West Lafayette, Ohio
Encyclopedia
West Lafayette is a village in Coshocton County
, Ohio
, United States
. The population was 2,313 at the 2000 census
.
system and currently by the Columbus and Ohio River Railroad
(Ohio Central Railroad System). Tragedy struck this track on September 11, 1950 when the crack passenger train "Spirit of Saint Louis" hit another train carrying 600 men of the 109th Field Artillery Battalion of the Pennsylvania National Guard. 33 men were killed. A memorial was placed near the site of the accident in 1990. A 105mm howitzer is at the memorial also, commemorating the manufacture of 105mm shells at Moore Enamelling across the tracks during WWII.
The village was once known as the "Enamel Center of the World". Before plastics were invented, steel vessels covered with a ceramic called enamelware were the norm in American homes. In 1903 the Lafayette Stamping and Enameling Co. was founded. Moore Enameling and Jones Metal also manufactured enamelware. Jones Metal remains. Another industry is Yankee Wire, manufacturer of wire screens.
The West Lafayette Homecoming was begun in 1950 and continues today as the "Hometown Festival."
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), all of it land.
The village is built upon a level plain in the Tuscarawas River valley and is surrounded by forested hills and agricultural valleys. The Ohio Central Railroad passes through the town. Immediately north of the village is U.S. Route 36
. Both of these are major arteries connecting Columbus with points east.
The aquifer
under the village is the site of a well documented trichloroethylene
(TCE) plume. In 2009 this TCE plume was the first location where Osorb
swelling glass materials were used for remediation.
of 2000, there were 2,313 people, 909 households, and 616 families residing in the village. The population density
was 3,503.4 people per square mile (1,353.1/km²). There were 990 housing units at an average density of 1,499.5 per square mile (579.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.53% White, 0.22% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.26% from other races
, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.35% of the population.
There were 909 households out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples
living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the village the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $29,870, and the median income for a family was $38,333. Males had a median income of $29,205 versus $20,341 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $14,913. About 5.7% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
Coshocton County, Ohio
Coshocton County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 36,901. Its county seat is Coshocton. Its name comes from the Delaware Indian language and has been translated as "union of waters" or "black bear crossing".The Coshocton...
, 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...
. The population was 2,313 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
History
West Lafayette was laid out in 1850 by Robert Shaw and William Wheeler. In 1855, the Steubenville and Indiana Railroad was built through the new town. The line became known as the Panhandle Route and was operated in the Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
system and currently by the Columbus and Ohio River Railroad
Columbus and Ohio River Railroad
Columbus and Ohio River Railroad is a railroad in the U.S. state of Ohio owned by Genesee & Wyoming Inc.It begins in Columbus along CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway tracks and stretches to Mingo Junction, Ohio near Steubenville just on the Ohio river. It has two interchanges with...
(Ohio Central Railroad System). Tragedy struck this track on September 11, 1950 when the crack passenger train "Spirit of Saint Louis" hit another train carrying 600 men of the 109th Field Artillery Battalion of the Pennsylvania National Guard. 33 men were killed. A memorial was placed near the site of the accident in 1990. A 105mm howitzer is at the memorial also, commemorating the manufacture of 105mm shells at Moore Enamelling across the tracks during WWII.
The village was once known as the "Enamel Center of the World". Before plastics were invented, steel vessels covered with a ceramic called enamelware were the norm in American homes. In 1903 the Lafayette Stamping and Enameling Co. was founded. Moore Enameling and Jones Metal also manufactured enamelware. Jones Metal remains. Another industry is Yankee Wire, manufacturer of wire screens.
The West Lafayette Homecoming was begun in 1950 and continues today as the "Hometown Festival."
Geography
West Lafayette is located at 40°16′26"N 81°45′3"W (40.273956, -81.750857).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 village has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), all of it land.
The village is built upon a level plain in the Tuscarawas River valley and is surrounded by forested hills and agricultural valleys. The Ohio Central Railroad passes through the town. Immediately north of the village is U.S. Route 36
U.S. Route 36
U.S. Route 36 is an east–west United States highway that runs for from Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado to Uhrichsville, Ohio. The highway's western terminus is at Deer Ridge Junction, an intersection in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, where it meets U.S. Route 34. Its eastern...
. Both of these are major arteries connecting Columbus with points east.
The 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...
under the village is the site of a well documented trichloroethylene
Trichloroethylene
The chemical compound trichloroethylene is a chlorinated hydrocarbon commonly used as an industrial solvent. It is a clear non-flammable liquid with a sweet smell. It should not be confused with the similar 1,1,1-trichloroethane, which is commonly known as chlorothene.The IUPAC name is...
(TCE) plume. In 2009 this TCE plume was the first location where Osorb
Osorb
Osorb is a swellable, organically-modified silica or glass capable of absorbing volatile organic compounds and other contaminants from water. The glass was discovered by Dr. Paul L. Edmiston and is trademarked by ABSMaterials, Inc.-History of discovery:...
swelling glass materials were used for remediation.
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 2,313 people, 909 households, and 616 families residing in the village. 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 3,503.4 people per square mile (1,353.1/km²). There were 990 housing units at an average density of 1,499.5 per square mile (579.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.53% White, 0.22% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.26% 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 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.35% of the population.
There were 909 households out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% 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, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the village the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $29,870, and the median income for a family was $38,333. Males had a median income of $29,205 versus $20,341 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 village was $14,913. About 5.7% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.