Athens, Ohio
Encyclopedia
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of, Athens County, Ohio
Athens County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,223 people, 22,501 households, and 12,713 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 24,901 housing units at an average density of 49 per square mile...
, United States. It is located along the Hocking River in the southeastern part of Ohio. A historic college town
College town
A college town or university town is a community which is dominated by its university population...
, Athens is home to Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
and is the principal city of the Athens, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area
United States micropolitan area
United States Micropolitan Statistical Areas , as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget, are urban areas in the United States based around a core city or town with a population of 10,000 to 49,999. The micropolitan area designation was created in 2003...
. The official population of Athens in the 2010 U.S. Census was 23,832.
Athens is a qualified Tree City USA
Tree City USA
Tree City USA is a tree planting and tree care program sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation for cities and towns in the United States.- Requirements :...
as recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation
National Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is the world's oldest and largest tree-planting organization. The foundation began September 3, 1971 with a mission "to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees". The Foundation is supported by donations, selling trees and merchandise, and by corporate sponsors...
.
Mound Builders
The Mound Builders were groups of Native Americans who built large earthen mounds along the Mississippi and Ohio River Tributary Systems. Together these groups left behind thousands of mounds in the eastern United States. While these groups were spread out throughout this region, some lived in and around Athens, Ohio, from about 1000 B.C. to A.D. 700, producing over two hundred mounds in Athens County alone. The Mound Builders of Ohio are separated into two overlapping chronological groups: the builders of effigy mounds, the Adena cultureAdena culture
The Adena culture was a Pre-Columbian Native American culture that existed from 1000 to 200 BC, in a time known as the early Woodland Period. The Adena culture refers to what were probably a number of related Native American societies sharing a burial complex and ceremonial system...
, c. 1000 B.C. to A.D. 200; and the builders of burial mounds, the Hopewell, c. 300 B.C. to A.D. 700.
Woodland Indians
The Woodland Indians or the indigenous peoples of the Eastern Woodlands was a cultural group of Native Americans that occupied the Athens area at the time of first contact with Europeans. The many tribes of the Northeast section of the Eastern Woodlands spoke dialects of either the Algonquian or Iroquois languages.The French explorer La Salle
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, or Robert de LaSalle was a French explorer. He explored the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, the Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico...
came through the Ohio country near Athens in 1669 on his first expedition. The Ohio forests were described as being plentiful in chestnuts, hickory nuts, plums, and grapes which they collected for their journey. La Salle greatly admired the birch bark canoes of the Woodland Indians and vowed to take one back to Paris.
In the decades preceding the first expedition of La Salle into Ohio, the whole region had been devastated by a series of brutal and genocidal wars mostly between the Algonquian tribes and the Iroquois tribes in the northeastern Woodland Indian region. These wars are known as the Beaver Wars
Beaver Wars
The Beaver Wars, also sometimes called the Iroquois Wars or the French and Iroquois Wars, commonly refers to a series of conflicts fought in the mid-17th century in eastern North America...
. France claimed all of the Ohio country as part of New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
and the Dutch claimed New York, then New Netherland
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
. At stake was control of the lucrative fur trade and the French backed the Algonquian tribes and the Dutch and British backed the Iroquois. With guns and ammunition supplied by the Dutch, the Iroquois Seneca tribe attacked the Erie tribe of northern Ohio relentlessly over a two-year period (1654–1656) until the whole Erie tribe was destroyed with only a few remnants of the surviving Erie being absorbed by the Seneca. The Shawnee strongholds in southern and western Ohio marked the western boundaries of the Iroquois conquests in the Athens region.
By the middle of the eighteenth century, the Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
, an Algonquian tribe, also known at the time as Shawanese or Showanoese, were the primary tribe of Native American Indians living in what would become Athens County. The Wyandot and Delaware
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
tribes were frequently in the Athens area in the mid-18th century, coming to the region in hunting groups or war parties. The Shawnee allied themselves with the French in the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
and later the Shawnee fought against the Americans in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and the Indian wars that followed. The Treaty of Greenville
Treaty of Greenville
The Treaty of Greenville was signed at Fort Greenville , on August 3, 1795, between a coalition of Native Americans & Frontiers men, known as the Western Confederacy, and the United States following the Native American loss at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. It put an end to the Northwest Indian War...
(1795) led to the end of all organized Native American Indian settlement in Ohio. No settlement is shown in the Athens area on an 1794 map by Thomas Kitchin
Thomas Kitchin
Thomas Kitchin was an English engraver and map-maker, who became hydrographer to the king.-Life:He was born in Southwark, and was apprenticed to Emanuel Bowen in 1732. Originally based in Clerkenwell, by late 1755 Kitchin was established on Holborn Hill. From 1773 Kitchin was royal hydrographer...
.
Americans
The first permanent European settlers arrived in Athens in 1797. In 1800, the town site was first surveyed and plotted, but was not incorporated as a village until 1811. In the meantime, Ohio became a state in 1803, and Ohio UniversityOhio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
was chartered in 1804 becoming the first public institution of higher learning in the Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory
The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio...
