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Chillicothe

City · Ross County · 22,059 residents · 1.8% municipal income tax

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Ross County

Local events in Chillicothe

144 events in the next 90 days from 8 public calendars. All local events in Chillicothe

  1. Downtown Trick or Treat

    All day · Downtown Chillicothe · From Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce

  2. Early Voting in Ohio

    Oct 6 to Nov 1 · 475 Western Avenue Suite D · From Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce

  3. PARTNER EVENT - Central Center Halloween Bash

    All day · Central Center Western Ave. · From Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce

Checked October 20; the events page is refreshed daily.

Lakes near Chillicothe

The history under the water: the valley before, the dam, the stories. All Ohio lakes

Deep dives about Chillicothe

Long reads built from maps, newspapers and public records. All deep dives

Notable people from Chillicothe

Ohioans tied to this place, each with a sourced profile. All notable Ohioans

History from Chillicothe

People and inventions tied to this place, each with its sources. All people · All inventions

How Chillicothe began

Chillicothe was founded in 1796 by General Nathaniel Massie and other surveyors on land in the Virginia Military District along the Scioto River, at a site the Shawnee had earlier called by variants of the same name. It served as capital of the remnant Northwest Territory from 1800, hosted Ohio's 1802 constitutional convention, and was the state's first capital from 1803 to 1810 and again from 1812 to 1816, before Columbus took over permanently. Ross County is the heart of the ancient Hopewell tradition (about 1 to 400 CE), and five of the earthwork groups that gave the culture its name now form Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in and around the city. Chillicothe later grew on the Ohio and Erie Canal and on paper, shoe and steel industries, and during World War I hosted Camp Sherman, one of the nation's largest Army training cantonments, built on and around the Mound City earthworks.

Settled 1796, platted 1796, incorporated 1802, by Nathaniel Massie, who laid out the town on land he had surveyed in the Virginia Military District after the Treaty of Greenville (1795) opened the Scioto valley to settlement.

Where the name comes from

The name comes from the Shawnee word Chala·ka·tha (also spelled Chalahgawtha, rendered in early accounts as "Chillicothe"), meaning roughly "principal town" or "place of the principal chief." Chalahgawtha was one of the five major divisions of the Shawnee nation, and wherever that division's leading town stood at a given time, English speakers called it "Chillicothe" -- which is why the name recurs at several different sites across Ohio (and in Kentucky) as Shawnee towns moved. The 1902 county history notes early writers also linked the name to "Chillicoco" in Indian Territory as a cognate.

Before the town

Ross County lies at the center of the Hopewell cultural tradition (about 1 to 400 CE), which is itself named for a site here: the Hopewell Mound Group, on the farm of Mordecai Hopewell along the North Fork of Paint Creek northwest of the city, first excavated by Warren K. Moorehead in 1891-92. Mound City Group, now the visitor center of Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, sits about two miles north of Chillicothe on State Route 104 and was mapped by Ephraim Squier and Edwin Davis in the 1840s; it contains 25 mounds inside a 13-acre square enclosure and was excavated again by William C. Mills in 1920-21 after the U.S. Army had leveled part of it to build Camp Sherman. Hopeton Earthworks, High Bank Works and Seip Earthworks, also Ross County Hopewell sites, are additional units of the same park. Squier and Davis's Chillicothe-area digs recovered hundreds of effigy pipes and other ceremonial goods now central to understanding Hopewell art and trade. Adena-culture (about 800 BC-AD 100) burial mounds are also documented in the county, including the mound for which that culture is named, on Thomas Worthington's Adena estate at the edge of Chillicothe. As for the historic Shawnee: the name "Chillicothe" (Chalahgawtha) was used for several different towns as the Shawnee Chalahgawtha division relocated over the 1700s -- the best-known, destroyed in 1780 and 1782, stood far to the west near present Oldtown in Greene County and is a separate site from anything at Ross County. Within Ross County itself, two Chalahgawtha/Chillicothe towns are recorded: one at Hopetown, about three miles north of the present city (near the Hopewell/Hopeton earthworks), and "Old Chillicothe" (Old Town) at the site of present Frankfort on the North Fork of Paint Creek, which the Shawnee occupied into the 1780s until it was destroyed in Benjamin Logan's 1786 campaign. The 1795 Treaty of Greenville, signed by Shawnee, Wyandot, Lenape (Delaware), Miami, Ottawa and other nations after their defeat at Fallen Timbers, ceded most of the Scioto valley including the Chillicothe site to the United States and opened it to the Virginia Military District surveys that produced the city three years later.

Nations recorded here: Shawnee, Adena culture, Hopewell culture.

