Chillicothe ( ) is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

of Ross 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. Located along the

Scioto River The Scioto River ( ) is a river in central and southern Ohio more than in length. It rises in Hardin County just north of Roundhead, Ohio, flows through Columbus, Ohio, where it collects its largest tributary, the Olentangy River, and meets t ...

45 miles (72 km) south of

Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...

, Chillicothe was the first and third capital of

. It is the only city in Ross County and is the center of the Chillicothe, OH Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 22,059 at the 2020 census. Chillicothe is a designated

Tree City USA The Arbor Day Foundation is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. The Arbor Day Foundation has more than one million members and has planted more than 350 million trees in neighborhoods, communities ...

by the

National Arbor Day Foundation The Arbor Day Foundation is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. The Arbor Day Foundation has more than one million members and has planted more than 350 million trees in neighborhoods, communities ...

History

The region around Chillicothe was the center of the ancient

Hopewell tradition The Hopewell tradition, also called the Hopewell culture and Hopewellian exchange, describes a network of precontact Native American cultures that flourished in settlements along rivers in the northeastern and midwestern Eastern Woodlands from 1 ...

, which flourished from 200 BC until 500 AD. This Amerindian culture had trade routes extending to the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...

. They built

earthen Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former term ...

mound A mound is a heaped pile of earth, gravel, sand, rocks, or debris. Most commonly, mounds are earthen formations such as hills and mountains, particularly if they appear artificial. A mound may be any rounded area of topographically higher el ...

s for ceremonial and burial purposes throughout the Scioto and

Ohio River The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...

valleys. Later Native Americans who inhabited the area through the time of European contact included

Shawnees The Shawnee are an Algonquian-speaking indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands. In the 17th century they lived in Pennsylvania, and in the 18th century they were in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, with some bands in Kentucky an ...

. Present-day Chillicothe is the most recent of seven locations in Ohio that bore the name, because it was applied to the main town wherever the Chalakatha settled. Other population centers named Chillicothe in Ohio at one time include: one located at present-day Piqua, in Miami County; one located south of present-day Circleville,

Pickaway County Pickaway County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 58,539. Its county seat is Circleville, Ohio, Circleville. Its name derives from the Pekowi band o ...

, on the

; a third about north of Xenia in

Greene County, Ohio Greene County is located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 167,966. Its county seat is Xenia. The county was established on March 24, 1803 and named for General Nathanael Greene, ...

; a fourth at present-day Frankfort, Ross County, on Paint Creek; and a fifth also located in Ross County, at

Hopetown Hopetown is a town which lies at the edge of the Great Karoo in South Africa's Northern Cape province. It is situated on an arid slope leading down to the Orange River. The first diamond discovered in South Africa, the Eureka Diamond, was fo ...

, three miles north of modern Chillicothe. In 1758 a settlement was established at this site by Shawnee Indians who had been forced to abandon their village of

Lower Shawneetown Lower Shawneetown, also known as Shannoah or Sonnontio, was an 18th-century Shawnee village located within the Lower Shawneetown Archeological District, near South Portsmouth in Greenup County, Kentucky and Lewis County, Kentucky. The population ...

after it was destroyed by floods in November of that year. A group of Shawnees from

Logstown "extensive flats" , settlement_type = Historic Native American village , image_skyline = Image:Logstown1.jpg , imagesize = 220px , image_alt = , image_map1 = Pennsylvania in United States ...

also joined them.James Everett Seaver, Charles Delamater Vail ''A Narrative of the Life of Mary Jemison: The White Woman of the Genesee,'' American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, 1918.
/ref> After the

Treaty of Greenville The Treaty of Greenville, formally titled Treaty with the Wyandots, etc., was a 1795 treaty between the United States and indigenous nations of the Northwest Territory (now Midwestern United States), including the Wyandot and Delaware peoples, ...

in 1795 forced the Native Americans from most of Ohio, European settlers came to the area. Migrants from

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

and

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

moved west along the Ohio River in search of land. The community Chillicothe was founded in 1796 by a party led by General

Nathaniel Massie Nathaniel Massie (December 28, 1763 – November 13, 1813) was a frontier surveyor in the Ohio Country (including the Virginia Military District) who became a prominent land owner, politician, and soldier. He founded fourteen early towns in ...

on his land grant. The town's name comes from the

Shawnee The Shawnee are an Algonquian-speaking indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands. In the 17th century they lived in Pennsylvania, and in the 18th century they were in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, with some bands in Kentucky a ...

