Gallipolis ( ) is a chartered

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 ...

in the U.S. state of

Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...

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 ...

Gallia County Gallia County (pronunciation: ''GAL-yuh'') is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,220. Its county seat is Gallipolis. Named after the French people who originally settled there, its nam ...

. The municipality is located in Southeast Ohio along the

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 ...

about 55 miles southeast of Chillicothe and 44 miles northwest of

Charleston, West Virginia Charleston is the capital and most populous city of West Virginia. Located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha rivers, the city had a population of 48,864 at the 2020 census and an estimated population of 48,018 in 2021. The Charlesto ...

. The population was 3,641 at the 2010 census. When the population dropped below 5,000, Gallipolis lost its city status and was classified as a village under state law. It continues to operate its government under its existing city charter. Gallipolis is the second-largest community in the rural Point Pleasant micropolitan area, which includes all of Gallia County, Ohio and Mason County, West Virginia.

History

Gallipolis was first settled by Europeans in 1790: "The French 500" were a group of French aristocrats, merchants, and artisans who were fleeing the violence and disruption of the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are conside ...

. They were led by Count Jean-Joseph de Barth, an Alsatian member of the

French National Assembly The National Assembly (french: link=no, italics=set, Assemblée nationale; ) is the lower house of the bicameral French Parliament under the Fifth Republic, the upper house being the Senate (). The National Assembly's legislators are kn ...

. It is the second city to be founded in the newly organized

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 ...

of the United States. It is known as "The Old French City" because of this beginning.John Gladden, "Best Hometowns 2012: Gallipolis"
''Ohio Magazine'', November 2012; accessed 06 September 2018 Gallipolis Epileptic Hospital Stone Water Towers

Gallipolis Epileptic Hospital Stone Water Towers

This was a time of rampant land speculation in the

, recently opened for settlement after it was organized following the

Northwest Indian Wars The Northwest Indian War (1786–1795), also known by other names, was an armed conflict for control of the Northwest Territory fought between the United States and a united group of Native American nations known today as the Northwestern ...

. The French had worked with the

Scioto Company The proposed purchase by the Scioto Company is shown in red. The proposed purchase by the Ohio Company is in blue. The final purchase by the Ohio Company is in green. The 350px The Scioto Company was led by American colonel William Duer, a ...

, a purported land development company registered in Paris in 1789, paying its agents for land along the Ohio River. They sailed to the United States on several ships, most to

Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of downtown Washington, D.C. In 2020, the population was 159,467. ...

, outside Washington, DC. From there they traveled over land and by the Ohio River to reach Gallipolis. The French were city people and were taken aback by the undeveloped frontier they encountered. When they arrived at the Gallipolis area, they learned their deeds of land were worthless. The Scioto Company did not own the land, for which the

Ohio Company The Ohio Company, formally known as the Ohio Company of Virginia, was a land speculation company organized for the settlement by Virginians of the Ohio Country (approximately the present U.S. state of Ohio) and to trade with the Native Americ ...

had an option for development. They survived somehow, building cabins close together in what is now City Park, with a defensive palisade and bastions. In 1795 President

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

's administration granted the settlers free land in the

French Grant The proposed purchase by the Scioto Company is shown in red. The proposed purchase by the Ohio Company is in blue. The final purchase by the Ohio Company is in green. The French Grant is orange., 350px The French Grant (also known as the Frenc ...

in southwest present-day Scioto County, Ohio. Under the terms of this grant, settlers had to live on the land for 5 years and show cultivation to become owners. Settlers who chose to stay in Gallipolis had to pay again for their plots, this time to the Ohio Company. Most either sold their land in the French Grant or arranged to have tenants farm it. The name Gallipolis is a construct of the Greek or Latin prefix "Galli-" and the Greek suffix "-polis", meaning "city of the French". A US post office called Gallipolis began operating there in 1794. On November 30, 1893, the state-run Asylum for Epileptics and Epileptic Insane opened. Later it would become the Gallipolis Developmental Center, which is still operational today serving 52 patients with developmental disabilities in the

Appalachian Ohio Appalachian Ohio is a bioregion and political unit in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Ohio, characterized by the western foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and the Appalachian Plateau. The Appalachian Regional Commission defines th ...

region. On December 15, 1967, the Silver Bridge, connecting Gallipolis to Point Pleasant, West Virginia, across the Ohio River, collapsed under the weight of rush-hour traffic, resulting in the deaths of 46 people. It had been built in 1928, and analysis showed that the bridge was carrying much heavier loads than it had originally been designed for and had been poorly maintained. It was replaced by the Silver Memorial Bridge, completed in 1969.

