Scioto County, Ohio
Encyclopedia
As of the census
Census
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 79,195 people, 30,871 households, and 21,362 families residing in the county. 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 129 people per square mile (50/km²). There were 34,054 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile (21/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.88% White
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...

, 2.73% Black
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...

 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...

, 0.63% Native 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...

, 0.24% Asian
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...

, 0.02% Pacific Islander
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...

, 0.18% 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 1.31% from two or more races. 0.60% of the population were Hispanic
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...

 or Latino
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...

 of any race.

There were 30,871 households out of which 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.30% 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, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.80% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.40% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 95.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,008, and the median income for a family was $34,691. Males had a median income of $32,063 versus $21,562 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 county was $15,408. About 15.20% of families and 19.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.40% of those under age 18 and 12.80% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Portsmouth is the county seat for Scioto County with the county courthouse located at the corner of Sixth and Court Streets. It was constructed in 1936.

The county jail, once located in the courthouse, is now located in a new facility in the same location where the Norfolk and Western rail depot used to stand near U.S. 23. It was constructed in 2006.

Scioto County is the home of the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility
Southern Ohio Correctional Facility
The Southern Ohio Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison in Lucasville, Ohio, United States. The prison was constructed in 1972 and currently contains the death house for Ohio where death row inmates are executed...

, which is located in Lucasville. The Southern Ohio Correctional Facility is Ohio's only maximum security prison and the location of Ohio's death house where death row
Death row
Death row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...

 inmates are executed.

The county maintenance garage is located in Lucasville.

Current county officials

Scioto County Commissioners: Mike Crabtree (D), Tom Reiser (D), and Skip Riffe III (D).

Scioto County Engineer: Craig Opperman (D)

Auditor: David L. Green (D)

Treasurer: William K. Ogg (D)

Recorder: Irene Ashley (D)

Clerk of Courts: Lisa D. White (R)

Sheriff: Marty Donini (R)

Prosecutor: Mark Kuhn (R)

Communities

Villages

  • 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,...

  • Otway
    Otway, Ohio
    Otway is a village in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 86 at the 2000 census.The first house in Otway Village was built in 1841, and the first post office served the area in 1847...

  • Rarden
    Rarden, Ohio
    Rarden is a village in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 176 at the 2000 census. It was originally called "Moccasin" by early Pennsylvania settlers, and it originated in 1846.-Geography:Rarden is located at ....

  • South Webster
    South Webster, Ohio
    South Webster is a village in northeast Scioto County, Ohio, United States. It lies along State Route 140, and the population was 764 at the 2000 census.South Webster was platted by John Bennett in 1853...


  • Townships

    • Bloom
      Bloom Township, Scioto County, Ohio
      Bloom Township is one of the sixteen townships of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 3,218 people in the township, 2,454 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...

    • Brush Creek
      Brush Creek Township, Scioto County, Ohio
      Brush Creek Township is one of the sixteen townships of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,149 people in the township, 1,063 of whom lived in the unincorporated parts of the township.-Geography:...

    • Clay
      Clay Township, Scioto County, Ohio
      Clay Township is one of the sixteen townships of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 3,792 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the center of the county, it borders the following townships:...

    • Green
      Green Township, Scioto County, Ohio
      Green Township is one of the sixteen townships of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 4,079 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the far south of the county along the Ohio River, it borders the following townships:...

  • 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...

  • Jefferson
    Jefferson Township, Scioto County, Ohio
    Jefferson Township is one of the sixteen townships of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 2,751 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northern part of the county, it borders the following townships:...

  • 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:...

  • Morgan
    Morgan Township, Scioto County, Ohio
    Morgan Township is one of the sixteen townships of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 2,297 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northwestern part of the county, it borders the following townships:...

  • Nile
    Nile Township, Scioto County, Ohio
    Nile Township is one of the sixteen townships of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 2,024 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the southwestern corner of the county along the Ohio River, it borders the following townships:...

  • Porter
    Porter Township, Scioto County, Ohio
    Porter Township is one of the sixteen townships of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found people in the township, of whom lived in the unincorporated parts of the township.-Geography:...

  • Rarden
    Rarden Township, Scioto County, Ohio
    Rarden Township is one of the sixteen townships of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,122 people in the township, 946 of whom lived in the unincorporated parts of the township.-Geography:...

  • Rush
    Rush Township, Scioto County, Ohio
    Rush Township is one of the sixteen townships of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 3,144 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the center of the county, it borders the following townships:*Morgan Township - north...

