Chillicothe ( ) is a city in

Ross County, Ohio Ross County is a county in the Appalachian region of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 77,093. Its county seat is Chillicothe, the first and third capital of Ohio. Established on August 20, 1798, ...

, United States, and its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

. The population was 22,059 at the 2020 census. 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, Ohio, Hardin County just north of Roundhead, Ohio, flows through Columbus, Ohio, where it collects its largest tributary, the Olent ...

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, the capital city of the U.S. state of Ohio * Columbus, Georgia, a city i ...

, Chillicothe was the first and third capital of

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

. It is the only city in Ross County and the center of the Chillicothe micropolitan area. 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 500 million trees in neighborhoods, communitie ...

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 500 million trees in neighborhoods, communitie ...

History

Postcard21000SoldiersCreateImageofPresidentWilsonCampShermanOH1918-commons

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 great-circle distance, straight-line distance from the northernmost part of Western Can ...

. They built

earthen An earth structure is a building or other structure made largely from soil. Since soil is a widely available material, it has been used in construction since prehistory. It may be combined with other materials, compressed and/or baked to add ...

mound A mound is a wikt:heaped, heaped pile of soil, earth, gravel, sand, rock (geology), 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 ...

s for ceremonial and burial purposes throughout the Scioto and

Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...

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

Shawnees The Shawnee ( ) are a Native American people of the Northeastern Woodlands. Their language, Shawnee, is an Algonquian language. Their precontact homeland was likely centered in southern Ohio. In the 17th century, they dispersed through Ohio, ...

. 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, on the

; a third about north of

Xenia Xenia may refer to: People * Xenia (name), a feminine given name; includes a list of people with this name Places United States ''listed alphabetically by state'' * Xenia, Illinois, a village in Clay County ** Xenia Township, Clay County, Il ...

Greene County, Ohio Greene County is located in the southwestern portion of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 167,966. Its county seat is Xenia, Ohio, Xenia and its largest city is Beavercreek, Ohio, Beavercreek. The county ...

; 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 f ...

, three miles north of modern Chillicothe. In 1758 a settlement was established at this site by Shawnee Indians who had abandoned 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 ...

in November of that year. A group of Shawnees from

Logstown The riverside village of Logstown (1726?, 1727–1758) also known as Logg's Town, French: ''Chiningue'' (transliterated to ''Shenango'') near modern-day Baden, Pennsylvania, was a significant Native American settlement in Western Pennsylv ...

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, also known to Americans as the Treaty with the Wyandots, etc., but formally titled ''A treaty of peace between the United States of America, and the tribes of Indians called the Wyandots, Delawares, Shawanees, Ottawas ...

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 U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

and

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

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

Shawnee The Shawnee ( ) are a Native American people of the Northeastern Woodlands. Their language, Shawnee, is an Algonquian language. Their precontact homeland was likely centered in southern Ohio. In the 17th century, they dispersed through Ohi ...

'' 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 a Native American people of the Northeastern Woodlands. Their language, Shawnee, is an Algonquian language. Their precontact homeland was likely centered in southern Ohio. In the 17th century, they dispersed through Ohio ...

. 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 part of the unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolution. Established ...

in 1800, when

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

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

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

and a sliver of southeastern

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the 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. 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 is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

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, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

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

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was an organized network of secret routes and safe houses used by freedom seekers to escape to the abolitionist Northern United States and Eastern Canada. Enslaved Africans and African Americans escaped from slavery ...

. 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 political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was Kingdom of France, France in 1315, but it was later used ...

s aided the

as well. On May 12, 1948, a C. & O. engine suffered a boiler explosion due to a low water level near Chillicothe, Ohio. The train's engineer, fireman and front brakeman were killed.

Geography

Chillicothe lies within the

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) is an ecological and geographic area that exists on multiple different levels, defined by type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and c ...

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, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, 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, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

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 recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

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 chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

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

American Indian and Alaska Native Native Americans (also called American Indians, First Americans, or Indigenous Americans) are the Indigenous peoples of the United States, particularly of the lower 48 states and Alaska. They may also include any Americans whose origins lie ...

, 155 were Asian, 351 were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino, 6 were

Native Hawaiian Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians; , , , and ) are the Indigenous peoples of Oceania, Indigenous Polynesians, Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiʻi was set ...

and

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

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

, 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 (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

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 known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 3.4% from two or more races.

or Latino 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 recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

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.

