Editing Mechanicsburg, Ohio

{{About||the community in Crawford County|Mechanicsburg, Crawford County, Ohio|the Ohio city formerly known as Mechanicsburg|East Palestine, Ohio}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Mechanicsburg, Ohio
| settlement_type          = [[Village]]

<!-- Images -->
| image_skyline            = Municipal building and fire department in Mechanicsburg, Ohio.jpg
| imagesize                = 250px
| image_caption            = Village hall
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = <!-- Maps -->
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = "Where Unity Means Progress"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mechanicsburgvillage.com/|title=Village of Mechanicsburg, Ohio|accessdate=November 12, 2022}}</ref>

<!-- Images -->
| image_map                = OHMap-doton-Mechanicsburg.png
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location of Mechanicsburg, Ohio
| image_map1               = Map of Champaign County Ohio Highlighting Mechanicsburg Village.png
| mapsize1                 = 250px
| map_caption1             = Location of Mechanicsburg in Champaign County

<!-- Location -->
| coordinates              = {{coord|40|04|24|N|83|33|23|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name         = United States
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Ohio|County]]
| subdivision_type3        = [[List of townships in Ohio|Township]]
| subdivision_name1        = [[Ohio]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Champaign County, Ohio|Champaign]]
| subdivision_name3        = [[Goshen Township, Champaign County, Ohio|Goshen]]

<!-- Government -->
| established_title        = Established
| established_date         = 1814

<!-- Area -->
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = Mayor - Council
| leader_title             = Mayor
| leader_name              = Jason Adelsberger<ref>{{cite web |title=Elected Officials - Champaign |url=https://lookup.boe.ohio.gov/vtrapp/champaign/cnm.aspx |publisher=Champaign County Board of Elections |access-date=January 31, 2024}}</ref>
| leader_title1            = Administrator
| leader_name1             = 
| 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_sq_mi         = 0.98
| area_land_sq_mi          = 0.98
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
| area_total_km2           = 2.55
| area_land_km2            = 2.54
| area_water_km2           = 0.01
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft             = 1086

<!-- Population -->
| population_total         = 1681
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 1713.56
| population_density_km2   = 661.50
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 43044
| area_code                = [[Area codes 937 and 326|937, 326]]
| timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset               = -5
| timezone_DST             = EDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -4
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 39-48706<ref name="GR2" />
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 2399301<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2399301}}</ref>
| website                  = https://www.mechanicsburgvillage.com/
| footnotes                = 
}}

'''Mechanicsburg''' is a [[village (United States)#Ohio|village]] in [[Champaign County, Ohio|Champaign County]], [[Ohio]], United States.  The population was 1,681 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].

==History==
Mechanicsburg was [[plat]]ted in 1814.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/historyofchampai00ogde | title=The History of Champaign County, Ohio | publisher=W.H. Beers & Company | year=1881 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofchampai00ogde/page/n597 596]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TdQyAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA275 | title=History of Champaign County, Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Volume 1 | publisher=B.F. Bowen | author=Middleton, Evan P. | year=1917 | pages=275}}</ref> The village was so named for the fact a large share of its settlers worked as mechanics.<ref>{{cite book|last=Gannett|first=Henry|title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ|year=1905|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n203 204]}}</ref> By 1833, Mechanicsburg's industries included two stores, a [[gristmill]] and a saw mill.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_dt48AAAAYAAJ | title=The Ohio Gazetteer, or, a Topographical Dictionary | publisher=Scott and Wright | year=1833 | access-date=December 12, 2013 | author=Kilbourn, John | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_dt48AAAAYAAJ/page/n288 304]}}</ref> Mechanicsburg was incorporated as a village in 1834.<ref>{{cite book|last=Overman|first=William Daniel|title=Ohio Town Names|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015015361465;view=1up;seq=101|year=1958|publisher=Atlantic Press|location=Akron, OH|page=85}}</ref>

During the antebellum years, because of its location on a tributary of the Ohio River, Mechanicsburg was used as a station on the [[Underground Railroad]]. The "conductor" Udney Hyde (1808-1887) is credited with helping more than 500 fugitive slaves on their way to freedom.

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the village has a total area of {{convert|1.02|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which, {{convert|1.01|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.01|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<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]]|access-date=January 6, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|archive-date=January 25, 2012}}</ref> It is located on Little Darby Creek, a tributary of the Scioto River, and, ultimately the [[Ohio River]]. Fugitive slaves made their way cross-country when escaping from Kentucky.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 682
|1860= 735
|1870= 940
|1880= 1522
|1890= 1459
|1900= 1617
|1910= 1446
|1920= 1470
|1930= 1424
|1940= 1653
|1950= 1920
|1960= 1810
|1970= 1686
|1980= 1792
|1990= 1803
|2000= 1744
|2010= 1644
|2020= 1681
|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|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 6, 2013}}</ref> of 2010, there were 1,644 people, 598 households, and 403 families living in the village. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1627.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 671 housing units at an average density of {{convert|664.4|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the village was 95.4% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.6% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.5% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.1% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.3% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 2.1% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.0% of the population.

There were 598 households, of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.6% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.02.

The median age in the village was 35.5 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.2% were from 25 to 44; 22.7% were from 45 to 64; and 13.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 52.3% male and 47.7% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 1,744 people, 705 households, and 473 families living in the village. The population density was {{convert|1,699.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 761 housing units at an average density of {{convert|741.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the village was 97.59% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.92% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.40% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.29% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.80% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.63% of the population.

There were 705 households, out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 28.7% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $33,385, and the median income for a family was $42,368. Males had a median income of $34,375 versus $24,453 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $16,685. About 10.3% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 19.2% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Public services==

===Public safety===
The public is served by Mechanicsburg Police Department and the Mechanicsburg Division of Fire and EMS. The police department is a full-time department. The fire department is a combination of career, part-time paid employees and volunteers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.firedepartment.net/directory/ohio/champaign-county/mechanicsburg/mechanicsburg-fire-and-ems-department|title=Mechanicsburg Fire and EMS Department - Mechanicsburg, OH|website=www.firedepartment.net}}</ref>

===Education===
Local children attend the schools of the [[Mechanicsburg High School (Ohio)|Mechanicsburg Exempted Village School District]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://site.mcburg.org/|title=Mechanicsburg|website=site.mcburg.org|language=en|access-date=June 17, 2018}}</ref> The area is served by the [https://www.mechanicsburg.lib.oh.us/ Mechanicsburg Public Library].

==Notable people==
* [[Sue Ernest Hewling]], Orchestra leader and professional whistler
* [[John Foley Horr]], Civil War Officer, Collector of Customs, Federal Marshal
* [[David Martin (Kansas judge)|David Martin]] Chief Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court<ref name="Topeka State Journal Obit">{{cite news |title=4 Mar 1901, 8 - The Topeka State Journal at Newspapers.com "Martin Is Dead" |url=https://newspapers.com/image/323050214/?article=f6a1f99a-4719-41f0-861a-bd3c9758a2e7 |access-date=September 5, 2020 |work=Newspapers.com |page=8 |language=en}}</ref>
* [[William B. Saxbe]], politician

==See also==
* [[Mechanicsburg United Methodist Church]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Champaign County, Ohio}}

[[Category:Mechanicsburg, Ohio| ]]
[[Category:Villages in Union County, Ohio]]
[[Category:1814 establishments in Ohio]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1814]]
[[Category:Villages in Ohio]]