Geography

Gallipolis is located at (38.815222, -82.197550), along the

in the

Appalachia Appalachia () is a cultural region in the Eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York State to northern Alabama and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Newfoundland and Labrador, C ...

region. 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 th ...

, the village has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Gallipolis is located in the unglaciated hills of southeastern Ohio.

Public lands

Gallipolis City Park is located centrally in the city and is the site of original settlement by 18th-century French refugees. Cassius M. Canaday Memorial Playground is in the village's east end. Sports facilities include Memorial Field and Cliffside Golf Club. The waterworks facility on Chestnut Street also has green space and some ballfields. The park is known for "Gallipolis in Lights," a Christmas light display that has received national recognition. Haskins Memorial Park is contiguous with the golf club. The Elizabeth L. Evans Waterfowl and Bird Sanctuary are adjacent to Memorial Field, which also features a skate park. The Texas Road Wildlife Area is located close by. The village owns and operates the Pine Street and Mound Hill cemeteries. Mound Hill Park has picnic tables and is adjacent to the cemetery; both have a long view over the Ohio River, the village of Gallipolis, and the opposite shore. At least two persons of the founding French 500 are said to have been buried in Mound Hill cemetery. It was officially established in 1880 but had been used for burials before that.

Climate

Gallipolis, like most of the state of Ohio, has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...

( Köppen ''Dfa'') transitioning into the neighboring subtropical climate. The village experiences four distinct seasons, with hot, muggy summers, and cold, dry winters. The village is part of USDA Hardiness zone 6b. October is the driest month, with an average of of precipitation. Winters are cold, with an average January temperature of . Snowfall is generally very light, with a mean average snowfall of . The village does not experience by

lake-effect snow Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when a cold air mass moves across long expanses of warmer lake water. The lower layer of air, heated up by the lake water, picks up water vapor from the lake and rises up throug ...

, although the village's weather can be influenced by the

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...

and regional topography. On average, there are 109 nights per year when the temperature drops to or below freezing, and only 14 days when the temperature fails to rise above freezing. Summers are hot and humid, with an average July temperature of . There are an average of 39 days per year with highs at or above . Precipitation is generally heavier from the late spring to early summer (May through July), and on average Gallipolis receives of precipitation annually; historically, annual precipitation has ranged from in 1987 to in 2004. Like many places in the Midwest, Gallipolis is subject to

severe weather Severe weather is any dangerous meteorological phenomenon with the potential to cause damage, serious social disruption, or loss of human life. Types of severe weather phenomena vary, depending on the latitude, altitude, topography, and atmos ...

. During the spring and summer, severe

thunderstorm A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are some ...

s may be accompanied by

lightning Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous release of an average ...

hail Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It is distinct from ice pellets (American English "sleet"), though the two are often confused. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is called a hailstone. Ice pellets generally fal ...

flood A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrol ...

ing and tornadoes. Perhaps the most notable tornado event was the 1968 Wheelersburg tornado outbreak.

Demographics

The population in this rural village has declined since its peak in 1960.

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 inc ...

of 2010, there were 3,641 people, 1,576 households, and 854 families residing 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 RosenberPopu ...

was . There were 1,869 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 89.7%

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 ...

, 5.1%

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 ...

, 0.6% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population. There were 1,576 households, of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.9% 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 ...

living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.8% were non-families. 39.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age in the village was 44.6 years. 18.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.6% were from 25 to 44; 28.7% were from 45 to 64; and 20.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 4,180 people, 1,847 households, and 1,004 families residing in the village. The

was 1,156.2 people per square mile (445.8/km²). There were 2,056 housing units at an average density of 568.7 per square mile (219.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 90.57%

, 6.44%

, 0.43% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 1.60% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population. There were 1,847 households, out of which 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.8% were

living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.6% were non-families. 41.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.87. In the village, the population was spread out, with 20.1% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 21.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.9 males. The median income for a household in the village was $25,846, and the median income for a family was $36,477. Males had a median income of $30,032 versus $22,473 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 $16,728. About 13.6% of families and 21.5% 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 ...

