Nelsonville, Ohio

Nelsonville is a city in northwestern Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 5,230 at the 2000 census. Hocking College is located in Nelsonville.

Geography
Nelsonville is located at °N, °W (39.455167, -82.225650), along the Hocking River; Monday Creek flows through the eastern part of the city. One of the main streets, Canal Street, is located on top of where the old Hocking Canal once ran.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.0 square miles (12.9 km²), all of it land.

Nelsonville is located on U.S. Route 33. Currently, a bypass is being constructed for the city.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,230 people, 2,036 households, and 1,060 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,051.9 people per square mile (406.3/km²). There were 2,273 housing units at an average density of 457.2 per square mile (176.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.22% White, 2.39% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.25% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.24% of the population.

There were 2,036 households out of which 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.4% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.9% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the city the population was spread out with 18.5% under the age of 18, 28.7% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 16.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 112.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $20,634, and the median income for a family was $27,122. Males had a median income of $26,875 versus $16,509 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,552. About 22.9% of families and 33.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.5% of those under age 18 and 16.9% of those age 65 or over.

Public services
The residents of Nelsonville are served by the Nelsonville-York City School District and Nelsonville-York High School. They are also served by the Athens County Public Libraries with branches in Albany, Athens, Chauncey, Coolville, Glouster, Nelsonville, and The Plains.

History and culture
First settled in 1814 by the Daniel Nelson family, Nelsonville was incorporated in 1838 with Charles Cable as its first mayor.

Nelsonville blossomed into a classic Appalachian town by the mid-19th century, relying on the extractive industries of coal, clay and salt. Like many large mining towns, Nelsonville was home to a large hotel, The Dew House, and a thriving theater, Stuart's Opera House, both located on the Public Square. The large amount of coal extracted from the Nelsonville area earned Nelsonville the nickname "Little City of Black Diamonds."

Recent years have brought a revival of sorts to Nelsonville, capturing its artistic spirit in an effort to restore the Public Square into an Arts District. Most recently, Nelsonville was admitted into the national Main Street Program, and named a Preserve America Community. The central business district has also been placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and both the Dew House and Stuart's Opera House have been listed separately. Nelsonville is best known for producing Star Brick, and you will see these striking bricks lining the sidewalks throughout the historic district.



Nelsonville owes its existence to the coal mining industry. In more recent years, its main industrial base was the Rocky Shoes & Boots factory, which has since moved out of the country, but continues to maintain the new Rocky Gear Store, set in the recently renovated, original factory next to Rocky Brands corporate offices. Another important employer is Hocking College. Other major employers in Nelsonville include: Tri-County Vocational School, EDMAP (an online book delivery company), Doctors Hospital Nelsonville, Nelsonville-York City Schools, Hocking Correctional Facility, Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, Hocking Valley Residential Center, and SEPTA Center.

Nelsonville is organized around a public square, where, every month, a "Final Friday" celebration is held, with vendors, art show openings, and often shows at the recently-renovated Stuart's Opera House, an old theater from the 19th century. The Public Square is a vibrant, historic downtown and is filled with dozens of art galleries, and unique eating establishments.

The main commercial district is centered on the Canal Street strip that runs from the eastern to western corporation limits. Much development has occurred on Canal Street over the past decade.

Tourism
The Hocking Valley Scenic Railway began as part of the historic Hocking Valley Railway in the early 1870s. Today, the railway offers scenic excursions from Nelsonville to Logan, traversing the Hocking Hills. Known for their specialty trains, the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway hosts thousands of passengers each year. Seasonal train rides include: Easter Train, Robbery Trains, North Pole Express, Fall Foliage Trips, Haunted Hills Train, Santa Train, Caboose Train, Great Hocking Valley Train Pull and wine trains. During World War II, the original Hocking Valley Railroad ran 138 steam locomotives, 70 passenger cars and 15,000 freight cars along 340 route-miles of track. Today, the trains of the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway again pull out of Nelsonville, for pleasure this time, to take passengers on leisurely glides through beautiful, historic Southeastern Ohio. Two train rides depart from the railroad depot at U.S. Rt. 33 and the Hocking Parkway Drive on Saturdays and Sundays, Memorial Day Weekend through the end of October, in addition to the seasonal train rides. The Nelsonville Yards was once the busiest railroad yard in the entire state of Ohio.



