Vinton County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

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 ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,800, making it the least populous county in the state. Its

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 ...

McArthur McArthur may refer to: People * McArthur (surname) Geography * McArthur, Arkansas, an unincorporated town in Desha County * McArthur, California, in Shasta County * McArthur, Modoc County, California * McArthur, Ohio * McArthur Basin, a large int ...

. The county is named for

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, ...

US Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from Ohio (1823–37, 1843–51).

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 county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.6%) is water.

Waterways

Most of Vinton County is in the Raccoon Creek watershed. Most of the rest of the county, to the west, is in the Salt Creek watershed.

Adjacent counties

* Hocking County (north) * Athens County (northeast) * Meigs County (east) *

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 name � ...

(southeast) * Jackson County (south) * Ross County (west)

Demographics

2000 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 2000, there were 12,806 people, 4,892 households, and 3,551 families residing in the county. 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 31 people per square mile (12/km²). There were 5,653 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.08%

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 ...

, 0.35%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

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 ...

, 0.45% Native American, 0.09%

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 ...

, 0.08% 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 0.95% from two or more races. 0.47% of the population 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 ...

of any race. There were 4,892 households, out of which 34.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.20% 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, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 23.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.04. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.90% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.50 males. The median income for a household in the county was $29,465, and the median income for a family was $34,371. Males had a median income of $30,936 versus $21,257 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 county was $13,731. About 15.10% of families and 20.00% 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 27.60% of those under age 18 and 13.50% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...

, there were 13,435 people, 5,260 households, and 3,640 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 6,291 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.9% white, 0.4% American Indian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.5% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 17.0% were

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, 16.2% were

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

, 14.2% were

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, and 7.5% were

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

. Of the 5,260 households, 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.8% were non-families, and 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.03. The median age was 39.6 years. The median income for a household in the county was $34,242 and the median income for a family was $37,409. Males had a median income of $36,598 versus $28,226 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,736. About 17.3% of families and 19.5% of the population were below the

, including 25.8% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

2020 Presidential Election in Vinton County, Ohio

Vinton County is typically a Republican county in presidential elections, having picked the GOP candidate in 12 of the last 16 elections.

Government and infrastructure

Vinton County has a three-member Board of County Commissioners that administers and oversees the various county departments, similar to all but two of the 88 Ohio counties. The elected commissioners serve four-year terms. The elected commissioners are Tim Eberts, Mark Fout, and William Wellman.

Emergency services

The following emergency services, with their locations, serve the county: *

Ohio State Highway Patrol The Ohio State Highway Patrol is a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety and has the primary responsibility of traffic enforcement in the state of Ohio. Divisions Operationally, the Patrol is divided into units whose varying tasks co ...

* Vinton County Sheriff's Department ** 106 South Market Street, McArthur * McArthur Police Department ** 124 West Main Street, McArthur * Vinton County Emergency Medical Services ** 31931 State Route 93, McArthur * Vinton County Emergency Management Agency ** 106 South Market Street, McArthur * MedFlight 3 ** 110 West Second Street,

Wellston, Ohio Wellston is a city in Jackson County, Ohio, United States, in the southeastern part of the state. The population was 5,663 at the 2010 census. History Wellston was laid out and founded in 1873 on land owned by Harvey Wells. Wells constructed a ...

45692 * LifeAir ** 1843 River Road,

Chillicothe, Ohio 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 ...

Fire Department ** 303 West High Street, McArthur * Hamden Fire Department ** 100 Wilkesville Street, Hamden * Wilkesville Fire Department ** 161 Main Street, Wilkesville * Zaleski Fire Department ** State Route 278, Zaleski * Harrison Township Fire Department ** 51560 Old Route 50, Londonderry

Post Offices

There are post offices in the following Vinton County communities: * Hamden *

New Plymouth New Plymouth ( mi, Ngāmotu) is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, Devon from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. ...

* Ray * Wilkesville * Zaleski * Wellston *

Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Qu ...

Utilities

The following utilities serve Vinton County:

Phone, Internet and cable

* Horizon Telephone * Ohio Hills * Frognet *

Verizon Verizon Communications Inc., commonly known as Verizon, is an American multinational telecommunications conglomerate and a corporate component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is headquartered at 1095 Avenue of the Americas in ...

* First Communications *

Time Warner Cable Time Warner Cable, Inc. (TWC) was an American cable television company. Before it was acquired by Charter Communications on May 18, 2016, it was ranked the second largest cable company in the United States by revenue behind only Comcast, operat ...

Frontier

Gas and electricity

* Columbia Gas of Ohio * South Central Power Company *

American Electric Power American Electric Power (AEP), (railcar reporting mark: AEPX) is a major investor-owned electric utility in the United States, delivering electricity to more than five million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation's largest gen ...

