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West Lafayette, Ohio
Village
Town Hall
Town Hall
Location of West Lafayette, Ohio
Location of West Lafayette, Ohio
Location of West Lafayette in Coshocton County
Location of West Lafayette in Coshocton County
Country United States
State Ohio
County Coshocton
Township Lafayette
Area
 • Total 0.86 sq mi (2.23 km2)
 • Land 0.86 sq mi (2.23 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
804 ft (245 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 2,417
 • Density 2,803.94/sq mi (1,082.38/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
43845
Area code(s) 740
FIPS code 39-83608
GNIS feature ID 2400133
Website http://www.westlafayettevillage.com/

West Lafayette is a village in Coshocton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,417 at the 2020 census.

History

West Lafayette was laid out in 1850 by Robert Shaw and William Wheeler. In 1855, the Steubenville and Indiana Railroad was built through the new town. The line became known as the Panhandle Route and was operated in the Pennsylvania Railroad system and currently by the Columbus and Ohio River Railroad (Ohio Central Railroad System). Tragedy struck this track on September 11, 1950, when the crack passenger train "Spirit of St. Louis" hit another train carrying 600 men of the 109th Field Artillery Battalion of the Pennsylvania National Guard. 33 men were killed as a result of the accident. A memorial was placed near the site of the accident in 1990. A 105mm howitzer is at the memorial also, commemorating the manufacture of 105mm shells at Moore Enamelling across the tracks during WWII.

The village was once known as the "Enamel Center of the World". Before plastics were invented, steel vessels covered with a ceramic called enamelware were the norm in American homes. In 1903 the Lafayette Stamping and Enameling Co. was founded. Moore Enameling and Jones Metal also manufactured enamelware.

The West Lafayette Homecoming was founded in 1950 and continues today as the "Hometown Festival."

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.89 square miles (2.31 km2), all land.

The village is built upon a level plain in the Tuscarawas River valley and is surrounded by forested hills and agricultural valleys. The Ohio Central Railroad passes through the town. Immediately north of the village is U.S. Route 36. Both of these are major arteries connecting Columbus with points east.

The aquifer under the village is the site of a well documented trichloroethylene (TCE) plume.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 250
1910 840
1920 921 9.6%
1930 1,106 20.1%
1940 1,152 4.2%
1950 1,346 16.8%
1960 1,476 9.7%
1970 1,719 16.5%
1980 2,225 29.4%
1990 2,129 −4.3%
2000 2,313 8.6%
2010 2,321 0.3%
2020 2,417 4.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,321 people, 948 households, and 642 families living in the village. The population density was 2,607.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,006.9/km2). There were 1,033 housing units at an average density of 1,160.7 per square mile (448.1/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 99.0% White, 0.1% African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 948 households, of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were married couples living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.3% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.82.

The median age in the village was 39.1 years. 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.7% were from 25 to 44; 25.2% were from 45 to 64; and 17.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 46.4% male and 53.6% female.

Education

West Lafayette has a public library, a branch of the Coshocton Public Library.

The village is also home to the Ridgewood Local School district which accounts for the eastern half of the county and parts of surrounding counties. Ridgewood Local is a public K-12 district and has an elementary building (pre school - 3rd), a middle school (4-7) and a high school (8-12) more information can be found on the schools website at www.ridgewood.k12.oh.us

Transportation

Airport

Tri-City Airport is a public use airport located two nautical miles (4 km) southeast of the central business district of West Lafayette.

Notable people

  • J. Harry McGregor, politician
  • Madison Rayne, professional wrestler

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: West Lafayette (Ohio) para niños

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