  • Union
    Union Township, Scioto County, Ohio
    Union Township is one of the sixteen townships of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 2,105 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the western part of the county, it borders the following townships:*Morgan Township - north...

  • Valley
    Valley Township, Scioto County, Ohio
    Valley Township is one of the sixteen townships of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 4,256 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northern part of the county, it borders the following townships:...

  • Vernon
    Vernon Township, Scioto County, Ohio
    Vernon Township is one of the sixteen townships of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,855 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the southeastern part of the county, it borders the following townships:*Bloom Township - north...

  • Washington
    Washington Township, Scioto County, Ohio
    Washington Township is one of the sixteen townships of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 5,971 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the southern part of the county along the Ohio River, it borders the following townships:...


  • Census-designated places

    • Franklin Furnace
      Franklin Furnace, Ohio
      Franklin Furnace is a census-designated place in Scioto County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 1,660 at the 2010 census. Franklin Furnace was the name of an early iron ore furnace built in eastern Scioto County in 1826. The community that grew in that area is named...

    • Lucasville
      Lucasville, 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...

  • Rosemount
    Rosemount, Ohio
    Rosemount is a census-designated place in Clay Township, Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,043 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rosemount is located at ....

  • Sciotodale
    Sciotodale, Ohio
    Sciotodale is a census-designated place in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 982 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sciotodale is located at ....

  • West Portsmouth
    West Portsmouth, Ohio
    West Portsmouth is a census-designated place in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,458 at the 2000 census. The citizens of West Portsmouth are served by the Washington-Nile Local School District ....

  • 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...


  • Other communities

    • Coles Park
    • Friendship
      Friendship, Ohio
      Friendship is a census-designated place in western Nile Township, Scioto County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 45630. It lies along U.S...

    • Haverhill
      Haverhill, Ohio
      Haverhill is an unincorporated community in southern Green Township, Scioto County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 45636. An Ohio River town, it is located below Hanging Rock and above Franklin Furnace.-References:...

    • McDermott
      McDermott, Ohio
      McDermott is a census-designated place in western Rush Township, Scioto County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 45652.-History:...

  • Minford
    Minford, Ohio
    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 northeast of the county seat of Portsmouth.-History:...

  • Mule Town
    Mule Town, Ohio
    Mule Town is an unincorporated community in southwestern Madison Township, Scioto County, Ohio, United States. Located at the intersection of State Route 335, Lucasville-Minford Road and Bennett Road, it lies just north of the unincorporated community of Minford, 7 miles east of the...

  • Scioto Furnace
    Scioto Furnace, Ohio
    Scioto Furnace is an unincorporated community in western Bloom Township, Scioto County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 45677. It lies along State Route 140.-References:...


  • Transportation

    Highways

    Scioto County is served by two major highways, the north-south U.S. 23 and the east-west U.S. 52. Other routes include SR 73, SR 104
    Ohio State Highway 104
    State Route 104 ' is a north–south highway in Southern Ohio. Its southern terminus is at U.S. Route 23 in Portsmouth, Ohio and its northern terminus is at U.S. Route 33 in Columbus. The route passes through or close to the towns of Portsmouth, West Portsmouth, Coles Park, Waverly,...

    , SR 125
    Ohio State Route 125
    State Route 125 is an east–west state highway in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. Its western terminus is within the Cincinnati city limits, about east of downtown, at U.S. Route 50 – this is also the western terminus of State Route 32 and the southern terminus of State...

    , SR 139
    Ohio State Highway 139
    State Route 139 is a north–south road that stretches from New Boston, Ohio at its southern terminus to Jackson, Ohio at its northern terminus. This route offers a quick, yet narrow and sharp route to Jackson. U.S. Route 23 and State Route 32 offer a more straight route with a higher speed...

    , SR 140
    Ohio State Highway 140
    State Route 140 is an east–west state highway in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. The highway has its western terminus in Portsmouth at a diamond interchange with U.S. Route 52. Its eastern terminus is at State Route 93 approximately south of Oak Hill.State Route 140 first...

    , SR 335
    Ohio State Highway 335
    State Route 335 is a north–south state highway in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. Its southern terminus is at U.S. Route 52 in the village of Sciotoville, part of Portsmouth, and its northern terminus is at State Route 220 in Waverly where it’s concurrent with U.S...