'' Chala·ka·tha'' (Chillicothe in English), meaning "principal town", because it was the chief settlement of that division (one of five major divisions) of the

Shawnee people The Shawnee are an Algonquian-speaking indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands. In the 17th century they lived in Pennsylvania, and in the 18th century they were in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, with some bands in Kentucky an ...

. In 1798, Ross County became incorporated with Chillicothe as the county seat. Chillicothe was named the capital of the remnant

Northwest Territory The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was formed from unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolutionary War. Established in 1 ...

in 1800, when

Indiana Territory The Indiana Territory, officially the Territory of Indiana, was created by a United States Congress, congressional act that President of the United States, President John Adams signed into law on May 7, 1800, to form an Historic regions of the U ...

was split off, and the Northwest Territory was reduced to Ohio, eastern

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

and a sliver of southeastern

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

. In 1802 as Ohio moved toward statehood, the city hosted the Ohio Constitutional Convention. It served as the capital of Ohio from statehood in 1803 until 1810 then again from 1812 to 1816. Postcard21000SoldiersCreateImageofPresidentWilsonCampShermanOH1918-commons

Postcard21000SoldiersCreateImageofPresidentWilsonCampShermanOH1918-commons

Ohio was a free state, and early migrants to Chillicothe included free blacks, who came to a place with fewer restrictions than in the

slave Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

states. They created a vibrant community and aided runaway slaves coming north. As tensions increased prior to the breakout of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, the free black community at Chillicothe maintained stations and aid to support refugees on the

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. T ...

. The Ohio River was a border with the slave states of the South, with slaves crossing the river to freedom, and then up the Scioto River to get more distance from their former homes and slave hunters. White

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The British ...

s aided the

as well.

Geography

Chillicothe is located at (39.336525, −82.983822). It lies within the

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of l ...

of the Western Allegheny Plateau. It lies between the

and Paint Creek near their confluence. 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 city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The city is surrounded by farming communities, and Chillicothe residents describe the area as the foothills of the

Appalachians The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...

Climate

The climate is very similar if not the same to Columbus.

Economy

As the only city in the area, Chillicothe is a hub for economic activity. Malls, hospitals, prisons and a college campus are among the largest employers, but the most notable employer in the area is a Pixelle paper mill (formerly

Glatfelter Glatfelter is a leading global supplier of engineered materials with a strong focus on innovation and sustainability. The company's high quality, technology-driven, innovative and customizable nonwovens solutions can be found in products that a ...

which was formerly

Mead Paper MeadWestvaco Corporation was an American packaging company based in Richmond, Virginia. It had approximately 23,000 employees. In February 2006, it moved its corporate headquarters to Richmond. In March 2008, the company announced a change to sta ...

) that has been in operation for over 100 years.

Demographics

2020 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 2020, there were 22,059 people, 9,576 occupied housing units, and 5,589 families residing in the city. Of the 9,576 households, 2,856 were occupied by a married couple family, 191 had a male householder with no spouse present, and 545 had a female householder with no spouse present. Of the 5,589 families, 37.7% were

married couple 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 ...

families living together, 36.9% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 17.1% had a male householder with no spouse present. The average family size was 2.95. Of the 22,059 people, 18,892 were

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 ...

, 1,348 were Black or African American, 88 were

American Indian and Alaska Native Native Americans, also known as American Indians, First Americans, Indigenous Americans, and #Terminology differences, other terms, are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of the mainland United States (Indigenous peopl ...