. Previously part of Washington County, Ohio
Washington County, Ohio
Washington County is a county located in the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 61,778. Its county seat is Marietta. The county, the oldest in the state, is named for George Washington. Washington County is included in the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, West Virginia-Ohio...
, Athens County was formed in 1805, named for the ancient center of learning, Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece.
The establishment of Ohio University in Athens would mark the first federal endowment of an educational institution in the United States. In July of 1787, the Congress of the Confederation
Congress of the Confederation
The Congress of the Confederation or the United States in Congress Assembled was the governing body of the United States of America that existed from March 1, 1781, to March 4, 1789. It comprised delegates appointed by the legislatures of the states. It was the immediate successor to the Second...
gave to the Ohio Company of Associates
Ohio Company of Associates
The Ohio Company of Associates, also known as the Ohio Company, was a land company which is today credited with becoming the first non-American Indian group to settle in the present-day state of Ohio...
“two townships of good land for the support of a literary institution” in the newly created Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory
The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio...
. During The First Session of the Second Territorial General Assembly, held in Chillicothe from November 23, 1801 to January 23, 1802, the General Assembly passed an act establishing the “American Western University” at Athens. The act was approved by Arthur St. Clair, Governor of the Northwest Territory on January 9, 1802. However, no university with the name of American Western University would be established. Ohio became a state in 1803 and on February 18, 1804, the state legislature passes an act establishing the "Ohio University" in the town of Athens. Athens received city status in 1912 following the 1910 census showing the population had passed 5,000 residents, the requirement for city status in Ohio.
Originally, large tracts of land (Athens and Alexander Townships) were set aside through a contract between the Congress (under the Articles of Confederation) and the Ohio Company of Associates, a group of American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
veterans. These lands were given to Ohio University by the Federal government. This was the first federal land grant for a university, pre-dating the Morrill Act by more than 70 years. At first, lands were mostly leased out, but the failure of many lessors to pay their rents resulted in most of the land being sold. The sale of these lands funded the growth of Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
. Today it is one of the largest institutions of higher learning in Ohio, with an enrollment of over 19,000 on the Athens campus and over 28,000 for all campuses.
The earliest industry in the area was salt production, followed by iron production and coal extraction. Today, the largest employer in the county is Ohio University.
In 1843, the Hocking Canal
Hocking Canal
The Hocking Canal was a small 19th Century canal in southern Ohio that once linked Athens to Lancaster and the Ohio and Erie Canal, but was destroyed by flooding and never rebuilt...
opened, enabling shipping from the Ohio River up the Hocking River
Hocking River
The Hocking River is a tributary of the Ohio River in southeastern Ohio in the United States.The Hocking flows mostly on the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, but its headwaters are in a glaciated region...
, which passes through Athens, to Nelsonville, Ohio
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:...
, and points beyond. However, the canal was closed during cold winters when it froze over. The first railroad reached Athens in 1857. In the late 19th century, an interurban line opened between Athens and Nelsonville and operated for some years.
The Athens Lunatic Asylum
Athens Lunatic Asylum
The Athens Lunatic Asylum was a mental hospital operated in Athens, Ohio from 1874 until 1993. During its operation, the hospital provided services to a variety of patients including Civil War veterans, children, and violent criminals suffering from various mental disabilities...
, later called the Athens State Hospital, opened in 1874. This was located on high ground to the south of town and to the south of the Hocking River, and in the late 19th century was the town's largest employer. The state hospital was eventually decommissioned and the property was deeded to Ohio University. It is now known as The Ridges
The Ridges
The Ridges are an orchestral folk rock band from Athens, Ohio. The band is made up of vocalist and guitarist Victor Rasgaitis, percussionist and vocalist Johnny Barton, and cellist and vocalist Talor Smith, who are frequently joined by up to six auxiliary musicians.- History :Formed out of the...
. Much of the building space has been renovated for offices and research space, and most of the grounds have been set aside as open space, including a land lab
Land lab
A land lab is an area of land that has been set aside for use in biological studies. Thus, it is literally an outdoor laboratory based on an area of land.Studies may be elementary or advanced...
.
Large sections of Athens and Ohio University are located in the floodplain of the Hocking River
Hocking River
The Hocking River is a tributary of the Ohio River in southeastern Ohio in the United States.The Hocking flows mostly on the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, but its headwaters are in a glaciated region...
. Over the last two centuries the town suffered from many destructive floods, including notable floods in 1832, 1873, 1907, 1937, 1949, 1964 and 1968. In 1969 the Army Corps of Engineers completed a major work that rerouted and expanded the channel of the Hocking River, for a stretch of several miles around the town, moving the river hundreds of feet to the south. That project and the ongoing efforts to maintain the channel have greatly reduced the negative effects of seasonally high river levels.