  • Hopewell Mound Group (earthwork) — on the former Mordecai Hopewell farm, North Fork of Paint Creek, Ross County, northwest of Chillicothe, Hopewell culture, c. 1-400 CE (en.wikipedia.org)
  • Mound City Group (earthwork) — 16062 State Route 104, about 2 miles north of Chillicothe, Hopewell culture, c. 1-400 CE; overbuilt by Camp Sherman 1917-1920, restored 1920s (nps.gov)
  • Adena Mound (mound) — the Adena estate (Thomas Worthington's home), edge of Chillicothe -- namesake site of the Adena culture, Adena culture, c. 800 BC-AD 100 (ohiohistorycentral.org)
  • Chalahgawtha / "Old Chillicothe" at Hopetown (village) — about 3 miles north of present Chillicothe, near the Hopewell/Hopeton earthworks, historic Shawnee town, 18th century (en.wikipedia.org)
  • "Old Chillicothe" (Old Town) at Frankfort (village) — site of present Frankfort, on the North Fork of Paint Creek, Ross County, occupied into the 1780s; destroyed 1786 (archive.org)

Timeline

  1. — The Treaty of Greenville cedes the Scioto valley, including the future Chillicothe site, to the United States, ending the war that followed the defeat of the Northwest Confederacy at Fallen Timbers.
  2. — Nathaniel Massie lays out Chillicothe on the Scioto River as a Virginia Military District town.
  3. — Ross County is organized with Chillicothe as county seat.
  4. — Chillicothe becomes capital of the remaining Northwest Territory after Indiana Territory is split off.
  5. — Ohio's constitutional convention meets in Chillicothe.
  6. — The first Ohio General Assembly convenes in Chillicothe on March 1, statehood day; Chillicothe becomes Ohio's first state capital.
  7. — The state capital moves temporarily to Zanesville.
  8. — The capital returns to Chillicothe.
  9. — The Ohio General Assembly selects Columbus as the permanent state capital, ending Chillicothe's role as seat of government.
  10. — The Ohio and Erie Canal reaches Chillicothe, spurring construction of canal warehouses including the surviving Canal Warehouse at Main and Mulberry streets (built c. 1830-31).
  11. — Ephraim Squier and Edwin Davis survey and map the Hopewell-era earthworks of the Scioto valley, including Mound City near Chillicothe, published in Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley.
  12. — The great Ohio flood of March 1913 inundates Chillicothe's low-lying streets, including Hickory Street.
  13. — The U.S. Army builds Camp Sherman just north of Chillicothe, grading over part of the Mound City earthworks to create one of the largest World War I training cantonments in the country.
  14. — After Camp Sherman closes, the Ohio Historical Society (William C. Mills) excavates and the earthworks at Mound City are restored using the 1840s Squier and Davis maps.
  15. — President Warren G. Harding proclaims Mound City Group a national monument.
  16. — Chillicothe's water treatment plant opens on Park Street; the site is later cleared to become Veterans Memorial Park.
  17. — Congress expands Mound City Group National Monument to include part of the Hopeton Earthworks and authorizes study of other regional sites.
  18. — The city's current water treatment plant goes into service in Yoctangee Park, next to the municipal well field.
  19. — Congress renames and expands the park as Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, adding Hopeton Earthworks, High Bank Works, Hopewell Mound Group and Seip Earthworks alongside Mound City Group.
  20. — An Ohio EPA source water assessment rates the aquifer feeding Chillicothe's well field highly susceptible to contamination.

Stories

A frontier town made the state's first capital

Nathaniel Massie had already founded Manchester on the Ohio River when he turned to the Scioto valley in 1796, surveying land he was entitled to as a Virginia Military District locator and laying out Chillicothe on a bluff above the river. Settlers poured in fast: the town had a courthouse, a jail and hundreds of residents within a few years, and it quickly became the commercial and political hub of the Virginia Military District. When the Northwest Territory's legislature split off Indiana Territory in 1800, Chillicothe -- already the seat of Ross County -- became capital of what remained, and delegates met there in November 1802 to write Ohio's first constitution. On March 1, 1803, the first Ohio General Assembly convened in the two-story stone courthouse known as "Old Stone," a date Ohioans still mark as Statehood Day. The capital moved to Zanesville in 1810 in a political compromise, came back to Chillicothe in 1812, and was fixed permanently at the new town of Columbus in 1816 -- ending, after twenty years, Chillicothe's run at the seat of Ohio government.

The culture named for a Ross County farm

In 1891 and 1892 the archaeologist Warren K. Moorehead excavated a large group of geometric earthworks and mounds on the farm of Mordecai Hopewell, along the North Fork of Paint Creek northwest of Chillicothe. The site produced such extraordinary quantities of worked copper, mica, obsidian, marine shell and effigy pipes that archaeologists later adopted "Hopewell" as the name for the entire Middle Woodland-period culture and trade network it represented -- one that stretched from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic coast and from Ontario to the Gulf of Mexico, even though the people themselves left no name for their own culture. Chillicothe and the surrounding Scioto valley turned out to be the network's ceremonial center: Mound City, Hopeton, High Bank and Seip earthworks all sit within a few miles of the city, and together with the Hopewell Mound Group itself they now make up Hopewell Culture National Historical Park.

