Gallipolis, Ohio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gallipolis, Ohio
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Village
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Downtown Gallipolis
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| Nickname(s):
City of the Gauls
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Location of Gallipolis, Ohio
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Location of Gallipolis in Gallia County
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| Country | United States |
| State | Ohio |
| County | Gallia |
| Township | Gallipolis |
| Founded | October 17, 1790 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.83 sq mi (9.91 km2) |
| • Land | 3.60 sq mi (9.32 km2) |
| • Water | 0.23 sq mi (0.59 km2) |
| Elevation | 574 ft (175 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 3,641 |
| • Estimate
(2019)
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3,556 |
| • Density | 988.60/sq mi (381.66/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
45631
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| Area code(s) | 740 |
| FIPS code | 39-29204 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1077526 |
| Website | Village of Gallipolis website |
Gallipolis ( GAL-ə-PƏ-lees) is a chartered village in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Gallia County. The municipality is located in Southeast Ohio along the Ohio River about 55 miles southeast of Chillicothe and 44 miles northwest of Charleston, West Virginia. The population was 3,641 at the 2010 census. When the population dropped below 5,000, Gallipolis lost its city status and was classified as a village under state law. It continues to operate its government under its existing city charter.
Gallipolis is the second-largest community in the rural Point Pleasant micropolitan area, which includes all of Gallia County, Ohio and Mason County, West Virginia.
Contents
History
Gallipolis was first settled in 1790 by "The French 500," a group of French aristocrats and merchants who were fleeing the French Revolution. They were led by Count Jean-Joseph de Barth, an Alsatian member of the French National Assembly.
The name Gallipolis, a construct of the French prefix "Galli-" and the Greek suffix "-polis", means "city of the French". A post office called Gallipolis has been in operation since 1794.
Geography
Gallipolis is located at 38°48′55″N 82°11′51″W / 38.81528°N 82.19750°W (38.815222, -82.197550), along the Ohio River.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 3.83 square miles (9.92 km2), of which 3.60 square miles (9.32 km2) is land and 0.23 square miles (0.60 km2) is water. Gallipolis is located in the unglaciated hills of southeastern Ohio.
Public lands
Gallipolis City Park is located centrally. Cassius M. Canaday Memorial Playground is in the city's east end. Sports facilities include Memorial Field and Cliffside Golf Club. There are also ball fields at the waterworks facility on Chestnut Street. Haskins Memorial Park is contiguous with the golf club. The Elizabeth L. Evans Waterfowl and Bird Sanctuary are adjacent to Memorial Field, which also features a skate park. The Texas Road Wildlife Area is located close by. The city owns and operates the Pine Street and Mound Hill Cemeteries. Mound Hill Park is adjacent to the cemetery.
Demographics
The population in this rural village has declined since its peak in 1960.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 1,413 | — | |
| 1850 | 1,686 | 19.3% | |
| 1860 | 3,418 | 102.7% | |
| 1870 | 3,711 | 8.6% | |
| 1880 | 4,400 | 18.6% | |
| 1890 | 4,498 | 2.2% | |
| 1900 | 5,432 | 20.8% | |
| 1910 | 5,560 | 2.4% | |
| 1920 | 6,670 | 20.0% | |
| 1930 | 7,106 | 6.5% | |
| 1940 | 7,833 | 10.2% | |
| 1950 | 7,871 | 0.5% | |
| 1960 | 8,775 | 11.5% | |
| 1970 | 7,490 | −14.6% | |
| 1980 | 5,601 | −25.2% | |
| 1990 | 4,831 | −13.7% | |
| 2000 | 4,180 | −13.5% | |
| 2010 | 3,641 | −12.9% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 3,556 | −2.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 3,641 people, 1,576 households, and 854 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,011.4 inhabitants per square mile (390.5/km2). There were 1,869 housing units at an average density of 519.2 per square mile (200.5/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 89.7% White, 5.1% African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.
There were 1,576 households, of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.9% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.8% were non-families. 39.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.81.
