Editing Belpre, Ohio

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Belpre, Ohio
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| motto              = "Excellent Community, Excellent People"
| image_skyline      = Capt. Jonathan Stone House.jpg
| imagesize          = 250px
| image_caption      = The [[Captain Jonathan Stone House]] (1799) is the oldest existing building in Belpre.
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = 
| image_map          = Map of Washington County Ohio Highlighting Belpre City.png
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Belpre in Washington County
| pushpin_map        = Ohio#USA
| pushpin_relief     = yes
| pushpin_label      = Belpre
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = [[United States]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Ohio]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Ohio|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Washington County, Ohio|Washington]]
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Susan J. Abdella ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]]){{citation needed|date=February 2024}}
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_total_km2     = 9.24
| area_land_km2      = 9.03
| area_water_km2     = 0.21
| area_total_sq_mi   = 3.57
| area_land_sq_mi    = 3.48
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.08
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 20, 2022}}</ref>
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_total   = 6728
| population_density_km2 = 745.42
| population_density_sq_mi = 1930.56
| population_est     = 6614
| pop_est_as_of      = 2023
| pop_est_footnotes  = <ref name="2023 est">{{cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Ohio: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 |url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2023/cities/totals/SUB-IP-EST2023-POP-39.xlsx |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=2 June 2024}}</ref>
| timezone           = Eastern
| utc_offset         = -5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -4
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 659
| coordinates        = {{coord|39|17|10|N|81|36|45|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 45714
| area_code          = [[Area code 740|740]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 39-05424<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 1087127<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1087127}}</ref>
| website            = https://www.cityofbelpre.com/
}}
[[Image:FarmersCastle.jpg|thumb|[[Farmer's Castle]] fortification at Belpre during the [[Northwest Indian War]]]]

'''Belpre''' (historically spelled '''Belpré''';<ref name="Thwaites">{{cite book|title=Afloat on the Ohio: An Historical Pilgrimage of a Thousand Miles in a Skiff, from Redstone to Cairo|first=Reuben Gold|last=Thwaites|author-link=Reuben Gold Thwaites|publisher=[[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday & McClure]]|date=1897|page=[https://archive.org/details/afloatonohioanh00thwagoog/page/n118 100]|url=https://archive.org/details/afloatonohioanh00thwagoog|via=Internet Archive|quote=Across the river, in Ohio, is Belpré (short for Belle Prairie, and now locally pronounced Bel′pry), settled by Revolutionary soldiers, on the Marietta grant, in 1789-90.}}</ref> pronounced {{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|ɛ|l|p|r|i}} {{respell|BEL|pree}}<ref>{{cite web |title=E.W. Scripps School of Journalism Ohio Pronunciation Guide {{!}} Ohio University |url=https://www.ohio.edu/scripps-college/journalism/e-w-scripps-school-journalism-ohio-pronunciation-guide-1 |website=www.ohio.edu |publisher=[[Ohio University]] |access-date=2022-10-22 |date=2016}}</ref>) is a city in [[Washington County, Ohio]], United States, along the [[Ohio River]] across from [[Parkersburg, West Virginia]]. The population was 6,728 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].  Its name derives from "Belle Prairie" (French for "beautiful meadow"), the name given to the valley by French trappers prior to the first American settlement at the site.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_dt48AAAAYAAJ|title=The Ohio Gazetteer, Or a Topographical Dictionary|publisher=Scott and Wright|date=1833|access-date=December 12, 2013|author=Kilbourn, John|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_dt48AAAAYAAJ/page/n75 91]}}</ref><ref name="Thwaites" />

Part of the [[Micropolitan statistical area|Marietta micropolitan area]], Belpre is located about 14 miles (22&nbsp;km) downriver from [[Marietta, Ohio|Marietta]]. In 1870, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad completed the [[Parkersburg Bridge (CSX)]] across the river; at {{convert|7140|ft}}, it was reportedly the longest in the world.

==History==
The first settlement at Belpre was made in 1788.<ref>{{cite book|last=Davidson|first=Cathy N.|title=Revolution and the Word: The Rise of the Novel in America|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gOvhBwAAQBAJ&pg=PT446|date=September 3, 2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-028743-6|page=446}}</ref> In 1845 railroad developers founded the [[Belpre and Cincinnati Railroad]], but the destination was changed to Marietta, with a corresponding name change in 1851. For a considerable period of time, travelers had to go by steamboat to connect between Marietta and [[Parkersburg, Virginia]]; the latter received service from the [[Baltimore and Ohio Railroad]] in 1857. This was shortly before the western part of Virginia seceded in 1861 after the start of the [[American Civil War]] to form Unionist [[West Virginia]]. Belpre and Marietta were later connected by rail. Coal service is still active on this line.

From 1868–1870, the B&O built the [[Parkersburg Bridge (CSX)]] between West Virginia and Belpre, on its main line to [[St. Louis, Missouri]]. Designed by Jacob Linville, when completed in 1870 the bridge was reportedly the longest in the world at {{convert|7140|ft}}.<ref>[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hh:@field(DOCID+@lit(WV0105)) ''Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Parkersburg Bridge, Ohio River, Parkersburg, Wood County, WV''], Historic American Engineering Record, accessed August 22, 2012</ref> The bridge attracted more trade to the town, enabled shipping Ohio coal to the East Coast, and improved access on both sides of the river.