* Buckeye Rural Electric Co-Op

Water and garbage disposal

* Ross County Water Company * Jackson County Water Company * Leax Water Company *

Water Department * Rumpke * Waste Management * Dutcher Sanitation

Education

The entire county is served by the Vinton County Local School District which operates the following schools: * West Elementary ** 57750 US Highway 50, Allensville, Ohio 45651 * South Elementary ** 38234 State Route 93,

Hamden, Ohio Hamden is a village in Vinton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 879 at the 2010 census. History Hamden was laid out in 1820. It was incorporated as a village in 1876. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the vi ...

45634 * Central Elementary ** 507 Jefferson Avenue,

McArthur, Ohio McArthur is a village in Vinton County, Ohio, United States. It is located 27 miles southeast of Chillicothe. The population was 1,701 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Vinton County. History McArthur was laid out and platted in 181 ...

45651 * Vinton County Middle School ** 63780 Locker Plant Road,

45651 * Vinton County High School ** 63910 US Highway 50,

45651

Transportation

Highways

U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlanti ...

State Route 32 * OH-56

State Route 56 * OH-93

State Route 93 * OH-124

State Route 124 * OH-160

State Route 160 * OH-278

State Route 278 * OH-324

State Route 324 * OH-327

State Route 327 * OH-328

State Route 328 * OH-356

State Route 356 * OH-671

State Route 671 * OH-677

State Route 677 * OH-683

State Route 683 * OH-683

State Route 689

Airports

Vinton County has one public airport, the Vinton County Airport (K22I/22I). The runway is a 3725' x 75' asphalt, east–west (09/27) runway with a single intersecting taxiway. Navigation and radio equipment includes a two-light PAPI for runway 27,

Pilot Controlled Lighting Pilot-controlled lighting (PCL), also known as aircraft radio control of aerodrome lighting (ARCAL) or pilot-activated lighting (PAL), is a system that allows aircraft pilots to control the lighting of an airport or airfield's approach lights, run ...

and

UNICOM A UNICOM (universal communications) station is an air-ground communication facility operated by a non-air traffic control private agency to provide advisory service at uncontrolled aerodromes and airports and to provide various non-flight services ...

. The airport is leased to the Vinton County Pilots & Booster Association by the county, who raise funds to maintain and update the airport. , the boosters are raising funds to finance a 2000-foot runway extension and resurfacing project. The airport is equipped to provide basic service to piston-engined general aviation aircraft. Flight instruction services are also available.

Media

Vinton County is served by one local newspaper outlet, the ''Vinton County Courier'', a print newspaper and website.

Tourism

Covered bridges

There are four covered bridges located around Vinton County. The most famous bridge was the Ponn Bridge, also known as the Humpback Bridge. It was built in 1874 and was the longest one in the county. The bridge's name came from the shape of the bridge and there are only a few 'humpback' bridges left around the world. This bridge was burned down in June, 2013 by arsonists. In 1875, the Mt. Olive Bridge was built by a Civil War veteran named George Washington Pilcher. This bridge is open to foot traffic and goes over the Middle Fork Salt Creek. The Bay Bridge is located on the Vinton County Fairgrounds. It was moved to the fairgrounds in 1967 and is still open to pedestrians. The Cox Bridge was built in 1884. The bridge is open to foot traffic and has a picnic area near it. The Arbaugh Bridge was built in 1871, making it the oldest covered bridge in the county. The bridge is the only one open to vehicles thanks to a grant that allowed for renovations.

State Parks and Recreation Areas

There are eight recreation areas in Vinton County. The state parks consist of Lake Alma State Park located in

and

Lake Hope State Park Lake Hope State Park is a public recreation area encompassing within Zaleski State Forest, located northeast of Zaleski in Vinton County, Ohio. The state park is centered on Lake Hope, a impoundment on Big Sandy Run. History The park and l ...

located in

. There are also four state forests consisting of

Richland Furnace State Forest Richland Furnace State Forest is a state forest in Jackson and Vinton counties 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 terri ...

, Tar Hollow State Forest, Vinton Furnace State Forest, and

Zaleski State Forest Zaleski State Forest is a state forest in the U.S. state of Ohio, located primarily in Vinton County, with areas in Athens County as well. The 28,000 acre (110 km²) forest surrounds Lake Hope State Park in Vinton County, and borders the ...

. Along with these, there is the

Wayne National Forest The Wayne National Forest is located in the south-eastern part of the US state of Ohio, in the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau. It is the only national forest in Ohio. Forest headquarters are located between The Plains and Nelsonville, Ohio, on ...

, which covers many other counties in Ohio besides Vinton County, Raccoon Ecological Management Area located on State Route 160, and the Wellston Wildlife Area and Lake Rupert located on State Route 683. There are also many more public areas within a short distance of Vinton County. Vinton county is more than 70 percent wooded.