, including 27.3% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Gallipolis is the hometown of Bob Evans, founder of

Bob Evans Restaurants Bob Evans Restaurants, also known as Bob Evans, is an American chain of restaurants owned by Golden Gate Capital based in New Albany, Ohio. After its founding in 1948 by Bob Evans (1918–2007), the restaurant chain evolved into a company with ...

. The first restaurant was located in nearby

Rio Grande, Ohio Rio Grande ( ) is a village in Gallia County, Ohio, United States. The population was 724 at the 2020 census. It is part of the rural Point Pleasant micropolitan area. Although the town is named after the river in the southern United States, its ...

. The Bob Evans Farm is also located in

Rio Grande The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The length of the Rio G ...

. The original restaurant was replaced in the early 21st century by a new building. The farm has become a tourist attraction, featuring a picturesque windmill in a vast field, a canoe livery, tours, and the annual Bob Evans Farm Festival. This event, held on an October weekend, attracts several thousand visitors.

' corporate headquarters is located in New Albany, Ohio. Other major employers in Gallipolis/Gallia County include: American Electric Power ( General James M. Gavin Plant), Ohio Valley Electric Company (

Kyger Creek Power Plant Kyger Creek Power Plant is a 1.08-gigawatt, 1,086 ( MW) coal-fired power station located south of Cheshire, Ohio in Gallia County, Ohio. It is operated by the Ohio Valley Electric Corporation (OVEC). History The Kyger Creek was launched into ser ...

), Holzer Healthcare System,

University of Rio Grande The University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College (originally Rio Grande College) is a private university and public community college merged into one institution in Rio Grande, Ohio. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commissio ...

, and Gallipolis City Schools.

Education

There are four schools within the village. The public schools in the city limits are Gallia Academy Middle School and Washington Elementary, both of which belong to the Gallipolis City Schools. The public school district also controls Gallia Academy High School, Green Elementary and Rio Grande Elementary, which are located outside the village limits. The noted scientist Edward Alexander Bouchet, the first African American to earn a doctorate from an American university, served as principal of the village's Lincoln High School from 1908 to 1913. On November 8, 2005, a bond issue was passed, allowing for both the construction of a new high school and the renovation of the three public elementary schools. The new Gallia Academy High School, which was completed in the summer of 2009, is located at 2855 Centenary Road, a few miles outside the village limits. In addition there is a private school: Ohio Valley Christian School, which includes both elementary and secondary grades. The village is served by the Dr. Samuel L. Bossard Memorial Library, the county's only public lending library.

Transportation

U.S. Route 35 traverses the community, and provides a link to

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...

across the

. State routes include Ohio State Route 7, State Route 141, State Route 160, and State Route 588. Gallipolis is served by the Gallia-Meigs Regional Airport.

Notable people

* James B. Aleshire, U.S. Army major general * Jean-Joseph de Barth, leader of the "French 500" and as such one of the municipality's founders. Also father of Brev. Brig. Gen. John de Barth Walbach, the oldest acting officer ever in U.S. history. * Skip Battin, musician and former member of

the Byrds The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...

the New Riders of the Purple Sage ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

, and

the Flying Burrito Brothers The Flying Burrito Brothers are an American country rock band, best known for their influential 1969 debut album, ''The Gilded Palace of Sin''. Although the group is perhaps best known for its connection to band founders Gram Parsons and Chris ...

* Richard H. Cain, minister, abolitionist and U.S. Representative of South Carolina *

Lionel Cartwright Lionel Burke Cartwright (born February 10, 1960) is an American country music artist. Between 1988 and 1992, Cartwright charted twelve singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, including a 1 single in 1991's "Leap of Fait ...

, country music singer *

Frank Cremeans Frank Arnold Cremeans (April 5, 1943 – January 2, 2003) was an American small-businessman who represented Ohio in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican. He served one term in Congress, from 1995 to 1997. Cremeans was ...