An army camp built over the mounds

When the United States entered World War I in 1917, the Army needed cantonments fast, and it chose a stretch of farmland just north of Chillicothe -- land that included the Mound City earthworks -- to build Camp Sherman. Within months the camp held tens of thousands of soldiers and became, for a time, one of the largest training posts in the country; part of the earthen enclosure at Mound City was leveled to make room for camp buildings. Once the war ended and the camp was decommissioned in the early 1920s, the Ohio Historical Society excavated the site and restored the mounds and walls using the 1840s survey maps drawn by Ephraim Squier and Edwin Davis, work precise enough that Mound City Group could be proclaimed a national monument by President Harding in 1923 -- turning a wartime training ground back into one of the most important ancient sites in Ohio.

Photographs

"A Comprehensive Map of the City of Chillicothe," compiled and published by Wyd Wesson, 1843
"A Comprehensive Map of the City of Chillicothe," compiled and published by Wyd Wesson, 1843 (1843)
Photo: Wyd Wesson, public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Camp Sherman, the World War I Army training cantonment north of Chillicothe, circa 1917
Camp Sherman, the World War I Army training cantonment north of Chillicothe, circa 1917 (c. 1917)
Photo: Philomen Frey Photographs collection, Mennonite Church USA Archives, no known copyright restrictions · Wikimedia Commons
The Ross County Courthouse in Chillicothe, built 1855-1858, photographed in 2006
The Ross County Courthouse in Chillicothe, built 1855-1858, photographed in 2006 (2006)
Photo: Rdikeman (English Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Local history sources: en.wikipedia.org · ohiohistorycentral.org · ohiohistorycentral.org · ohiohistorycentral.org · nps.gov · nps.gov · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · archive.org · chillicotheoh.gov · commons.wikimedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org

Historic places

12 places in Chillicothe on the National Register of Historic Places. Press a pin or a name for its whole record.

  1. Canal WarehouseBuilding · Chillicothe · listed 1973
    Address
    Main and Mulberry Sts.
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County · ZIP 45601
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1973
    NRIS reference number
    73001522
    Coordinates
    39.33424, -82.97870

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  2. Chillicothe Water And Power Company Pumping StationBuilding · Chillicothe · listed 1979
    Address
    Enderlin Circle
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County · ZIP 45601
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1979
    NRIS reference number
    79001932
    Coordinates
    39.33950, -82.98175

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  3. Macomb, Mary Worthington, HouseBuilding · Chillicothe · listed 1976
    Address
    490 S. Paint St.
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County · ZIP 45601
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1976
    NRIS reference number
    76001525
    Coordinates
    39.32196, -82.98004

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  4. Majestic TheatreBuilding · Chillicothe · listed 1979
    Address
    Roughly bounded by Water, 4th, Walnut and Hickory Sts.
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County · ZIP 45601
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1979
    NRIS reference number
    79001931
    Coordinates
    39.33492, -82.98101

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  5. Mountain HouseBuilding · Chillicothe · listed 1978
    Address
    Highland Ave.
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County · ZIP 45601
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1978
    NRIS reference number
    78002181
    Coordinates
    39.33205, -82.99117

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  6. Oak HillBuilding · Chillicothe · listed 1973
    Address
    Dun Rd.
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County · ZIP 45601
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1973
    NRIS reference number
    73001527
    Coordinates
    39.32634, -83.02430

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  7. Renick House, Paint HillBuilding · Chillicothe · listed 1973
    Address
    17 Mead Dr.
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County · ZIP 45601
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1973
    NRIS reference number
    73001528
    Coordinates
    39.32341, -82.99058

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  8. Seip HouseBuilding · Chillicothe · listed 1981
    Address
    345 Allen Ave.
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County · ZIP 45601
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1981
    NRIS reference number
    81000450
    Coordinates
    39.34174, -82.99342

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  9. Story Mound State MemorialStructure · Chillicothe · listed 1973
    Address
    East of junction of Cherokee and Delano Streets
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County · ZIP 45601
    What it is
    Structure
    Listed on the National Register
    1973
    NRIS reference number
    73001529
    Coordinates
    39.34208, -82.99946

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  10. TanglewoodBuilding · Chillicothe · listed 1979
    Address
    177 Belleview Ave.
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County · ZIP 45601
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1979
    NRIS reference number
    79001934
    Coordinates
    39.32759, -82.98838

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  11. Vanmeter Church Street HouseBuilding · Chillicothe · listed 1979
    Address
    178 Church St.
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County · ZIP 45601
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1979
    NRIS reference number
    79001935
    Coordinates
    39.33619, -82.99117

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  12. Walke, Anthony, and Susan Cardinal, HouseBuilding · Chillicothe · listed 2007
    Address
    381 Western Ave.
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County · ZIP 45601
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    2007
    NRIS reference number
    07000065
    Coordinates
    39.33517, -82.99839

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

Source: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places point file. The listing year is shown where NPS's certification date agrees with the listing's reference number. Listing recognizes significance; it does not restrict a private owner.

