, the post office also was relocated but retained its name. As a result, the town was called Fairmount while the railroad station was Burr's Mills and the post office was Bethesda. In the late 1800s, the name of Bethesda was finally chosen for the town. Bethesda was incorporated as a village in 1910. In 1920, the town contracted with the E. Howard Watch & Clock Company to supply a town clock which was dedicated to Bethesda's World War I veterans, and erected atop the Orrison Cigar Co. building on Main Street. In 2010, the town clock was removed from service and placed in storage. In 2015, a local business owner from Bethesda, Uncle Bob Murray, spearheaded the restoration of the clock and established the Murray Family Memorial Pizza. The facility and the restored clock have been dictated to militia veterans from all services and have been described as the "Times Leader of Bethesda". Mr Robert E

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the village has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 1,256 people, 549 households, and 358 families living in the village. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 667 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 96.6%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.3%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.1% Native American, 0.2%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.2%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, and 2.7% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 0.2% of the population. There were 549 households, of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.8% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.80. The median age in the village was 39.6 years. 24% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.5% were from 25 to 44; 29.8% were from 45 to 64, and 13.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 46.6% male and 53.4% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 1,413 people, 592 households, and 397 families living in the village. The

was 2,199.7 people per square mile (852.4/km²). There were 679 housing units at an average density of 1,057.1 per square mile (409.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.94%

, 0.14%

, 0.28% Native American, 0.21% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.42% from two or more races.

of any race were 0.35% of the population. There were 592 households, out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were

living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.93. In the village, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.9 males. The median income for a household in the village was $24,358 and the median income for a family was $31,111. Males had a median income of $27,396 versus $19,028 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the village was $13,406. About 16.8% of families and 18.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 25.0% of those under age 18 and 15.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Bethesda has a public library, a branch of the Belmont County District Library.

References

External links

Historic Epworth Park

Martins Ferry Public Library - Bethesda Branch
{{Authority control Villages in Belmont County, Ohio Villages in Ohio 1852 establishments in Ohio Populated places established in 1852