The median age in the village was 44.6 years. 18.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.6% were from 25 to 44; 28.7% were from 45 to 64; and 20.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.
Transportation
U.S. Route 35 traverses the community, and provides a link to West Virginia across the Ohio River. State routes include Ohio State Route 7, State Route 141, State Route 160, and State Route 588. Gallipolis is served by the Gallia-Meigs Regional Airport.
Economy
Gallipolis is the hometown of Bob Evans, founder of Bob Evans Restaurants. The first restaurant was located in nearby Rio Grande, Ohio. The Bob Evans Farm is also located in Rio Grande. The original restaurant was replaced in the early 21st century by a new building. The farm has become a tourist attraction, featuring a picturesque windmill in a vast field, a canoe livery, tours, and the annual Bob Evans Farm Festival. This event, held on an October weekend, attracts several thousand visitors. Bob Evans Restaurants' corporate headquarters is located in New Albany, Ohio.
Other major employers in Gallipolis/Gallia County include: American Electric Power (General James M. Gavin Plant), Ohio Valley Electric Company (Kyger Creek Power Plant), Holzer Healthcare System, University of Rio Grande, and Gallipolis City Schools.
Education
There are four schools within the village. The public schools in the city limits are Gallia Academy Middle School and Washington Elementary, both of which belong to the Gallipolis City Schools. The public school district also controls Gallia Academy High School, Green Elementary and Rio Grande Elementary, which are located outside the village limits.
The noted scientist Edward Alexander Bouchet, the first African American to earn a doctorate from an American university, served as principal of the village's Lincoln High School from 1908 to 1913.
On November 8, 2005, a bond issue was passed, allowing for both the construction of a new high school and the renovation of the three public elementary schools. The new Gallia Academy High School, which was completed in the summer of 2009, is located at 2855 Centenary Road, a few miles outside the village limits.
In addition there is a private school: Ohio Valley Christian School, which includes both elementary and secondary grades.
The village is served by the Dr. Samuel L. Bossard Memorial Library, the county's only public lending library.
Notable people
- Jean-Joseph de Barth, leader of the "French 500" and as such one of the municipality's founders. Also father of Brev. Brig. Gen. John de Barth Walbach, the oldest acting officer ever in U.S. history.
- Skip Battin, musician and former member of the Byrds, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, and the Flying Burrito Brothers
- Richard H. Cain, minister, abolitionist and U.S. Representative of South Carolina
- Lionel Cartwright, country music singer
- Frank Cremeans, former U.S. Congressman
- Madeleine Vinton Dahlgren, writer born in Gallipolis
- Olivia A. Davidson, a future teacher and vice-principal at Tuskegee Institute in its early years, attended common school and high school here, living with her older sister Mary and brother-in-law Noah Elliot. She became the second wife of Booker T. Washington.
- Bob Evans, Bob Evans Restaurants founder, bought a small diner in Gallipolis in 1948 and built his business from there
- Emma Gatewood, long-distance hiker, first woman to through-hike the Appalachian Trail
- Karl George, former NFL guard
- Jenny Holzer, public artist
- James P. Johnston, raised in Gallipolis, he was an early California pioneer and builder of the James Johnston House (Half Moon Bay, California),
- Brereton Jones, former Kentucky Governor
- Loretta Cessor Manggrum, composer
- O. O. McIntyre, syndicated columnist
- Geoffrey D. Miller, retired U.S. Major General
- Dave Roberts, former Major League Baseball pitcher
- Ryan Smith, former Speaker, Ohio House of Representatives
- Marian Spencer, civil rights activist and former Vice-Mayor, Cincinnati,
- Robert M. Switzer, former U.S. Congressman
- Samuel Finley Vinton, former U.S. Congressman and Secretary of the Interior
- Nancy L. Zimpher, former president, University of Cincinnati, chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY)
Images for kids
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The Gallipolis Epileptic Hospital Stone Water Towers, built in 1892, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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View up the Ohio River towards the Silver Memorial Bridge
See also
In Spanish: Gallipolis (Ohio) para niños