Every historic place in Ross County on the full map

Water

Seven active wells in the Scioto Buried River Valley Aquifer (the CCR's own name) serving the city well field near Yoctangee Park. The City of Chillicothe also has emergency connections with Ross County Water Company and the Chillicothe Correctional Institution; neither was used in 2025. The water here

Hospitals, fire stations and more

Inside Chillicothe's boundary: 3 health centers, 1 dialysis center, 2 nursing homes, 2 fire and EMS stations, 3 colleges, 1 power plant, 6 public schools, 1 private school, 4 libraries, 7 museums, 2 police stations, 5 public charging sites, 3 Toxics Release Inventory facilities and 10 spill cases. Press a pin or a name for its whole record and its source.

Community health centers (3)

  1. Chillicothe Admin 2Health center · Chillicothe
    Run by
    a federally qualified health center
    Setting
    Clinic
    City
    Chillicothe
    Coordinates
    39.33672, -82.98060

    Find a Health Center (HRSA) ↗ HRSA data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Chillicothe DentalHealth center · Chillicothe
    Run by
    a federally qualified health center
    Setting
    Clinic
    City
    Chillicothe
    Coordinates
    39.33601, -83.00092

    Find a Health Center (HRSA) ↗ HRSA data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Hopewell Health Centers - ChillicotheHealth center · Chillicothe
    Run by
    a federally qualified health center
    Setting
    Clinic
    City
    Chillicothe
    Coordinates
    39.33353, -83.01268

    Find a Health Center (HRSA) ↗ HRSA data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: HRSA health center service delivery sites, active, September 2026 (school-based sites left out). Health centers see patients whether or not they have insurance, with fees on a sliding scale.

Dialysis centers (1)

  1. Davita Adena DialysisDialysis · Chillicothe
    Address
    1180 N. Bridge Street, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    Dialysis stations
    17
    Medicare star rating
    4 of 5 stars
    Services
    in-center hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis
    Ownership
    for profit
    Chain
    DaVita
    Medicare certified since
    2012-02-13
    Phone
    (740) 773-3733
    Medicare ID
    362777

    Medicare Care Compare ↗ CMS dialysis facility list (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: CMS dialysis facility list, September 2026, geocoded with the Census Bureau batch geocoder (an address it could not place sits at its ZIP center).

Nursing homes (2)

  1. Chillicothe Post Acute3 of 5 stars · Chillicothe
    Address
    1058 Columbus St, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    Certified beds
    99
    Residents on an average day
    82
    Medicare overall rating
    3 of 5 stars
    Health inspections
    2 of 5 stars
    Staffing
    2 of 5 stars
    Quality measures
    5 of 5 stars
    Penalties since 2023
    none
    Ownership
    For profit - Limited Liability company
    Chain
    PACS GROUP
    Takes
    Medicare and Medicaid
    Phone
    (740) 773-5000
    Medicare ID
    365576

    Medicare Care Compare ↗ CMS nursing home data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Westmoreland Place1 of 5 stars · Chillicothe
    Address
    230 Cherry St, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    Certified beds
    139
    Residents on an average day
    86
    Medicare overall rating
    1 of 5 stars
    Health inspections
    1 of 5 stars
    Staffing
    1 of 5 stars
    Quality measures
    4 of 5 stars
    Penalties since 2023
    none
    Ownership
    For profit - Corporation
    Chain
    CARECORE HEALTH
    Takes
    Medicare and Medicaid
    Phone
    (740) 773-6470
    Medicare ID
    365597

    Medicare Care Compare ↗ CMS nursing home data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: CMS Care Compare nursing home provider and penalties files; Medicare star ratings run 1 to 5.

Fire and EMS stations (2)

  1. Chillicothe Fire Department Station 1Chillicothe
    Address
    54 East Water Street, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    Coordinates
    39.33580, -82.98091

    USGS National Map structures (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Chillicothe Fire Department Station 4Chillicothe
    Address
    100 University Drive, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    Coordinates
    39.32744, -83.00712

    USGS National Map structures (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: USGS National Map structures (most Ohio records last updated 2019 to 2022), checked against the Columbus and Cleveland station lists. The department that answers a call is set by jurisdiction and mutual aid, not by distance.

