Albany is a village in Lee and Alexander townships, Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 917 at the 2020 census.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

History

Albany was laid out in about 1832. It was incorporated as a village in 1842.

The small rural village had at least four routes leading into it and became a major stop in Athens County for the Underground Railroad, as fugitives could come upriver on the Hocking River from the Ohio River. Former slaves, many of whom had migrated from the Upper South to escape its slavery and discrimination, settled the village in the mid-19th century.

The black population increased during the 1850s from four in the township to 174 by 1860.

African American education in Albany

Although Ohio laws made attending public schools difficult for African-American children<!-- how so? -->, private schools in Albany offered educational opportunities to them that were unavailable in most parts of the state.

In 1848, William S. Lewis founded the Lewis Academy, which admitted students regardless of race or gender. Lewis's admission policies were influenced by the liberal ideals of Oberlin College, which he had attended as a student. The school continued to admit students of all genders and races. Slaveholders were not permitted to become shareholders. Students with financial need could borrow money from the institution and repay their tuition by working two hours a day in the manual labor department: farming land owned by the school, operating the school's saw-mill, or making bricks.

To ensure the education of their children, African Americans from the county and state founded the private Albany Enterprise Academy in 1862. It was the first school in Athens County founded exclusively by and for African Americans. With the increase in students, a second building for a girl's dormitory was built in 1870. By the late 1870s, many blacks had left the area for work in larger cities and local public integrated schools were available. As a result, the Enterprise Academy suffered declining enrollment; it closed in 1886.

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 917 people, 360 households, and 212 families living in the village. There were 444 housing units, 74.2% were owner-occupied, 25.8% were renter-occupied. The racial makeup of the village was 97.8% White, 1.0% African American, and 1.2% from some other race. (3 Native American, 5 Asian) The median Household income was $26,333.00.

There were 347 households, of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.6% were married couples living together, 35.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 19.4% had a male householder with no wife present. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals living alone, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.91.

The median age in the village was 42.4 years. 19.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.9% were from 25 to 44; 7.7% were from 45 to 54; 13.1% were from 55 to 64, 11.8% were from 65 to 74, and 10.6% were 75 years or older. The gender makeup of the village was 42.7% male and 57.3% female. There were 74.6 males for every 100 females.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 828 people, 347 households, and 230 families living in the village. The population density was . There were 400 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 98.3% White, 0.1% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.

There were 347 households, of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.7% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.83.

The median age in the village was 40.8 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.6% were from 25 to 44; 26.6% were from 45 to 64; and 18.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 45.9% male and 54.1% female.

2000 census

As of the census

References

  • Athens County Public Library
  • Official website