Minford, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Minford is a census-designated place
located on the border of Harrison
and Madison
Townships in northeastern Scioto County
, Ohio
, United States
, about 14 miles (23 km) northeast of the county seat
of Portsmouth
.
, as there was another town along the railroad already named Harrisonville.
and the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau
. These Appalachian
foothills of southeastern Ohio, especially in nearby Shawnee State Park and Forest
, have been nicknamed the "Little Smokies."
runs adjacent (east) of Minford and continues southward through the Minford area toward Sciotoville where it flows into the Ohio River
.
forests and is within the ecoregion
of Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests
.
Being located in extreme southern Ohio, approximately 7 miles (11 km) from the Ohio River and Ohio-Kentucky
border, the climate of Minford lies in the transitional/borderline region of two climate zones, the humid continental climate
and the humid subtropical climate
. However, the climate is closer to the humid continental climate
.
Minford's weather is characterized by warm humid summers, cold wet winters, with brisk temperate spring and fall seasons. Rainfall amounts peak in late spring through summer (May to August).
, 45 miles (72 km) northwest of Huntington, West Virginia
and about 90 miles (145 km) south of Columbus, Ohio
.
The center of Minford is located at the junction of State Route 335 and State Route 139. However, the Minford Local School District covers most of Madison and Harrison townships, including places of different ZIP code
s.
), 45662 (Portsmouth), and 45694 (Wheelersburg
).
, that offers Dial-Up internet access to all of Scioto County and DSL to Minford and Stockdale subscribers only. Currently, the phone company is working on setting up cable television services. Hoping to launch in late 2011. The phone company sits on the corner of SR 139 and High Street.
golfer Bob Sowards
and WSAZ-TV
sportscaster Bob Bowen, who coined the phrase "Mighty Minford Falcons."
Today, the Minford area is served by the Minford Local School District.
The first "Minford" school opened in 1923, located on West Street. This building was later used as the Minford Middle School until its demolition in 2005 after the construction of the new buildings for Minford Local School District. The new schools were built between the years of 1998-2004. The Minford High School
was completed in 2001 and the elementary/middle school was completed in 2004.
, Inc. and Minford EMS Squad are located on State Route 335 next to the Minford Kwik Stop. The fire department was founded in 1944 and its current chief, is Chief James Shoemaker.
, State Route 823
, is currently undergoing development and Right-of-Way acquisitions are under way with actual construction scheduled to begin in 2011. The bypass will be a four-lane limited-access
divided highway that will pass adjacent to Minford. The 16-mile (26 km) long freeway will bypass the cities of Portsmouth
and New Boston
by connecting U.S. Route 23
north of Lucasville
to U.S. Route 52
east of New Boston
and west of Wheelersburg
. There will be two interchanges in Minford: one near the Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport
on State Route 335, and one on Lucasville-Minford Road near Rases Mountain Drive.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
located on the border of Harrison
Harrison Township, Scioto County, Ohio
Harrison Township is one of the sixteen townships of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 4,497 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the eastern part of the county, it borders the following townships:*Madison Township - north...
and Madison
Madison Township, Scioto County, Ohio
Madison Township is one of the sixteen townships of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 3,794 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northeastern corner of the county, it borders the following townships:...
Townships in northeastern Scioto County
Scioto County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 79,195 people, 30,871 households, and 21,362 families residing in the county. The population density was 129 people per square mile . There were 34,054 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...
, Ohio
Ohio
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, about 14 miles (23 km) northeast of the county seat
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 Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
.
History
The community was originally formed as Harrisonville in 1859, but its name was changed to Minford in 1917 due to the construction of the C&O RailroadChesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
, as there was another town along the railroad already named Harrisonville.
Physical geography
Minford is situated in rolling hills of the Appalachian PlateauAppalachian Plateau
The Appalachian Plateau is the western part of the Appalachian mountains, stretching from New York and Alabama. The plateau is a second level United States physiographic region....
and the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau
Unglaciated 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...