In 1904 both the U.S. Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
and the Ohio National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
were conducting training exercises at the same time at the city. When some US army regulars became drunk and caused a disturbance, they were arrested by National Guard Provosts. The regulars then attempted to free the arrested regulars; the ensuing quarrel escalated into a battle on Washington Street, during which one guardsman was killed and five others were wounded.
During the cold war
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, Athens was designated the alternate capital city of Ohio in the event that Columbus was destroyed by a Soviet nuclear strike. An exercise was held in which Governor Rhodes and the statehouse were evacuated and state government was relocated to Athens.
Geography
Athens is located in the unglaciated Allegheny PlateauUnglaciated Allegheny Plateau
The Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau is located in an arc around southeastern Ohio into western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. This area is a dissected plateau, characterized by sandstone, shale, and many coal seams...
. Athens is surrounded by hills that rise about three hundred feet from river valley to the narrow ridge tops. The county extends west from the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
, mostly centered around the lower Hocking River
Hocking River
The Hocking River is a tributary of the Ohio River in southeastern Ohio in the United States.The Hocking flows mostly on the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, but its headwaters are in a glaciated region...
watershed. According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 8.3 square miles (21.5 km²), all of it land.
Athens is located mostly on and around a south-jutting ridge bordered by a loop in the Hocking River
Hocking River
The Hocking River is a tributary of the Ohio River in southeastern Ohio in the United States.The Hocking flows mostly on the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, but its headwaters are in a glaciated region...
. The underlying geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
is mostly sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
and shale
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
, including "redbed" shale that presents a severe slip hazard when structures are built over it on hillsides. However, there are safe zones above sandstone beds, most notably the Connelsville Sandstone that outcrops high on the hillsides. The old Athens Mental Hospital grounds (now part of the university) was built on the top of a hillside in the late 1860s, and is completely stable due to its position atop the hill rather than on a slope. The recent University Courtyard Apartments is also built on similar underlying geology across a small valley, but the hilltop was extensively removed in order to create a stable base.
The city receives all its water supply from wells in unconsolidated river aquifer
Aquifer
An aquifer is a wet underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology...
s, and is reputed to be the largest city in the United States to do so.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 21,342 people, 6,271 households, and 1,906 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,560.4 people per square mile (988.0/km²). There were 6,715 housing units at an average density of 805.6 per square mile (310.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.16% White, 3.82% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.15% Native American, 4.47% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.60% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.74% from two or more races. 1.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,271 households. 12.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 22.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 5.6% had a female head of household with no husband present, and 69.6% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.72.
In the city 6.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 66.7% were from 18 to 24, 13.7% were from 25 to 44, 8.0% were from 45 to 64, and 4.9% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $17,122, and the median income for a family was $53,391. Males had a median income of $35,849 versus $28,866 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $11,061. About 14.8% of families and 51.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.1% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Ohio UniversityOhio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
is now the largest employer in Athens County. Coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
was once a huge source of employment in the county, but is now a very minor source, as the best and most available coal has been extracted. One of the manufacturing companies that once existed in Athens was the Midget Motors Corporation, makers of the small automobile, the King Midget
King Midget
King Midget was a kit car produced between 1946 and 1970 by the Midget Motors Corporation. Claud Dry and Dale Orcutt first sold the King Midget as part of their Midget Motors Supply operations in Athens, Ohio. By 1948, they began to use the name Midget Motors Manufacturing Co., too...
. The only truly heavy industry remaining in Athens is the Athens Mold & Machine Company, which is located on the near east side and primarily manufactures tire molds.
Arts and culture
Since the 1970s Athens has earned a reputation as one of the more progressive communities in Southeastern Ohio. That reputation includes democratic political leaning, presence of some intentional communities, support for use of alternative energy, development of small farms emphasizing sustainable and organic produced crops, and support for local businesses. Many of these attributes are illustrated the long established (since 1972) farmer's market currently held year round on Saturdays and Wednesdays at The Market on State on the city's east side.Folklore
Old buildings, long established cemeteries and their conjunction at a decommissioned asylum, The RidgesThe Ridges
The Ridges are an orchestral folk rock band from Athens, Ohio. The band is made up of vocalist and guitarist Victor Rasgaitis, percussionist and vocalist Johnny Barton, and cellist and vocalist Talor Smith, who are frequently joined by up to six auxiliary musicians.- History :Formed out of the...
, help inspire a persistent folk lore surrounding Athens as an especially haunted locale. Athens was vaunted as one of the top fifteen most haunted cities in America on the Fox Family Channel special "Scariest Places On Earth" that aired on October 23, 2000. Locals with knowledge of the history of the Ridges criticized the Fox portrayal as sensationalistic and misleading on details of the situation. While the haunted Athens folklore may be persistent it is not clearly substantiated by professional investigative reporters.