, 155 were

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 ...

, 351 were

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 ...

, 6 were

Native Hawaiian Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, First Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians) ( haw, kānaka, , , and ), are the indigenous ethnic group of Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii ...

and

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 ...

s, 1,419 were two or more races, and 151 were

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 ...

. The median age in the city was 41.4 years. 7.0% of resident were under the age of 5; 21.1% were under the age of 18; 78.9% were 18 years and over; and 20.6% were 65 years of age or older. The median income for a household in the city was $45,251, and the median income for a family was $66,224. About 18.1% 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 ...

, with 25.5% of them being under 18 years old, 18.4% being 18 to 64 years old, and 9.5% being 65 years and over.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 21,901 people, 9,420 households, and 5,559 families residing in the city. 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 10,600 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.1%

, 7.2%

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 ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.5%

, 0.5% from

, and 3.4% from two or more races.

of any race were 1.3% of the population. There were 9,420 households, of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.1% 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, 14.9% had a female householder with no spouse present, 5.0% had a male householder with no spouse present, and 41.0% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.87. The median age in the city was 41.5 years. 21.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.8% were from 25 to 44; 27.8% were from 45 to 64; and 17.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 21,796 people, 9,481 households, and 5,754 families residing in the city. The

was 2,283.7 people per square mile (882.1/km²). There were 10,303 housing units at an average density of 1,079.5 per square mile (417.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.21%

, 7.51%

, 0.34% Native American, 0.56%

, 0.04%

, 0.35% from

, and 2.00% from two or more races.

of any race were 0.84% of the population. There were 9,481 households, out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were

living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 39.3% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.85. In the city the population was spread out, with 22.2% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $33,991, and the median income for a family was $42,477. Males had a median income of $35,199 versus $25,010 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 city was $19,101. About 9.3% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the

, including 14.3% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Public officials

Chillicothe is governed by a mayor–council structure in which the mayor is elected separately from the members of the city council. Chillicothe's mayor is Luke Feeney ( D). The members of the city council are: The following individuals were elected to the City Council on Tuesday, November 2, 2021, and have since been added to the council members list seen above. *Allison Henderson (R) *Julie Preston (R) *Terrell Fairrow (R) Henderson and Fairrow defeated Democratic Incumbents Courtney Lewis and David Tatman, respectively.

Other elected officials

Public services

Parks and recreation

Chillicothe has several public parks, including Yoctangee Park, Poland Park, Strawser Park, Manor Park, Goldie Gunlock Park, Pine Street Park, Veterans Memorial Park, and Western View Park. The biggest park, Yoctangee Park, consists of numerous baseball /softball fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, and playground equipment. There is also a skatepark within Yoctangee park called Henry Good skatepark, which was constructed with help from a generous donation of $65,000 from Henry Good, a local Chillicothe citizen. Chillicothe's floodwall, protecting the city from floods of the

, has a 5.0-mile-long paved bike path. This path connects to the Tri-County Triangle Trail which currently is 30.3 miles long, measured from Bridge St. ( SR 159) in Chillicothe, passing through Frankfort and then to Christman Park near

Washington Court House Washington Court House (often abbreviated as Washington C.H.) is a city in Union Township, Fayette County, Ohio. It is the county seat of Fayette County and is located between Cincinnati and Columbus. The population grew almost 1.5% from 2010 to ...

Fayette County, Ohio Fayette County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 28,951. Its county seat is Washington Court House, Ohio, Washington Court House. The coun ...

. The Tri-County Triangle Trail's goal is to connect Chillicothe and

Greenfield Greenfield or Greenfields may refer to: Engineering and Business * Greenfield agreement, an employment agreement for a new organisation * Greenfield investment, the investment in a structure in an area where no previous facilities exist * Greenf ...

. This same former railroad continues to Jamestown and Xenia, but those connections are a long range plan.

