Barnesville is a village in Belmont County, Ohio, United States. It is located in the central portion of Warren Township. The population was 4,008 at the 2020 census. Barnesville is part of the Wheeling metropolitan area.

History

The town was named after James Barnes, who was the first settler. Barnes was born in Montgomery County, Maryland and was married to Nancy Harrison, "an intelligent Quaker lady". Barnes owned a farm in Montgomery County, and later laid out a town there, also known as Barnesville, Maryland, where he operated a country store for a while.

In 1803, he moved to St. Clairsville, Ohio, where he operated a tavern and general store. In 1806, Barnes settled in Warren Township in Belmont County where he cleared forest, built a house, established a tannery and general store and planted orchards. In November 1808, the town of Barnesville was laid out, and four years later, Barnes and his family became permanent residents of the new village. Barnesville was described in 1833 as having six stores and a steam mill.

Barnesville was incorporated as a village in 1835.

Geography

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

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Barnesville had a population of 4,008. The median age was 41.0 years. 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 86.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 81.2 males age 18 and over.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,715 households in Barnesville, of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 38.0% were married-couple households, 19.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 35.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2010, there were 4,193 people, 1,763 households, and 1,114 families living in the village. The population density was . There were 2,011 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 97.0% White, 0.9% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 1,763 households, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.8% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.82.

The median age in the village was 41.4 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.9% were from 25 to 44; 25.5% were from 45 to 64; and 20.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 46.2% male and 53.8% female.

2000 census

As of the census

The village is the host of the Barnesville Pumpkin Festival every September, attracting tourists from the area.

The Watt Center for History and the Arts is located in Barnesville. The original office building of the Watt Car and Wheel Company now contains exhibits about coal history and area business, industry, and agriculture. The Watt Car and Wheel Company was founded in 1862 as the Joseph Watt and Son foundry.

Government

The Village of Barnesville’s legislative body consists of a six-member council. Members are elected officials and serve a four-year term.

Education

The village of Barnesville is served by the Barnesville Exempted Village School District. The village's schools saw a renovation in 2002 to improve and expand classroom learning and appearances.

There are three main schools in the village:

Barnesville Elementary School,

Barnesville Middle School, and

Barnesville High School.

Also located in the village is Olney Friends School, a small co-educational boarding high school affiliated with the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

Notable people

  • Nathan Huntley Edgerton, Union Army officer who received the Medal of Honor
  • Elisha Gray, electrical engineer best known for his development of a telephone prototype
  • Tom Harp, college football player and coach
  • Al Logan, college football coach
  • Larry Marmie, college and professional football coach
  • Isaac C. Parker, politician and jurist
  • Stanley Plumly, poet
  • Jay Sawvel, college football coach
  • George Shannon, member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
  • Wilson Shannon, first native-born governor of Ohio

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File:Downtown view east.jpg|Barnesville Historic District, view of downtown facing East

File:Mansion 001.JPG|Belmont County Victorian Mansion Museum in Barnesville, built in 1893

File:Barnesville Ohio Railroad Depot.jpg|The Barnesville B&O Railroad Depot, built in 1916

</gallery>

References

  • Village of Barnesville Website
  • Barnesville Area News Company