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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.
 

Hocking County, Ohio

Hocking County Education, Geography, and HistoryHocking County, Ohio Courthouse

Hocking County is a county located in the state of Ohio. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 29,380. Its county seat is Logan. The county was organized on March 1, 1818, from land given by Athens, Fairfield, and Ross counties. Its name is from the Hocking River, the origins of which are disputed but is said to be a Delaware Indian word meaning "bottle river".

Hocking County is included in the Columbus, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Etymology - Origin of Hocking County Name

Residents took the county's name from the Indian word "Hockhocking," which means bottle. The Hocking River, which flows through Hocking County, resembles the shape of a bottle.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Hocking County History

On January 3, 1818, the State of Ohio authorized the creation of Hocking County. Residents took the county's name from the Indian word "Hockhocking," which means bottle. The Hocking River, which flows through Hocking County, resembles the shape of a bottle.

Hocking County is located in southeastern Ohio. It is predominantly rural, with less than two percent of the county's 423 square miles consisting of urban areas. The county seat is Logan. With a population of 6,704 people, Logan was the county's largest community in 2000. Hocking County experienced a significant increase in population - roughly 10.6 percent - between 1990 and 2000, raising the total number of residents to 28,241 people. Most of these new people were former residents of Columbus, hoping to escape the busy life of the larger city.

The largest employers in Hocking County are manufacturing businesses, with service industries, such as health care and communications, sales jobs, and government positions, all close behind. Tourism is a major industry in the county, with numerous bed and breakfasts in operation to meet the needs of tourists visiting the Hocking Hills State Park. Numerous natural wonders exist in the county and in the park, including the Cantwell Cliffs, Old Man's Cave, Cedar Falls, Ash Cave, and Rock House, drawing tens of thousands of tourists every year. During the late nineteenth century, coal mining was also an important source of income for county residents. In 1999, the per capita income in the county was approximately 19,200 dollars, with almost thirteen percent of the people living in poverty.

Sources
Hocking County, Ohio History Central, July 23, 2008,
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=1945&nm=Hocking-County

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 424 square miles (1,100 km2), of which 421 square miles (1,090 km2) is land and 2.3 square miles (6.0 km2) (0.5%) is water.

The major waterway of Hocking County is the Hocking River, which flows roughly from WNW to ESE, arising in Fairfield County and flowing from Hocking County into Athens County. This river drains about half the county. To the southwest, much of the rest of the county is drained by Salt Creek, which flows from there into Vinton County. A small part of the southeastern county is drained by Raccoon Creek, which also flows into Vinton County. The easternmost area of the county is within the Monday Creek watershed. A small area in the north of the county is drained by Rush Creek.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

  • Perry County (northeast)
  • Athens County (southeast)
  • Vinton County (south)
  • Ross County (southwest)
  • Pickaway County (west)
  • Fairfield County (northwest)

Education



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