    , SR 348, SR 522, SR 728(Lucasville-Minford Road), and SR 776. State Routes 239, 253, 371, 772, and 852 go through Scioto County

    Rail

    Norfolk Southern offers a railyard for long distance shipping and is currently reopening the repair shops. Amtrak
    Amtrak
    The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...

     offers a passenger service to the Portsmouth/Scioto County area under the Cardinal route. The passenger station
    South Portsmouth-South Shore (Amtrak station)
    South Portsmouth-South Shore is located at Main Street and US 23 in South Shore, Kentucky. The station is just across the Ohio River from Portsmouth, Ohio....

     is located in South Shore, Kentucky
    South Shore, Kentucky
    As of the census of 2000, there were 1,226 people, 539 households, and 335 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,916.9 people per square mile . There were 605 housing units at an average density of 945.9 per square mile...

     across 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...

    .

    Air

    Scioto County also offers air services with 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...

     located in Minford, Ohio
    Minford, Ohio
    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 northeast of the county seat of Portsmouth.-History:...

    , which is approximately 14 miles (22.5 km) northeast of Portsmouth on SR 335. The nearest airport with scheduled passenger service is Huntington/Tri-State Airport (HTS) located approximately 60 miles (96.6 km) east of Portsmouth on I-64.

    Public transportation

    Public transportation for Scioto County is offered through Access Scioto County (ASC).

    Economy

    Scioto County's economy has come and gone with the success and failures of Portsmouth's economy. Until the 1970s, heavy industry
    Heavy industry
    Heavy industry does not have a single fixed meaning as compared to light industry. It can mean production of products which are either heavy in weight or in the processes leading to their production. In general, it is a popular term used within the name of many Japanese and Korean firms, meaning...

     such as steel mills and shoe factories drove the county's economy. Since the closure of these factories, Scioto County has suffered a loss of jobs and revenue. Today, the service industry such as the Southern Ohio Medical Center is the largest employer in the county. Scioto County is also home to the newest state university in Ohio, Shawnee State University
    Shawnee State University
    Shawnee State University is a public university in southern Ohio. It is Ohio's newest state-supported university and lies on the north bank of the Ohio River in the city of Portsmouth in Scioto County.Shawnee State University was established in 1986...

    . Shawnee State enrolls between 3,300 and 4,000 students and grants associate, baccalaureate and master's degrees. Much of the recent economic growth and change is based on service to SOMC and Shawnee State University.

    In November 2002, the Portsmouth Uranium
    Uranium
    Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...

     Enrichment Plant in nearby Piketon, Ohio
    Piketon, Ohio
    Piketon is a village in Pike County, Ohio, United States, along the Scioto River. The village is best known for the uranium enrichment plant located there . The population was 1,907 at the 2000 census...

    , was recognized as an ANS
    American Nuclear Society
    The American Nuclear Society is an international, not-for-profit 501 scientific and educational organization with a membership of approximately 11,000 scientists, engineers, educators, students, and other associate members. Approximately 900 members live outside the United States in 40 countries....

     Nuclear Historic Landmark by the American Nuclear Society. It had served a military function from 1952 until the mid-1960s when the mission changed from enriching uranium for nuclear weapons to one focused on producing fuel for commercial nuclear power plants. The Portsmouth Uranium Enrichment Plant ended enriching operations in 2001 and began to support operational and administrative functions and perform external contract work. All uranium enrichment in the area has been taken over by a sister plant located in Paducah, Kentucky
    Paducah, Kentucky
    Paducah is the largest city in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase Region and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River, halfway between the metropolitan areas of St. Louis, Missouri, to the west and Nashville,...

    . Uranium enrichment functions had previously been shared by the two plants. USEC interests in the area remain strong with the American Centrifuge Plant under construction in Piketon. This commercial uranium enrichment facility is expected to employ up to 500 people and reach an initial annual production level of 3.5 million SWU by 2010.

    Scioto County has also been the benefactor of Suncoke (coke (fuel)
    Coke (fuel)
    Coke is the solid carbonaceous material derived from destructive distillation of low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal. Cokes from coal are grey, hard, and porous. While coke can be formed naturally, the commonly used form is man-made.- History :...

     production) and Duke Energy
    Duke Energy
    Duke Energy , headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is an energy company with assets in the United States, Canada and Latin America.-Overview:...

     (electricity
    Electricity
    Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...