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park Hopewell Culture National Historical Park is a United States national historical park with earthworks and burial mounds from the Hopewell culture, indigenous peoples who flourished from about 200 BC to AD 500. The park is composed of six separate ...

is found on the north end of the city. The park is administered by the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...

and has a large concentration of Native American

earthworks Earthworks may refer to: Construction *Earthworks (archaeology), human-made constructions that modify the land contour * Earthworks (engineering), civil engineering works created by moving or processing quantities of soil *Earthworks (military), m ...

Education

A branch of

Ohio University Ohio University is a Public university, public research university in Athens, Ohio. The first university chartered by an Act of Congress and the first to be chartered in Ohio, the university was chartered in 1787 by the Congress of the Confeder ...

, Ohio University Chillicothe is a public four-year institution that offers 13 associate degree programs and 12 bachelor's degree programs. About 2,000 students are enrolled each year. The city of Chillicothe provides education for

pre-school A preschool, also known as nursery school, pre-primary school, or play school or creche, is an educational establishment or learning space offering early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education at primary school ...

through grade 12 students. The Chillicothe City School District includes the following facilities: Chillicothe Primary School; Chillicothe Intermediate School; Chillicothe Middle School; and

Chillicothe High School Chillicothe ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ross County, Ohio, United States. Located along the Scioto River 45 miles (72 km) south of Columbus, Chillicothe was the first and third capital of Ohio. It is the only city in Ross Count ...

Zane Trace k-12. Additionally, Bishop Flaget Catholic School, the parish school of St. Mary's and St. Peter's Catholic Churches, offers an academic program with the faith-based component to both Catholic and non-Catholic families for students in Prekindergarten through 8th grade. There was once a school called Wesley-Taylor Preparatory Academy which offered a private education, but it shut down in 2014 due to unpaid bills. Ross County Christian Academy was formed in 2007 and now offers K through 12th grade at two sites. Chillicothe is the home of Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center, located at 895 Crouse Chapel Road. Founded in 1974, Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center (or Pickaway-Ross) is the operational arm of the Pickaway-Ross Joint Vocational School District. Pickaway-Ross offers 20 high school tech-prep programs to students from 10 high schools in Ross and Pickaway counties. High school students attend Pickaway-Ross their junior and senior years, and can earn a Career Passport in addition to a diploma from their home schools. The high school (or secondary education) side of Pickaway-Ross serves approximately 600 students on its main campus and another 1,500 students in off-campus (or satellite) programs housed in affiliated high schools. School districts affiliated with Pickaway-Ross include: Adena, Chillicothe, Huntington, Paint Valley, Southeastern, Unioto, and Zane Trace in Ross County, and Circleville, Logan Elm and Westfall in Pickaway County. In addition to high school programs, Pickaway-Ross boasts a full-service Adult Education Division, offering a wide array of programs in skilled trades, public safety and medical services fields, to name a few. Pickaway-Ross is a regional leader in career tech education. Chillicothe is also home to the

Recording Workshop Recording Workshop (RECW) is a school that teaches the process of music recording and audio production. It is located seven miles south of Chillicothe, Ohio, USA. History Founded in 1977 as "The Recording Workshop", the school was associated with ...

, an audio engineering school. Chillicothe city is served by the main branch and Northside branch of Chillicothe & Ross County Public Library.

Culture

Majestic Theatre

Chillicothe is home to the 158-year-old continuously operating Majestic Theatre. Its stage has been graced by such greats as

Laurel and Hardy Laurel and Hardy were a British-American Double act, comedy duo act during the early Classical Hollywood cinema, Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–19 ...

Milton Berle Milton Berle (born Mendel Berlinger; ; July 12, 1908 – March 27, 2002) was an American actor and comedian. His career as an entertainer spanned over 80 years, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and tel ...

George Arliss George Arliss (born Augustus George Andrews; 10 April 1868 – 5 February 1946) was an English actor, author, playwright, and filmmaker who found success in the United States. He was the first British actor to win an Academy Award – which he ...

