Canaanville, Ohio facts for kids

Canaanville is a small community located in Athens County, Ohio, in the United States. It's not a city with its own government, but rather an "unincorporated community" within Canaan Township. This means it's a group of homes and businesses that are part of a larger township area. Canaanville sits about 630 feet (192 meters) above sea level.

Discovering Canaanville's Past

Canaanville has an interesting history with a few name changes! According to old maps from 1905, the place originally called Canaanville was actually a little bit to the west of where the community is today. You can still find an old historic house at that original spot. The area we now know as Canaanville was once called Detroit.

The Railroad Connection

Both the original Canaanville and the area once known as Detroit were important because they were located along a railroad line.

• First, it was the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad.
• Later, it became part of the B&O Railroad.

This railroad was a big deal for transportation and trade back then. However, that train line is no longer there today.

Interesting Places in Canaanville

Canaanville is home to some unique spots. One of the oldest houses in Athens County, called the Savage-Stewart House, is located on the east side of Canaanville. For a while, there was also a popular restaurant and bakery on the north side of the community. It was known as the Big Chimney Bakery. It got its name from a very old, large chimney that was once part of a mining facility.

Canaanville Today

Over time, Canaanville changed quite a bit, especially when US Route 50 was made into a bigger, four-lane highway. This highway actually cut the community in half! Today, you'll find roads and houses on both sides of the highway, with the homes facing away from the busy road.