Gallipolis ( ) is a village in

Gallia County, Ohio Gallia County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,220. Its county seat and largest village is Gallipolis. Named after the French people who originally settled there, its name “Gal ...

, 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 ...

. It is located in

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

along the

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 ...

about southeast of Chillicothe and northwest of

Charleston, West Virginia Charleston () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in West Virginia, most populous city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is the county seat of Kanawha County, West Virginia, Kanawha County and ...

. The population was 3,313 at the 2020 census. Gallipolis is the second-largest community in the rural

Point Pleasant micropolitan area The Point Pleasant Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties – one in West Virginia and one in Ohio – anchored by the city of Point Pleasant, West Virginia. As ...

, which includes all of Gallia County, Ohio, and

Mason County, West Virginia Mason County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 25,453. Its county seat and largest city is Point Pleasant, West Virginia, Point Pleasant. ...

History

Gallipolis was first settled by Europeans in 1790: "The French 500" were a group of French aristocrats, merchants, and artisans who were fleeing the violence and disruption of the French Revolution. They were led by Count Jean-Joseph de Barth, an Alsatian member of the

French National Assembly The National Assembly (, ) is the lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral French Parliament under the French Fifth Republic, Fifth Republic, the upper house being the Senate (France), Senate (). The National Assembly's legislators are known ...

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

Northwest Territory The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was formed from part of the unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolution. Established ...

of the United States. It is known as "The Old French City" because of this beginning.John Gladden, "Best Hometowns 2012: Gallipolis"
''Ohio Magazine'', November 2012; accessed September 6, 2018 Gallipolis Epileptic Hospital Stone Water Towers

Gallipolis Epileptic Hospital Stone Water Towers

This was a time of rampant land speculation in the

, recently opened for settlement after it was organized following the

Northwest Indian Wars The Northwest Indian War (1785–1795), also known by other names, was an armed conflict for control of the Northwest Territory fought between the United States and a united group of Native Americans in the United States, Native American na ...

. The French had worked with the

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

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

Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city (United States), independent city in Northern Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of Washington, D.C., D.C. The city's population of 159,467 at the 2020 ...

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

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

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

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

's administration granted the settlers free land in the

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

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

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

region. On December 15, 1967, the

Silver Bridge The Silver Bridge was an eyebar-chain suspension bridge built in 1928 which carried U.S. Route 35 over the Ohio River, connecting Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio. Officially named the Point Pleasant Bridge, it was popul ...

, connecting Gallipolis to

Point Pleasant, West Virginia Point Pleasant is a city in and the county seat of Mason County, West Virginia, United States, at the confluence of the Ohio River, Ohio and Kanawha River, Kanawha Rivers. The population was 4,101 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 censu ...

, across the Ohio River, collapsed under the weight of rush-hour traffic, resulting in the deaths of 46 people. It had been built in 1928, and analysis showed that the bridge was carrying much heavier loads than it had originally been designed for and had been poorly maintained. It was replaced by the Silver Memorial Bridge, completed in 1969. When the population dropped below 5,000, Gallipolis lost its city status and was classified as a village under state law. It continues to operate its government under its existing city charter.

Geography

Gallipolis is located along the

in the

Appalachia Appalachia ( ) is a geographic region located in the Appalachian Mountains#Regions, central and southern sections of the Appalachian Mountains in the east of North America. In the north, its boundaries stretch from the western Catskill Mountai ...

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

Climate

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

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

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

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

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

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

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...

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

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

. During the spring and summer, severe

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

s may be accompanied by

lightning Lightning is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges occurring through the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions. One or both regions are within the atmosphere, with the second region sometimes occurring on ...

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

flood A flood is an overflow of water (list of non-water floods, or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are of significant con ...

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

Demographics

2010 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 2010, there were 3,641 people, 1,576 households, and 854 families residing in the village. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (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 1,869 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 89.7%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no 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 ...

, 5.1%

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 ...

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

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

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

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 4,180 people, 1,847 households, and 1,004 families residing in the village. The population density was . There were 2,056 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 90.57%

, 6.44%

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

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

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

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the village was $16,728. About 13.6% of families and 21.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

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

Economy

Gallipolis is the hometown of Bob Evans, founder of

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

. The first restaurant was located in nearby Rio Grande, Ohio. Other major employers in Gallipolis/Gallia County include: American Electric Power ( General James M. Gavin Plant), Ohio Valley Electric Company ( Kyger Creek Power Plant), Holzer Healthcare System, University of Rio Grande, and Gallipolis City Schools.

