Noble County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,115, making it the fourth-least populous county in Ohio. Its county seat is Caldwell. The county is named for Rep. Warren P. Noble of the Ohio House of Representatives, who was an early settler there.
History
Noble County was formed on March 11, 1851, from portions of Guernsey, Morgan, Monroe and Washington counties. It was the last county to be formed in the state. It was named for either James Noble or Warren P. Noble, each of whom was an early settler in this region.
Noble County was home to the first North American oil well, the Thorla-McKee Well, which struck oil in 1814. For a time this was a center of oil production in the state.
In 1925, a United States Navy dirigible, USS Shenandoah (ZR-1), was caught in a storm over Noble County. It broke into several pieces, resulting in the deaths of 14 persons on board; 29 survived.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.6%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Guernsey County (north)
- Belmont County (northeast)
- Monroe County (east)
- Washington County (south)
- Morgan County (west)
- Muskingum County (northwest)
National protected area
- Wayne National Forest (part)