Editing Benton Ridge, Ohio

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Benton Ridge, Ohio
| settlement_type    = [[Village (United States)|Village]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = Benton Ridge Good Shepherd UMC.jpg
| imagesize          = 250px
| image_caption      = Good Shepherd United Methodist Church
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map          = OHMap-doton-Benton Ridge.png
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Benton Ridge, Ohio
| image_map1         = Map of Hancock County Ohio Highlighting Benton Ridge.png
| mapsize1           = 250px
| map_caption1       = Location of Benton Ridge in Hancock County

<!-- Location -->
| 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  = [[Hancock County, Ohio|Hancock]]

<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = [[Village council]]
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = <!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| 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>
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 0.97
| area_land_km2      = 0.97
| area_water_km2     = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi   = 0.38
| area_land_sq_mi    = 0.38
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_est     = 263
| 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>
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 272
| population_density_km2 = 280.26
| population_density_sq_mi = 725.33

<!-- General information -->
| timezone           = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset         = -5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -4
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 784
| coordinates        = {{coord|41|00|16|N|83|47|31|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 45816
| area_code          = [[Area code 419|419]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 39-05662<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2398098<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2398098}}</ref>
| website            = 
| footnotes          = 
}}
'''Benton Ridge''' is a [[village (United States)#Ohio|village]] in [[Hancock County, Ohio|Hancock County]], [[Ohio]], United States. The population was 272 at the [[United States Census 2020|2020 census]]. It is within the boundaries of the [[Liberty-Benton High School|Liberty-Benton Local School district]].

==History==
Benton Ridge was originally called Benton, and under the latter name was laid out in 1835 and named for [[Thomas Hart Benton (politician)|Thomas Hart Benton]] (1782–1858), a U.S. Senator from Missouri.<ref name="History 388">{{cite book|title=History of Hancock County, Ohio: Containing a History of the County, Its Townships, Towns|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofhancock01brow|year=1886|publisher=Warner, Beers|page=[https://archive.org/details/historyofhancock01brow/page/388 388]}}</ref> Some of the earliest settlers of Benton Ridge are buried in Swartz Cemetery, which also has a Veteran's Memorial.<ref>{{cite web |title=Schwartz Cemetery Veterans Memorial |url=https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=166990 |website=www.hmdb.org/ |access-date=10 December 2024}}</ref>  A post office called Benton Ridge has been in operation since 1837.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=OH&county=Hancock | title=Hancock County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | accessdate=January 3, 2016}}</ref> The village was incorporated in 1875.<ref name="History 388" />

In 1994, the Benton Ridge postmaster Fairy Parkins was named Postmaster of the Year for the state of Ohio.<ref>{{cite news |title=Fairy I. Parkins was postmaster of Benton Ridge |url=https://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2024/11/21/fairy-i-parkins-was-postmaster-benton-ridge |access-date=9 December 2024 |work=The Bluffton Icon |publisher=The Bluffton Icon |date=21 November 2024}}</ref>

The Benton Ridge Telephone Company was founded in 1902, and is an [[Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier]] for 3 exchanges in west central Ohio.  It provides telecommunication services in rural communities, spinning off a cable TV and internet company in 1992 (WATCH), as well as a fiber based internet company (CFS) in 2010. The company was acquired by Cequel III in 2022.<ref>{{cite news |title=Benton Ridge Telephone and Its Broadband Subsidiaries to be Acquired by Investment and Management Firm Cequel III |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221004006091/en/Benton-Ridge-Telephone-and-Its-Broadband-Subsidiaries-to-be-Acquired-by-Investment-and-Management-Firm-Cequel-III |access-date=9 December 2024 |work=Business Wire |publisher=Business Wire |date=October 4, 2022}}</ref>

On Nov. 1, 1941, just one month before the Japanese attack on [[Pearl Harbor]], a [[B-25 bomber]] on a training mission flying out of [[Wright-Patterson Air Force Base]], crashed nearby.<ref>{{cite news |title=History saved in Benton Ridge memorial |url=https://www.toledoblade.com/opinion/editorials/2024/11/06/editorial-history-saved-benton-ridge-memorial/stories/20241106021 |access-date=7 December 2024 |publisher=The Toledo Blade |date=6 November 2024}}</ref>

Solt Automotive Engineering, one of the oldest go-kart manufacturers in the USA, was located just outside of Benton Ridge.<ref>{{cite web |title=In memory of Jerry Solt (August 1934 – July 2020) |url=https://www.vroomkart.com/news/37552/in-memory-of-jerry-solt-august-1934-july-2020 |website=vroomkart.com |publisher=vroomkart international |access-date=10 December 2024}}</ref>

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the village has a total area of {{convert|0.34|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=January 6, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archivedate=July 2, 2012 }}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left|1880= 179
|1890= 250
|1900= 359
|1910= 352
|1920= 240
|1930= 245
|1940= 304
|1950= 337
|1960= 325
|1970= 329
|1980= 343
|1990= 351
|2000= 315
|2010= 299
|2020= 272
|estyear= 2023
|estimate= 263
|estref=<ref name="2023 est"/>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name=FactFinder>{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 6, 2013}}</ref> of 2010, there were 299 people, 116 households, and 77 families living in the village. The [[population density]] was {{convert|879.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 119 housing units at an average density of {{convert|350.0|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the village was 95.7% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.7% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.7% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 2.0% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.0% of the population.

There were 116 households, of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.6% were non-families. 28.4% 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 2.58 and the average family size was 3.04.

The median age in the village was 37.4 years. 24.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.1% were from 25 to 44; 23.1% were from 45 to 64; and 13.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 50.8% male and 49.2% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 315 people, 118 households, and 82 families living in the village. The population density was {{convert|678.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 122 housing units at an average density of {{convert|262.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the village was 99.37% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.32% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]] and 0.32% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.95% of the population.

There were 118 households, out of which 40.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 30.8% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 103.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $50,000, and the median income for a family was $56,250. Males had a median income of $30,000 versus $25,208 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $18,426. About 1.3% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.

==Notable people==
*[[Aaron Craft]] - basketball [[point guard]]
*[[A. J. Granger]] - basketball player, NCAA champion in [[2000 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2000]]
*[[Fred Hissong]] - U.S. Army Lieutenant General

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Hancock County, Ohio}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in Hancock County, Ohio]]
[[Category:Villages in Ohio]]