Editing Mount Gilead, Ohio

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Mount Gilead, Ohio
|settlement_type          = [[Village (United States)|Village]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Mount-gilead-ohio-courthouse.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = [[Morrow County Courthouse (Ohio)|Morrow County Courthouse]]
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = OHMap-doton-Mount_Gilead.png
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Mount Gilead, Ohio
|image_map1               = Map of Morrow County Ohio Highlighting Mount Gilead Village.png
|mapsize1                 = 250px
|map_caption1             = Location of Mount Gilead in Morrow 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        = [[Morrow County, Ohio|Morrow]]
|subdivision_type3        = [[List of townships in Ohio|Township]]
|subdivision_name3        = [[Gilead Township, Morrow County, Ohio|Gilead]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = [[Public administration|Administrator]]
|leader_name1             = 
|leader_title2            = 
|leader_name2             = 
|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           = 8.80
|area_land_km2            = 8.77
|area_water_km2           = 0.03
|area_total_sq_mi         = 3.40
|area_land_sq_mi          = 3.39
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 3503
|population_density_km2   = 399.33
|population_density_sq_mi = 1034.25

<!-- 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            = 1145
|coordinates             = {{coord|40|33|12|N|82|49|41|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type        = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code             = 43338
|area_code               = [[Area code 419|419]]
|blank_name              = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info              = 39-52738<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>
|blank1_name             = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info             = 2399412<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2399412}}</ref>
|website                 = http://www.mountgilead.net/
|footnotes               = 
}}

'''Mount Gilead''' is a [[village (United States)#Ohio|village]] in and the [[county seat]] of [[Morrow County, Ohio]], United States. It is located {{convert|41|mi}} northeast of [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]]. The population was 3,503 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. It is the [[center of population]] of Ohio.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref><ref>[https://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt] [https://web.archive.org/web/20130705075500/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt Archived copy] at [[WebCite]] (June 22, 2013).</ref> The village was established in 1832, eight years after white [[settler]]s arrived in the region. Before their arrival, the forest was a hunting area for the [[Shawnee]] tribe.

Located in the center of the village is Morrow County's historic [[World War I]] Victory Memorial Shaft, unique in the United States, and [[Mt. Gilead State Park|Mount Gilead State Park]] is nearby on [[Ohio State Route 95|State Route 95]]. Other areas drawing [[tourism]] include the [[Amish]] farms, shops and stores east of Mount Gilead, near [[Chesterville, Ohio|Chesterville]] and Johnsville. Mount Gilead is also home to the Morrow County Hospital.

==History==
===Settlement===
The first settler to make Mount Gilead (Mt. Gilead) home was Lewis Hardenbrook, in 1817, though it was then called Whetstone and was located in [[Marion County, Ohio|Marion County]]. In 1824, Judge Jacob Young drew out the village; the plan consisted of 80 lots and also included a public square. Several years later, in 1832, Henry Ustick added 70 lots to the village as well as an additional public square. The original public square was then referred to as the south square and the newer square, the north square. Many years later, in 1919, the north public square would become home to the Victory Shaft World War I Monument. This monument was given to the county for having the highest per capita war bond sales during a two-year period.<ref name=Monument>{{cite web|title=Mt. Gilead, Ohio WWI War Monument|url=http://www.mountgilead.net/warmonument.htm|access-date=October 18, 2013}}</ref>  Charles Webster built the first cabin in the village in December 1824. He served as the first Postmaster and operated the Post Office from the cabin, as well.  In 1832, a measure was proposed to change the name of the town. Residents were asked to vote between the names Warsaw and Mt. Gilead. Mt. Gilead was chosen by a significant margin and the village was incorporated by state legislature several years later in 1839.<ref name=baughman>{{cite book|last1=Baughman|first1=A.J.|title=History of Morrow County, Ohio|year=1911|publisher=The Lewis Publishing Company|location=Chicago, IL|pages=[https://archive.org/details/historymorrowco00bartgoog/page/n265 233]–299|url=https://archive.org/details/historymorrowco00bartgoog|last2=Bartlett|first2=Robert F.}}</ref>