    ) facilities near Franklin Furnace. Mitchellace, Inc., the largest manufacturer of shoelaces
    Shoelaces
    Shoelaces, which are also called shoe-strings, shoe laces, or boot laces, are a system commonly used to secure shoes, boots and other footwear. They typically consist of a pair of strings or cords, one for each shoe, finished off at both ends with stiff sections, known as aglets...

     in the world, is located in the county. Graf Brothers Flooring and Lumber
    Graf Brothers Flooring and Lumber
    Graf Brothers Flooring and Lumber specializes in, and is the world's largest manufacturer of, rift and quarter sawn oak products. Rift & Quartered lumber results from a unique way of sawing that maximizes the yield of lumber with vertical grain. Vertical grain is preferred because of its excellent...

    , the world's largest manufacturer of rift and quartered oak products, has two satellite log yards in the county, with the company's main office being located across the river in South Shore, Kentucky
    South Shore, Kentucky
    As of the census of 2000, there were 1,226 people, 539 households, and 335 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,916.9 people per square mile . There were 605 housing units at an average density of 945.9 per square mile...

    .

    Colleges and universities

    Scioto County used to be home to Ohio University Southern Campus
    Ohio University Southern Campus
    Ohio University Southern Campus is located at 1804 Liberty Avenue in Ironton, Ohio. While not as large as the main Ohio University campus located in Athens, Ohio, several degree programs are offered. The Southern Campus also features an extension located in Proctorville, Ohio, a Nature Center, and...

    ; however, it moved to Lawrence County
    Lawrence County, Ohio
    As of the census of 2000, there were 62,319 people, 24,732 households, and 17,807 families residing in the county. The population density was 137 people per square mile . There were 27,189 housing units at an average density of 60 per square mile...

     (Ironton
    Ironton, Ohio
    Ironton is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Lawrence County. The municipality is located in southern Ohio along the Ohio River. The population was 11,211 at the 2000 census. Ironton is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the...

    ) in the early 1980s. The former Ohio University buildings became home to Shawnee State University
    Shawnee State University
    Shawnee State University is a public university in southern Ohio. It is Ohio's newest state-supported university and lies on the north bank of the Ohio River in the city of Portsmouth in Scioto County.Shawnee State University was established in 1986...

    , which was founded in 1986 as Ohio's thirteenth and newest institution, after first becoming Shawnee State Community College. Scioto County is also home to Daymar College
    Daymar College
    Daymar College is a for-profit career training school based in Owensboro, Kentucky, USA. Founded in 1963 and operated as Owensboro Business College until 2001, Daymar offers over 35 career tracks in 13 different academic programs...

    , which has in excess of 300 students (summer 2010).

    K-12 schools

    Scioto County has ten public school district
    School district
    School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...

    s, one private school
    Private school
    Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...

     system, and one charter school
    Charter school
    Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...

     system as well as several Christian schools. These districts include Bloom-Vernon (South Webster), Clay, Green, Minford, New Boston, Northwest, Notre Dame (Catholic), Portsmouth, Sciotoville Community School/East HS (charter), Valley, Washington-Nile (Ports. West) and Wheelersburg. These school systems are noted not only for their educational endeavors but also their athletic and community endeavors.

    See also Ohio High School Athletic Association
    Ohio High School Athletic Association
    The Ohio High School Athletic Association is the governing body of athletic programs for junior and senior high schools in the state of Ohio...

    , Ohio High School Athletic Conferences, Southeastern Ohio Athletic League, and Southern Ohio Conference
    Southern Ohio Conference
    The Southern Ohio Conference is an athletic conference in Ohio. The conference is also a member of the Ohio High School Athletic Association, the governing body of Ohio athletics. There are currently sixteen member schools in the conference. The S.O.C...


    Media

    Scioto County is a dividing line of numerous television markets, which includes the Columbus
    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...

    , Cincinnati
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...

     and Huntington
    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...

    -Charleston
    Charleston, West Virginia
    Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...

     markets. There are two local television stations in Portsmouth: WQCW
    WQCW
    WQCW is the CW affiliate for the Huntington/Charleston, West Virginia television market. It is licensed to Portsmouth, Ohio and is the one of two commercial stations in the market licensed outside of West Virginia. Its transmitter is located in West Portsmouth, Ohio...