Colleges (3)

  1. Hair AcademyFor-profit career school · Chillicothe
    What it is
    For-profit career school
    City
    Chillicothe
    Students, 2023-24 (12-month count)
    42
    IPEDS unit ID
    497675

    College Navigator (NCES) ↗ IPEDS data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Ohio University-Chillicothe CampusPublic university · Chillicothe
    What it is
    Public university
    City
    Chillicothe
    Students, 2023-24 (12-month count)
    3,591
    Tuition and fees, in state
    $6,178
    Tuition and fees, out of state
    $9,170
    Graduation rate
    14% of bachelor's students, within six years (a class of 223)
    IPEDS unit ID
    204820

    College Navigator (NCES) ↗ IPEDS data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Pickaway Ross Joint Vocational School DistrictPublic career school · Chillicothe
    What it is
    Public career school
    City
    Chillicothe
    Students, 2023-24 (12-month count)
    413
    IPEDS unit ID
    407513

    College Navigator (NCES) ↗ IPEDS data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NCES IPEDS 2024 directory, 2023-24 enrollment and tuition, graduation rates for the 2017 (four-year) and 2020 (two-year) entering classes.

Power plants (1)

  1. Pixelle Specialty Solutions LLC - ChilliBiomass · 32 MW
    Capacity
    32 MW
    By fuel
    natural gas 13 MW, biomass 20 MW
    Main source
    Biomass
    Technology
    Wood/Wood Waste Biomass; Natural Gas Steam Turbine;
    Operator
    Pixelle Specialty Solution, LLC
    Sector
    Industrial CHP
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County
    Generating units
    4
    Built
    1952 (first unit); newest unit 1978
    EIA plant code
    10244

    EIA plant page ↗ EIA-860 (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: EIA-860 power plant inventory via HIFLD (February 2025), with plant codes, units and years from EIA-860 2025.

Public schools (6)

  1. Chillicothe High School3 of 5 stars · Chillicothe
    Address
    421 Yoctangee Pkwy, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    School district
    Chillicothe City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    859
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    42
    Report card, 2025-26
    3 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    69.2%
    Four-year graduation rate
    92.1%
    Ohio building IRN
    006296
    NCES school ID
    390437400281

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Chillicothe Intermediate School2.5 of 5 stars · Chillicothe
    Address
    345 Arch St, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    School district
    Chillicothe City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    754
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    46
    Report card, 2025-26
    2.5 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    64.5%
    Ohio building IRN
    037234
    NCES school ID
    390437400287

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Chillicothe Middle School4 of 5 stars · Chillicothe
    Address
    381 Yoctangee Pkwy, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    School district
    Chillicothe City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    381
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    28.5
    Report card, 2025-26
    4 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    71.8%
    Ohio building IRN
    034736
    NCES school ID
    390437400286

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  4. Chillicothe Primary School2.5 of 5 stars · Chillicothe
    Address
    235 Cherry St, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    School district
    Chillicothe City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    546
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    27
    Report card, 2025-26
    2.5 of 5 stars
    Ohio building IRN
    025841
    NCES school ID
    390437400285

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  5. Mt. Logan Early Childhood CenterChillicothe
    Address
    841 E Main St, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    105
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    11
    NCES school ID
    390437405981

    NCES school record ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  6. Southern Ohio Career AcademyChillicothe
    Address
    30 E Main St, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    42
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    3.5
    NCES school ID
    391005510873

    NCES school record ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NCES EDGE public school locations 2024-25 and Common Core of Data 2023-24 (type, students, teachers); Ohio School Report Cards 2025-26 (Department of Education and Workforce), matched by name within the district.

Private schools (1)

  1. Bishop Flaget SchoolPrivate, Catholic · Chillicothe
    Address
    570 Parsons Ave, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    Kind
    Catholic
    Students, 2023-24
    172
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    15.8
    Students per teacher
    10.8861
    Phone
    (740) 774-2970
    NCES private school ID
    01060138

    NCES private school record ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NCES Private School Survey 2023-24.

Public libraries (4)

  1. Chillicothe and Ross County Public LibraryCentral library · Chillicothe
    Address
    140 S Paint St, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    What it is
    Central library
    Library system
    Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library
    Open
    3,120 hours a year, 52 weeks
    Building
    44,137 sq ft
    System's visits, FY2024
    217,776
    System's loans, FY2024
    429,173
    People the system serves
    77,093
    Phone
    (740) 702-4145

    IMLS Public Libraries Survey (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library Bs1Bookmobile stop · Chillicothe
    Address
    140 S Paint St, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    What it is
    Bookmobile stop
    Library system
    Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library
    Open
    520 hours a year, 52 weeks
    System's visits, FY2024
    217,776
    System's loans, FY2024
    429,173
    People the system serves
    77,093
    Phone
    (740) 702-4145

    IMLS Public Libraries Survey (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Mt. Logan Satellite BranchBranch · Chillicothe
    Address
    841 E. Main St., Chillicothe, OH 45601
    What it is
    Branch
    Library system
    Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library
    Open
    600 hours a year, 50 weeks
    Building
    2,000 sq ft
    System's visits, FY2024
    217,776
    System's loans, FY2024
    429,173
    People the system serves
    77,093
    Phone
    (740) 702-4145

