Bellefontaine is a city located in Logan County, Ohio. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 13,069. It is the county seat of Logan County, and the highest point in Ohio (Campbell Hill³) is within its city limits.

Name and History

The name is locally pronounced "Bell Fountin", with the emphasis on the "Foun". The name means "beautiful fountain" in French, and is purported to refer to several springs in the area.[1]

Circa 1770, the Shawnee nation built a settlement here, named Blue Jacket's Town after chief Blue Jacket (Weyapiersenwah).  The date of the founding of Blue Jacket's Town is not known, but the missionary David Jones writes in his journal that he left this town on January 22, 1773 for Chillicothe.[2]  Beginning in the 1800's, Revolutionary War veterans and others from Virginia and elsewhere began settling in the area of Blue Jacket's Town.  Bellefontaine is on or near the edge of the Virginia Military District, and the Treaty of Greenville delineating lands to be held by Americans from those to be held by Natives was poorly administered in the area.  

In 1820, the town of Bellefontaine was officially laid out. In 1837, the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad built the first railroad in Bellefontaine. This began Bellefontaine's reputation as a railroading town. This reputation was cemented in the 1890's, when the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (also called the Big Four Railroad) built a main terminal here. This terminal also boasted the largest roundhouse between New York and Saint Louis.[3]

Though railroading hit hard times in the late 20th century, and the Big Four terminal ceased operations in 1983, Bellefontaine remains a landmark on America's railways. The city is at the junction of CSX lines going to Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Dayton.

In 1891, Bellefontaine became the location of the first concrete street in America. See more at entry for George Bartholomew.

Geography

Bellefontaine is located at 40°21'39" North, 83°45'29" West (40.360878, -83.758126)¹.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.7 km² (8.8 mi²). 22.7 km² (8.8 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 13,069 people, 5,319 households, and 3,436 families residing in the city. The population density is 576.0/km² (1,491.3/mi²). There are 5,722 housing units at an average density of 252.2/km² (652.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 90.82% White, 5.13% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 2.40% from two or more races. 1.12% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 5,319 households out of which 34.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% are married couples living together, 14.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% are non-families. 30.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.43 and the average family size is 3.01.

In the city the population is spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females there are 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 86.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $36,029, and the median income for a family is $42,126. Males have a median income of $34,637 versus $22,849 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,781. 14.6% of the population and 12.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 20.7% of those under the age of 18 and 7.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Points of Interest

McKinley Street: Whether or not this is the shortest street in the world is the point of some contention. The sign at the street's south end (at the intersection of Columbus Ave.) makes this claim. However, Elgin Street in the municipal borough of Bacup, Lancashire, England also is claimed to be the world's shortest, at 17 feet (5.2 m)[4]. The City of Bellefontaine's website is of little help in resolving this dispute; it places the length of McKinley Street at "about 20 feet". Curiously, the city's website does not repeat the claim of the world's shortest street. Instead, the city claims McKinley Street is "the shortest street in America".

McKinley Street is not also the first concrete street in the United States. That distinction belongs to Court Avenue, also located in Bellefontaine. Court Avenue was paved in 1891 by George Bartholomew, who was recognized for his innovation at the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Bartholomew, then, could be considered the inventor of modern concrete pavement.[5]

Education

The Bellefontaine City Schools operate four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school in the area. These schools have a combined enrollment of 2,840. In addition, the Ohio Hi-Point Vocational School, located atop Campbell Hill, offers both secondary and post-secondary education. Enrolled at Ohio Hi-Point are 505 students.

Several colleges and universities operate satellite campuses in the Bellefontaine area. These include:

• Ohio State University
• Urbana University

Famous past and present residents

• Blue Jacket (Weyapiersenwah), Shawnee chief
• George Bartholomew, inventor
• Norman Vincent Peale, minister and author
• The Mills Brothers, entertainers
• Walter Alston, baseball manager

External links