. These Appalachian
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
foothills of southeastern Ohio, especially in nearby Shawnee State Park and Forest
Shawnee State Park (Ohio)
Shawnee State Park is a state park in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The park is in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains near the Ohio River in Southern Ohio on State Route 125, just north of Friendship. It is surrounded by Shawnee State Forest. Shawnee State Park was once a hunting...
, have been nicknamed the "Little Smokies."
Rivers
The Little Scioto RiverLittle Scioto River (Ohio River)
The Little Scioto River is a tributary of the Ohio River, about long, in southern Ohio in the United States. Via the Ohio River, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of ....
runs adjacent (east) of Minford and continues southward through the Minford area toward Sciotoville where it flows into 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...
.
Climate
The area consists of deciduousDeciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
forests and is within the ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
of Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests
Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests
The Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests are an ecoregion of mesophytic plants west of the Appalachian Mountains in the southeastern United States.-Setting:...
.
Being located in extreme southern Ohio, approximately 7 miles (11 km) from the Ohio River and Ohio-Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
border, the climate of Minford lies in the transitional/borderline region of two climate zones, the humid continental climate
Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
and the humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
. However, the climate is closer to the humid continental climate
Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
.
Minford's weather is characterized by warm humid summers, cold wet winters, with brisk temperate spring and fall seasons. Rainfall amounts peak in late spring through summer (May to August).
Coordinates and distance to cities
Minford is located at 38°51′32"N 82°51′44"W, which is approximately 14 miles (23 km) northeast of PortsmouthPortsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
, 45 miles (72 km) northwest of Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
and about 90 miles (145 km) south of Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
.
Location and referencing
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
s.
Zip codes
Minford's post office has the ZIP code of 45653. Other ZIP codes in Harrison and Madison Townships include 45648 (LucasvilleLucasville, Ohio
Lucasville is a census-designated place in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,588 at the 2000 census. The village of Lucasville was laid out by Captain John Lucas in June 1819 and recorded August 7, 1819. Captain Lucas built the first tavern in the village and kept it until...
), 45662 (Portsmouth), and 45694 (Wheelersburg
Wheelersburg, Ohio
Wheelersburg is a census-designated place in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1820 and was originally known as Concord. It lies along the northern banks of the Ohio River in Southern Ohio. Wheelersburg is approximately 7 miles east of Portsmouth and 14 miles west of Ironton...
).
State Route 139
Minford's postal and office business district lies on South SR 139. New Boston is just 10 miles (16 km) south and Jackson is just a little over 21 miles (34 km) north. SR 335 intersects with the route.State Route 335
Minford's business and school district lies on South SR 335. Sciotoville is just 7 miles (11 km) south and SR 32 is just a little over 14 miles (23 km) north. SR 139 intersects with the route. As well as Lucasville-Minford Road and Bennett Road.Lucasville-Minford Road
Minford's major truck and countryside route. It carries truckers and commuters from US 23 in Lucasville to SR 335 in Mule Town towards Minford to US 52 in Sciotoville. It becomes SR 728 in Valley township near the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility to the road's terminus at US 23.High Street
A subsidiary route that carries truckers and commuters from SR 335 to Lucasville-Minford Road in Mule Town. The route is just over 1 mile (1.6 km) long. SR 139 intersects with the route.Post Office
Minford is the home of Scioto County's fifth post office. However, the original building is no longer standing; a new post office was recently constructed at that location in 2000. The post office sits on the corner of SR 139 and West Street, with High Street on the east side.Telephone, Cable and Internet Services
Minford has its own telephone company for residences in Minford and StockdaleStockdale, Ohio
Stockdale is an unincorporated community in southern Marion Township, Pike County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 45683. Stockdale is served by the Minford Telephone Company and Eastern Local Schools.-References:...
