Vinton County is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

located in the

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

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 ...

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

is McArthur. The county is named for Samuel Finley Vinton,

US 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 ...

from Ohio (1823–37, 1843–51).

History

In the 1800s, Vinton County had at least three iron furnaces producing iron. In 1926, Maude Collins became the first woman sheriff in Ohio.

Geography

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

Waterways

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

Adjacent counties

* Hocking County (north) * Athens County (northeast) * Meigs County (east) * Gallia County (southeast) * Jackson County (south) * Ross County (west)

Demographics

2000 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 2000, there were 12,806 people, 4,892 households, and 3,551 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (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 5,653 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 98.08%

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 ...

, 0.35%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

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 ...

, 0.45% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.08% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. 0.47% of the population 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 of any race. There were 4,892 households, out of which 34.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.20% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally 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, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 23.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.04. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.90% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.50 males. The median income for a household in the county was $29,465, and the median income for a family was $34,371. Males had a median income of $30,936 versus $21,257 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or 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 county was $13,731. About 15.10% of families and 20.00% of the population were below the

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

, including 27.60% of those under age 18 and 13.50% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 13,435 people, 5,260 households, and 3,640 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 6,291 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.9% white, 0.4% American Indian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.5% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 17.0% were

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

, 16.2% were American, 14.2% were Irish, and 7.5% were English. Of the 5,260 households, 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.8% were non-families, and 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.03. The median age was 39.6 years. The median income for a household in the county was $34,242 and the median income for a family was $37,409. Males had a median income of $36,598 versus $28,226 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,736. About 17.3% of families and 19.5% of the population were below the

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

Politics

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

Government and infrastructure

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

Emergency services

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

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

* Vinton County Sheriff's Department ** 31835 OH-93, McArthur * McArthur Police Department ** 124 West Main Street, McArthur * Vinton County Emergency Medical Services ** 31931 State Route 93, McArthur * Vinton County Emergency Management Agency ** 31835 OH-93, McArthur * MedFlight 3 ** 110 West Second Street,

Wellston, Ohio Wellston is a city in Jackson County, Ohio, United States, in the southeastern part of the state. The population was 5,412 at the 2020 census. History Wellston was laid out and founded in 1873 on land owned by Harvey Wells. Wells constructed ...

45692 * LifeAir ** 1843 River Road,

Chillicothe, Ohio Chillicothe ( ) is a city in Ross County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 22,059 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located along the Scioto River 45 miles (72 km) south of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, ...

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

Post Offices

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

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

* Ray * Wilkesville * Zaleski * Wellston * Jackson

Utilities

The following utilities serve Vinton County:

Phone, Internet and cable

* Horizon Telephone * Ohio Hills * Frognet *

Verizon Verizon Communications Inc. ( ), is an American telecommunications company headquartered in New York City. It is the world's second-largest telecommunications company by revenue and its mobile network is the largest wireless carrier in the ...

* First Communications *

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

Frontier

Gas and electricity

* Columbia Gas of Ohio * South Central Power Company * American Electric Power * Buckeye Rural Electric Co-Op

Water and garbage disposal

* Ross County Water Company * Jackson County Water Company * Leax Water Company * McArthur Water Department * Rumpke * Waste Management

Education

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

Hamden, Ohio Hamden is a village in Vinton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 727 at the 2020 census. History Hamden was laid out in 1820. It was incorporated as a village in 1876. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the v ...

45634 * Central Elementary ** 507 Jefferson Avenue,

McArthur, Ohio McArthur is a village in and the county seat of Vinton County, Ohio, United States. It is located southeast of Chillicothe. The population was 1,783 at the 2020 census. History McArthur was laid out and platted in 1815. It was originally cal ...

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

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

45651

Transportation

Highways

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

State Route 32 * OH-56

State Route 56 * OH-93

State Route 93 * OH-124

State Route 124 * OH-160

State Route 160 * OH-278

State Route 278 * OH-324

State Route 324 * OH-327

State Route 327 * OH-328

State Route 328 * OH-356

State Route 356 * OH-671

State Route 671 * OH-677

State Route 677 * OH-683

State Route 683 * OH-689

State Route 689

Airports

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

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

and

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

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

Media

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

Tourism

Covered bridges

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

State Parks and Recreation Areas

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

and Lake Hope State Park located in

. There are also four state forests consisting of Richland Furnace State Forest, Tar Hollow State Forest, Vinton Furnace State Forest, and Zaleski State Forest. Along with these, there is the

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

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

Hocking Hills Region

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

Lake Hope Bike Trails

Lake Hope State Park is located in Vinton and

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

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

Zaleski Backpack Trails

There are two trails in Zaleski State Forest, a trail of 23.5 miles and a day trail of 10 miles.

Moonville Rail-Trail

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

Mineral In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid substance with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. (2011): Mi ...

to Zaleski. It gets its name from the ghost town of Moonville and passes through a brick railroad tunnel at Moonville and a wooden railroad tunnel at King’s Hollow. The trail cuts through Zaleski State Forest and goes through many woodlands and wetlands. The Moonville Rail Trail Association, a local nonprofit organization established in April 2001, is currently working to make the trail more accessible by replacing bridges that were removed when the railroad was abandoned in the 1980s. The association meets at 6:30 p.m. every third Tuesday of the month at Hope Schoolhouse on Wheelabout Road.

Quilt barns

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

Events

Wild Turkey Festival

The Wild Turkey Festival is a music festival held in

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

Ridgetop Music Festival

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

Vinton County Air Show

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

Midnight At Moonville

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

Communities

Map of Vinton County Ohio With Municipal and Township Labels

Villages

* Hamden * McArthur (county seat) * Wilkesville * Zaleski

Townships

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

* Clinton *

Eagle Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...

* Elk * Harrison * Jackson * Knox * Madison * Richland *

Swan Swans are birds of the genus ''Cygnus'' within the family Anatidae. The swans' closest relatives include the goose, geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe (biology) ...

* Vinton * Wilkesville

Unincorporated communities

* Allensville * Creola * Dundas * Eagle Mills *

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

Hope Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's own life, or the world at large. As a verb, Merriam-Webster defines ''hope'' as "to expect with confid ...

* Hue * Jimtown * Knox * Minerton *

* Orland * Prattsville *

Puritan The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to rid the Church of England of what they considered to be Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should b ...

* Radcliff * Ratcliffburg * Ray * Siverly * Stella * Vales Mills * Tiffin, Ohio

Ghost towns

* Ingham * Moonville * Oreton * Richland * Vinton Furnace

References

External links

Vinton County Government Website

Vinton County Convention and Visitors Bureau

Herbert Wescoat Memorial Library serving Vinton County

Public Lands Map of Vinton County

Vinton County official tourism website
{{authority control Appalachian Ohio 1850 establishments in Ohio Populated places established in 1850