Muskingum County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers 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 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 ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 86,410. 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 ...

Zanesville Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. It is located east of Columbus and had a population of 24,765 as of the 2020 census, down from 25,487 as of the 2010 census. Historically the state capi ...

. Nearly bisected by the Muskingum River, the county name is based on a

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...

American Indian word translated as "town by the river" or "elk's eye". Muskingum County comprises the

Zanesville, OH Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. It is located east of Columbus and had a population of 24,765 as of the 2020 census, down from 25,487 as of the 2010 census. Historically the state cap ...

Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH Combined Statistical Area. The Zanesville Micropolitan Statistical Area is the second-largest statistical area within the Combined Statistical Area, after the Columbus Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Name

The name ''Muskingum'' may come 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 ...

word ''mshkikwam'' 'swampy ground'. The name may also be from

Lenape The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory inclu ...

''"Machkigen,"'' referring to thorns, or a specific species of thorn bush. ''Muskingum'' has also been taken to mean 'elk's eye' (''mus wəshkinkw'') by

folk etymology Folk etymology (also known as popular etymology, analogical reformation, reanalysis, morphological reanalysis or etymological reinterpretation) is a change in a word or phrase resulting from the replacement of an unfamiliar form by a more famili ...

, as in ''mus'' 'elk' + ''wəshkinkw'' 'its eye'. Moravian missionary David Zeisberger wrote that the Muskingum River was called Elk's Eye "because of the numbers of elk that formerly fed on its banks."

Geography

According to the

U.S. 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 (1.2%) is water. It is the fourth-largest county in Ohio by land area.

Adjacent counties

* Coshocton County (north) * Guernsey County (east) * Noble County (southeast) * Morgan County (south) *

Perry County Perry County may refer to: United States * Perry County, Alabama * Perry County, Arkansas *Perry County, Illinois * Perry County, Indiana * Perry County, Kentucky * Perry County, Mississippi * Perry County, Missouri *Perry County, Ohio *Perr ...

(southwest) *

Licking County Licking County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. At the 2020 census, the population was 178,519. Its county seat is Newark. The county was formed on January 30, 1808, from portions of Fairfield 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 inc ...

of 2000, there were 84,585 people, 32,518 households, and 22,860 families living 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 RosenberPopu ...

was 127 people per square mile (49/km²). There were 35,163 housing units at an average density of 53 per square mile (20/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.91%

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 ...

, 4.01%

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 ha ...

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 ...

, 0.21% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.20% from other races, and 1.37% from two or more races. 0.52% of the population were

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. There were 32,518 households, out of which 33.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.30% 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, 12.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.70% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.01. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.90% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.40 males. The median income for a household in the county was $35,185, and the median income for a family was $41,938. Males had a median income of $31,537 versus $22,151 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 $17,533. About 9.90% of families and 12.90% 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 17.90% of those under age 18 and 10.00% 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 serving ...

, there were 86,074 people, 34,271 households, and 23,125 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 38,074 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 93.0% white, 3.8% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.8% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 25.2% 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 ...

, 15.5% were Irish, 11.1% 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 ...

, and 10.9% 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 ...

. Of the 34,271 households, 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.5% were non-families, and 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age was 39.5 years. The median income for a household in the county was $39,538 and the median income for a family was $48,425. Males had a median income of $40,183 versus $28,668 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,561. About 13.0% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the

, including 24.6% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The county is served by 7 high schools: John Glenn High School in

New Concord New Concord is a village in Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population is 2,491 as of the 2010 census. New Concord is the home of Muskingum University and is served by a branch of the Muskingum County Library System. History New Co ...

(East Muskingum Local School District),

Philo High School Philo High School is a public high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary edu ...

confusingly not located in Philo but instead across the river in Duncan Falls (Franklin Local School District), Maysville High School located in

South Zanesville South Zanesville is a village in Muskingum County, Ohio, United States, along the Muskingum River near the mouth of the Moxahala Creek. The population was 1,989 at the 2010 census. Geography South Zanesville is located at (39.902554, -82.019 ...

(Maysville Local Schools), Bishop Rosecrans (

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

high school in downtown Zanesville), Tri-Valley High School located in

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label= Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth ...

(Tri-Valley Local School District), West Muskingum High School located in Zanesville (West Muskingum Local School District), and

Zanesville High School Zanesville High School is a public high school in Zanesville, Ohio. Zanesville High School is the only public high school in the Zanesville City School District. History The first Zanesville High School was built in downtown North 6th Street 18 ...

which, as the name implies, is in Zanesville (Zanesville City School District). Each high school is the only high school in school districts of the same name, the exception being Roscrans as the district is referred to as Bishop Fenwick. The county is also served by three colleges,

Muskingum University Muskingum University is a private liberal arts college in New Concord, Ohio. Chartered in 1837 as Muskingum College, the institution is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Collectively, the university's alumni are referred to as th ...