Economy

As the only city in its area, Chillicothe is a hub for economic activity. Hospitals (Adena Regional and Chillicothe VA Medical Centers), prisons (

Ross Ross may refer to: People and fictional characters * Ross (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning * Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan Places Antarctica * Ross Sea ...

and

Chillicothe Correctional Institution Chillicothe Correction Institution, or CCI, is a state-run medium security prison on the west bank of the Scioto River just outside Chillicothe, Ohio. It is located adjacent to Ross Correctional Institution and Hopewell Culture National Hi ...

s) and a college campus ( Ohio University Chillicothe) are among the largest employers. In April 2025, the Pixelle paper mill, formerly named for past owners

Glatfelter Glatfelter a global manufacturer of engineered solutions successfully merged with Berry Global’s Health, Hygiene and Specialties Global Nonwovens and Films business (the “HHNF Business”), resulting in the creation of 'Magnera Corporation' ...

and Mead Paper, and employing about 800 people, announced its closure.

Arts and 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 during the early Classical Hollywood cinema, Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–1957) ...

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 eight decades, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and ...

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 a Russian-born American singer, comedian, actress, and radio personality. Known for her powerful delivery of comical and risqué songs, she was one of the most popula ...

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

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.

Parks and recreation

Chillicothe has several public parks, including Yoctangee Park, Patrick 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 in

Fayette County, Ohio Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,951. Its county seat and largest city is Washington Court House. The county was named for the Marquis de Lafayette, a Frenchman who ...

. The Tri-County Triangle Trail's goal is to connect Chillicothe and Greenfield. This same former railroad continues to Jamestown and

, 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 500 AD. The park is composed of four s ...

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 List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...

and has a large concentration of Native American earthworks.

Sports

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 L ...

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

Frontier League The Frontier League (FL; French: ''Ligue Frontière'', LF) is a professional baseball league in North America composed of 18 teams – 15 in the United States and 3 in Canada. The FL is one of the eight independent baseball leagues in North Ame ...

, 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, 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 2024, the top six finishers participate in t ...

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 comp ...

(OHSAA).

Government

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 (as of August 2024):

Education

The public Chillicothe City School District operates five primary and secondary schools for children in the city. Bishop Flaget School is a private

Catholic school Catholic schools are Parochial school, parochial pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest parochial schools, religious, no ...

for students in grades prekindergarten through 8th. Ross County Christian Academy was formed in 2007 and now offers K through 12th grade at two sites. Chillicothe is home to Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center, a

vocational-technical school A vocational-technical school, often called a vo-tech school, is a high school in the United States and Canada designed to bring vocational and technical training to its students. Proponents claim that students bound for college may be able to ...

founded in 1974.

Ohio University – Chillicothe Ohio University Chillicothe is a regional campus of Ohio University in Chillicothe, Ohio. Founded in 1946, OHIO Chillicothe campus is the first of Ohio University's regional campuses and the first regional campus in the state. It is located ...

is a

regional campus A satellite campus, branch campus or regional campus is a campus of a university or college that is physically at a distance from the original university or college area. This branch campus may be located in a different city, state, or country, ...

of Ohio University founded in 1946. It was the first regional campus in Ohio. The campus has an annual enrollment of approximately 2,000 students. Chillicothe is also home to the Recording Workshop, an audio engineering school. Chillicothe is served by the main branch and Northside branch of Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library.

Notable people

Chet Allen Chet R. Allen (May 6, 1939 – June 17, 1984) was an American child actor known for his role as Amahl in Gian Carlo Menotti's ''Amahl and the Night Visitors'', the first opera written for television, which he made with the NBC Opera Theatre. Ea ...

(1939–1984) – actor * William Allen (1803–1879) –

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

, and

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

for Ohio *

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 ...

(1836–1917) –

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

major general * William M. Anderson (1807–1881) – lawyer and explorer who helped plan the

New Virginia Colony The New Virginia Colony () was a colonization plan to resettle ex- Confederates in central Mexico after the American Civil War. The largest settlement was Carlota, named for Emperor Maximilian's wife Charlotte of Belgium and located near Córdoba ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

* James H. Baker (1829–1913) – Ohio and

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

state politician * Drew Basil (b. 1991) –

gridiron football Gridiron football ( ),"Gridiron football"
''Encyclopædia Britannica'' ...

player *

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 ...

