Dille, Ohio, also known as Dilles Bottom, was located across the Ohio River from Moundsville, West Virginia. It was founded by the sons of David Dille (b. 1718) around 1790 and was initially a fort called Fort Dille. Belmont County was authorized in September 1801 by the Northwest Territorial legislature, with area partitioned from Jefferson and Washington counties.[3] The county would be organized two months later with St. Clairsville being named as the county seat in 1803. Its area was reduced in 1810 when area was ceded for the formation of Guernsey County and again in 1813 for the formation of Monroe County. It has retained its boundaries unchanged since 1813. Belmont is the French toponym meaning "beautiful mountain". Settlers migrating westward followed Zane's Trace through the county. Later, the National Road was built through the county. Quakers were among the county's first settlers. Many of these people would become outspoken critics of slavery, including famous abolitionist Benjamin Lundy.
Belmont County is located in the Ohio coal belt.[5] At one time, steamships traveling down the Ohio River knew the county's community of Bellaire as the last stop for coal until Cincinnati.[6] In 1866, the county had railroad service from the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Toledo & Ohio Railroad. The National Road also ran through Bellaire.[7] Given the county's transportation resources, fuel resource, and experienced workforce in nearby Wheeling, West Virginia, the county was an excellent location for a glass manufacturing plant. The county's first glass works was the Excelsior Glass Works, which was organized in 1849. In 1866 Belmont Glass Company became Bellaire's first of many glass plants, and the second in Belmont County.[8] Some of the founders of this glass works later started another glass factory in Bellaire: the Bellaire Goblet Company. In 1880, the state of Ohio ranked fourth in the country in glass production, and Belmont County ranked sixth among the nation's counties.[9] By 1881, Bellaire had 15 glass factories, and was known as "Glass City".[10] At the beginning of the next decade, the state of Ohio was ranked second in the nation in glass production based on the value of the product.[11]
Belmont County was the venue for the world-famous Jamboree in the Hills outdoor country music festival from 1977 to 2018. In 1986, the syndicated Paul Harvey Show featured a special election being held in Belmont County for purposes of selecting a new official county seal and flag, created by then-county resident Michael Massa.[12]
Geography
Coal miners in Belmont County, 1923
Belmont County lies on the east side of Ohio. Its east border abuts the west border of West Virginia (across the Ohio River). The Ohio flows southward along the county's east line. Captina Creek flows eastward through the lower part of the county, discharging into the Ohio at Powhatan Point, and McMahon Creek also flows eastward through the center of the county, discharging into the Ohio at Bellaire. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, etched with drainages. All available area is devoted to agriculture.[13] The terrain slopes to the east,[14] with its highest point, Galloway Knob (1,396' or 426m ASL) at 1.2 miles (1.9 km) southeast of Lamira.[15] The county has a total area of 541.27 sqmi (1492 km2), of which 532.13 sqmi (1378 km2) is land and 9.14 sqmi (23.69 km2) (1.7%) is water.[16]
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 70,400 people, 28,679 households, and 18,761 families in the county.[23] The population density was 132.3 people per square mile (51.1 people/km2). There were 32,452 housing units at an average density of 61.0 units per square mile (23.6/km2).[24] The racial makeup of the county was 94.0% white, 4.0% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.6% of the population.[23] In terms of ancestry, 26.0% were German, 17.9% were Irish, 12.4% were English, 10.1% were Italian, 9.0% were Polish, and 6.2% were American.[25]
Of the 28,679 households, 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.6% were non-families, and 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.85. The median age was 43.4 years.[23]
The median income for a household in the county was $38,320 and the median income for a family was $47,214. Males had a median income of $42,022 versus $26,926 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,266. About 12.1% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.[26]
There were 28,309 households, out of which 28.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.10% were married couples living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.00% were non-families. 28.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.90.
The county population contained 21.80% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 18.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,714, and the median income for a family was $37,538. Males had a median income of $31,211 versus $19,890 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,221. About 11.70% of families and 14.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.40% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
Belmont County is an Appalachian county in Southern Ohio, and as with many counties in this region was solidly Democratic from the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration through the 1990s. Back in the 19th century, the county frequently voted Republican, including voting for Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 election.[28] Similar to counties in neighboring West Virginia and Kentucky, in Appalachia, the Democratic margins began to shrink in the 2000s, and the county became reliably Republican by 2012.
United States presidential election results for Belmont County, Ohio[29]
Most of the county's government offices are located in the Belmont County Courthouse.[30] Belmont County has a three-member board of county commissioners who administer and oversee the various county departments, similar to all but two of the 88 Ohio counties. The elected commissioners serve staggered four-year terms. As of 2019, Belmont County's elected commissioners are: Jerry Echemann (R), J. P. Dutton (R), and Josh Meyer (R).[31]
Corrections
Belmont County is served by several detention centers located around St. Clairsville. The Belmont Correctional Institution is located on 158 acres (0.64 km2) between St. Clairsville and Bannock on State Route 331. The facility houses 2,698 inmates as of 2009.[32] The Belmont County Jail in St. Clairsville is located near Belmont College and Ohio University Eastern Campus. The facility contains 144 beds and also houses the county sheriff's offices.[33] The county is also served by Sargus Juvenile Detention Center, a 17-bed facility that also serves surrounding counties.[34] Sargus Center is located next to the county jail.
William Boyd (1895–1972), film and radio actor, portrayed Western character Hopalong Cassidy from 1935 to 1954
Don Fleming (1937–1963), a graduate of Shadyside High School, played football for the University of Florida and the Cleveland Browns.
Joey Galloway (1971), a graduate of Bellaire High School, played football for Ohio State and in the NFL for 15 years.
John Havlicek (1940–2019), a graduate of Bridgeport High School, played basketball for Ohio State and the Boston Celtics in the NBA. Elected to Hall of Fame.
^McKelvey, A. T.. Centennial History of Belmont County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens. p. 79. Chicago, Biographical Pub. Co. (1903).
^Bruno, Holly; and Ehritz, Andrew. Bellaire. p. 7. Charleston, South Carolina, Arcadia Publishing (2009).
^McKelvey, A. T.. Centennial History of Belmont County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens. p. 68. Chicago, Biographical Pub. Co. (1903).
^Crammer, Gibson L.; Jepson, Samuel L.; Trainer, John H.S.; Morrison, William; and Taneyhill, R.H.. History of the Upper Ohio Valley.... p.484. Madison, Wisconsin. Brant & Fuller. (1890).
^Weeks, Joseph Dame; and United States Census Office. Report on the Manufacture of Glass. p.11. Washington. Government Printing Office. (1884)
^Revi, Albert Christian. American Pressed Glass and Figure Bottles. p.69. New York. Nelson. (1964)
^United States Census Office. Report on Manufacturing Industries in the United States at the Eleventh Census. p.315. Washington. Government Printing Office. (1895)
^"County Flag". Belmont County Commissioners. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
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