Museums and other points of interest
In addition to numerous venues for performing arts, Athens is home to several museums including The Kennedy Museum of art, housed in Lin Hall at The RidgesThe Ridges
The Ridges are an orchestral folk rock band from Athens, Ohio. The band is made up of vocalist and guitarist Victor Rasgaitis, percussionist and vocalist Johnny Barton, and cellist and vocalist Talor Smith, who are frequently joined by up to six auxiliary musicians.- History :Formed out of the...
, which features rotating art collections and free admission. Also located in Athens is the Athens County Historical Society & Museum, which features a collection of over 40,000 items showcasing Athens County's culture and history. The Dairy Barn is an arts and crafts center with exhibits, and educational programming, including art camp events for young children. The Athena Cinema
Athena Cinema
The Athena Cinema is a movie theater in Athens, Ohio that has been showing 35mm film movie presentations since 1915. Originally called Majestic Theatre, the name was eventually changed to Schine's Athena before being called The Athena Cinema....
, located on Court Street, is an historic movie theater that has been exhibiting films since 1915.
Music
Athens has a long musical tradition that includes local acts and events for touring musicians, performing at Ohio University and festivals in Athens. The folk song "Athens County" by Jonathan Edwards refers to Athens Ohio, where Edwards attended college in the 1970s.Bands hailing from Athens include The Snapdragons
The Snapdragons
The Snapdragons were an indie rock band from Leeds, England...
, Appalachian Death Ride, She Bears, Southeast Engine
Southeast Engine
Southeast Engine is an indie-folk-rock band from Athens, Ohio. With the help of The Wrens, the band signed with Misra Records in 2007 and released their first internationally distributed album, "A Wheel Within A Wheel," later that year...
, The Ridges
The Ridges
The Ridges are an orchestral folk rock band from Athens, Ohio. The band is made up of vocalist and guitarist Victor Rasgaitis, percussionist and vocalist Johnny Barton, and cellist and vocalist Talor Smith, who are frequently joined by up to six auxiliary musicians.- History :Formed out of the...
and the metal band Skeletonwitch
Skeletonwitch
Skeletonwitch is an American heavy metal band from Athens, Ohio formed in 2003. The band currently consists of drummer Dustin Boltjes, vocalist Chance Garnette, bassist Evan Linger, and guitarists Nate Garnette and Scott Hedrick...
. Athens native Steve Reis, a founder of the Columbus, Ohio-based band McGuffey Lane
McGuffey Lane
McGuffey Lane is an American country rock band from Columbus, Ohio. McGuffey Lane was formed in 1972 by Terry Efaw and Steve Reis, who played together under the name Scotch & Soda...
named his band after a street in Athens.
In 1973, the Ohio Valley Summer Theater began a production called the Appalachian Green Parks Project. It featured music, dance, and theater derived from the Appalachian region. The group won the Governor's Award for Community Action, released an album of music, performed at the Sylvan Amphitheater in Washington, D.C. on July 4, 1974, made numerous television appearances, provided the soundtrack for an Ohio Department Of Natural Resources public service film titled Sweet Ohio, were designated as the official Bicentennial Touring Group for the state of Ohio, and were the subject of a documentary film during their four year run.
Two former members of the Appalachian Green Parks Project, Jim McGaw and Charlie Lewis began performing with Jimmy Prouty and went on to form the New Vinton County Frogwhompers Marching, Singing, Strumming and Plucking Society in 1976, which was to become one of the most popular groups to come out of the region in the 1970s.
Annual cultural events
Several significant annual festivals and events are held in or near Athens:- Blackout Fest is held annually at The Union and features many up-and-coming national underground rock acts.
- The Athens Community Music Festival is held each August and features dozens of local bands.
- The Ohio Brew Week has been held every year in Athens since 2006. It features the best of Ohio craft brews, a homebrew competition, and a wide variety of scheduled events.
- The Hockhocking Folk Festival is held annually in May at Hocking CollegeHocking CollegeHocking College, a technical college located in Nelsonville, Ohio, in the Appalachian region of the United States offers a wide selection of curriculum, with 56 associate degree programs, as well as several certification programs.- Mission :...
. An audio slideshow of the event can be found in the Music in Athens series here - High Street Festival
- Ark Fest and other student-organized festivals.
- The Pagan Spirit GatheringPagan Spirit GatheringThe Pagan Spirit Gathering is one of the United States's oldest and largest nature spirituality festivals, organized by Circle Sanctuary...
, sponsored by Circle SanctuaryCircle SanctuaryCircle Sanctuary is a non-profit organization and legally recognized Wiccan Church based in southwestern Wisconsin, USA. Circle is the publisher of Circle Magazine, which has approximately 15,000 subscribers...
, is held near Athens during the week of the Summer solsticeSolsticeA solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year when the Sun's apparent position in the sky, as viewed from Earth, reaches its northernmost or southernmost extremes...
. - The Athens Area Sustainability Festival is held annually at the beginning of October at the Athens Fairgrounds; it began in 2001.