Developing in a different pattern from the more industrial cities of eastern Ohio, Belpre reached its peak of population in 1980. It has had some losses since then with the decline of heavy industry, but is relatively stable compared to the former industrial cities, which have lost half their residents since peaks in 1940 and 1950. A small settlement, Rockland, has been absorbed into the Belpre community.<ref>[https://ohio.hometownlocator.com/oh/washington/rockland.cfm Rockland (in Washington County, Ohio) Populated Place Profile (accessed 26 March 2019)]</ref>

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|3.57|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|3.49|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.08|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref>{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=January 6, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|archive-date=July 2, 2012}}</ref>

===Climate===
The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Belpre has a [[Humid subtropical climate]], abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=958664&cityname=Belpre%2C+Ohio%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Belpre]</ref>
{{Weather box
|location = Belpre, Ohio
|single line = Yes
|Jan high F = 41
|Feb high F = 44
|Mar high F = 54
|Apr high F = 65
|May high F = 75
|Jun high F = 83
|Jul high F = 86
|Aug high F = 85
|Sep high F = 79
|Oct high F = 67
|Nov high F = 55
|Dec high F = 44
|year high F = 65
|Jan mean F = 32
|Feb mean F = 35
|Mar mean F = 43
|Apr mean F = 54
|May mean F = 63
|Jun mean F = 72
|Jul mean F = 75
|Aug mean F = 74
|Sep mean F = 68
|Oct mean F = 56
|Nov mean F = 45
|Dec mean F = 36
|year mean F = 54
|Jan low F = 24
|Feb low F = 25
|Mar low F = 33
|Apr low F = 42
|May low F = 52
|Jun low F = 61
|Jul low F = 65
|Aug low F = 63
|Sep low F = 56
|Oct low F = 45
|Nov low F = 36
|Dec low F = 27
|year low F = 44
|Jan precipitation inch = 3
|Feb precipitation inch = 2.7
|Mar precipitation inch = 3.6
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.3
|May precipitation inch = 3.8
|Jun precipitation inch = 4.1
|Jul precipitation inch = 4.4
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.7
|Sep precipitation inch = 2.9
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.4
|Nov precipitation inch = 2.8
|Dec precipitation inch = 2.9
|year precipitation inch = 39.5
|source 1 = Weatherbase <ref>{{cite web|url =http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=958664&cityname=Belpre-Ohio|publisher=Weatherbase|title=Weatherbase.com|year=2013|access-date=September 13, 2013}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 911
|1880= 901
|1890= 1007
|1910= 1249
|1920= 1317
|1930= 1724
|1940= 1717
|1950= 2451
|1960= 5418
|1970= 7189
|1980= 7193
|1990= 6796
|2000= 6660
|2010= 6441
|2020= 6728
|estyear=2023
|estimate=6614
|estref=<ref name="2023 est"/>
|footnote=Sources:<ref>{{cite web|title=Population: Ohio|url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/36894832v3ch3.pdf|work=1910 US Census|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=November 28, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Population: Ohio|url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/03815512v1ch08.pdf|work=1930 US Census|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=November 28, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Number of Inhabitants: Ohio|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/37749282v1p37_ch02.pdf|date=1960|work=18th Census of the United States|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=24 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/belprecityohio,US/POP010220|title=Belpre City, Ohio|website=census.gov|accessdate=June 28, 2022}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States Census]], there were 6,441 people, 3,053 households, and 1,788 families in the city. The [[population density]] was 712.5/sqmi (275.1/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 3,351 housing units at an average density of 370.7/sqmi (143.1/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the city was 94.7% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.1% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.4% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.1% [[Race (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.2% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 2.3% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.8% of the population.

There were 3,053 households, of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.4% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.71.

The median age in the city was 44.7 years. 18.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.8% were from 25 to 44; 28.9% were from 45 to 64; and 20.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.7% male and 53.3% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 6,660 people, 3,058 households, and 1,923 families in the city. The population density was 736.7/sqmi (284.5/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 3,283 housing units at an average density of 363.2/sqmi (140.2/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the city was 96.01% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.10% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.11% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.42% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.12% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.25% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.48% of the population.

There were 3,058 households, out of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.73.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.9% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,603, and the median income for a family was $36,401. Males had a median income of $31,743 versus $21,789 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $18,195. About 12.1% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 26.7% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Belpre City School District operates one elementary school and [[Belpre High School|one high school]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.belpre.k12.oh.us|title=Homepage|publisher=Belpre City Schools|access-date=March 3, 2018}}</ref>

Belpre has a public library, a branch of the Washington County Public Library.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wcplib.info/hrsloc|title=Hours & Locations|publisher=Washington County Public Library|access-date=March 3, 2018|archive-date=March 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303225444/https://www.wcplib.info/hrsloc|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of cities and towns along the Ohio River]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Belpre, Ohio}}

{{Washington County, Ohio}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Belpre, Ohio| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Ohio]]
[[Category:Cities in Washington County, Ohio]]
[[Category:Ohio populated places on the Ohio River]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1789]]
[[Category:1789 establishments in the Northwest Territory]]