West Union, Ohio

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West Union is a village in Adams County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,903 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Adams County[1].

West Union is served by West Union High School, the Adams County/Ohio Valley School District, and the Adams County Public Library.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Location of West Union, Ohio

West Union is located at 38°47′38″N, 83°32′37″W (38.793979, -83.543500)[2].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²).None of it is covered with water.

Ohio State Routes 41, 125, and 136 all intersect and run concurrently through the downtown area.

The city of Union, Ohio just north of Dayton in Montgomery, and Miami counties actually lies about 100 miles west of West Union.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 2,903 people, 1,242 households, and 757 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,130.4 people per square mile (436.1/km²). There were 1,373 housing units at an average density of 534.6/sq mi (206.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.11% White, 0.24% African American, 0.72% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.45% of the population.

There were 1,242 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% were married couples living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.0% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.81.

In the village the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 22.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 76.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.7 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $20,566, and the median income for a family was $25,531. Males had a median income of $25,104 versus $19,107 for females. The per capita income for the village was $13,301. About 15.8% of families and 21.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.0% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

West Union was established as the county seat of Adams County in 1804. The original county seat was Manchester. It is situated several miles from the Ohio River in the center of Adams County.

West Union has always been a fairly isolated community and the only county seat in Ohio that never had a train running through it during the railroad boom of the mid-1800s.

West Union is a "dry town." No sales of alcoholic beverages are permitted, though they are available at nearby Manchester, as well as other towns in and around Adams County.

West Union, Iowa, a town of the same name and roughly the same size and also a county seat located in Northeastern Iowa, was founded by William Wells, who had called West Union, Ohio home.

[edit] Tourist Info

While West Union was not started as an Amish community, but it, nonetheless, is the home of one of Ohio's active Amish communities. One of the most popular Amish attractions in West Union is the Miller's Bakery, Furniture, and Bulk Foods on Wheat Ridge Road.

There are several historical buildings in West Union including the Governor Thomas Kirker Homestead, a historical residence of the second Ohio governor; The Olde Wayside Inn, a former saloon and actively working inn; The Treber Inn, one of the oldest documented buildings in Ohio; West Union United Presbyterian Church, the oldest church still used as a church; and The William Lafferty Memorial Funeral and Carriage Collection, a funeral home with a funeral carriage and vehicle museum.

West Union also is home to the Kirker Covered Bridge and Kirker Barn, an Ohio Bicentennial Barn.

Wilson's Soldier's Monument, to recognize the soldiers from Adams County that served in the Civil War, is found in front of the Wilson's Children's Home, a once functioning orphanage in West Union.

West Union has a few parks, nature preserves, and trails including Adams Lake State Park, Adams Lake Prairie State Nature Preserve, Chaparral Prairie State Nature Preserve, Johnson Ridge State Nature Preserve, Buzzardroost Rock Preserve, Edge of Appalachia Preserve, Lynx Prairie Preserve, Whiskey Trail Adams County Historical Society, Zanes Trace Trail, and Underground Railroad Trail.

National Geographic Traveler named Murphin Ridge Inn in West Union one of the 54 great inns in America. It is a country Inn in the heart of Amish country featuring ten guest rooms.[citation needed]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  2. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  3. ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.

[edit] External links


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Municipalities and communities of
Adams County, Ohio
County seat: West Union
Villages
Map of Ohio highlighting Adams County
Townships
Unincorporated
communities