Ohio Counties
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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.
 

Harrison County, Ohio

Harrison County Education, Geography, and HistoryHarrison County, Ohio Courthouse

Harrison County is a county located in the state of Ohio. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 15,864, making it the fifth-least populous county in Ohio. Its county seat is Cadiz. The county is named for General William Henry Harrison, who was later President of the United States.

Etymology - Origin of Harrison County Name

Residents named the county after William Henry Harrison.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Harrison County History

On January 2, 1813, the Ohio government authorized the creation of Harrison County. Residents named the county after William Henry Harrison.

Harrison County is located in eastern Ohio, in the heart of Appalachia. It is predominantly rural, with less than one percent of the county's 404 square miles consisting of urban areas. The county seat is Cadiz, which, in 2000, was the county's largest urban center with a population of 3,308 people. Many residents of Ohio's rural communities are seeking better lives and more opportunities in the state's cities. This holds true for Harrison County. Its population decreased by 1.4 percent between 1990 and 2000, reducing the county's population to 15,856 people. The county averages just thirty-nine people per square mile, making it one of Ohio's least populated counties.

Farming is the largest employer in Harrison County, with residents ranking second in sheep raising in Ohio. Many other residents work in the mining industry, with the county enjoying large deposits of sandstone and limestone. The county used to have large coal deposits, but coal companies mined most of this resource during the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. In 1999, the per capita income in the county was 23,833 dollars, with 14.6 percent of the people living in poverty.

Most voters in Harrison County claim to be independents, yet in recent years, they have supported Republican Party candidates at the national level by very small margins.

Among Harrison County's more prominent residents were United States Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, actor Clark Gable, and General George A. Custer. The Ohio Historical Society maintains a memorial to General Custer in New Rumley.

Sources
Harrison County, Ohio History Central, July 23, 2008,
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=1941&nm=Harrison-County

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 411 square miles (1,060 km2), of which 402 square miles (1,040 km2) is land and 8.4 square miles (22 km2) (2.1%) is water.

On May 16, 2013 the Chicago Tribune Business section reported that the Utica Shale underlying Harrison County shows promise as a tight oil production zone. To produce tight oil in large quantities would require horizontal drilling and fracturing of the shale formation as is being done in North Dakota and Texas.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

  • Carroll County (north)
  • Jefferson County (east)
  • Belmont County (south)
  • Guernsey County (southwest)
  • Tuscarawas County (west)

Education



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