Zane State College Zane State College is a public community college in Zanesville and Cambridge, Ohio. It was established in 1969 as Muskingum Area Technical College. It offers over 40 associate degree An associate degree is an undergraduate degree awarded ...

, and a branch campus of

Ohio University Ohio University is a 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 Confederation and subse ...

known as Ohio University Zanesville.

Politics

Muskingum County is a Republican stronghold county in presidential elections. The 1964 election is the most recent in which the county voted Democratic, but

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again ...

came within 48 votes of carrying it in 1996.

Culture

The Ohio Anti-Slavery Society was originally created as an auxiliary of the

American Anti-Slavery Society The American Anti-Slavery Society (AASS; 1833–1870) was an abolitionist society founded by William Lloyd Garrison and Arthur Tappan. Frederick Douglass, an escaped slave, had become a prominent abolitionist and was a key leader of this socie ...

and held its first meeting Putnam, Ohio, in April 1835. In 1872, Zanesville

annex Annex or Annexe refers to a building joined to or associated with a main building, providing additional space or accommodations. It may also refer to: Places * The Annex, a neighbourhood in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada * The Annex (New ...

ed the town of Putnam. It is now the Putnam Historic District of Zanesville. The ''Muskingum County Library System'' serves the communities of Muskingum County from its administrative offices in Zanesville, Ohio. This includes service to

, Duncan Falls,

, and Roseville. In 2005, the library loaned more than 918,000 items to its 73,000 cardholders. Total holding are over 328,000 volumes with over 190 periodical subscriptions.

The Wilds The Wilds may refer to: * The Wilds (Johannesburg), a municipal nature reserve and park in Johannesburg, South Africa * The Wilds (Ohio), a safari park in Ohio, USA * The Wilds (TV series), a US streaming television show {{dab ...

is a wildlife preserve open to visitation for a fee.

Communities

City

(county seat)

Villages

* Adamsville *

Frazeysburg Frazeysburg is a village in Muskingum County, Ohio, United States, along Wakatomika Creek. The population was 1,354 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Zanesville micropolitan area. Frazeysburg is home to the world's largest apple basket, wh ...

* Fultonham * Gratiot *

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the Episcopal see, See of ...

Philo Philo of Alexandria (; grc, Φίλων, Phílōn; he, יְדִידְיָה, Yəḏīḏyāh (Jedediah); ), also called Philo Judaeus, was a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria, in the Roman province of Egypt. Philo's de ...

* Roseville *

Townships

* Adams * Blue Rock * Brush Creek * Cass *

Clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay pa ...

* Falls * Harrison *

Highland Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally speaking, upland (or uplands) refers to ranges of hills, typically from up to while highland (or highlands) is ...

* Hopewell * Jackson * Jefferson * Licking *

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 ...

* Meigs * Monroe * Muskingum * Newton * Perry * Rich Hill * Salem * Salt Creek * Springfield * Union *

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

* Wayne https://web.archive.org/web/20160715023447/http://www.ohiotownships.org/township-websites Map of Muskingum County Ohio With Municipal and Township Labels

Map of Muskingum County Ohio With Municipal and Township Labels

Census-designated places

* Duncan Falls * East Fultonham * North Zanesville * Pleasant Grove * Trinway

Other unincorporated communities

* Adams Mills * Bloomfield * Blue Rock * Bridgeville * Chandlersville * Coal Hill * Dillon Falls * Duncan Falls * Ellis * Freeland * Gaysport *

Gilbert Gilbert may refer to: People and fictional characters *Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Gilbert (surname), including a list of people Places Australia * Gilbert River (Queensland) * Gilbert River (South A ...

* High Hill * Hopewell * Irville * Licking View *

Mattingly Settlement The Mattingly Settlement is a historic area and unincorporated community in Muskingum Township, Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. It was named after the many members of the Mattingly family who settled the area in the 19th century, the firs ...

* Meadow Farm * Mount Sterling * Museville * Nashport * Otsego * Rix Mills * Ruraldale *

Sonora Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sonora), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is divided into 72 municipalities; the ...

* Stovertown * Sundale * White Cottage * Young Hickory *

Zeno Zeno ( grc, Ζήνων) may refer to: People * Zeno (name), including a list of people and characters with the name Philosophers * Zeno of Elea (), philosopher, follower of Parmenides, known for his paradoxes * Zeno of Citium (333 – 264 BC), ...

Historical places

* Irville - Former populated place in Licking Township, removed for the creation of Dillon Lake. *

- Named for the many members of the Mattingly family who settled in Muskingum Township.

References

External links

Muskingum County Library System website

Muskingum County Sheriff's Office
{{Coord, 39.97, -81.95, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-OH_source:UScensus1990 1804 establishments in Ohio Appalachian Ohio Counties of Appalachia Populated places established in 1804