    , a CW
    The CW Television Network
    The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...

     affiliate with an office in Portsmouth and Charleston, and more recently WTZP "The Zone" which is an America One Affiliate that offers a larger amount of local programming such as news, high school spots, community events and locally produced shows about the area. Local radio stations WIOI, WNXT
    WNXT (AM)
    WNXT is a radio station broadcasting a Sports radio format. Licensed to Portsmouth, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Hometown Broadcasting of Portsmouth, Inc. and features programing from ABC Radio and ESPN Radio.-History:...

    , WPAY
    WPAY (AM)
    WNKE is a radio station licensed to New Boston, Ohio. Its original call letters were a carryover from its former sister station WPAY , which signed on in 1933 as a country yodeling and country music station, from which the call letters were derived...

    , WZZZ
    WZZZ
    WZZZ is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. Licensed to Portsmouth, Ohio, USA. The station is currently owned by Hometown Broadcasting of Portsmouth 2, Inc. and features programing from Jones Radio Network.-History:...

     and WHRR-LP serve the radio listeners in the county and surrounding areas.

    The county is also served by three newspaper
    Newspaper
    A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...

    s. The Portsmouth Daily Times is the county's only daily newspaper. The Community Common is a free bi-weekly newspaper and the Scioto Voice is a weekly newspaper, which is mailed to subscribers. The University Chronicle is the student-led newspaper at Shawnee State University.

    Of the media mentioned only three are actually locally owned and operated. They are WTZP in television, WIOI in radio and The Scioto Voice in newspaper.

    Professional

    Scioto County had a series of semi-pro football teams in the 1920s and 1930s, the most notable being the Portsmouth Shoe-Steels, whose roster included player-coach
    Player-coach
    A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....

     Jim Thorpe
    Jim Thorpe
    Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...

    . From 1929 to 1933, Portsmouth was home to a professional football team, The Portsmouth Spartans. This team later became the NFL franchise Detroit Lions
    Detroit Lions
    The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...

     in 1934. The Portsmouth Spartans also competed in the first professional football night game versus the Green Bay Packers
    Green Bay Packers
    The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...

     in 1930.

    On the baseball front, the Portsmouth Explorers were one of the original teams in the Frontier League
    Frontier League
    The Frontier League, based in Sauget, Illinois, is a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Midwestern United States, Western Pennsylvania, and Southern Ontario. It operates mostly in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either...

    , a non-affiliated minor league baseball organization. The Explorers played in the league's first three seasons, from 1993 to 1995. In 1938, Portsmouth was also the home of the Portsmouth Red Birds, a minor league team owned by the St. Louis Cardinals
    St. Louis Cardinals
    The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...

    .

    Collegiate

    Shawnee State University (SSU) is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
    National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
    The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...

     (NAIA-Division II). SSU has participated in 24 National Championships in 6 of 11 sponsored sports. The university's women's basketball team has won an NAIA National Title in 1999 and finished in the final four in 1995. The softball team has had national exposure as well, reaching the "Sweet 16" on several occasions. The team finished 10th in 1992, 8th in 1995, 9th in 1996, and 9th in 2001.

    Amateur

    The twelve local high schools, the other educational institutions, the adult leagues, and the development leagues (e.g. AAU
    Amateur Athletic Union
    The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...

     and club organizations) generate a great deal of participation as either participants or as followers of sports' teams. The teams have made 55 trips to the Ohio High School Athletic Association
    Ohio High School Athletic Association
    The Ohio High School Athletic Association is the governing body of athletic programs for junior and senior high schools in the state of Ohio...

     championships, winning 15 state titles. These have included three softball titles by Clay HS (1980, 1981, & 1983); three baseball titles (East HS in 1973, Valley HS in 1975, and Wheelersburg HS in 1996); three football titles (two by Notre Dame HS in 1967 and 1970 and Wheelersburg HS in 1989); and six boys' basketball titles (1931, 1961, 1978, and 1988 by Portsmouth HS and 2006 by South Webster HS).

    Notable natives and residents

    • Dale Bandy
      Dale Bandy
      Dale Bandy is an American basketball coach. He was head coach of the Ohio Bobcats men's basketball team from the 1974-75 season to the 1979-80 season . He was an assistant under Jim Snyder, who led his teams to 7 NCAA Tournament appearances and one National Invitation Tournament appearance...

       - former Ohio University
      Ohio University
      Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...

       basketball coach
    • Kathleen Battle
      Kathleen Battle
      Kathleen Battle , is an African-American operatic soprano known for her agile and light voice and her silvery, pure tone. Battle initially became known for her work within the concert repertoire through performances with major orchestras during the early and mid 1970s. She made her opera debut in...