- The Pawpaw Festival has been held annually since 1999 in September at Lake Snowden just southwest of Athens, near AlbanyAlbany, OhioAlbany is a village in Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 808 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Albany is located at ....
. - The annual Halloween bash in AthensAthens Ohio Halloween Block PartyHalloween in Athens Ohio is an annual Block Party in Uptown Athens, Ohio. Although called a Block Party the festivities span several blocks and revelers can be found at house parties around the city. On the closest Saturday to Halloween Court St. in Uptown Athens is closed to traffic and stages are...
caters to roughly 20,000 to 30,000 dressed up partygoers on four closed blocks of downtown streets. It is touted to be the third largest block party in the nation. - The annual Boogie on the Bricks is a fast growing, all day event held in July. It allowed drinking of alcoholic beverages in the streets during a limited time for the first time in the history of the town in 2006.
- For many years, an annual Springfest was held on the OU Campus. Primarily due to changes in state alcohol laws, it was replaced by an annual event at Ervin's Big Red Barn (and field), a private "party-farm" just outside the city. After the move, the festival was originally called Derby days and, starting in 2004, the festival name is changed each year to represent the number of years it has been held (for example, 2011 was 8Fest).
- Athens DIY Fest (Do-It-Yourself Festival)
- PalmerfestPalmerfestPalmerfest is an annual block party in Athens, Ohio, usually taking place annually in May on Palmer Street near the city's eastern edge. Palmer Street is a major student neighborhood of Ohio University...
and other street parties attended by mainly Ohio U students. - Lobsterfest is an annual free concert hosted by Ohio U's All Campus Radio Network.
- Ohio University sponsors an annual Literary Festival every spring. The three-day festival began in 1986 and includes lectures and readings by visiting authors. Recent guests: Billy Collins, Amy Hempel, Marilynne Robinson, George Saunders, and Tobias Wolff.
- Since 1983, the 970WATH-Power 105 Chili Bowl has been an annual event and each year raises money for a charity. Currently it takes place in October, at The Market on State.
- Hookah in the hills, an annual festival held twice a year at Poston Lake Music Park in the Spring and Fall, featuring the Columbus based band Ekoostik Hookah, as well as other local bands.
- The annual Athens International Film and Video Festival is one of the few festivals that are on the official list of Academy Award-qualifying festivals.
Sports
Intercollegiate athletics at Ohio University provide excitement for fans with the most popular games in town being Ohio BobcatsOhio Bobcats
Ohio University features 16 varsity sports teams called the Bobcats. The Bobcats compete in the Mid-American Conference in all sports. The Bobcats were a charter member of the Mid-American Conference in 1946 and are the only team still in the conference from the original 5 team league that...
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and women's volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
. The 2010 Sporting News list of the "best sports cities" ranked Athens 98 out of 402 eligible cities, putting it ahead of much larger cities such as Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
; El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
; Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
; and Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
.http://aol.sportingnews.com/nhl/feed/2010-10/best-sports-city/story/sweet-home-chicago-best-sports-city-2010
In addition to Ohio Bobcats
Ohio Bobcats
Ohio University features 16 varsity sports teams called the Bobcats. The Bobcats compete in the Mid-American Conference in all sports. The Bobcats were a charter member of the Mid-American Conference in 1946 and are the only team still in the conference from the original 5 team league that...
athletics, Athens is home to the Southern Ohio Copperheads
Southern Ohio Copperheads
The Southern Ohio Copperheads are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Athens, Ohio. The team is a member of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League, one of eight leagues in the National Alliance of Summer Baseball. The Copperheads play their home games at Bob Wren Stadium, which is also...
, a baseball team of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League
Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League
The Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League is an collegiate summer baseball league in the Great Lakes region of the United States that is affiliated with the Alliance of Summer College Baseball and comprises teams with collegiate baseball players from around North America. Players are not paid so...
.
Athens City Schools fields teams at the Middle School (7th & 8th grades) and at Athens High School
Athens High School (The Plains, Ohio)
Athens High School is a public high school in The Plains, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Athens City School District []. Their mascot is a Bulldog and their colors are green and gold....
as the 'Green & Gold' Bulldogs with over 14 male/female teams offered.
Parks and recreation
The City of Athens Ohio Community Recreation center offers programming in athletics, childcare, sports camps, community events and more. Located in the East State Street area, the center is accessible from the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway. Facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, a skate park, fitness equipment, event rental facilities, playgroundsThe Arts, Parks and Recreation Department actively supports a variety of initiatives. It sponsors adult summer and fall slow-pitch softball that is popular among residents in Athens and the county, though the separate men and women's leagues have fallen apart this year. Co-ed softball continues its popularity, however. Youth sports, such as soccer and little league, are also supported by local residents. In addition, the department maintains the Athens Skate Park
Athens Skate park
The Athens Skate Park is, as the name states, a skatepark located in Athens, Ohio. The park was at one time the only skatepark in the world to feature a capsule . The park was built by Grindline Skateparks in 2003 and is the second-largest concrete skatepark in Ohio behind the Kettering street...