Sophie Tucker Sophie Tucker (born Sofia Kalish; January 13, 1886 – February 9, 1966) was an American singer, comedian, actress, and radio personality. Known for her powerful delivery of comical and risqué songs, she was one of the most popular entertaine ...

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with 5 ...

and many others. In 1853 the Masonic Hall was built, as the first incarnation of what is now the Majestic Theatre. The two-story brick building was a combination lodge room, dance hall, and theater. Stock companies stayed for as long as a month, performing a repertory of plays. In 1876 the Masons appointed a building committee to enlarge their building. The original building was and was later extended to . Upon completion in December 1876 it was announced that the Masonic Opera House was one of the finest theaters in the state. After the remodeling and with the completion of the Clough Opera House across the city, theater offerings were tremendous, and varied drama, comedy, farce, minstrel shows, and operas were presented. In 1904 A. R. Wolf bought the Masonic Opera House. Mr. Wolf remodeled the theater and enlarged the stage. He replaced all the windows in the front of the building with stained glass. The Masonic Opera House continued under Wolf's managerial abilities until he sold it to the Myers Brothers in 1914. They again made some improvements and repairs and installed a movie screen and equipment. The Myers Brothers changed the name to the Majestic Theatre. They occasionally had live theater productions on the stage but finally switched exclusively to motion pictures. In July 1971, Harley and Evelyn Bennett became the new owners of the Majestic Theatre. They did careful restoration with reference to the original wall painting. Three Chillicothe businessmen (Robert Evans, Robert Althoff and David Uhrig) bought the theater as a non-profit organization in 1990. All new wiring throughout the theater, fire safety, and security systems were installed.

Fairs and festivals

Chillicothe, rich in Native American history, hosts the annual Feast of the Flowering Moon Festival. Started in 1984, the May festival draws crowds of approximately 85,000. Yoctangee Park, in the historic downtown, is the setting for this family-oriented, three-day event featuring Native American music, dancing, traders and exhibits, a mountain men encampment, rendezvous with working craftsmen and demonstrations, and an extensive arts and crafts show with more than 80 crafters and commercial exhibits. The main stage has a schedule of family-friendly entertainment, such as local school bands and performers. The streets are lined with food booths and games/contests. Events are free to the public. In September, on the Friday and Saturday after

Labor Day Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United St ...

, Chillicothe hosts the annual

Southern Ohio Storytelling Festival The Southern Ohio Storytelling Festival is an annual storytelling festival held Thursday through Saturday after Labor Day in Chillicothe, Ohio. Local, regional and nationally known storytellers are invited to perform their favorite stories for thou ...

. The festival features concert performances by several highly acclaimed and award-winning storytellers. Storytelling concerts are held throughout the day on both Friday and Saturday. Thousands of students participate during the day on Friday in various venues, including the Majestic Theatre, a tent at the Pump House Art Gallery in Yoctangee Park, and local school auditoriums.

Athletic events

The

Chillicothe Paints The Chillicothe Paints are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Chillicothe, Ohio, in the United States. The team is a member of the summer collegiate Prospect League. The Paints previously played in the professional independent Frontier Le ...

are a baseball team that was established in February 1993. The team was previously a member of the

Frontier League The Frontier League is a professional independent baseball league with teams in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Eastern Canada. Formed in 1993, it is the oldest currently running independent league in the United States. The le ...

, playing there from its founding until 2008. They were one of the original teams in the league. The Paints are now a member of the summer collegiate

Prospect League The Prospect League is a collegiate summer baseball league comprising teams of college players from North America and beyond. All players in the league must have NCAA eligibility remaining in order to participate. So as to maintain their colleg ...

, The Paints play their home games at

V.A. Memorial Stadium V.A. Memorial Stadium is a baseball stadium located on the grounds of the Veterans Administration Hospital campus off of Ohio State Route 104, OH-104, three miles north of Chillicothe, Ohio. It is officially designated as building 244. The stadiu ...

