Editing Ashville, Ohio

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Ashville, Ohio
| settlement_type          = [[Village (United States)|Village]]
| image_skyline            = File:AshvilleOH2.JPG
| image_caption            = Looking North on Long Street
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
| image_map                = OHMap-doton-Ashville.png
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location of Ashville, Ohio
| image_map1               = Map of Pickaway County Ohio Highlighting Ashville Village.png
| mapsize1                 = 250px
| map_caption1             = Location of Ashville in Pickaway County
|pushpin_label = Ashville
|pushpin_map = Ohio#USA#North America
<!-- Location -->
| coordinates              = {{coord|39|43|06|N|82|56|54|W|region:US-OH|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type         = Country
| subdivision_name         = United States
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Ohio|County]]
| subdivision_type3        = [[List of townships in Ohio|Township]]
| subdivision_name1        = [[Ohio]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Pickaway County, Ohio|Pickaway]]
| subdivision_name3        = [[Harrison Township, Pickaway County, Ohio|Harrison]]

<!-- Government -->
| established_title        = 
| established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = 
| leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name              = Steve Welsh <ref>{{cite web|title= Ashville Votes Change into Office with New Mayor and Councilman|url= https://www.sciotopost.com/ashville-votes-change-into-office-with-new-mayor/|accessdate=July 17, 2024}}</ref>
| leader_title1            = Village Administrator
| leader_name1             = Bert Cline <ref>{{cite web|title= Administration |url= https://www.ashvilleohio.gov/page/administration|accessdate=July 17, 2024}}</ref>
| 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           = 5.78
| area_total_sq_mi         = 2.23
| area_land_km2            = 5.78
| area_land_sq_mi          = 2.23
| area_water_km2           = 0.00
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft             = 715
| population_total         = 4529
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_density_km2   = 783.88
| population_density_sq_mi = 2030.03

<!-- General information -->
| population_est           = 4760
| pop_est_as_of            = 2023
|pop_est_footnotes        = <ref name="2023 est">{{cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Ohio: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 |url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2023/cities/totals/SUB-IP-EST2023-POP-39.xlsx |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=21 May 2024}}</ref>
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 43103
| area_code                = [[Area code 740|740]], [[Area code 220|220]]
| website                  =  http://ashvilleohio.gov
| footnotes                = 
| timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset               = -5
| timezone_DST             = EDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -4
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 39-02680<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              = 2398001<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2398001}}</ref>
}}

'''Ashville''' is a [[village (United States)#Ohio|village]] in [[Pickaway County, Ohio]], United States. The population was 4,621 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. Ashville is located 17 miles south of [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]] and 8 miles north of [[Circleville, Ohio|Circleville]].

==History==
Long before the American settlement of Ohio, [[Hopewell tradition|Hopewell]] [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] inhabited the lands that became Ashville. The Snake Den Mounds were constructed a few miles outside of the present day village and were believed to have been built prior to [[Common Era|C.E.]] 500. The site was examined in the late 1890s by [[Warren K. Moorehead]], where he found artifacts of the ancient civilization and skeletal remains.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Snake Den Mound excavation |url=https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p267401coll32/id/28269/ |access-date=April 13, 2022}}</ref>

Centuries later the primary inhabitants were the [[Pekowi]] band of the [[Shawnee]]. This band of natives was the name sake for Pickaway County.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pickaway County, Ohio - About Pickaway County |url=https://www.pickaway.org/about/index.html |access-date=April 14, 2022 |website=www.pickaway.org}}</ref> The Pekowi people lived in the area for much of the 18th Century, but eventually left as America pushed westward.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shawnee {{!}} Encyclopedia.com |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/united-states-and-canada/north-american-indigenous-peoples/shawnee |access-date=April 14, 2022 |website=www.encyclopedia.com}}</ref>

=== Early American settlement ===
Ashville sits on land that had been acquired by [[Great Britain]] in 1763, following the defeat of [[France]] in the [[French and Indian War]], but was prohibited to be settled by white settlers. When the United States claimed the region following the [[American Revolutionary War]], the area became part of the [[Congress Lands East of Scioto River]] and was first surveyed in 1799 as part of the Scioto River Base Surveys.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Knepper |first=George |title=The official Ohio lands book |publisher=[[Ohio Auditor of State]] |year=2002 |location=Columbus, Ohio |pages=43 |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:CV Patent 0030-015.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Patent of Richard Stage Jr. for ownership of land in modern day Ashville, Ohio.]]