, which is the second largest skate park in Ohio. Several city parks and play grounds.
Soccer fields. Recreation center. Arts West. Athens operates two off-leash enclosed dog parks.
The City has been developing an extensive scenic trail system in the city lands, adjacent Strouds Run State Park, and the Blair Preserve owned by the Athens Conservancy.
Strouds Run State Park
Strouds Run State Park
Strouds Run State Park is an Ohio state park located primarily in Canaan Township, Athens County, Ohio, with a small part in Ames Township. It comprises , and includes Dow Lake, a artificial lake. The lake is stocked on a yearly basis with several kinds of fish. It has been stocked with rainbow...
is located just outside the city, bordering the city line. This park features 2606 acres (10.5 km²) of wooded hills, including many bluffs
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
and rock shelter
Rock shelter
A rock shelter is a shallow cave-like opening at the base of a bluff or cliff....
s, centered around a man-made lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
. Camping is available.
The City of Athens has recently established the Strouds Ridge Preserve
Strouds Ridge Preserve
The Strouds Ridge Preserve is a project of Athens, Ohio, to create a greenbelt buffer and trail system on the outskirts of the city. This effort began in 2002, and has so far involved the acquisition of three parcels of land, for a total of , in two discontinuous tracts. All these properties,...
project, currently including some 345 acres (139.6 ha), to save land from development adjacent to the state park. This preserve includes an 85 acre (340,000 m²) old-growth forest known as "Hawk Woods", or, more formally, the Dale & Jacki Riddle State Nature Preserve
Riddle State Nature Preserve
Hawk Woods is an old-growth forest located in central Athens County, Ohio, outside the city of Athens, Ohio. It comprises 106 acres "within the Low Hills Belt section of the Allegheny Plateau". Of these 106 acres, about 85 acres are in the area cited as old-growth forest...
. Also adjacent to the state park is the 75 acres (303,514.5 m²) Blair Preserve, owned by the Athens Conservancy
Athens Conservancy
The Athens Conservancy is a 501 land trust based in Athens County, Ohio. It was founded in 2003. It owns and manages four nature preserves in Athens County:...
.
Bikeways
The Hockhocking Adena Bikeway is a multi-use asphalt trail with its main hub (mile marker 0) at the Athens Community Center on East State Street. The trail extends 16.4 miles (26.4 km) northwest to Robbins' Crossing and Hocking CollegeHocking College
Hocking College, a technical college located in Nelsonville, Ohio, in the Appalachian region of the United States offers a wide selection of curriculum, with 56 associate degree programs, as well as several certification programs.- Mission :...
near Nelsonville
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:...
, and approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) further east along East State Street to Holzer Clinic. Construction currently underway will extend the trail farther in this direction. Access points with parking are located at mile 4 at the West State Street Park, mile 10.2 off Rt. 682 in The Plains, and mile 16.4 at Robbins' Crossing and Hocking College. The trail, which generally follows the course of the Hocking River, provides access to the East State Street commercial areas, Ohio University's campus (at South Green and Peden Stadium
Peden Stadium
Peden Stadium is a American football stadium on the banks of the Hocking River in Athens, Ohio. It has been the home of the Ohio Bobcats football team since 1929, and today has a capacity of 24,000...
), The Plains, and Hocking College. It is designed for walking, running, biking, cross-country skiing, skating, and wheelchairs. Additionally several city streets are marked as bike lanes.
Other trails
The Athens Trail Network is a multi-use trail network branching out from Sells' City Park at the end of Avon Place. A series of twelve trails and connectors branch out into the surrounding woods, heading eastwards to eventually connect with the trails of Strouds Run State Park. The trails are designed for hiking, running, and biking, although some sections are off-limits to bicycles. The trails provide scenic views of the East State Street commercial area and travel past and through notable features such as Sells Pond, Riddle State Nature PreserveRiddle State Nature Preserve
Hawk Woods is an old-growth forest located in central Athens County, Ohio, outside the city of Athens, Ohio. It comprises 106 acres "within the Low Hills Belt section of the Allegheny Plateau". Of these 106 acres, about 85 acres are in the area cited as old-growth forest...
(also known as Hawk Woods), Boulder Cove, Turtlehead Cave (also known as Blue Ash Rockhouse), Finger Rock, Pioneer Cemetery, and Dow Lake at Strouds Run State Park
Strouds Run State Park
Strouds Run State Park is an Ohio state park located primarily in Canaan Township, Athens County, Ohio, with a small part in Ames Township. It comprises , and includes Dow Lake, a artificial lake. The lake is stocked on a yearly basis with several kinds of fish. It has been stocked with rainbow...
. The trail network is maintained by community and university volunteers.
