Campbell Hill (Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Campbell Hill |
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Campbell Hill, Ohio, August 2013.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,549.09 ft (472.16 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 639 ft (195 m) |
| Listing | U.S. state high point 43rd |
| Geography | |
 Campbell Hill
Location in Ohio
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| Parent range | Bellefontaine Outlier |
| Topo map | USGS Zanesfield |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Hill |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | paved road |
Campbell Hill is the highest point in the state of Ohio. It stands at about 1,549.09 feet (472.16 m) tall. This hill is located in the city of Bellefontaine, which is about 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of the downtown area.
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What is Campbell Hill?
Campbell Hill is a special place because it's the highest spot in Ohio. It used to be home to a military base called the Bellefontaine Air Force Station. During the Cold War, which was a time of tension between countries, this base had a special radar to watch for aircraft.
Today, the top of Campbell Hill is where the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center is located. This is a school where students learn different job skills. You can visit the summit of Campbell Hill on weekdays.
Campbell Hill is about 50 miles northwest of Columbus. It's known as a "glacial moraine," which means it's a hill made from rocks and dirt left behind by ancient glaciers. It's also called "the most manicured of the state highpoints" because it's very well-kept. Campbell Hill is the 43rd highest natural point among all the U.S. states.
Weather at Campbell Hill
The weather at Campbell Hill is called "Humid Continental." This means summers are warm and humid, and winters are cold with snow. On average, it gets about 40 inches of rain each year, spread out pretty evenly.
Because Campbell Hill and the area around it are a bit higher up, the weather can be slightly different from the rest of Ohio. It usually gets a few more inches of snow in winter and is often a couple of degrees cooler.
Fun Things to Do Nearby
Even though you can drive almost all the way to the top of Campbell Hill, many people who enjoy visiting the highest points in each state come here throughout the year.
Just five miles southeast, you'll find Mad River Mountain. This is the only place in western Ohio where you can go downhill skiing! Zane Shawnee Caverns is another cool spot nearby. These caves were formed by the same natural processes that created Campbell Hill.
The region around Campbell Hill is also where the Mad River (Ohio) begins. This river is Ohio's biggest and most popular place for coldwater fishing. It's one of the only places in the state where you can find trout.
History of Campbell Hill
Long ago, during the Ice ages, huge glaciers covered and flattened much of Ohio. But the hard rock of Campbell Hill was strong enough to resist these glaciers. The land south of the hill became a path for the melting ice, which formed the Mad River. The river flows through deep limestone gorges because it was formed fairly recently.
When European settlers first arrived, Campbell Hill was known as Hogue's Hill. This name might have come from Solomon Hoge, who first owned the land in 1830. Later, in 1898, the land was sold to Charles D. Campbell, and that's how the hill got its current name. Campbell then sold the hill to August Wagner, who was a famous brewer.
In 1950, August Wagner's family gave Campbell Hill and about 57.5 acres (233,000 m2) of land to the Federal government of the United States. The government then built the 664th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron base on the hill in 1951. This military unit and others like it were eventually replaced by North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which watches the skies for North America. The base in Bellefontaine closed in 1969.
In 1974, the Ohio Hi-Point Vocational-Technical District opened a school on top of the hill. Today, it's known as the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center.
In 2015, there was a funny idea to rename Campbell Hill after former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. This was a joke to make fun of a decision to change the name of Alaska's Mount McKinley back to Denali that year.
Images for kids
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View from the summit of Campbell Hill, May 2015