Richard Staige (or Stage) Sr., born in [[Edinburgh]], first settled the land that would become Ashville in 1808, after migrating from Virginia. Following his death in 1811, his sons Richard Jr. and William would each build a [[distillery]] on the family's land, opening them the following year. Richard Jr. bought  the 77.57 acres they inhabited from the Chillicothe Land Office on July 6, 1816.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Patent Details - BLM GLO Records |url=https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=0030-015&docClass=CV&sid=bm0xvhfw.ae3#patentDetailsTabIndex=1 |access-date=April 14, 2022 |website=glorecords.blm.gov}}</ref>  
[[File:Mahlon Ashbrook.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Mahlon Ashbrook]]

In 1837, Richard Jr. sold his distillery to Mahlon Ashbrook. By 1845, Ashbrook had also built a [[gristmill]] on Walnut Creek and owned a large store that was run by his sister Iva "Ivy" and her husband Daniel Kellerman, who went on to be the first postmaster of the town, which was named Ashbrook at the time. That same year, Ashbrook helped lay out the town with the building of 25 new houses.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Van Cleaf |first=Aaron |title=History of Pickaway County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens |publisher=Biographical Publishing Company |year=1906 |location=Chicago, IL |publication-date=1978 |pages=127–128 |language=en}}</ref>

In 1853, Ashbrook, was voted to the Railroad Committee for the speedy construction for rails to cover Ross, Pickaway, and Franklin Counties.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Railroad Record, and Journal of Commerce, Banking, Manufactures and Statistics |date=1853}}</ref> The route of the railroad (like the canals before it) had a great effect on the success of the development of the area. Ashbrook manufactured barrels for the mill and distillery, and also had some outside trade in that line.

The Ashbrook businesses failed in 1855, following his endorsement of a promissory note for a friend.  When the friend failed to pay, Ashbrook was in debt for tens of thousands of dollars and lost much of his wealth to his creditors.<ref>{{cite book |title=Biography Found in Portrait and biographical record of Buchanan and Clinton counties, Missouri. |page=422}}</ref> Ashbrook migrated west, leaving part of his family behind.

Like most of America, the town suffered a setback due to the [[Panic of 1857]]. The growth of the town was further hampered by the onset of the [[American Civil War]].

===Railroad boom===
{{See also|Little Chicago, Ohio|Ashville Depot}}
The construction of the Scioto Valley Railroad through Ashville, under the supervision of lead engineer [[Isham Randolph]], began in 1874. This caused a new flurry of both population and economic growth, including the building of two new [[grain elevator]]s. Railroad employees, most notably bridge builders, settled in the northern reaches of Ashville in what has become [[Little Chicago, Ohio|Little Chicago]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Hines |first=Bob |date=February 1, 2020 |title=Scioto Valley Railroad Bridge Builders and Greek Gandy Dancers in Ashville |pages=11–12 |work=Official Newsletter of Ohio’s Small Town Museum |url=http://ohiosmalltownmuseum.org/Newsletters/2020aahsnewsletter.pdf |access-date=April 14, 2022}}</ref> A year later, in 1875, the post office was reestablished after it had been closed following the shuttering of the Ashbrook businesses and a [[train station]] was opened in 1876.  Finally, after nearly 70 years following the original settlement, the village was incorporate as Ashville in the Spring of 1882.

In 1890, the population of Ashville reached 430 citizens and the area's first [[volunteer fire department]] was created, as well as [[cistern]]s were built throughout the village. That same year, [[Norfolk and Western Railway]] acquired the Scioto Valley Railroad following its demise.