In 1848, Mt. Gilead was almost unanimously chosen to be the county seat for the newly formed [[Morrow County, Ohio]]. Morrow County was formed from parts of surrounding [[Marion County, Oh|Marion]], [[Knox County, Ohio|Knox]], [[Richland County, Ohio|Richland]], and [[Delaware County, Ohio|Delaware]] counties. Given the village's elevated status as the county seat, village leaders enhanced many areas of the town's appearance by creating streets clearing them and performing other improvements.<ref name=Baskin>{{cite book|title=History of Morrow County and Ohio|year=1880|publisher=O.L. Baskin & Co. Historical Publishers|location=Chicago, IL|pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofmorrowc00bask/page/303 303]–317|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofmorrowc00bask}}</ref>

===Railroad===
Soon after being named county seat, there was talk of building a rail line that would pass through Mt. Gilead between [[Cleveland, Ohio|Cleveland]] and [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]]. Officials opened stock purchases and began preparations for the build. Tensions between villagers and railroad officials broke down the negotiations and the rail station was re-located to [[Cardington, Ohio|Cardington]], several miles south of Mt. Gilead, and opened for business in 1851. The railroad would pass Mt. Gilead two miles to the west, in what is now known as [[Edison, Ohio|Edison]]. Nearly 30 years later, Mt. Gilead did get a rail spur through the village, named [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Mt. Gilead Short Line Railway|Mt. Gilead Short Line Railway]]. The Short Line opened in 1880.<ref name=baughman />

===Industry===
From its beginnings, industry has been a main support for Mt. Gilead. Various mills were an early staple in the village history, followed by a tile factory and with technological advances, eventually the still well known [http://www.hpmmachinery.com Hydraulic Press Manufacturing Company] or HPM.<ref name=baughman /> HPM maintained some level of operations in Mt. Gilead until 2001.<ref name=HPM>{{cite web|title=HPM North America|url=http://www.hpmmachinery.com/company_history.html|access-date=October 18, 2013}}</ref>

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the village has a total area of {{convert|3.40|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which, {{convert|3.39|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>

Mount Gilead is considered to be a part of "Mid Ohio."

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 646
|1860= 789
|1870= 1087
|1880= 1216
|1890= 1329
|1900= 1528
|1910= 1673
|1920= 1837
|1930= 1871
|1940= 2008
|1950= 2351
|1960= 2788
|1970= 2971
|1980= 2865
|1990= 2846
|2000= 3290
|2010= 3660
|2020= 3503
|footnote=Sources:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 22, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=History of Morrow County, Ohio|via=[[Internet Archive]]|year=1911|url=https://archive.org/details/historymorrowco00bartgoog|publisher=Lewis publishing Company|access-date=December 22, 2013}}</ref><ref>Data in historical populations table from {{citation|title=US Census, 1890|year = 1891|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=40kUAAAAYAAJ&q=census%20pataskala&pg=RA1-PA151}}; {{citation|title=US Census, 1920|year = 1921|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oei2AAAAIAAJ&q=census+pataskala&pg=PA565}}; {{citation|title=US Census, 1950|year = 1952| isbn=9780598466846 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=32pQAAAAYAAJ&q=census%20pataskala%201930&pg=SA35-PA18}}; {{citation|title=US Census, 1970|year = 1973|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4j0YAAAAYAAJ&q=1970%20census%20ohio%20%22heath%22&pg=SA37-PA15}}; {{citation|title=US Census, 2000|isbn = 9781428986060|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9A1ElkbD3YcC&q=1990%20census%20ohio&pg=PA21}}; {{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 31, 2013}}</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 3,660 people, 1,482 households, and 875 families residing in the village. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1079.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,658 housing units at an average density of {{convert|489.1|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the village was 97.1% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.3% 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 1.9% of the population.

There were 1,482 households, of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.0% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 3.01.

The median age in the village was 36.9 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.5% were from 25 to 44; 22.9% were from 45 to 64; and 17.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 3,290 people, 1,291 households, and 843 families residing in the village. The population density was {{convert|1,035.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,354 housing units at an average density of {{convert|426.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the village was 97.78% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.12% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.24% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.30% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], 1.06% [[Black (U.S. Census)|Black]], and 0.49% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.03% of the population.

