Mount Gilead, Ohio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mount Gilead, Ohio
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Village
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Location of Mount Gilead, Ohio
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Location of Mount Gilead in Morrow County
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| Country | United States |
| State | Ohio |
| County | Morrow |
| Township | Gilead |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.40 sq mi (8.80 km2) |
| • Land | 3.39 sq mi (8.77 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,145 ft (349 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,503 |
| • Density | 1,034.25/sq mi (399.33/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
43338
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| Area code(s) | 419 |
| FIPS code | 39-52738 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2399412 |
| Website | http://www.mountgilead.net/ |
Mount Gilead is a small village in Ohio, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Morrow County, Ohio. The village is about 41 miles northeast of Columbus. In 2020, about 3,503 people lived there. Mount Gilead is also known as the geographic center of Ohio.
The village was started in 1832. This was eight years after the first white settlers arrived in the area. Before that, the forests here were a hunting ground for the Shawnee tribe.
In the middle of the village, you can find the World War I Victory Memorial Shaft. This unique monument honors those who served in World War I. Nearby, Mount Gilead State Park offers outdoor fun. Many visitors also enjoy the Amish farms and shops east of Mount Gilead, near Chesterville and Johnsville. The village is also home to the Morrow County Hospital.
Contents
History of Mount Gilead
How the Village Started
The first settler in Mount Gilead was Lewis Hardenbrook in 1817. Back then, the area was called Whetstone and was part of Marion County. In 1824, Judge Jacob Young designed the village. His plan included 80 lots and a public square.
A few years later, in 1832, Henry Ustick added 70 more lots and another public square. The first square became known as the south square, and the new one as the north square. In 1919, the north public square became home to the Victory Shaft World War I Monument. This monument was a gift to the county. It was given because the county sold more war bonds per person than any other county during World War I.
Charles Webster built the first cabin in the village in December 1824. He was also the first Postmaster and ran the Post Office from his cabin. In 1832, people voted to change the town's name. They chose between Warsaw and Mt. Gilead. Mt. Gilead won by a lot of votes. The village officially became a town in 1839.
In 1848, Mt. Gilead was chosen to be the county seat for the new Morrow County, Ohio. Morrow County was formed from parts of nearby counties. Because it was the county seat, village leaders made many improvements. They created and cleared streets and made other changes to make the town look better.
Trains and the Village
After becoming the county seat, there was talk of building a train line. This line would go through Mt. Gilead, connecting Cleveland and Columbus. But talks broke down between the villagers and railroad officials. So, the train station was moved to Cardington, a few miles south of Mt. Gilead. It opened in 1851. The main train line passed Mt. Gilead two miles to the west, in what is now Edison.
Almost 30 years later, Mt. Gilead finally got its own train line. It was called the Mt. Gilead Short Line Railway. This short line opened in 1880.
Local Businesses and Factories
From its early days, businesses have been very important to Mt. Gilead. At first, there were many mills in the village. Later, a tile factory opened. With new technology, the famous Hydraulic Press Manufacturing Company (HPM) started. HPM continued to operate in Mt. Gilead until 2001.
Where is Mount Gilead?
Mount Gilead is located in the central part of Ohio. It is considered part of "Mid Ohio." The village covers about 3.40 square miles (8.80 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a very small amount of water.
Who Lives in Mount Gilead?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 646 | — | |
| 1860 | 789 | 22.1% | |
| 1870 | 1,087 | 37.8% | |
| 1880 | 1,216 | 11.9% | |
| 1890 | 1,329 | 9.3% | |
| 1900 | 1,528 | 15.0% | |
| 1910 | 1,673 | 9.5% | |
| 1920 | 1,837 | 9.8% | |
| 1930 | 1,871 | 1.9% | |
| 1940 | 2,008 | 7.3% | |
| 1950 | 2,351 | 17.1% | |
| 1960 | 2,788 | 18.6% | |
| 1970 | 2,971 | 6.6% | |
| 1980 | 2,865 | −3.6% | |
| 1990 | 2,846 | −0.7% | |
| 2000 | 3,290 | 15.6% | |
| 2010 | 3,660 | 11.2% | |
| 2020 | 3,503 | −4.3% | |
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Population Changes Over Time
The table above shows how the number of people living in Mount Gilead has changed over many years.
Mount Gilead in 2010
In 2010, there were 3,660 people living in Mount Gilead. There were 1,482 households, which are groups of people living together in one home. About 41% of these households were married couples living together. About 35% of all households were made up of people living alone.
Most people in the village were White (97.1%). A small number of people were from other racial backgrounds. About 1.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people in the village was about 37 years old. About 24.5% of residents were under 18 years old.
Cool Historic Places
Four important places in Mount Gilead are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the floral hall at the county fairgrounds, Levering Hall, the Morrow County Courthouse, and the James S. Trimble House. Levering Hall is special because of its fancy Italianate architecture. It was also a very important place for community events for many years.
The Victory Shaft was put up in Mount Gilead's town square in December 1919. It was built after World War I. The U.S. government gave it to the citizens of Morrow County. This was to thank them for buying more war bonds per person than any other county. Warren G. Harding, who was a Senator at the time and later became President, spoke at the dedication ceremony.
Learning in Mount Gilead
The village has a public library where people can borrow books. It is called the Mount Gilead Public Library.
News and Media
In the 1800s, Mount Gilead had two newspapers: the Democratic Messenger and The Whig Sentinel. Both started in 1848. Around 1860, their names changed. The Sentinel became The Morrow County Sentinel, and The Messenger became The Union Register. The Union Register stopped publishing in 1971, but The Morrow County Sentinel is still printed today.
Famous People from Mount Gilead
- Tim Belcher – a former professional baseball player
- Oswald Bruce Cooper – a graphic designer
- C.B. Dollaway – a professional mixed martial arts fighter
- Frank K. Dunn – a Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
- Merrill Gilfillan – an author
- William Vermillion Houston – a president of Rice University
- Robert Byington Mitchell – a soldier and governor of New Mexico
- Walter Olds – a Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court
- Edwin Taylor Pollock – a United States Navy Captain
- Dawn Powell – a satirical author
- Samuel Snider – a U.S. Representative from Minnesota
- Lefty Webb – a baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates
- Samuel Newitt Wood – a Kansas state legislator
See also
In Spanish: Mount Gilead (Ohio) para niños