[[File:Sciola Canning Co. Ashville O (14087862741).jpg|thumb|Scioto Valley (Sciola) Canning Company]]
Over the next ten years, the village population grew at a rate of more than 50%. This was aided by the establishment of major businesses, which included the Scioto Valley Canning Factory that was built in 1899. The factory, which canned [[sweet corn]], at its peak, employed 540 employees who were able to produce upwards of 200,000 cans of corn per day. Dozens of other businesses sprang up as well to accommodate the growth, including [[blacksmith]]s, a [[lumber yard]], a hotel, and even an [[opera house]].<ref name=":1" />

In 1904, Scioto Valley Traction Company opened a railway in town that powered their engines by electricity using a [[third rail]]. This line sent passenger and freight traffic from [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]] to [[Chillicothe, Ohio|Chillicothe]]. The line operated until September 1930. The depot remains on West Main Street.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Scioto Valley Transit Company |url=https://www.railsandtrails.com/SVTC/index.html |access-date=April 14, 2022 |website=www.railsandtrails.com}}</ref>

Around 1910, the [[Chesapeake and Ohio Railway]] (which later became [[CSX Transportation|CSX]]) was built on the western edge of town. With the construction several [[gandy dancer]]s settled in Little Chicago. The workers were primarily of [[Greeks|Greek]] and [[Bulgarians|Bulgarian]] descent according to Census records.<ref name=":2" /> The population of the town had ballooned to over 970 by that time.

Following Ashville's quick growth, it became the second most populated area in Pickaway County.

=== Small town status ===
[[File:One-of-a-kind Traffic Light.jpg|thumb|An unusual traffic light on display at the Ashville Museum]]
Though the rail lines remained operational, the population growth of the village slowed. Over the next three decades the population grew by only 129 citizens. Additionally, the reduction of growth was compounded by the effects of the [[Great Depression]].

A population spike happened again in the 1950s and 1960s as Ashville became a residential town when new homes started popping up west of Long Street. Though many businesses had fizzled out, new large employers began to target Ashville including Columbus Industries which opened their plant in 1970.<ref>{{Cite web |title=D1300050000238 - County Auditor Website, Pickaway County, Ohio |url=https://auditor.pickawaycountyohio.gov/Parcel?Parcel=D1300050000238 |access-date=April 14, 2022 |website=auditor.pickawaycountyohio.gov}}</ref> During this time Ashville also became the hub of a newly formed school district when [[Teays Valley Local School District]] built their high school in 1963 and housed their district offices within the village.

The next major growth step happened in 1994 when home builders, such as M/I Homes, built the first modern [[Subdivision (land)|subdivisions]] in Ashville.<ref>{{Cite web |title=D1300310000107 - County Auditor Website, Pickaway County, Ohio |url=https://auditor.pickawaycountyohio.gov/Parcel?Parcel=D1300310000107 |access-date=April 14, 2022 |website=auditor.pickawaycountyohio.gov}}</ref> The two major subdivisions were [[Ashton Village, Ohio|Ashton Village]] and Ashton Woods, which are located on the northside of town. Both sites together brought in nearly 100 new homes.

=== Continued growth ===
Since 1990, Ashville remains one of the fastest growing areas in Pickaway County. Several new housing developments, apartments, and condominiums have been built and the expansion of [[Rickenbacker International Airport]] Global Logistics Park and the [[Norfolk Southern Railway]] [[Intermodal freight transport|Intermodal]] Terminal, that was built in 2008, have created thousands of jobs for the area.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK) {{!}} Cargo, Freight, Transportation & Logistics |url=https://rickenbackeradvantage.com/ |access-date=April 14, 2022 |website=rickenbackeradvantage.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Geography==
Ashville is located in the [[Scioto River]] Valley and has an elevation of 715 feet (218 m) above sea level.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Geographic Names Information System |url=https://edits.nationalmap.gov/apps/gaz-domestic/public/summary/2398001 |access-date=April 18, 2022 |website=edits.nationalmap.gov}}</ref> The village is located in the [[till plain]]-area of Western Ohio and borders the [[Appalachian Plateau]]. The area is generally viewed to be a fertile region with gently rolling hills created by [[moraine]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ohio's Geological Regions |url=http://touringohio.com/history/ohio-5-regions.html |access-date=April 18, 2022 |website=touringohio.com}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the village has a total area of {{convert|2.51|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all of it land.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |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 |access-date=January 6, 2013 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

=== Glacial activity ===
The area on which present-day Ashville sits was effected by three [[Glacier|glacial]] periods. Those periods were [[Pre-Illinoian]] Glaciation, [[Illinoian (stage)|Illinoian]] Glaciation, and [[Wisconsin glaciation]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Division of Geological Survey |title=The Ice Age in Ohio |url=https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-ODNR/geologic-survey/glacial-geology/ice-age-in-ohio |access-date=April 18, 2022 |website=Ohio Department of Natural Resources}}</ref>