, which opened in 1954. V.A. Memorial Stadium has hosted a number of other events, including the

Mid-American Conference baseball tournament The Mid-American Conference baseball tournament is the conference baseball championship of the Mid-American Conference, Division I members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Since 2022, the top four finishers participate in ...

from 2008 to 2011, along with high soccer and baseball playoff games for the

Ohio High School Athletic Association The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) is the governing body of athletic programs for junior and senior high schools in the state of Ohio. The OHSAA governs eligibility of student athletes, resolves disputes, organizes levels of compe ...

(OHSAA).

Notable people

Thomas M. Anderson Thomas McArthur Anderson (January 21, 1836 – May 8, 1917) was a career officer in the United States Army who served as a general in the Spanish–American War and the Philippine–American War. Biography Early life and Civil War Anderson was ...

, U.S. Army major general *

Scott Bailes Scott Alan Bailes (born December 18, 1961) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who pitched for three teams during a nine-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career. Career During his youth, he moved to Missouri, and participated in L ...

, former

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

player *

Carrie Williams Clifford Carrie Williams Clifford (September 1862 in Chillicothe, Ohio – November 10, 1934) was an author, clubwoman, and activist in the women's rights and civil rights movements in the United States. Biography Personal life Born in Chillicothe, ...

, poet, activist, teacher and editor * Edward Cook, pole vaulter who competed at

1908 Summer Olympics The 1908 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the IV Olympiad and also known as London 1908) were an international multi-sport event held in London, England, United Kingdom, from 27 April to 31 October 1908. The 1908 Games were ori ...

and tied for gold with fellow American

Alfred Gilbert Sir Alfred Gilbert (12 August 18544 November 1934) was an English sculptor. He was born in London and studied sculpture under Joseph Boehm, Matthew Noble, Édouard Lantéri and Pierre-Jules Cavelier. His first work of importance was ''The Kis ...

Greg Cook Gregory Lynn Cook (November 20, 1946 – January 27, 2012) was an American football quarterback who played two professional seasons, in the American Football League (AFL) and later the National Football League (NFL). He played college football ...

Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...

quarterback * Lawrence Dixon, musician *

Richard Enderlin Richard Enderlin (January 11, 1843 – February 11, 1930) was a musician and United States Army soldier who received a Medal of Honor for the heroism he displayed when fighting in the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. Gettysburg Enderlin was born in ...

Musician and Medal of Honor recipient *

Martha Finley Martha Finley (pen name: Martha Farquharson; April 26, 1828 – January 30, 1909) was an American teacher and author of numerous works for children, the best known being the 28-volume ''Elsie Dinsmore'' series which was published over a spa ...

, teacher, author *

Bobby Fulton James Hines (born October 4, 1960) is a retired American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Bobby Fulton. He was one half of the tag team The Fantastics with Tommy Rogers. Professional wrestling career James Hines started wre ...

, professional wrestler *

Joseph Hanks Joseph Hanks (1725–1793) was the great-grandfather of United States President Abraham Lincoln. It is generally accepted that Joseph was the father of Lucy Hanks, the mother of Nancy Hanks Lincoln. There is also a theory that Joseph and his wife, ...

, Civil War Medal of Honor awardee *

Ben Hartsock Benjamin Richard Hartsock (born July 5, 1980) is a former American football tight-end and high-end role player. He played college football at Ohio State and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Hartso ...

, Former

Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...

and

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...

tight end, Current

ESPN Radio ESPN Radio, which is alternately platform-agnostically branded as ESPN Audio, is an American sports radio network and extension of the ESPN television network. It was launched on January 1, 1992, under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN". ...

analyst *

Lucy Ware Hayes Lucy Ware Hayes (née Webb; August 28, 1831 – June 25, 1889) was the wife of President Rutherford B. Hayes and served as first lady of the United States from 1877 to 1881. Hayes was the first First Lady to have a college degree. She was als ...