    IMLS Public Libraries Survey (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  4. Northside BranchBranch · Chillicothe
    Address
    550 Buckeye Street, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    What it is
    Branch
    Library system
    Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library
    Open
    3,120 hours a year, 52 weeks
    Building
    10,400 sq ft
    System's visits, FY2024
    217,776
    System's loans, FY2024
    429,173
    People the system serves
    77,093
    Phone
    (740) 702-4100

    IMLS Public Libraries Survey (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: IMLS Public Libraries Survey FY2024 (outlets and their systems). Any Ohio resident can get a free card at any Ohio public library.

Museums, historical societies, gardens and zoos (7)

  1. Adena Mansion And Gardens SocietyHistorical society · Chillicothe
    What it is
    Historical society
    City
    Chillicothe
    Coordinates
    39.35454, -83.01246

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

  2. Adena State MemorialMuseum · Chillicothe
    What it is
    Museum
    City
    Chillicothe
    Coordinates
    39.35464, -83.01268

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

  3. James M Thomas MuseumMuseum · Chillicothe
    What it is
    Museum
    City
    Chillicothe
    Coordinates
    39.33320, -82.98136

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

  4. Lucy Hayes Heritage CenterHistory museum · Chillicothe
    What it is
    History museum
    City
    Chillicothe
    Coordinates
    39.33419, -83.00310

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

  5. Pump House Art GalleryHistorical society · Chillicothe
    What it is
    Historical society
    City
    Chillicothe
    Coordinates
    39.33419, -83.00310

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

  6. Ross County Historical SocietyHistorical society · Chillicothe
    What it is
    Historical society
    City
    Chillicothe
    Coordinates
    39.33048, -82.98256

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

  7. South Central Ohio Preservation SocietyHistorical society · Chillicothe
    What it is
    Historical society
    City
    Chillicothe
    Coordinates
    39.33541, -82.99087

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

Source: IMLS Museum Data Files, 2018.

Police stations (2)

  1. Chillicothe Police DepartmentChillicothe
    Address
    28 North Paint Street, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    Coordinates
    39.33414, -82.98286

    USGS National Map structures (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Ross County Sheriff's OfficeChillicothe
    Address
    28 North Paint Street, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    Coordinates
    39.33417, -82.98272

    USGS National Map structures (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: USGS National Map structures, police stations, corrected and completed by hand (September 2026). The department that answers a call is set by jurisdiction, not by distance.

Public EV charging (5)

  1. Coughlin Chevrolet Buick GMC Of Chillicothe DC fast1 DC fast · CHILLICOTHE
    Address
    1221 N BRDGE ST, CHILLICOTHE, OH 45601
    Ports
    1 DC fast
    Plugs
    CCS
    Network
    EV Connect
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    866-816-7584

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. NOURSE TOYOTA TOYOTA SRV1 Level 2 · Chillicothe
    Address
    423 N Bridge St, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    Ports
    1 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    ChargePoint Network
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    888-758-4389

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. YOCTANGEE CHILLICOTHE DC fast1 DC fast · 2 Level 2 · Chillicothe
    Address
    37 E Water St, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    Ports
    1 DC fast · 2 Level 2
    Plugs
    CCS, CHAdeMO, J1772
    Network
    ChargePoint Network
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    888-758-4389

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  4. YOCTANGEE YOCTANGEEPARK2 DC fast1 DC fast · 2 Level 2 · Chillicothe
    Address
    37 E Water St Side, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    Ports
    1 DC fast · 2 Level 2
    Plugs
    CCS, CHAdeMO, J1772
    Network
    ChargePoint Network
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    888-758-4389

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  5. Zane Plaza - Tesla Supercharger DC fast8 DC fast · Chillicothe
    Address
    1080 N. Bridge Street, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    Ports
    8 DC fast
    Plugs
    Tesla (NACS)
    Network
    Tesla
    Hours
    24 hours daily. Please check Tesla's online station map to see if an adapter is required at this location.
    Phone
    877-798-3752

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NREL Alternative Fuels Data Center station list (May 2026), public and open stations, the posts at one address counted as one site.

Facilities reporting toxic releases (3)

  1. Barber Spring OhioToxics Release Inventory · Chillicothe
    Address
    387 Wetzel Dr., Chillicothe, OH 45601
    County
    Ross County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45601NMSPR387WE
    EPA registry ID
    110000395126

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Pixelle Specialty Solutions Llc (0671010028)Toxics Release Inventory · Chillicothe
    Address
    232 East 8Th St., Chillicothe, OH 45601
    County
    Ross County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (open)
    EPA program ID
    45601MDCRP401SP
    EPA registry ID
    110000395117

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Specialty Minerals IncToxics Release Inventory · Chillicothe
    Address
    Paint & 11Th Street, Chillicothe, OH 45601
    County
    Ross County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45601PFZRSPAINT
    EPA registry ID
    110002472725

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: EPA Facility Registry Service, Toxics Release Inventory reporters. Reporting a release is required of large users of listed chemicals; it is not by itself a violation.