* Pre-Illinoian Glaciation - The first impact of glaciers in Ashville occurred about 780,000 years ago during the [[Pleistocene|Pleistocene epoch]]. The glacier, which stopped right at Ashville's location, dammed the pre-glacial [[Teays River]] just south of the village, which created [[Lake Tight]]. The former Teays River would go on to become a significant [[aquifer]] for the area.
* Illinoian Glaciation  - Approximately 190,000 to 130,000 years ago, a glacier once again covered the area. Much of the effects of this glacier were covered by the subsequent Wisconsin glaciation that started 100,000 years later.
* Wisconsin Glaciation - The last ice to be in the area began 35,000 years ago and ended approximately 12,000 years ago. The [[Laurentide Ice Sheet]] stretched into Ohio with the Lake Huron lobe being the most prominent major lobe. The Scioto minor lobe, which helped create the Scioto River, stretched over the area and created the modern day terrain.

=== Rivers, creeks, and brooks ===
The Village is part of the Walnut Creek watershed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Walnut Creek Watershed |url=http://balancedgrowthplanning.morpc.org/WalnutCreek.aspx |access-date=April 18, 2022 |website=balancedgrowthplanning.morpc.org}}</ref>  Walnut Creek is a tributary of the Scioto River that forms the southern border of Ashville and runs into the river approximately 2.5 miles southwest of the village. The Walnut Creek is intersected by the Little Walnut Creek approximately .25 miles southeast of the village and by Mud Run, a brook that runs through the western fringes of the village, 1.7 miles southwest.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 430
|1900= 654
|1910= 972
|1920= 1032
|1930= 1085
|1940= 1101
|1950= 1303
|1960= 1639
|1970= 1772
|1980= 2046
|1990= 2254
|2000= 3174
|2010= 4097
|2020= 4529
|estyear= 2023
|estimate= 4760
|estref= <ref name="2023 est"/>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015 }}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="www.census.gov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=June 6, 2023}}</ref> of 2020, there were 4,529 people, 1,891 households, and 1,320 families living in the village. The median household income for the village was $60,293.

===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 4,097 people, 1,598 households, and 1,100 families living in the village. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1632.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,731 housing units at an average density of {{convert|689.6|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the village was 96.7% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.0% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.4% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.3% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.1% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.4% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] people of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 1,598 households, of which 41.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.2% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.05.

The median age in the village was 32.8 years. 29.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.6% were from 25 to 44; 21.9% were from 45 to 64; and 9.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 3,174 people, 1,243 households, and 872 families living in the village. The population density was {{convert|2,035.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,337 housing units at an average density of {{convert|857.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the village was 97.83% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.19% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.32% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.06% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.19% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.42% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] people of any race were 1.07% of the population.

There were 1,243 households, out of which 40.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 29.6% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $40,778, and the median income for a family was $47,092. Males had a median income of $35,236 versus $22,231 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $16,645. About 6.3% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==
[[File:AshvilleOH17.JPG|right|175px|thumb|Ashville Administrative Building]]
Ashville is governed by the [[Mayor–council government|mayor–council]] system of government.  It consists of a mayor and six council members at-large, all elected by village residents. Since 1985, elected offices are non-partisan and serve four-year terms.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Village of Ashville Council |title=CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF ASHVILLE / PART ONE - ADMINISTRATIVE CODE |url=https://ashvilleohio.gov/images/village-council-members/duties_of_village_council.pdf |access-date=April 12, 2022 |website=Village of Ashville}}</ref>

=== Mayor ===
The mayor is responsible for overseeing the village's police department, appointing and managing village employees, presiding over [[Mayor's Court]], and overseeing the village's finances. In addition to independent duties, the mayor is the president of the Council, but does not vote unless there is a tie.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ashville Village Council |title=Duties of Mayor |url=http://www.ashvilleohio.gov/images/mayor-wise/Duties_of_Mayor.pdf |access-date=April 12, 2022 |website=Village of Ashville}}</ref>

The current mayor of Ashville is Steve Welsh who is the first elected mayor following the death of Charles (Chuck) Wise who was the longest serving mayor, having served in the capacity for 22 years.