Government
Athens is governed by a mayor/council form of government. The elected Mayor and the department heads (some of whom are elected) run the city's daily operations. Nine council members are the cities law-makers. The city is divided into wards and voters select a mayor, a council member representing their ward and three at-large council members in staggered four year terms. Athens is also covered by the Athens County Department of Health, the Athens County Planning Office, and Athens County Job and Family Services.The City of Athens has a strict parking policy. Any vehicle parked for more than 48 hours on any city street will be taken by city order, and is subject to a minimum $145 redemption cost ($125 towing plus $20 ticket).
The City of Athens is also involved in social media and encourages individuals to follow their Facebook page and Twitter as other ways of obtaining pertinent information. Follow the City of Athens on Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/pages/City-of-Athens-Ohio/59973932369#!/pages/City-of-Athens-Ohio/59973932369?sk=info and Twitter: CityofAthensOH
Education
The residents of Athens are served by the Athens City School District made up of five elementary buildings: K-6 (Chauncey, East, Morrison, The Plains & West), a Middle School (grades 7-8) and Athens High SchoolAthens High School (The Plains, Ohio)
Athens High School is a public high school in The Plains, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Athens City School District []. Their mascot is a Bulldog and their colors are green and gold....
. They are also served by the Athens County Public Libraries
Athens County Public Libraries
The Athens County Public Libraries were originally known as the Nelsonville Public Library. The original facility in Nelsonville was created in 1935 as an outgrowth of the Nelsonville school system.The library system has an inventory of about 300,000 items...
with branches in Albany
Albany, Ohio
Albany is a village in Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 808 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Albany is located at ....
, Athens, Chauncey
Chauncey, Ohio
Chauncey is a village in Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,067 at the 2000 census. The local residents pronounce the village name...
, Coolville
Coolville, Ohio
Not to be confused with Coolsville, Ohio, a fictional city in the cartoon series Scooby Doo.Coolville is a village located in Troy Township, Athens County, Ohio, United States, in the extreme southeast of the state...
, Glouster
Glouster, Ohio
Glouster is a village in Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,972 at the 2000 census. It is close to Burr Oak State Park.-History:...
, Nelsonville
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:...
, and The Plains
The Plains, Ohio
The Plains is a census-designated place in Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,931 at the 2000 census.-Geography:The Plains is located at ....
.
Higher education
Ohio University is a public university located in Athens that is situated on an 1800 acres (7.3 km²) campus. Founded in 1804, it is the oldest university in OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, oldest in the Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory
The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio...
, and ninth oldest public university in the United States.
In its 2010 edition, U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
ranked the university's undergraduate program 115th among national universities.
News publications
Athens is served by several news publications:- The Athens Messenger, a daily paper published by Brown Publishing, which also publishes a weekly entertainment paper named the Athens Insider
- The Athens News, a free semi-weekly tabloid published by Bruce Mitchell
- The PostThe Post (Ohio newspaper)The Post is a student-run newspaper in Athens, Ohio, that covers Ohio University and Athens County. It publishes five days a week while the university is in session and distributes 14,000 copies. Though it operates from a university building, the paper remains editorially independent...
, a student newspaper of Ohio University - ATHENSi.com, a community portal Web site run by the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism
- The Matrix, Athens High School's student-run newspaper.
Broadcast media
In addition, Ohio University's telecommunications center provides public radio and television. The FM radio system covers all of southeastern Ohio.- FM Public Radio: WOUB-FM, 91.3 FM
- AM Public Radio: WOUB-AM, 1340 AM
- Internet Radio: ACRN (All-Campus Radio Network)
- Public Television: WOUB-TV, broadcast channel 20/WOUB-DT, broadcast digital channel 27
- Local Government-access television (GATV) cable TV stations (Time Warner CableTime Warner CableTime Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
City of Athens)- ACTV "Athens Community Television, Inc." Time Warner cable channel 9 (community access)
- TGC "The Government Channel" Time Warner cable channel 5 (City of Athens)
- WOUB-II Channel 25
Private broadcast media include:
- WATHWATHWATH is a radio station broadcasting a Classic Hits format. Licensed to Athens, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by WATH, Inc. and features programing from CBS Radio, Fox Sports Radio and Westwood One....
-AM, 970 AM (oldies) (Athens; Flagship of OU Baseball) - WXTQWXTQWXTQ is a radio station broadcasting a Top 40 format. Licensed to Athens, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by WATH.-External links:Listen online at Power 105's official Website:...
-FM, 105.5 (CHRContemporary hit radioContemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
) (Athens; Rated the Worst in Ohio [citation needed]; Flagship of OU Men's Basketball and Football) - WSEOWSEOWSEO is a radio station broadcasting a New Country format. Licensed to Nelsonville, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Nelsonville TV Cable and features programing from Jones Radio Network.-History:...
-FM 107.7 (countryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
) and WAISWAIS (AM)WAIS is a radio station broadcasting a Talk/Personality format. WAIS licensed to serve the community of Buchtel, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Nelsonville TV Cable, Inc....
, 770 AM (talkTalk radioTalk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
) (Nelsonville) - WJKWWJKW (FM)WJKW is a radio station broadcasting a Contemporary Christian format. Licensed to Athens, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Christian Faith Broadcast....