Spills reported since 2021 (10)

  1. Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2024-11-22 · Chillicothe
    Reported
    2024-11-22
    What spilled
    Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
    Largest amount reported
    15 gallons
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SEDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2411EPA0001920

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)2024-07-08 · Chillicothe
    Reported
    2024-07-08
    What spilled
    Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SEDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2407EPA0001151

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Asbestos2023-10-25 · Chillicothe
    Reported
    2023-10-25
    What spilled
    Asbestos
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SEDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2310EPA0001828

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  4. Sewage Human2023-07-26 · Chillicothe
    Reported
    2023-07-26
    What spilled
    Sewage Human
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SEDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2307EPA0001271

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  5. Material White2023-07-15 · Chillicothe
    Reported
    2023-07-15
    What spilled
    Material White
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SEDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2307EPA0001191

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  6. Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2022-12-23 · Chillicothe
    Reported
    2022-12-23
    What spilled
    Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
    Largest amount reported
    60 gallons
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SEDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2212EPA0001902

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  7. Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2022-07-06 · Chillicothe
    Reported
    2022-07-06
    What spilled
    Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
    Largest amount reported
    80 gallons
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SEDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2207EPA0001021

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  8. Waste Water Reached water2022-05-21 · Chillicothe
    Reported
    2022-05-21
    What spilled
    Waste Water
    Reached a waterway
    99 - Unnamed
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SEDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2205EPA0000752

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  9. Other / All Other / Trade Name / Mixture / Solution Etc2026-04-25 · Chillicothe
    Reported
    2026-04-25
    What spilled
    Other / All Other / Trade Name / Mixture / Solution Etc
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SEDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2604EPA0000697

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  10. Oil Hydraulic Fluid(S)2026-03-26 · Chillicothe
    Reported
    2026-03-26
    What spilled
    Oil Hydraulic Fluid(S)
    Largest amount reported
    80 gallons
    Where
    Chillicothe, Ross County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SEDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2603EPA0000494

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: Ohio EPA emergency response spill reports, 2021 to September 2026, one point per case where Ohio EPA placed it. A report is what the caller or responder recorded; amounts are often blank or estimated.

Its ZIP codes

Each ZIP code that touches Chillicothe, with the share of its residents who live here and the same headline figures as the ZIP page.

ZIPShareWaterRadon Home valueSchoolsFlood
45601 Chillicothe 39% Seven active wells in the Scioto Buried River Valley Aquifer (the CCR's own name) serving the city well field near Yoctangee Park. The City of Chillicothe also has emergency connections with Ross County Water Company and the Chillicothe Correctional Institution; neither was used in 2025. 6.3 pCi/L average radon Median year built 1972 Chillicothe City · 3 stars overall 2.9% of residents in the 1% floodplain

Local government

Who holds office in Chillicothe, how its elections and ballot issues came out, and the state auditor's record.

Auditor of State record

The county

Ross County: 10 ZIP codes, 25 cities, villages and townships, 77,708 people.

Nearby places

Union Township, Ross County Scioto Township, Ross County Huntington Township, Ross County Green Township, Ross County Springfield Township, Ross County Twin Township, Ross County Liberty Township, Ross County Franklin Township, Ross County Harrison Township, Ross County Jefferson Township, Ross County

Rain and snow

How much has actually fallen on Chillicothe, day by day, from 1893 to now. Daily totals, not averages.

rain, last 30 days
0.67 in
2026-09-30 to 2026-10-29
rain so far in 2026
40.4 in
5.3 in above normal for the date
snow so far in 2026
14.0 in
a normal year brings 15.6 in
a normal year
41.7 in
average of 30 years, 1991-2020
The last twelve months
MonthRain (in)Snow (in)Days counted
October 2026 0.67 — 29
September 2026 7.80 — 30
August 2026 6.04 — 31
July 2026 4.26 — 31
June 2026 4.10 — 30
May 2026 4.87 — 31
April 2026 3.41 — 30
March 2026 6.83 0.4 31
February 2026 0.98 3.7 28
January 2026 1.46 9.9 31
December 2025 2.06 9.8 31
November 2025 3.17 2.0 30
On the record, 1893–2026
Wettest year2018 — 59.6 in
Driest year1930 — 23.5 in
Snowiest year1910 — 50.5 in
Wettest day on record23 June 1968 — 4.80 in
Heaviest snowfall in a day13 February 1940 — 10.51 in
Deepest snow on the ground14 April 1916 — 26.84 in

39% of these days are measurements from a gauge inside Chillicothe; the rest are estimated from the nearest gauges around it.