==== List of mayors ====
As of 2024<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wise |first=Charles |title=Ashville Mayors History |url=http://www.ashvilleohio.gov/images/mayor-wise/Ashville_MayorsHistory.pdf |access-date=April 12, 2022 |website=Village of Ashville}}</ref>{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* 1882–1884; 1886: W. R. Julian
* 1885: Charles Steward
* 1887–1889: S. D. Fridley
* 1890–1896: W. M. Miller
* 1897–1900: A. S. Longenbaugh
* 1901–1902: E. S. Workman
* 1903–1905: G. A. Hook
* 1906–1907; 1932–1935; 1938–1939: E. E. Frunfelter
* 1908: H. J. Bond
* 1909–1911; 1926–1927: E. E. Smith
* 1912–1919: G. W. Morrison
* 1920–1921: John Wilson
* 1922–1923: A. E. Reichelderfer
* 1924–1925: G. T. Peters
* 1925; 1928–1929: J. L. Spindler
* 1930–1931: S. D. Fridley
* 1936–1937: Harry Margulis
* 1940–1943: Fred J. Hines
* 1944–1945: Tom R. Acord
* 1946–1947: Harry A. Litten
* 1948–1951: Elmer Malone
* 1952–1954: Raymond R. Lindsey
* 1955–1962: Richard B. Bozman
* 1963–1967: Charles W. Morrison
* 1968–1974: Harold Hartley
* 1975: James Hopper
* 1975–1979: Max Cormany
* 1980–1982: Albert Johnston
* 1982–1992: Marvin Hicks
* 1992–1995: Peggy Pritchard
* 1995–2000: Jane Cline 
* 2000–2023: Charles K. Wise
* 2023: Nelson Embrey II
* 2024–present: Steve Welsh
{{div col end}}

=== Village council ===
The village council holds legislative authority over the municipality and performs no administrative duties. The body passes ordinances and resolutions to manage and control the village's development, finances, and property. As of 2023, the council members are Randy Loveless ([[President pro tempore]]), Roger L. Clark, Colton Henson, David Rainey, and Matt Scholl.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Village Council |url=https://ashvilleohio.gov/index.php/village-government/village-council/16-village-of-ashville/191-village-council |access-date=April 12, 2022 |website=ashvilleohio.gov}}</ref>

==Education==

=== Schools ===

==== Teays Valley Local Schools ====
{{Main|Teays Valley Local School District}}
Prior to 1963, [[Harrison Township, Pickaway County, Ohio|Harrison Township]] and the village had operated Ashville Harrison School which graduated its last class in 1962, and had 44 students.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ashville Harrison High School Reunion - Class of 1962 |url=https://www.circlevilleherald.com/community/ashville-harrison-high-school-reunion---class-of-1962/article_08d26bb6-e498-53b6-bf1e-e4cb32b81cd3.html |access-date=April 12, 2022 |website=Circleville Herald |language=en}}</ref>  The district combined with two neighboring districts in the Fall of 1962 to form Teays Valley.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Fullen |first=Larry |title=The Broncos of 1945 |publisher=AuthorHouse |year=2010 |isbn=9781449077211 |location=Bloomington, Indiana}}</ref> The district currently operates three schools within the village's boundaries, which include [[Teays Valley High School]], East Middle School, and Ashville Elementary.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.tvsd.us/highschool_home.aspx | title=Teays Valley High School | publisher=Teays Valley Local School District | access-date=March 3, 2018}}</ref>

==== Brooks-Yates School ====
Brooks-Yates was a school operated by Pickaway County Board of Developmental Disabilities that provided services to Pickaway County students with [[Developmental disability|developmental disabilities]]. The school was moved to Teays Valley's main campus in Ashville from [[Circleville, Ohio|Circleville]] in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ohio Association of County Boards of DD - Brooks-Yates School considers possible relocation |url=http://www.oacbdd.org/news/2015/07/15/in-the-news/brooks-yates-school-considers-possible-relocation/ |access-date=April 12, 2022 |website=www.oacbdd.org |language=en}}</ref> The school ultimately closed in 2021, following a decline in enrollment.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brooks-Yates School To Close |url=https://littermedia.com/2021/03/brooks-yates-school-to-close/ |access-date=April 12, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==== CSCC – Pickaway County Center ====
{{Main|Columbus State Community College}}
A regional campus of Columbus State Community College was once located at Teays Valley High School. As of 2022, the campus is no longer active.