, that offers Dial-Up internet access to all of Scioto County and DSL to Minford and Stockdale subscribers only. Currently, the phone company is working on setting up cable television services. Hoping to launch in late 2011. The phone company sits on the corner of SR 139 and High Street.
Notable persons
Minford natives include PGA TourPGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
golfer Bob Sowards
Bob Sowards
Robert Sowards is an American professional golfer.Sowards was born in Portsmouth, Ohio. He played collegiate golf at Glenville State College. He turned professional in 1991....
and WSAZ-TV
WSAZ-TV
WSAZ-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for Huntington and Charleston, West Virginia. This area is the second-largest market in terms of area east of the Mississippi River consisting of 61 counties in Central West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, and Southeastern Ohio. It broadcasts a high...
sportscaster Bob Bowen, who coined the phrase "Mighty Minford Falcons."
Schools
Numerous schoolhouses were in the area through its history, including the old Sunshine School as well as the Harrisonville School in 1878.Today, the Minford area is served by the Minford Local School District.
The first "Minford" school opened in 1923, located on West Street. This building was later used as the Minford Middle School until its demolition in 2005 after the construction of the new buildings for Minford Local School District. The new schools were built between the years of 1998-2004. The Minford High School
Minford High School
Minford High School is a rural, public, high school located in Minford, Ohio in Scioto County in Southern Ohio. It is the only high school in the Minford Local School District...
was completed in 2001 and the elementary/middle school was completed in 2004.
Local Fire Department and EMS
The Minford Volunteer Fire DepartmentFire department
A fire department or fire brigade is a public or private organization that provides fire protection for a certain jurisdiction, which typically is a municipality, county, or fire protection district...
, Inc. and Minford EMS Squad are located on State Route 335 next to the Minford Kwik Stop. The fire department was founded in 1944 and its current chief, is Chief James Shoemaker.
Planned Portsmouth Bypass Freeway
A Portsmouth bypassBypass (road)
A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
, State Route 823
Ohio State Route 823
The Portsmouth Bypass is a proposed four-lane limited-access divided highway rerouting through traffic around the cities of Portsmouth and New Boston in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. In addition to providing better mobility within the local area for residents, the bypass has the potential to...
, is currently undergoing development and Right-of-Way acquisitions are under way with actual construction scheduled to begin in 2011. The bypass will be a four-lane limited-access
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
divided highway that will pass adjacent to Minford. The 16-mile (26 km) long freeway will bypass the cities of Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
and New Boston
New Boston, Ohio
New Boston is a village in Scioto County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,340 at the 2000 census. Apart from its southern boundary on the Ohio River, New Boston is entirely surrounded by the city of Portsmouth. It was platted on February 17, 1891, by James Skelton,...
by connecting U.S. Route 23
north of LucasvilleLucasville, Ohio
Lucasville is a census-designated place in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,588 at the 2000 census. The village of Lucasville was laid out by Captain John Lucas in June 1819 and recorded August 7, 1819. Captain Lucas built the first tavern in the village and kept it until...
to U.S. Route 52
U.S. Route 52
U.S. Route 52 is a United States highway that runs across the northern, eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S...
east of New BostonNew Boston, Ohio
New Boston is a village in Scioto County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,340 at the 2000 census. Apart from its southern boundary on the Ohio River, New Boston is entirely surrounded by the city of Portsmouth. It was platted on February 17, 1891, by James Skelton,...
and west of Wheelersburg
Wheelersburg, Ohio
Wheelersburg is a census-designated place in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1820 and was originally known as Concord. It lies along the northern banks of the Ohio River in Southern Ohio. Wheelersburg is approximately 7 miles east of Portsmouth and 14 miles west of Ironton...
. There will be two interchanges in Minford: one near the Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport
Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport
Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport also known as Scioto County Airport is an airport located about a mile south of Minford, Ohio and ten miles northeast of Portsmouth, Ohio...
on State Route 335, and one on Lucasville-Minford Road near Rases Mountain Drive.