       - opera
      Opera
      Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...

       singer
    • Al Bridwell
      Al Bridwell
      Albert Henry Bridwell was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the a number of teams in the early 20th century, most notably the New York Giants, when the team was managed by John McGraw. Bridwell hit the single which caused the crucial "Merkle boner" running error of the...

       - former Major League Baseball
      Major League Baseball
      Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

       player
    • Earl Thomas Conley
      Earl Thomas Conley
      Earl Thomas Conley is an American country music singer-songwriter. Between 1980 and 2003, he recorded ten studio albums, including seven for the RCA Records label. In the 1980s and into the 1990s, Conley also charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which...

       - country music
      Country music
      Country 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...

       singer and writer
      Writer
      A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....

    • Martin Dillon
      Martin Dillon (musician)
      Martin Dillon was a United States born musician, operatic tenor, and professor of music at Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey....

       - American musician
      Musician
      A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....

    • Chuck Ealey
      Chuck Ealey
      Charles "Chuck" Ealey is a former football player for Notre Dame High School, University of Toledo, and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.-High school and college years:...

       - 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...

       player
    • Bill Harsha
      Bill Harsha
      William Howard "Bill" Harsha, Jr. was an American politician who represented Ohio as a Republican in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1961 to January 3, 1981.-Biography:...

       - American politician
      Politician
      A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

    • Larry Hisle
      Larry Hisle
      Larry Eugene Hisle is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played with the Philadelphia Phillies , Minnesota Twins and Milwaukee Brewers . He batted and threw right-handed...

       - former Major League Baseball
      Major League Baseball
      Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

       player, currently in Milwaukee Brewers
      Milwaukee Brewers
      The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

       organization
    • Rocky Nelson
      Rocky Nelson
      Glenn Richard "Rocky" Nelson was a first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals , Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago White Sox , Brooklyn Dodgers and Cleveland Indians .A native of Portsmouth, Ohio, Nelson batted and threw left-handed...

       - former Major League Baseball player
    • Josh Newman
      Josh Newman
      Joshua Paul Newman is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He played parts of and for the Colorado Rockies and Kansas City Royals....

       - current major league pitcher for the Colorado Rockies
      Colorado Rockies
      The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...

    • Al Oliver
      Al Oliver
      Albert Oliver, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. Over the course of his 18-year career, he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Texas Rangers , Montreal Expos , San Francisco Giants , Philadelphia Phillies , Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays...

       - former Major League Baseball player
    • Dave Pyles - graduate of Miami University
      Miami University
      Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...

       and former National Football League
      National Football League
      The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

       player with the Oakland Raiders
      Oakland Raiders
      The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

    • Branch Rickey
      Branch Rickey
      Wesley Branch Rickey was an innovative Major League Baseball executive elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967...

       - baseball executive
    • Vern Riffe
      Vern Riffe
      Vernal G. Riffe Jr. was an American politician of the Democratic party. Riffe served for many years in the Ohio House of Representatives and was the longest serving speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives in the history of that institution, holding that office for 20 years.-Life and political...

       - Ohio politician (1959–95), Speaker of the House (1975–94)
    • Barbara Robinson
      Barbara Robinson
      Barbara Robinson is an American author best known for her books targeted at children, particularly The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and The Best School Year Ever ....

       - American author
      Author
      An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...

    • Roy Rogers
      Roy Rogers
      Roy Rogers, born Leonard Franklin Slye , was an American singer and cowboy actor, one of the most heavily marketed and merchandised stars of his era, as well as being the namesake of the Roy Rogers Restaurants franchised chain...

       - famous singer and cowboy
      Cowboy
      A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...

       movie star
      Movie star
      A movie star is a celebrity who is well-known, or famous, for his or her starring, or leading, roles in motion pictures. The term may also apply to an actor or actress who is recognized as a marketable commodity and whose name is used to promote a movie in trailers and posters...

    • Ted Strickland
      Ted Strickland
      Theodore "Ted" Strickland was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ....

       - former Governor of Ohio
    • Gene Tenace
      Gene Tenace
      Fury Gene Tenace , better known as Gene Tenace, is a former Italian-American professional baseball player and current coach in Major League Baseball. He was a catcher and first baseman from through . Tenace was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics from Valley High School in Lucasville, OH and...

       - former Major League Baseball player

    External links

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