=== Library ===
[[File:AshvilleOH11.JPG|right|175px|thumb|Floyd E. Younkin Branch Library]]
Ashville has a public library, located on Long Street. The Floyd E. Younkin Branch is part of the Pickaway County Library system and was opened in 1999 after  local business owners, the Younkin family, donated funds to open the location.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pickawaylib.org/locations/ | title=Locations | publisher=Pickaway County Library | access-date=March 3, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303164606/http://pickawaylib.org/locations/ | archive-date=March 3, 2018 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.circlevilleherald.com/news/in-the-books-floyd-e-younkin-library-celebrates-15-years/article_f1b6e5e4-5b67-564d-ba7e-f8c6c479f433.html | title=In the Books: Floyd e. Younkin Library celebrates 15 years }}</ref>

==Arts and culture==

=== Churches ===
[[File:AshvilleOH27.JPG|right|175px|thumb|Village Chapel Church]]
Five Christian churches operate within the village limits. The churches that are currently operating are [[Churches of Christ in Christian Union|Ashville Church of Christ in Christian Union]], Heritage Church of Christ, [[Lutheran Church|First English Lutheran Church]], Village Chapel Church, and [[United Methodist Church|Zion United Methodist Church]]. First English Lutheran was the founding member of the Ashville Food Pantry which is located on Long Street at the village's center.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wise |first=Charles K. |date=October 28, 2020 |title=The Mayor's Column - Ashville Food Pantry |pages=1 |work=The Friendly Community Newsletter |url=https://ashvilleohio.gov/images/newsletter/2020/2020-1810.pdf |access-date=April 13, 2022}}</ref>

=== Community Park ===
[[File:AshvilleOH25.JPG|right|175px|thumb|Ashville Community Park]]
Ashville has one public park which is called the Ashville Community Park. The 10-acre park was deeded to the community on April 4, 1921, with the stipulation that the village used it for athletic and park purposes, by a community club that had purchased the tract a year earlier for $3,000. The club also built an indoor shelter house before donating the land. Shortly after the acquisition, the village built a baseball field with concrete bleachers and a quarter-mile [[cinder track]] for community and school use. Ashville went on to install a playground, an outdoor shelter house, pickleball courts, basketball courts, restrooms and a [[gazebo]].<ref name=":0" /> The park is host location of the annual Fourth of July Celebration and Viking Festival.

==== Fourth of July Celebration ====
Ashville's [[Fourth of July]] Celebration has taken place since 1929, and annually brings thousands of people to the community.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ashville 4th of July Celebration {{!}} About |url=http://ashville4thofjuly.com/about/about.html |access-date=April 12, 2022 |website=ashville4thofjuly.com}}</ref> Hosted by the Ashville Community Men's Club, the five-day event includes concessions, [[Amusement ride|rides]], a [[Beauty contest|queen contest]], a daily [[fish fry]], musical entertainment, parades, and a community church service. The carnival is held at Ashville Community Park, at the village's center. Fireworks cap the celebration on Independence Day night and are fired from the Teays Valley High School property.<ref>{{Cite web |author=WSYX Staff |date=May 25, 2021 |title=2021 Fourth of July fireworks and celebrations |url=https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/2021-fourth-of-july-fireworks-and-celebrations |access-date=April 12, 2022 |website=WSYX |language=en}}</ref>

==== Viking Festival ====
The Spring festival, which started in the mid-2000s, is a two-day festival that pays homage to ancient Scandinavian culture. Hundreds of people gather at the Ashville Community Park where [[Historical reenactment|reenactor]]s take up the lifestyle of the [[Vikings]] and enjoy music, food, and handcrafted goods of the time period. A [[Viking ship replica]] is located at the center of the camp along with [[jousting]] and [[swordsmanship]] exhibitions. The festival was on a temporary hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web |first=Steven |last=Collins |title=Viking Festival survives Ragnarok to return in 2022 |url=https://www.circlevilleherald.com/news/viking-festival-survives-ragnarok-to-return-in-2022/article_5e9fa434-89c0-11ec-993e-2f7feb32ce02.html |access-date=April 12, 2022 |website=Circleville Herald |language=en}}</ref> In 2022, the festival returned with the addition of a [[beer garden]].