, 95.9 FM (Athens; Contemporary Christian format) - WEAK-LP-FM, 106.7, "Union Station" (Athens, oldies)
- WYWH-LPWYWH-LPWYWH-LP is a radio station broadcasting a Religious music format. Licensed to Athens, Ohio, USA, the station is currently owned by Hope Radio of Athens and is affiliated with the Three Angels Broadcasting Network....
-FM, 104.5 FM (ChristianChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
) (3ABN Radio Network)
Former pirate radio
Pirate radio
Pirate radio is illegal or unregulated radio transmission. The term is most commonly used to describe illegal broadcasting for entertainment or political purposes, but is also sometimes used for illegal two-way radio operation...
stations:
- 94.5 FM The Doja
Internet media
- Athens County Convention & Visitors Bureau a website with tourist attractions and calendar events
- The Athens Musician Network, a website founded in 1997 dedicated to archiving and promoting Athens' rich musical heritage. Site contains audio, video, venue information, musician blogs and more.
- The Athens Area Chamber of Commercea website highlighting member businesses, community calendar of events, economic development resources and membership services
Notable natives and residents
- Earl CranstonEarl CranstonEarl Cranston was an American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1896. He also distinguished himself as a Methodist Pastor and Presiding Elder, and as an editor and publisher of the M.E. Church....
, an American BishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Methodist Episcopal ChurchMethodist Episcopal ChurchThe Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of... - Dow FinsterwaldDow FinsterwaldDow Henry Finsterwald, Sr. is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the 1958 PGA Championship. He won 11 Tour titles between 1955 and 1963, played on four Ryder Cup teams, and served as non-playing captain for the 1977 U.S. Ryder Cup team.Finsterwald was born and raised in...
, professional golfer best known for winning the 1958 PGA Championship. - Atul GawandeAtul GawandeAtul Gawande is an American physician and journalist. He serves as a general and endocrine surgeon at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts and associate director of their Center for Surgery and Public Health...
, a surgeon who has written extensively on medicine and public health for The New YorkerThe New YorkerThe New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
and SlateSlate (magazine)Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
, pieces which have been collected in his books Complications and Better. - Maya LinMaya LinMaya Ying Lin is an American artist who is known for her work in sculpture and landscape art. She is the designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.-Personal life:...
, noted architectArchitectAn architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and designer of the Vietnam Veterans MemorialVietnam Veterans MemorialThe Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.C. It honors U.S. service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War, service members who died in service in Vietnam/South East Asia, and those service members who were unaccounted for during the War.Its...
. - Jon LoomisJon LoomisJon Loomis is an American poet and writer. He is a professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Vanitas Motel , his first book of poetry, won the 1997 annual FIELD prize in poetry. He is also the author of the Frank Coffin mysteries set in Provincetown, MA, High Season and...
, American poet and writer. - David WilhelmDavid WilhelmA former campaign operative who rose to prominence as chair of the Democratic National Committee in the 1990s, today Wilhelm is an entrepreneur and impact investor devoted to building sustainable jobs and wealth in small town America....
, Chairman of the Democratic National CommitteeDemocratic National CommitteeThe Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
from 1993 to 1994 - John CumberlandJohn CumberlandJohn Sheldon Cumberland is an American former professional baseball player and coach primarily in Major League Baseball. Cumberland pitched for six seasons in the MLB between and with the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, St...
, prominent 1930s social activist. - Kevin HartmanKevin HartmanKevin Hartman is an American soccer player who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer-Youth and College:...
, Kansas City WizardsKansas City WizardsSporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
goalie. - Mark RosenbergMark RosenbergMark Rosenberg was an American film producer whose works included The Killing Fields and Presumed Innocent, who was the President of Worldwide Theatrical Production at Warner Bros. in the 1980s....
, President Florida International University - SkeletonwitchSkeletonwitchSkeletonwitch is an American heavy metal band from Athens, Ohio formed in 2003. The band currently consists of drummer Dustin Boltjes, vocalist Chance Garnette, bassist Evan Linger, and guitarists Nate Garnette and Scott Hedrick...
, thrash/black metal band - Art TrippArt TrippArthur Dyer Tripp III is a chiropractor and former musician best known for his work as a percussionist with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention and Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band.-Early career:Tripp grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and started playing drums in...
, Athens-born percussionist notable for his work with Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart, among others. - Sandy PlunkettSandy PlunkettCharles "Sandy" Plunkett is an American artist and comics writer.Plunkett grew up in New York City and began to draw comics at the end of high school....
, comic book artist. - Ronald Docie Sr, successful inventor and author of The Inventor's Bible
Further reading
- Beatty, Elizabeth G. and Marjorie S. Stone. Getting to Know Athens County. Athens, Ohio: The Stone House (1984)
- Daniel, Robert L. Athens, Ohio: The Village Years. Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press (1997)