, former U.S. Congressman *

Madeleine Vinton Dahlgren Madeleine Vinton Dahlgren (pen names, Corinne and Cornelia; July 13, 1825 – May 28, 1898) was an American writer, translator, and anti-suffragist. Her volume, ''Idealities'' (Philadelphia, 1859) was her first work in book form. Thereafter, she f ...

, writer born in Gallipolis *

Olivia A. Davidson Olivia America Davidson Washington (June 11, 1854 – May 9, 1889) was an American teacher and educator. She was born free as Olivia America Davidson in Virginia. After her family moved to the free state of Ohio, she studied in common schools ...

, a future teacher and vice-principal at

Tuskegee Institute Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU), formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute, is a private, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama. It was founded on Independence Day in 1881 by the state legislature. The campus was de ...

in its early years, attended common school and high school here, living with her older sister Mary and brother-in-law Noah Elliot.Dorsey, Carolyn A. "The Pre-Hampton Years of Olivia A. Davidson," ''The Hampton Review 14.'' Fall 1988. 44–52. She became the second wife of

Booker T. Washington Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American c ...

. * Alice S. Deletombe (1854–1929), published poet * Bob Evans,

founder, bought a small diner in Gallipolis in 1948 and built his business from there *

Emma Gatewood Emma Rowena (Caldwell) Gatewood, known as Grandma Gatewood, (October 25, 1887 – June 4, 1973), was an American ultra-light hiking pioneer. After a difficult life as a farm wife, mother of eleven children, and survivor of domestic vi ...

, long-distance hiker, first woman to through-hike the Appalachian Trail * Karl George, former NFL guard *

Jenny Holzer Jenny Holzer (born July 29, 1950) is an American neo-conceptual artist, based in Hoosick, New York. The main focus of her work is the delivery of words and ideas in public spaces and includes large-scale installations, advertising billboards, ...

, public artist * James P. Johnston, raised in Gallipolis, he was an early California pioneer and builder of the James Johnston House (Half Moon Bay, California), *

Brereton Jones Brereton Chandler Jones (born June 27, 1939) is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. From 1987 to 1991, he served as the 50th lieutenant governor of Kentucky and from 1991 to 1995, he was the state's 58th governor. He now ...

, former

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 ...

Governor *

Loretta Cessor Manggrum Loretta Cessor Manggrum (July 28, 1896 – May 11, 1992), sometimes published as L.C. Manggrum, was an American pianist, music educator, and composer of sacred music. In particular, she is known for her cantatas and other choral works. She was the ...

, composer *

O. O. McIntyre Oscar Odd McIntyre (February 18, 1884 – February 14, 1938) was a New York newspaper columnist of the 1920s and 1930s. ''The Washington Post'' once described his column as "the letter from New York read by millions because it never lost the hu ...

, syndicated columnist *

Geoffrey D. Miller Geoffrey D. Miller (born c. 1949) is a retired United States Army major general who commanded the US detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Iraq. Detention facilities in Iraq under his command included Abu Ghraib prison, Camp Cropp ...

, retired U.S.

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

* Dave Roberts, 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), ...

pitcher * Ryan Smith, former Speaker, Ohio House of Representatives *

Marian Spencer Marian Regelia Alexander Spencer (June 28, 1920 – July 9, 2019) was an American politician who served as Vice Mayor of the Cincinnati City Council in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was the first African American woman to be elected to the Council. Th ...

, civil rights activist and former Vice-Mayor,

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

, * Robert M. Switzer, former U.S. Congressman *

Samuel Finley Vinton Samuel Finley Vinton (September 25, 1792 – May 11, 1862) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio from March 4, 1823 to March 3, 1837 and again from March 4, 1843 to March 3, 1851. Biography Born in South Hadley, ...

, former U.S. Congressman and Secretary of the Interior * Nancy L. Zimpher, former president,

University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati) is a public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1819 as Cincinnati College, it is the oldest institution of higher education in Cincinnati and has an annual enrollment of over 44,00 ...

, chancellor of the

State University of New York The State University of New York (SUNY, , ) is a system of public colleges and universities in the State of New York. It is one of the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States. Led by c ...

(SUNY)

References

External links

Village website

{{authority control County seats in Ohio Villages in Gallia County, Ohio Villages in Ohio Ohio populated places on the Ohio River French-American culture in Ohio Populated places established in 1790 1790 establishments in the Northwest Territory