=== Museums ===

==== Ashville Depot ====
{{Main|Ashville Depot}}
[[File:AshvilleOH18.JPG|right|175px|thumb|Ashville Depot]]
The Ashville Depot is a former, and the only remaining, train station for the Scioto Valley Railway. Built in 1876 and closed in 1976, this weatherboard building was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1980. It is located at the intersection of Madison and Cromley Streets.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Details {{!}} Ohio National Register Searchable Database Application |url=http://nr.ohpo.org/Details.aspx?refnum=80003209 |access-date=April 13, 2022 |website=nr.ohpo.org}}</ref> The building acts as a meeting place and railroad museum. It is currently owned and operated by the Ashville Community Men's Club.<ref>{{Cite web |title=D1300050001300 - County Auditor Website, Pickaway County, Ohio |url=https://auditor.pickawaycountyohio.gov/Parcel?Parcel=D1300050001300 |access-date=April 13, 2022 |website=auditor.pickawaycountyohio.gov}}</ref>

==== Ohio's Small Town Museum ====
[[File:AshvilleOH10.JPG|right|175px|thumb|Ohio's Small Town Museum]]
In 1978, the Ashville Area Heritage Society opened what became Ohio's Small Town Museum in a former [[silent film]] theater, known by locals as the Rocky Dreamland Theatre. The project was spearheaded by longtime village leader Charlie Morrison and researcher Bob Hines.<ref>https://www.ohiosmalltownmuseum.org/about-us</ref> The museum is home to local memorabilia including a 17-star [[United States flags|United States flag]], a [[buoy]] from the sunken [[battleship]], [[USS Maine (1889)|USS ''Maine'']], and the still-working traffic light that was invented by resident Teddy Boor in 1932.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ludlow |first=Randy |title=Museum shows off quaint, quirky |pages=B2 |work=[[The Columbus Dispatch]] |url=https://ohiosmalltownmuseum.org/Museum%20Shows%20Off%20Quaint%20and%20Quirky-180.pdf |access-date=April 13, 2022}}</ref> The museum claims that the traffic light is the world's oldest traffic light, a claim that the village itself supports.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World's Oldest Traffic Light, Ashville, Ohio |url=https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2927 |access-date=April 13, 2022 |website=RoadsideAmerica.com |language=en}}</ref> This claim was again supported by [[Guinness World Records]] by naming it the Oldest Functioning Traffic Light.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oldest functional traffic light |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/100355-oldest-functional-traffic-light |access-date=April 13, 2022 |website=Guinness World Records |language=en-gb}}</ref>

==== Old Town Jail Museum ====
The Old Town Jail Museum is located at the corner of Cherry and Long Streets. Built in 1886, the building served as police headquarters until 1988. In 2021, the village established a museum that pays tribute to the village's criminal justice history. Other parts of the building are used for Council chambers and the village's streets department.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reporter |first=STEVEN COLLINS Circleville Herald Senior |title=Old Town Jail Museum opens in Ashville |url=https://www.circlevilleherald.com/news/old-town-jail-museum-opens-in-ashville/article_c487a198-0505-5e82-874d-63f1d5f625aa.html |access-date=April 13, 2022 |website=Circleville Herald |language=en}}</ref>

==Notable residents==
* [[Harley H. Christy]], [[World War I]] hero and Vice Admiral
* [[Champ Henson]], former [[Cincinnati Bengals]] player 
* [[John Holmes (pornographic actor)|John Holmes]], [[pornographic actor]]
* [[Ron Hood]], politician and [[2022 Ohio gubernatorial election|2022 Ohio gubernatorial]] candidate 
* [[William Ashbrook Kellerman]], mycologist, journal founder, explorer and photographer
* [[Seth Mosley]], Christian music singer and producer
* [[Isham Randolph]], Chicago and Panama Canal civil engineer
* [[Brian Stewart (politician)|Brian Stewart]], politician

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.ashvilleohio.gov Village website]

{{Pickaway County, Ohio}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in Pickaway County, Ohio]]
[[Category:Villages in Ohio]]