(

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

Webb; August 28, 1831 – June 25, 1889) was the wife of

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Rutherford B. Hayes Rutherford Birchard Hayes (; October 4, 1822 – January 17, 1893) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 19th president of the United States from 1877 to 1881, after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and as governor ...

and served as

First Lady of the United States The first lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is the title held by the hostess of the White House, usually the wife of the president of the United States, concurrent with the president's term in office. Although the first lady's role has never ...

. *

James Leo Herlihy James Leo Herlihy (; February 27, 1927 – October 21, 1993) was an American novelist, playwright and actor. Herlihy is known for his novels ''Midnight Cowboy'' and '' All Fall Down'', and his play ''Blue Denim'', all of which were adapted ...

, who wrote the

novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...

the film ''

Midnight Cowboy ''Midnight Cowboy'' is a 1969 American drama (film and television), drama film, based on the 1965 Midnight Cowboy (novel), novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy. The film was written by Waldo Salt, directed by John Schlesinger, and stars ...

'' is based on, spent part of his childhood in Chillicothe. *

Albert E. Herrnstein Albert Ernest Herrnstein (August 15, 1882 – August 14, 1958) was an American football player and coach. He played at the University of Michigan as a halfback and end from 1899 to 1902 and was the head football coach at the Haskell Indian Scho ...

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

football player, Head Coach of the

football team *

John Herrnstein John Ellett Herrnstein (March 31, 1938 – October 3, 2017) was an American baseball and football player. He played Major League Baseball from 1962 to 1966 for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and Atlanta Braves. He also played co ...

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

football and baseball player *

Neil Johnston Donald Neil Johnston (February 4, 1929 – September 28, 1978) was an American basketball player and coach. A center, Johnston played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1951 to 1959. He was a member of the Philadelphia Warriors fo ...

NBA All-Star The National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game. It is the main event of the NBA All-Star Weekend. Originally, the All-Star Game featured a conference-based format, featuring a team composed of al ...

basketball player *

Alexander Bonner Latta Alexander Bonner Latta (June 11, 1821 – April 28, 1865) was an American manufacturer and inventor. He specialized in engines that used steam for power. He designed railroad steam locomotives and directed the construction of the first such lo ...

, invented first successful steam fire engine *

James Mason James Neville Mason (; 15 May 190927 July 1984) was an English actor. He achieved considerable success in British cinema before becoming a star in Hollywood. He was the top box-office attraction in the UK in 1944 and 1945; his British films inc ...

, neo-Nazi and author of ''Siege'' *

Dorothea Rhodes Lummis Moore Dorothea Rhodes Lummis Moore (, Rhodes; after first marriage, Lummis; after second marriage, Moore; November 9, 1857March 4, 1942) was an American physician, writer, newspaper editor, and activist. Although a successful student of music in the Ne ...

(1857–1942), physician, writer, newspaper editor, activist *

Chip Mosher Charles Jon "Chip" Mosher (June 23, 1947 – November 15, 2021) was an educator, poet, author and newspaper columnist who wrote social commentary about education and history, as well as satirical fiction. Early life and education Mosher, who gre ...

, teacher, author, newspaper/magazine columnist *

Elbie Nickel Elbert Everett "Elbie" Nickel (December 28, 1922 – February 27, 2007) was a professional American football tight end in the National Football League. He played 11 seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1947–1957). Nickel starred in three spo ...

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

tight end *

Nellie O'Donnell Eleanor O'Donnell McCormack (June 2, 1867 – February 28, 1931) was an American educator and clubwoman from the U.S. state of Ohio. She was a teacher and principal in the public schools of Tennessee and was elected superintendent of public school ...

, educator *

Henry Orth Harold (Henry) William Orth (April 14, 1866 - March 5, 1946) was an American architect. Background Harold William Orth was born on a ship en route to the United States from Christiana (Oslo), Norway, on April 14, 1866. His exact date of arrival t ...

