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Ohio Counties
There is eighty-eight counties in the state of Ohio. Washington County the oldest in the state established on July 27, 1788. Noble County was formed on March 11, 1851 from portions of Guernsey, Morgan, Monroe and Washington counties. It was the last county to be formed in Ohio and, therefore, represents the youngest county in the state.Allen County, Ohio
Allen County Education, Geography, and History
Allen County is a county located in the state of Ohio. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 106,331. The county seat is Lima. The
county was created in 1820 and later organized in 1831. is named for Colonel John Allen, who was killed leading his men at the Battle of
Frenchtown, during the War of 1812. It has also been claimed the county was named for Revolutionary War soldier Ethan Allen, the weight of the
evidence in favor of John Allen led the General Assembly to declare that the county was named for him.
Allen County comprises the Lima, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Lima-Van Wert-Wapakoneta Combined Statistical
Area.
Etymology - Origin of Allen County Name
Allen County is named for Colonel John Allen, a participant in the War of 1812.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Allen County History
Allen County is named for Colonel John Allen, a participant in the War of 1812. Residents established the county on February 12, 1820. The first white settlement in the county was Fort Amanda, constructed during the War of 1812 to protect Ohio from British invasion and Indian attacks.
Allen County is located in the northwestern portion of Ohio. Much of the county used to be part of the Great Black Swamp. Allen County covers 404 square miles of land. The county seat is Lima, which also is the most populous community, with over forty thousand residents in 2000. The next closest
city in population is Delphos, with just over 3,900 residents in 2000.
Prior to the late 1800s, most county residents earned their living through agriculture or lumbering. With the discovery of oil in the region, Lima boomed as an industrial center. Today, just over 18,000 residents work in service industries, including health care, utilities, and communications, with
sales and manufacturing positions a close second and third. County residents primarily manufacture school buses, Ford automobile engines, heavy machinery, and steel. The per capita income of county residents was just over twenty-three thousand dollars in 1999, with 11.4 percent of the people living
below the poverty level. There are approximately one thousand farms in the county, but very few of the county's 108,000 residents find employment through agriculture. The average size farm is just over three acres.
Most voters in Allen County claim to be independents, yet in recent years, they have overwhelmingly supported Republican candidates at the national level.
Allen County is home to Bluffton College, a school founded by Swiss Mennonites in 1900. Leslie Peltier, an amateur astronomer, ranks among Allen County's most famous residents. Author Zane Grey also lived in Allen County as a child.
Sources
Allen County Ohio History Central, July 23, 2008,
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=1889&nm=Allen-County
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 407 square miles (1,050 km2), of which 402 square miles (1,040 km2) is land and 4.4 square miles (11 km2) (1.1%) is water.
Neighboring Counties
Bordering counties are as follows:
- Putnam County (north)
- Hancock County (northeast)
- Hardin County (east)
- Auglaize County (south)
- Van Wert County (west)
Education
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