Amelia, Ohio

Amelia, Ohio
Village
Motto: Where Vision Becomes Reality

Location of Amelia, Ohio
Coordinates: 39°1′45″N 84°13′16″W / 39.02917°N 84.22111°WCoordinates: 39°1′45″N 84°13′16″W / 39.02917°N 84.22111°W
Country United States
State Ohio
County Clermont
Government
 • Mayor Todd J. Hart
Area[1]
 • Total 1.79 sq mi (4.64 km2)
 • Land 1.79 sq mi (4.64 km2)
 • Water 0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation[2] 876 ft (267 m)
Population (2010)[3]
 • Total 4,801
 • Estimate (2012[4]) 4,855
 • Density 2,682.1/sq mi (1,035.6/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 45102
Area code(s) 513
FIPS code 39-01742[5]
GNIS feature ID 1064319[2]
Website http://www.ameliavillage.com/

Amelia is a village in Clermont County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,801 at the 2010 census.

Gallery

History

The name Amelia was adopted in honor of Amelia Bowdoin, a well known and popular tollgate operator on the Ohio Turnpike - Main Street, today State Route 125. Her home still stands at 94 W. Main St., across the street from where it stood when it was a tollhouse.[6]

In May 2009, Amelia survived an initiative on dissolving the village into Pierce and Batavia Townships.[7][8]

Amelia’s first residents were sailors from Edgartown, Massachusetts. With their boat sunk by the British in New Orleans and the Ohio waters too shallow to permit other river transport, they had no choice but to walk back. They came upon land in the middle of Clermont County that reminded them of home, without the people.

Captain Pinkham, David Jernegan, Joseph Butler, and many others bought land from attorney Zachariah Chapman. Daniel Rathbone became the first settler in what would become the Village proper in 1813. David Jernegan started the first store and his son, David Jernegan Jr. and the son of Joseph Butler, John O. Butler opened up the first grist mill.

Unlike other towns and villages in Clermont, Amelia was never plotted out. The founders chopped off land to suit them and those buying it. The town consisted at this time of what today is now Main Street. It was beginning to be developed with many mills along the creeks, stores, inns, farms and other businesses.

By 1833 due to the amount of mills the area was known as Milton, corrupted from its earlier name of Milltown. This road of Milton was a toll road. The tollkeeper was officially Charles Bodin, however it was his wife Amerlious who took the tolls.

When the town applied for a post office, it was discovered that Milton and Milltown were already taken as names in the state of Ohio. Puzzled they turned to the town visitors and were surprised to find out that they thought the name of the town was actually the nickname of the wife of the tollkeeper, Amelia. This was the name the stagecoach drivers called when they arrived, so they thought it was the name of the town. Amelia, thus became the name of the town.

Amelia continued to prosper and grow throughout the 19th century. A world traveler from New Hampshire named Increase Morse, settled in Amelia and opened one of the largest stores in Clermont County. He sold fine wines and liquors - for medicinal purposes only.

Elijah Penn owned two homes in the town. He was a famous pension attorney and at one point owned part of the railroad that ran through town, the Cincinnati, Georgetown and Portsmouth Railroad.

1891 saw the first school district in Amelia.

In 1900 the town of Amelia was incorporated as the Village of Amelia and in December of that year, elections were held. Voted in as mayor was attorney and school teacher John Slye. His mayoral ship would last for two years.

Amelia became famous for her gladiolas and was one of the world largest suppliers of goldfish. However, the Village hit the national scene, when adopted son Charles Cyrus Kearns became a member of the U.S. Congress. The Speaker of the House dined in his home here and the National Republican Party at his home as well. In 1931 Kearns lost his seat to a Democratic sweep and his life to ptomaine poisoning. His wife Philena (Lena), remained active in the party until her death in 1941. The Kearns homestead was torn down to make way for more modern housing.

Sewers came in the 1950s and outhouses became illegal.

In 1980, Amelia began the Christmas Parade.

Geography

Amelia is located at 39°1′45″N 84°13′16″W / 39.02917°N 84.22111°W (39.029123, -84.221111).[9]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.79 square miles (4.64 km2), all land.[1]

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 4,801 people, 1,830 households, and 1,238 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,682.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,035.6/km2). There were 1,974 housing units at an average density of 1,102.8 per square mile (425.8/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 95.1% White, 1.6% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population.

There were 1,830 households of which 41.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.3% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.15.

The median age in the village was 30.5 years. 29.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 36.6% were from 25 to 44; 19.7% were from 45 to 64; and 5.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

2000 census

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 2,752 people, 1,063 households, and 738 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,007.2 people per square mile (775.6/km²). There were 1,112 housing units at an average density of 811.1 per square mile (313.4/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 96.77% White, 0.58% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.73% from other races, and 1.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.27% of the population.

There were 1,063 households out of which 41.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the village the population was spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 39.3% from 25 to 44, 13.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $44,900, and the median income for a family was $51,699. Males had a median income of $37,500 versus $26,295 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,772. About 5.0% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.

References

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Amelia (Ohio).
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
  4. ↑ "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. ↑ Clermont County, Ohio: History of Amelia
  7. ↑ Brunsman, Barrett J. (2009-01-29). "Abolish Amelia, petitioners demand". The Cincinnati Enquirer (Gannett Company). Retrieved 2009-01-29. Residents who want to dissolve this Clermont County village have submitted petitions asking that voters be allowed to decide the matter in May. ... Village Council must adopt a resolution before Feb. 19 to get the issue on the May 5 ballot.
  8. ↑ Giroud, Lynn (2009-05-06). "Amelia Voters Decide Against Dissolution". WCPO-TV (Cincinnati, Ohio: E. W. Scripps Company). Archived from the original on 7 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
  9. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.