Parks and recreation

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

Transportation

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

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 ...

across the

. State routes include

Ohio State Route 7 State Route 7 (SR 7), formerly known as Inter-county Highway 7 until 1921 and State Highway 7 in 1922, is a north–south state highway in the southern and eastern portions of the U.S. state of Ohio. At about in length, it is the longest ...

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

Education

There are four schools within the village. The public schools in the city limits are Gallia Academy Middle School and Washington Elementary, both of which belong to the Gallipolis City Schools. The public school district also controls Gallia Academy High School, Green Elementary and Rio Grande Elementary, which are located outside the village limits. The noted scientist Edward Alexander Bouchet, the first African American to earn a doctorate from an American university, served as principal of the village's Lincoln High School from 1908 to 1913. Educator and amateur

mycologist Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their taxonomy, genetics, biochemical properties, and use by humans. Fungi can be a source of tinder, food, traditional medicine, as well as entheogens, poison, and ...

Miron Elisha Hard served as principal from 1873 to 1875. On November 8, 2005, a bond issue was passed, allowing for both the construction of a new high school and the renovation of the three public elementary schools. The new Gallia Academy High School, which was completed in the summer of 2009, is located at 2855 Centenary Road, a few miles outside the village limits. In addition there is a private school: Ohio Valley Christian School, which includes both elementary and secondary grades. The village is served by the Dr. Samuel L. Bossard Memorial Library, the county's only public lending library.

Notable people

* James B. Aleshire, U.S. Army major general * Jean-Joseph de Barth, leader of the "French 500" and as such one of the municipality's founders. * Skip Battin, musician and former member of

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

, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, and

the Flying Burrito Brothers The Flying Burrito Brothers are an American country rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1968, best known for their influential 1969 debut album, ''The Gilded Palace of Sin''. Although the group is known for its connection to band f ...

* Richard H. Cain, minister, abolitionist and U.S. Representative of South Carolina * Lionel Cartwright, country music singer * Frank Cremeans, former U.S. Congressman * Madeleine Vinton Dahlgren, writer born in Gallipolis * Olivia A. Davidson, a future teacher and vice-principal at

Tuskegee Institute Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU; formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute) is a Private university, private, Historically black colleges and universities, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama, United States. It was f ...

, attended school here.Dorsey, Carolyn A. "The Pre-Hampton Years of Olivia A. Davidson," ''The Hampton Review 14.'' Fall 1988. 44–52. * Alice S. Deletombe (1854–1929), published poet * Bob Evans,

founder, bought a small diner in Gallipolis in 1948 *

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

, known as Grandma Gatewood, long-distance hiker, first woman to through-hike the Appalachian Trail. * Karl George, former NFL guard *

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

, public artist *

Brereton Jones Brereton Chandler Jones (June 27, 1939 – September 18, 2023) was an American politician from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. From 1991 to 1995, he was the state's 58th governor, and had served from 1987 to 1991 as the 50th lieutenant governor ...

, former

Governor of Kentucky The governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of government of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Kentucky. Sixty-two men and one woman have served as governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; sinc ...

Jerry Lucas Jerry Ray Lucas (born March 30, 1940) is an American former basketball player. He was a nationally awarded high school player, national college star at Ohio State University, and 1960 Olympic medal, gold medal Olympian and international player be ...

, basketball player * Loretta Cessor Manggrum, composer * O. O. McIntyre, syndicated columnist * Geoffrey D. Miller, retired U.S. Major General * Minnie E. Neal (1858–1945), photographer and temperance leader * Dave Roberts, former

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 ...

pitcher * Ryan Smith, former Speaker, Ohio House of Representatives * Marian Spencer, civil rights activist and former Vice-Mayor,

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

, * Robert M. Switzer, former U.S. Congressman * Samuel Finley Vinton, former U.S. Congressman and Secretary of the Interior * Nancy L. Zimpher, former president,

University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati, informally Cincy) is a public university, public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1819 and had an enrollment of over 53,000 students in 2024, making it the ...

, chancellor of the

State University of New York The State University of New York (SUNY ) is a system of Public education, public colleges and universities in the New York (state), State of New York. It is one of the List of largest universities and university networks by enrollment, larges ...

(SUNY)

References

External links

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