Georgesville is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in western Pleasant Township, Franklin 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 located southwest 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 ...

, 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 Franklin County and the capital and largest city of Ohio.

History

Situated across the Big Darby from Georgesville, on the eastern bank below the confluence, the O.C. Voss site includes a

Fort Ancient Fort Ancient is a name for a Native American culture that flourished from Ca. 1000-1750 CE and predominantly inhabited land near the Ohio River valley in the areas of modern-day southern Ohio, northern Kentucky, southeastern Indiana and western ...

village and ceremonial mound. The reconstructed mound is located along the Ancient Trail in Battelle Darby Creek Park. In 1797, Georgesville was founded as Central Ohio's first permanent white settlement (the same year as Franklinton). The town was originally situated on the eastern bank of Big Darby, now the site of Oak Grove Cemetery. A

railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

was built on the western bank of Big Darby, and Georgesville occupies this west bank site today, although the railway station is long gone. A minor debate exists as to which white settlement, Georgesville or Franklinton, was first laid down In the region. What is not disputed is that Native Americans such as the Shawnee Tribe were long established in the Scioto River valley and adjoining high bank areas before white settlers moved to the area. The rail line is still active with service to the grain silos in the nearby village of Lilly Chapel. Outside seasonal transport of farm products the line has seen use as storage for surplus rail cars. The line is known as CAMY on the Ohio Rail Map. This rail line ends just west of Lilly Chapel although its abandoned right-of-way continues west to London, Ohio. The current rail line towers over the Darby Creek just south of the Confluence. The current rail bridge is partially built on the foundations of a former rail bridge with unused foundation pillars remaining. The current bridge is a steel beam construction. Alkire Road, which travels west and east out of the village, originally featured two wooden

covered bridges A covered bridge is a timber-truss bridge with a roof, decking, and siding, which in most covered bridges create an almost complete enclosure. The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structural members from the weather. Uncovered woo ...

, spanning the Big and Little Darby above their confluence. The covered bridges were replaced by steel

truss bridge A truss bridge is a bridge whose load-bearing superstructure is composed of a truss, a structure of connected elements, usually forming triangular units. The connected elements (typically straight) may be stressed from tension, compression, or ...

s (a

Pratt truss A truss bridge is a bridge whose load-bearing superstructure is composed of a truss, a structure of connected elements, usually forming triangular units. The connected elements (typically straight) may be stressed from tension, compression, or ...

over Little Darby and a

Camelback truss A truss bridge is a bridge whose load-bearing superstructure is composed of a truss, a structure of connected elements, usually forming triangular units. The connected elements (typically straight) may be stressed from tension, compression, or ...

over Big Darby), which were in turn replaced by modern

reinforced concrete Reinforced concrete (RC), also called reinforced cement concrete (RCC) and ferroconcrete, is a composite material in which concrete's relatively low tensile strength and ductility are compensated for by the inclusion of reinforcement having hig ...

bridges, in a new configuration, in the 1990s. Before the truss bridges were torn down ODOT tests involving maximum load were conducted. At the time these bridge types were still common throughout the Midwest. The testing & destruction of the bridges provided a wealth of information for civil engineers. Reports indicated that designs were sound but the fixed height of overhead truss members limited vehicle heights. This area was subject to historic flooding in 1913, throughout Ohio that year. Today the Darby Creek waterways is one of many entry points for Battelle Darby Creek Park. The Darby watershed is one of the most biologically diverse aquatic systems in the Midwest due to conservation efforts in the area along the waterway. State and National designations have been placed upon the creeks in recent years. The park is part of the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Park System and sister parks exist upstream and downstream forming the western boundary of the metro system. Battelle is a research and development organization based in Columbus, Ohio. They have maintained a long connection with the parks establishment. The Camp Chase Multi-Use Trail runs alongside the still active rail line running through the village. The Camp Chase Trail distance is and is part of the larger

Ohio to Erie Trail The Ohio to Erie Trail is a dedicated multi-use trail for non-motorized vehicles that traverses the U.S. state of Ohio, from southwest to northeast, crossing of regional parks, nature preserves, and rural woodland. Construction began in 1991, wi ...

system which connects NE Ohio through Columbus and SW to Cincinnati. The Georgesville Fish Fry was a staple event for many years. It was held in the village center near the old Fire Station.

Geography

Georgesville lies at the

confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...

of Little Darby Creek and

Big Darby Creek Big Darby Creek is a scenic river located in northwestern central Ohio, and an important tributary to the Lower Scioto River. The river's major tributary is the Little Darby Creek. The river runs from its source near the Champaign-Union county ...

, which are State and National Scenic RiversBig Darby Creek State and National Scenic River
/ref> and

tributaries A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage b ...

of 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 ...

. Much of the swamp forest and prairie surrounding Georgesville is part of Battelle Darby Creek Park.

Notable person

George L. Converse George Leroy Converse (June 4, 1827 – March 30, 1897) was an American lawyer and politician who served three terms as a U.S. Representative from Ohio, representing three different districts from 1879 to 1885. Life and career Born in Georgesvi ...

, U.S. Representative from Ohio (1879–1881)

References

{{Authority control Unincorporated communities in Franklin County, Ohio Populated places established in 1797 Unincorporated communities in Ohio

History

Geography

Notable person

See also

References