48,876 days of records, 1893-01-01 to 2026-10-29. Source: NOAA NCEI GHCN-Daily, 3,240 gauges in and around Ohio. A day is "gauged" when a gauge standing inside the boundary reported it, and the value is the mean of those gauges. Otherwise it is interpolated by inverse distance from every gauge reporting within 50 miles. Nothing is carried forward, back-filled or smoothed. Against NOAA nClimDiv county monthly precipitation over 136,848 complete county-months (checked 2026-10-31): correlation 0.9515, median absolute difference 0.217 in a month. Built 2026-10-31 from the Cracked Buckeye precipitation archive. Snow is the softer number — snowfall is measured by hand with a ruler, no agency publishes a gridded county snowfall series, and blowing snow defeats every observer.

Environmental permits and filings

What Ohio EPA has on file for Chillicothe: permits, inspections, violations, cleanups and the state loans behind sewer and water work. Every line links to the agency's own document.

facilities and sites on file
70
those placed on the map inside Chillicothe
What kind of permits
ProgramFacilities and sites
Hazardous waste41
Wastewater and stormwater discharge10
Air pollution5
Sewer and water-line construction5
Contaminated-site cleanup2
Site assessment2
Brownfield1
Cessation Of Regulated Operations1
State sewer loans1
Underground injection wells1
Voluntary cleanup1
The latest filings
DateFacility or siteWhat
US PAPER MILL LLC Sewer and water-line construction permit
CHILLICOTHE WWTP-EASTERLY Brownfield assessment
US PAPER MILL LLC Wastewater and stormwater discharge notice of violation
US PAPER MILL LLC Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
US PAPER MILL LLC Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
LEGGETT ACCELERATED MAINLINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
RIVERSIDE STREET AMRP Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
US PAPER MILL LLC Cessation Of Regulated Operations inspection
CHILLICOTHE WWTP-EASTERLY Brownfield assessment
SPARKLE CLEANERS INC Air pollution report
CHILLICOTHE WWTP-EASTERLY Brownfield assessment
US PAPER MILL COMPANY LLC Air pollution permit
BARBER SPRING OHIO Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
BARBER SPRING OHIO Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
ROSS COUNTY Sewer and water-line construction permit
US PAPER MILL LLC Cessation Of Regulated Operations compliance letter
CHILLICOTHE WWTP-EASTERLY Brownfield assessment
US PAPER MILL LLC Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
US PAPER MILL LLC Cessation Of Regulated Operations director's approval
HOPEWELL REGIONAL VISITOR'S CENTER Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
CHILLICOTHE WWTP-EASTERLY Sewer and water-line construction permit
US PAPER MILL LLC Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
US PAPER MILL LLC Wastewater and stormwater discharge inspection
ROSS COUNTY Sewer and water-line construction permit
SHEETZ - CHILLICOTHE OH Wastewater and stormwater discharge inspection

Source: Ohio EPA eDocument portal (edocpub.epa.ohio.gov), indexed 2026-10-14. Facilities are placed on the map from Ohio EPA's own map layers, EPA's Facility Registry, coordinates written in the filings, or a geocoded street address. A permit filed under a private person's name (most are household septic systems) is counted but never named, placed or linked; licenses for individual workers and open-burning notices are left out entirely.

Quick answers

What county is Chillicothe, Ohio in?

Chillicothe is a city in Ross County, Ohio, with 22,059 residents.

When was Chillicothe, Ohio founded?

Chillicothe was settled 1796; laid out 1796; incorporated 1802. Founders on record: Nathaniel Massie, who laid out the town on land he had surveyed in the Virginia Military District after the Treaty of Greenville (1795) opened the Scioto valley to settlement. Source

How did Chillicothe, Ohio get its name?

The name comes from the Shawnee word Chala·ka·tha (also spelled Chalahgawtha, rendered in early accounts as "Chillicothe"), meaning roughly "principal town" or "place of the principal chief." Chalahgawtha was one of the five major divisions of the Shawnee nation, and wherever that division's leading town stood at a given time, English speakers called it "Chillicothe" -- which is why the name recurs at several different sites across Ohio (and in Kentucky) as Shawnee towns moved. Source

What ZIP code is Chillicothe, Ohio?

Most of Chillicothe is in ZIP code 45601.

Where does Chillicothe, Ohio get its water?

The main water source for Chillicothe (Chillicothe City): Seven active wells in the Scioto Buried River Valley Aquifer (the CCR's own name) serving the city well field near Yoctangee Park. The City of Chillicothe also has emergency connections with Ross County Water Company and the Chillicothe Correctional Institution; neither was used in 2025.

Cite this page as:

Cracked Buckeye, "Chillicothe, Ross County", https://crackedbuckeye.com/place/chillicothe/, built 2026-10-31, accessed [date].

How to cite · Report a correction · Built 2026-10-31