(b. 1961) –

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) player * Henry H. Bennett (1863–1924) – writer, journalist, and poet * John Bennett (1865–1956) – writer and illustrator *

William K. Bond William Key Bond (October 2, 1792 – February 17, 1864) was a three-term U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1835 to 1841. Early life and career Born in St. Mary's County, Maryland, Bond attended schools at Litchfield, Connecticut including Li ...

(1792–1864) – U.S. Representative for Ohio * Charles E. Brown (1834–1904) – U.S. Army colonel and Ohio state politician * William B. Brown (1912–1985) –

Ohio Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the State of Ohio is the highest court in the U.S. state of Ohio, with final authority over interpretations of Ohio law and the Ohio Constitution. The court has seven members, a chief justice and six associate justices, ...

justice * Henry Brush (1777–1855) – Ohio Supreme Court justice and Ohio state politician * John Carey (b. 1959) – Ohio state politician * Harold K. Claypool (1886–1958) – businessman and U.S. Representative for Ohio *

Horatio C. Claypool Horatio Clifford Claypool (February 9, 1859 – January 19, 1921) was a three term United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Ohio. He was the father of Harold Kile Claypool and cousin of John Barney Peterson. Biography Born ...

(1859–1921) – U.S. Representative for Ohio *

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

(1862–1934) – author and

women's rights Women's rights are the rights and Entitlement (fair division), entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st c ...

and

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' political freedom, freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and ...

activist * Edward Cook (1888–1972) – pole vaulter at the

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, from 27 April to 31 October 1908. The 1908 Games were originally schedu ...

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 ...

(1946–2012) –

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL) player * Joseph C. Corbin (1833–1911) – journalist, educator, and conductor for the

* Jessup N. Couch (1778–1821) – Ohio Supreme Court justice * William Creighton Jr. (1778–1851) – Ohio state politician and judge for the United States District Court of Ohio * William H. Davis (1848–1938) – educator and the first African-American candidate for

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...

Lewis Deschler Lewis Deschler (March 3, 1905 – July 12, 1976) was the first, and longest-serving, Parliamentarian of the United States House of Representatives. He started his term on January 1, 1928, during the 70th United States Congress following the retirem ...

(1905–1976) – First

Parliamentarian of the United States House of Representatives The parliamentarian of the United States House of Representatives manages, supervises, and administers the Office of the Parliamentarian, which is responsible for advising the House's presiding officers, members, and staff on procedural questio ...

* Lawrence Dixon (1894–1970) –

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

musician * Albert Douglas (1852–1935) – U.S. Representative for Ohio *

Edwin Dun Edwin Dun (June 19, 1848 – May 15, 1931) was a rancher from Ohio who was employed as an '' o-yatoi gaikokujin'' in Hokkaidō by the Hokkaidō Development Commission (''Kaitakushi'') and advised the Japanese government on modernizing agric ...

(1848–1931) – foreign agricultural advisor to

Meiji Japan The was an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868, to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonizatio ...

* Sarah J. W. Early (1825–1907) – educator, author,

black nationalist Black nationalism is a nationalist movement which seeks representation for Black people as a distinct national identity, especially in racialized, colonial and postcolonial societies. Its earliest proponents saw it as a way to advocate for ...

, and temperance activist * Richard Enderlin (1843–1930) – musician, U.S. Army soldier, and

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recipient * John C. Entrekin (1844–1905) – Ohio state politician *

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 sp ...