There were 1,291 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 24.0% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $31,894, and the median income for a family was $42,529. Males had a median income of $35,714 versus $22,425 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $19,064. About 10.1% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 18.1% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those age 65 or over.

===19th-century census data===
According to A.J. Baughman's [https://books.google.com/books?id=PBQVAAAAYAAJ ''History of Morrow County, Ohio'' (1911)], early population data is as follows:

 {| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! 1850 !! 1860 !! 1870 !! 1880 !! 1890
|-
| Population || 646 || 789 || 1,087 || 1,216 || 1,329
|}

==Historic sites==
Four properties in Mount Gilead are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]: the [[Floral Hall (Morrow County Fairgrounds)|floral hall]] at the county fairgrounds, [[Levering Hall]], the [[Morrow County Courthouse and Jail|Morrow County Courthouse]], and the [[James S. Trimble House]].<ref>{{NRISref|2009a}}</ref>  Levering Hall in particular is distinguished by its ornate [[Italianate architecture]] and its place as the center of community life for several decades.<ref>Owen, Lorrie K., ed.  ''Dictionary of Ohio Historic Places''.  Vol. 2.  [[St. Clair Shores, Michigan|St. Clair Shores]]: Somerset, 1999, 1075.</ref>

[[Image:Mount-gilead-ohio-traffic-circle.jpg|thumb|upright|Victory Memorial Shaft]]
The Victory Shaft was erected in Mount Gilead's [[town square]] in December 1919, following [[World War I]]. It was presented as a gift from the [[United States of America federal government|federal government]] to Morrow County citizens to thank them for purchasing more [[war bond]]s per capita than any other county. [[Warren G. Harding]], a [[United States Senate|Senator]] who would later be elected [[President of the United States|President]], was the [[keynote]] speaker at the dedication.

==Government==
[[Image:Mount-gilead-ohio-jail.jpg|thumb|right|Old Morrow County Jail.]]
Mount Gilead is governed by a [[mayor-council government|mayor and council]].  As of 2023, the mayor was Donna Carver.<ref>[http://www.mountgilead.net/villadmin.htm Mount Gilead, Ohio Village Administration]</ref>

==Education==
The city has a public lending library, the [https://mt-gilead.lib.oh.us/ Mount Gilead Public Library].

==Media==
Mt. Gilead had two media sources available to them in the 19th century, [http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85038111/ Democratic Messenger] and [http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85026159/ The Whig Sentinel]. Both papers began publishing in 1848 and both papers experienced a name change around 1860 with The Sentinel becoming [http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85026159/ The Morrow County Sentinel] and The Messenger becoming [http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85038108/ The Union Register]. The Union Register was published until 1971, while the Morrow County Sentinel is still in existence today.

==Notable people==
{{div col}}
*[[Tim Belcher]] - former Major League Baseball player
*[[Oswald Bruce Cooper]] — graphic designer
*[[Claude Dallas]] — self-styled mountain man convicted of involuntary manslaughter
*[[C.B. Dollaway]] — professional [[mixed martial arts]] fighter
*[[Frank K. Dunn]] - Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
*[[Merrill Gilfillan]] — author
*[[William Vermillion Houston]] — president of [[Rice University]]
*[[Robert Byington Mitchell]] — soldier and governor of New Mexico
*[[Walter Olds]] — Justice of the [[Indiana Supreme Court]]
*[[Edwin Taylor Pollock]] — United States Navy Captain
*[[Dawn Powell]] — satirical author
*[[Samuel Snider]] — U.S. Representative from Minnesota
*[[Lefty Webb]] — baseball player for the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]]
*[[Samuel Newitt Wood]] — Kansas state legislator
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.mountgilead.net/ Village website]
* {{Wikivoyage inline|Mount Gilead (Ohio)|Mount Gilead}}

{{Morrow County, Ohio}}
{{Ohio county seats}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mount Gilead, Ohio| ]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1824]]
[[Category:1824 establishments in Ohio]]
[[Category:County seats in Ohio]]
[[Category:Villages in Morrow County, Ohio]]
[[Category:Villages in Ohio]]