Editing Ashville, Ohio (section)

===Railroad boom===
{{See also|Little Chicago, Ohio|Ashville Depot}}
The construction of the Scioto Valley Railroad through Ashville, under the supervision of lead engineer [[Isham Randolph]], began in 1874. This caused a new flurry of both population and economic growth, including the building of two new [[grain elevator]]s. Railroad employees, most notably bridge builders, settled in the northern reaches of Ashville in what has become [[Little Chicago, Ohio|Little Chicago]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Hines |first=Bob |date=February 1, 2020 |title=Scioto Valley Railroad Bridge Builders and Greek Gandy Dancers in Ashville |pages=11–12 |work=Official Newsletter of Ohio’s Small Town Museum |url=http://ohiosmalltownmuseum.org/Newsletters/2020aahsnewsletter.pdf |access-date=April 14, 2022}}</ref> A year later, in 1875, the post office was reestablished after it had been closed following the shuttering of the Ashbrook businesses and a [[train station]] was opened in 1876.  Finally, after nearly 70 years following the original settlement, the village was incorporate as Ashville in the Spring of 1882.

In 1890, the population of Ashville reached 430 citizens and the area's first [[volunteer fire department]] was created, as well as [[cistern]]s were built throughout the village. That same year, [[Norfolk and Western Railway]] acquired the Scioto Valley Railroad following its demise.

[[File:Sciola Canning Co. Ashville O (14087862741).jpg|thumb|Scioto Valley (Sciola) Canning Company]]
Over the next ten years, the village population grew at a rate of more than 50%. This was aided by the establishment of major businesses, which included the Scioto Valley Canning Factory that was built in 1899. The factory, which canned [[sweet corn]], at its peak, employed 540 employees who were able to produce upwards of 200,000 cans of corn per day. Dozens of other businesses sprang up as well to accommodate the growth, including [[blacksmith]]s, a [[lumber yard]], a hotel, and even an [[opera house]].<ref name=":1" />

In 1904, Scioto Valley Traction Company opened a railway in town that powered their engines by electricity using a [[third rail]]. This line sent passenger and freight traffic from [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]] to [[Chillicothe, Ohio|Chillicothe]]. The line operated until September 1930. The depot remains on West Main Street.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Scioto Valley Transit Company |url=https://www.railsandtrails.com/SVTC/index.html |access-date=April 14, 2022 |website=www.railsandtrails.com}}</ref>

Around 1910, the [[Chesapeake and Ohio Railway]] (which later became [[CSX Transportation|CSX]]) was built on the western edge of town. With the construction several [[gandy dancer]]s settled in Little Chicago. The workers were primarily of [[Greeks|Greek]] and [[Bulgarians|Bulgarian]] descent according to Census records.<ref name=":2" /> The population of the town had ballooned to over 970 by that time.

Following Ashville's quick growth, it became the second most populated area in Pickaway County.