Owens, Ohio facts for kids

Owens is a small, quiet place in Marion County, Ohio, in the U.S. state of Ohio. It's known as an unincorporated community. This means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government.

What is Owens?

Owens is a historic community that grew up around a big rock quarry. It's located in southeastern Marion County, Ohio, not far from the city of Marion, Ohio. The area was named after a person named John Owens, who was involved in the mining business.

The Story of Owens Quarry

The heart of Owens was the Owens Quarry. A quarry is a large open pit where valuable rocks and minerals are dug out of the ground. In Owens, they dug out limestone. Limestone is a type of rock used in many things, like building materials and even in making cement.

The quarry also had a "crusher plant." This plant would break the large pieces of limestone into smaller, more useful sizes. This was a very important industry for the area.

Life in Early Owens

Because of the quarry, many people lived and worked in Owens. The community had homes for the workers. But it was more than just a place to live. Early Owens also had important buildings like a general store where people could buy supplies. There was also a U.S. post office for sending and receiving mail.

One special building was an opera house. An opera house is a place where people could watch performances, like plays or musical shows. It was a center for entertainment and community gatherings.

The Railroad Connection

Owens was also connected by a railroad. The Columbus, Hocking Valley and Toledo Railroad had a station there. This station was called Owen Station. The railroad was very important for the quarry. It helped transport the limestone to other places where it was needed. The trains traveled through the western part of the township, connecting Owens to bigger towns.

The Post Office and Name Changes

The community's post office has an interesting history of name changes. It first opened in 1876. The first person in charge of the post office, called the postmaster, was John Owens. At that time, the post office was known as Owen Station.

In 1882, the word "Station" was removed from the name. So, it became just "Owen." Then, in 1908, the name changed again to "Owens." This happened when John D. Owens was the postmaster. The post office served the community for many years until it closed down in 1930.

The Restored Opera House

The old opera house in Owens is a special part of its history. This historic building is located at 1674 Owens Road. It has been carefully restored, meaning it was repaired and brought back to its original condition. Today, it is owned by Dennis Mattix. The restored opera house helps keep the memory of early Owens alive.