Stuart's Opera House, built in 1879, is one of Ohio's last remaining fully operating opera houses, and is located in Nelsonville's Historic Square Arts District. Stuart's hosts over 75 events a year including: concerts, plays, films, art and more. Several theater groups perform at Stuart's, including the local Athenian Berean Community (ABC) Players.

The Dew Hotel is also located on the Historic Public Square. The former hotel is famous for its balcony where presidents Taft, McKinley, Harding and Roosevelt all campaigned.

Nelsonville's Historic Square Arts District, also known as the Public Square, is a thriving art-lovers paradise. Nelsonville's Historic Square, adorned with their classic Star Bricks, is home to over a dozen retail shops and restaurants and some of the most unique products Ohio has to offer. Many shops offer classes or workshops to help you find your inner artist. A fountain at the center of the Public Square is an iconic landmark.



Rocky Brands, Inc. was founded in Nelsonville in 1932 and the corporate headquarters are still located in the city. The former shoe factory now serves as the Rocky Outdoor Gear Store, and features three floors of outerwear, clothing, home interiors, specialty food products and boots.

The Nelsonville Cross was erected on Kontner's Hill in April, 1973. It is a Memorial Cross to Mrs. Elizabeth Smith Schwartz by her husband Mr. Walter L. Schwartz. The body of the cross is 4 feet by 4 feet, the cross arm is 25 feet in length and the body is 65 feet tall, anchored to a base of concrete which rises 8 feet above the hilltop. Manufactured of metal of special composition which includes steel and aluminum, it bears a porcelain white color. Newspapers in all parts of America and Europe have carried photographs of it as the "World's Largest Metal Cross", illuminated by mercury lights during the nights. Nelsonville has received much publicity from its location.

Hocking College provides several tourist opportunities in Nelsonville. The most popular stop at Hocking is Robins Crossing, a restored pioneer village located on both the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway train route and the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway. This collection of restored log cabins showcases pioneer life, and includes a general store, school house, and a blacksmith's shop. During the warm season, you can find demonstrations at Robins Crossing on most Saturdays and Sundays, and the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway makes a special stop for passengers to experience the village. Hocking College also is home to Hocking Woods Nature Center where visitors can learn about wild animals.

The Hockhocking Adena Bikeway, an 18 mi long bicycle path, connects Nelsonville with the county seat of Athens. The Nelsonville portion of the bikeway runs from the Inn at Hocking College to the Rocky Outdoor Gear Store. It is designed for walking, running, biking, cross-country skiing, skating, and wheelchairs.



The Brick Kiln Park is located on the grounds of the former Nelsonville Brick Company. In the 19th century, the Hocking Valley was well known for its abundance of rich deposits of natural resources. The clay that laid beneath the ground was superior in quality. Numerous brick companies began to pop up after the iron furnaces went out of blast. One of the first to emerge was the Nelsonville Brick Company. In 1877, the Nelsonville Brick Company began their extensive operation. The Nelsonville Block, Hallwood Block, Hocking Block, and the Star Brick were all manufactured by them. In 1880, more kilns and stacks were constructed as an expansion. Nearly twenty-five million blocks and bricks were manufactured each year to keep up with the high demand. The railroads stayed busy transporting their products throughout the Midwest. The blocks and bricks manufactured in Nelsonville were very popular. One of them in particular was known as the king of all pavers, the Nelsonville Block. The salt glazed surface not only made it watertight, it also gave it a distinct and attractive finish. In 1904, the Nelsonville Block won first prize at the World's Fair in St. Louis. The Great Depression, combined with the use of concrete, led to the demise of the Nelsonville Brick Company. In 1937, the plant closed down. Although the main plant is gone, a few kilns and stacks, which were part of the expansion in 1880, still remain. An effort is underway to save the remaining kilns and stacks.

The Wayne National Forest, the only national forest in Ohio, surrounds the city. The forest headquarters are located just outside the city limits on US Route 33, overlooking the Hocking River. It includes Ohio's largest collection of ATV trails. Tourist activities include: hiking, canoeing, mountain biking, ATV riding, and bird watching.

In film
Nelsonville has two connections to Hollywood. It is the birthplace of actress Sarah Jessica Parker, who is best known for her portrayal of Carrie Bradshaw on HBO's Sex and the City. Nelsonville is also the setting of the 1985 film "Mischief" starring Kelly Preston, and a few scenes were shot there.

Nelsonville is also the burial place of former Major League Baseball player Estel Crabtree.

Famous natives

 * Sarah Jessica Parker - Award winning actress