, football player *

Oscar Glaze Peters Oscar Glaze Peters (April 6, 1842 – November 9, 1894) was a 19th-century American businessman. He was at the head of the Columbus Buggy Company, Peters' Dash & Columbus Buggy Company, where his ability as a businessman and expert accountant prov ...

, businessman *

John Poff John William Poff (born October 23, 1952) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played parts of two seasons in the Major League Baseball (MLB), for the Philadelphia Phillies and for the Milwaukee Brewers of the Major Leag ...

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

player for the

and

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...

Ev Rowan Everett Lawrence Rowan (October 18, 1902 – November 9, 1956) was an American football end who played three seasons in the National Football League with the Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at Ohio State Univer ...

, football player *

John Shoemaker John Shoemaker (born August 18, 1956) is a former minor league baseball player who is currently manager of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Shoemaker attended Waverly High School and the University of Miami before he was drafted in the 35th round of ...

, pro baseball player and minor-league manager *

Noel Sickles Noel Douglas Sickles (January 24, 1910 – October 3, 1982) was an American commercial illustrator and cartoonist, best known for the comic strip '' Scorchy Smith''. Sickles was born in Chillicothe, Ohio. Largely self-taught, his career beg ...

, commercial illustrator and cartoonist, best known for the comic strip ''

Scorchy Smith ''Scorchy Smith'' is an American adventure comic strip created by artist John Terry that ran from March 17, 1930 to December 30, 1961. Scorchy Smith was a pilot-for-hire whose initial adventures took him across America, fighting criminals and aid ...

'' *

Joshua W. Sill Joshua Woodrow Sill (December 6, 1831 – December 31, 1862) was a career officer in the United States Army and brigadier general during the American Civil War. He was killed at the Battle of Stones River in Tennessee. Fort Sill, Oklahoma, was lat ...

, brigadier general during the American Civil War * Joseph S. Skerrett, United States Navy rear admiral * Jimmy Strausbaugh, football player *

Tecumseh Tecumseh ( ; October 5, 1813) was a Shawnee chief and warrior who promoted resistance to the expansion of the United States onto Native American lands. A persuasive orator, Tecumseh traveled widely, forming a Native American confederacy and ...

, influential Native American who was likely born in the area was instrumental in the political developments and resistance of Native Americans to new settlements. * Garin Veris, defensive end,

New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...

Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...

* Nancy Wilson, Grammy award-winning artist who performed hit song "

Guess Who I Saw Today "Guess Who I Saw Today" is a popular jazz song written by Murray Grand with lyrics by Elisse Boyd. The song was originally composed for Leonard Sillman's Broadway musical revue, ''New Faces of 1952'', in which it was sung by June Carroll.Origina ...

" *

Jane Frances Winn Jane Frances Winn who wrote as Frank Fair (1855 – 1927), called the "dean of newspaper women" in St. Louis, was an influential American journalists of the early 20th century. By 1903 she was recognized as a journalist to whom "even men" paid the ...

, called the "dean of newspaper women" in St. Louis, was at the beginning of her career teacher of botany and chemistry in the local high school

Sister city

* Chillicothe is the

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

of Córdoba,

Veracruz Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. This relationship is honored through the Foreign Exchange Student Program with students at Chillicothe High School. * Chillicothe had an agreement with the sister city of Tulua, Valle del Cauca,

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

. For this reason, the main lake in the city is called Lago Chilicote.

Notes

References

External links

City website

''Chillicothe Gazette''

Downtown information

Chillicothe & Ross County Public Library

Ross County Visitor's Bureau
{{authority control Cities in Ohio Cities in Ross County, Ohio County seats in Ohio

Populated places established in 1803 Populated places on the Underground Railroad 1803 establishments in Ohio

History

Geography

Climate

Economy

Demographics

2020 census

2010 census

2000 census

Government

Public officials

Other elected officials

Public services

Parks and recreation

Education

Culture

Majestic Theatre

Fairs and festivals

Athletic events

Notable people

Sister city

See also

Notes

References

External links