(1828–1909) – educator and author * Joseph S. Fullerton (1835–1897) – lawyer, officer in the U.S. Army, and leader at the Freedmen's Bureau * Bobby Fulton (b. 1960) – professional wrestler * Samuel Galloway (1811–1872) – U.S. Representative for Ohio and Ohio Secretary of State * Thomas Gibson (American politician), Thomas Gibson (1750–1814) – First Ohio State Auditor * John Ulrich Giesy, John U. Giesy (1877–1947) – physician and writer * Frederick Grimke (1791–1863) – Ohio Supreme Court justice * James Grubb (1771–1806) – Delegate to the Ohio Constitutional Convention (1802), Ohio Constitutional Convention of 1802 * Joseph Hanks (Medal of Honor), Joseph Hanks (1843–1922) – U.S. Army soldier and Medal of Honor recipient * Ben Hartsock (b. 1980) – NFL player and Color commentator, color analyst * Lucy Webb Hayes, Lucy W. Hayes (1831–1889) – wife of president Rutherford B. Hayes and 23rd First Lady of the United States * Eston Hemings (1808–1856) – suspected illegitimate mixed-race child of Thomas Jefferson * James Leo Herlihy, James L. Herlihy (1927–1993) – novelist, playwright, and actor * Michael Hess (rower), Michael Hess (b. 1955) – Rowing (sport), rower at the 1976 Summer Olympics * Tokey Hill (b. 1957) – karateka * Benjamin Hough (1773–1819) – Ohio State Auditor and state politician * Albert E. Herrnstein (1882–1958) – college football player and coach * John Herrnstein (1938–2017) –

(MLB) player * Frederick K. Humphreys (1816–1900) – physician, Homeopathy, homeopath, and businessman * Ed Hunsinger (1901–1960) – NFL player and coach * Dard Hunter (1883–1966) – papermaker, printmaker, and paper artist * Newt Hunter (1880–1963) – MLB player, couch, and Scout (sport), scout * Donald F. Hyde (1909–1966) – president of the Grolier Club and Bibliographical Society of America * Billy Ireland (1880–1935) – cartoonist * John Wayles Jefferson, John W. Jefferson (1835–1892) – suspected mixed-race grandson of Thomas Jefferson * Neil Johnston (1929–1978) – NBA player and List of NBA All-Stars, NBA All-Star * Dave Juenger (b. 1951) – NFL player * Edward King (Ohio politician), Edward King (1795–1836) – Ohio state politician * Rufus King (lawyer), Rufus King (1817–1891) – president of the University of Cincinnati * James Mason (neo-Nazi), James Mason (b. 1952) – Neo-Nazism, neo-Nazi, author of Siege (Mason book), ''Siege'', ideologue of the Atomwaffen Division, and advocate of White supremacy, white supremacist terrorism * Nathaniel Massie (1763–1813) – Land surveyor, founder of Chillicothe, first speaker of the List of presidents of the Ohio Senate, Ohio Senate, and member of the Chillicothe Junto * Duncan McArthur (1772–1839) – U.S. Army brigadier general and Ohio governor * Meade McClanahan (1893–1959) – Los Angeles City Council member * Charles McDougall (United States Army), Charles McDougall (1804–1885) – U.S. Army officer * Florence McLandburgh (1850–1934) – writer and poet * Jeremiah McLene (1767–1837) – Ohio Secretary of State and U.S. Representative * Joseph Miller (Ohio politician), Joseph Miller (1819–1862) – U.S. Representative for Ohio * Thaddeus A. Minshall (1834–1908) – Ohio Supreme Court justice * Dorothea Rhodes Lummis Moore, Dorothea R. L. Moore (1857–1942) – physician, writer, newspaper Editing, editor, and humane society activist * Chip Mosher (1947–2021) – educator, poet, and newspaper columnist * Gardner Murphy (1895–1979) – psychologist and president of the American Psychological Association and the Society for Psychical Research * Robert C. Murphy (colonel), Robert C. Murphy (1827–1888) – U.S. Army colonel * William Sumter Murphy, William S. Murphy (1796–1844) – lawyer and List of ambassadors of the United States to Texas, chargé d'affaires to the Republic of Texas * Lawrence T. Neal (1844–1905) – U.S. Representative for Ohio * Elbie Nickel (1922–2007) – NFL player * David Leroy Nickens, David L. Nickens (1794–1838) – freed slave and the first African-American licensed Minister (Christianity), minister in Ohio * Nellie O'Donnell (1867–1931) – educator, Woman's club movement in the United States, clubwoman, and politician * Henry Orth (American football), Henry Orth (1897–1980) – National Football League#Founding and history, American Professional Football Association (APFA) player * John Parsons (criminal), John Parsons (b. 1971) – former FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive * Craig Payne (1961–2017) – professional boxer * Oscar G. Peters (1842–1894) – businessman * Lerton Pinto (1899–1983) – MLB player * John Poff (b. 1952) – MLB player * Donald Ray Pollock (b. 1954) - author * Ray Pryor (1954–2023) – Ohio House of Representatives, Ohio state representative * Frederick Madison Roberts, Frederick M. Roberts (1879–1952) – businessman and first African-American elected to the California State Assembly * John Rook (1937–2016) – radio Broadcast programming, programmer and businessman * Ev Rowan (1902–1956) – NFL player * John Henry Ryan, John H. Ryan (1865–1943) – Washington House of Representatives, Washington state representative * William Edwin Safford, William E. Safford (1859–1926) – educator, Botany, botanist, and Ethnology, ethnologist * DJ Sayre (b. 1986) – professional darts player * Thomas Scott (Ohio judge), Thomas Scott (1772–1856) – Ohio Supreme Court justice and Ohio state politician * Don W. Sears (1921–2007) – dean at the University of Colorado Law School * Henry C. Segal (1900–1985) – journalist * John Shoemaker (b. 1956) – Minor League Baseball player and manager * Noel Sickles (1910–1982) – commercial artist and cartoonist * Joshua W. Sill (1831–1862) – U.S. Army officer * Joseph S. Skerrett (1833–1897) – United States Navy, U.S. Navy officer * Orland Smith (1825–1903) – railroad executive and U.S. Army colonel * Juliana Spahr (b. 1966) – poet, Literary criticism, literary critic, and editor * Robert Williamson Steele, Robert W. Steele (1820–1901) – Extralegal governor of Jefferson Territory * Wayne Stevens (basketball), Wayne Stevens (1936–2021) – National Basketball Association (NBA) player * Burton Egbert Stevenson, Burton E. Stevenson (1872–1962) – author, Anthropology, anthropologist, and librarian * Job E. Stevenson (1832–1922) – Ohio state politician * John Stockton (Michigan soldier), John Stockton (1798–1878) – Michigan state politician and U.S. Army officer * Jimmy Strausbaugh (1918–1991) – NFL player * Joe Sulzer – Mayor of Chillicothe and Ohio state representative * John L. Taylor (1805–1870) – Ohio state representative * Tecumseh (1768–1813) – Shawnee chief and warrior likely born in the area * Helen B. Thompson (1875–1969) – Home economics, home economist * Allen G. Thurman (1813–1895) – running mate of Grover Cleveland for the 1888 United States presidential election, 1888 presidential election, President pro tempore of the United States Senate, president pro tempore, Ohio Senator, and Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court * Allen W. Thurman (1847–1922) – American Association (1882–1891), American Association president and gubernatorial candidate for Ohio governor * Edward Tiffin (1776–1829) – Ohio Governor, Senator, commissioner of the United States General Land Office, Surveyor General of the Northwest Territory, and member of the Chillicothe Junto * Carey A. Trimble (1813–1887) – U.S. Representative for Ohio * John I. Vanmeter (1798–1875) – U.S. Representative for Ohio * Garin Veris (b. 1963) – NFL player * Carrie Williams (1866–1930) – educator and civil rights activist * Nathaniel Willis (1755–1831), Nathaniel Willis – (1755–1831) – newspaper publisher and editor * Nancy Wilson (jazz singer), Nancy Wilson (1937–2018) – jazz singer and actress * Jane Frances Winn, Jane F. Winn (1855–1927) – journalist * Nancy Mann Waddel Woodrow, Nancy M. W. Woodrow (1867–1935) – writer * Lewis Woodson (1806–1878) – educator, minister, writer, and

* Thomas Worthington (governor), Thomas Worthington (1773–1827) – Ohio Governor, Senator, and member of the Chillicothe Junto * J. Craig Wright (1929–2010) – Ohio Supreme Court justice * John Yang (journalist), John Yang (b. 1958) – news correspondent and journalist * Earl Yingling (1888–1962) – MLB player * Nancy Zahniser (1948–2016) – Pharmacology, pharmacologist

Sister city

* Chillicothe is the sister city of Córdoba, Veracruz, Córdoba, Veracruz,

. This relationship is honored through the Student exchange program, Foreign Exchange Student Program with students at Chillicothe High School. * Chillicothe had an agreement with the sister city of Tulua, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. 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 Chillicothe, Ohio, Cities in Ohio Cities in Ross County, Ohio County seats in Ohio Former state capitals in the United States, Ohio Populated places established in 1803 1803 establishments in Ohio