Hocking Hills Region

The Hocking Hills Region is located north of Vinton County. Due to the Hocking Hills’ mainstream popularity, visitors often choose to book lodging in Vinton County to avoid the crowds.

Lake Hope Bike Trails

is located in Vinton and

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

Counties. There are five loop trails in the park ranging from 4.5 miles to 16 miles. The Hope Furnace Trail loop is the shortest of the trails at 4.5 miles. The Sidewinder Loop is 5.5 miles, the Copperhead Loop is 10 miles, and the New Big Loop is 15 miles. The longest of the trails in the Old Big Loop at 16 miles.

Zaleski Backpack Trails

There are two trails in

, a trail of 23.5 miles and a day trail of 10 miles.

Moonville Rail-Trail

Moonville Rail-Trail King Switch Tunnel The Moonville Rail-Trail is a sixteen-mile (25 kilometer) rail-trail in southeast Ohio, located in Vinton and Athens Counties. It is largely embedded in the Zaleski State Forest and passes close to Lake Hope State Park. The tra ...

is a 16-mile rail trail that follows an abandoned B&O railroad line from

Mineral In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid chemical compound with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. ( ...

to Zaleski. It gets its name from the ghost town of Moonville and passes through a brick railroad tunnel at Moonville and a wooden railroad tunnel at King’s Hollow. The trail cuts through

and goes through many woodlands and wetlands. The Moonville Rail Trail Association, a local nonprofit organization established in April 2001, is currently working to make the trail more accessible by replacing bridges that were removed when the railroad was abandoned in the 1980s. The association meets at 6:30 p.m. every third Tuesday of the month at Hope Schoolhouse on Wheelabout Road.

Quilt barns

Throughout Vinton County, 27 quilt barns are scattered by the roadways. They are located on Vinton County's Quilt Trail.

Events

Wild Turkey Festival

The Wild Turkey Festival is a music festival held in

, on the first weekend of May, beginning on the Thursday evening and concluding on the Sunday afternoon. A parade runs through the town on the Saturday night.

Ridgetop Music Festival

Every August, the Ridgetop Music Festival is held at the Vinton County Airport which offers music and airplane rides throughout the festival.

Vinton County Air Show

The air show is held on the third Sunday in September. The show is the biggest free air show in Ohio and includes food and aerial acts.

Midnight At Moonville

Midnight at Moonville is one-day Halloween-themed festival featuring dramatic storytelling, wagon rides, regional craft vendors, souvenirs, historical presentations, and music performances located at the Moonville Tunnel. The 2020 edition of Midnight at Moonville has been cancelled due to COVID-19.

Communities

Map of Vinton County Ohio With Municipal and Township Labels

Villages

* Hamden *

(county seat) * Wilkesville * Zaleski

Townships

Brown Brown is a color. It can be considered a composite color, but it is mainly a darker shade of orange. In the CMYK color model used in printing or painting, brown is usually made by combining the colors orange and black. In the RGB color model us ...

* Clinton *

Eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...

Elk The elk (''Cervus canadensis''), also known as the wapiti, is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. The common ...

Harrison Harrison may refer to: People * Harrison (name) * Harrison family of Virginia, United States Places In Australia: * Harrison, Australian Capital Territory, suburb in the Canberra district of Gungahlin In Canada: * Inukjuak, Quebec, or " ...

* Knox *

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...

* Richland *

Swan Swans are birds of the family (biology), family Anatidae within the genus ''Cygnus''. The swans' closest relatives include the goose, geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form t ...

* Vinton * Wilkesville

Unincorporated communities

* Allensville * Creola * Dundas * Eagle Mills *

Hawks Hawks are birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica. * The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. This subfamily ...

* Hope *

Hue In color theory, hue is one of the main properties (called color appearance parameters) of a color, defined technically in the CIECAM02 model as "the degree to which a stimulus can be described as similar to or different from stimuli that ...

* Jimtown * Knox * Minerton *

* Orland * Prattsville *

Puritan The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Catholic Church, Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become m ...

* Radcliff * Ratcliffburg * Ray * Siverly * Stella * Vales Mills *

Tiffin Tiffin is an Indian English word for a type of meal. It refers to a light breakfast or a light tea-time meal at about 3 p.m., consisting of typical tea-time foods. In certain parts of India, it can also refer to the midday luncheon or, in s ...

Ghost towns

* Ingham * Moonville * Oreton * Richland * Vinton Furnace

References

External links

Vinton County Government Website

Vinton County Convention and Visitors Bureau

Herbert Wescoat Memorial Library serving Vinton County

Public Lands Map of Vinton County
{{authority control Appalachian Ohio Counties of Appalachia 1850 establishments in Ohio Populated places established in 1850