Local events in Ripley Township, Holmes County
Ripley Township itself has 1 event posted in the next 90 days; the others here are within 10 miles. All local events in Ripley Township, Holmes County
Checked October 20; the events page is refreshed daily.
How Ripley Township, Holmes County began
Ripley Township lies in the northern part of Holmes County and holds Big Prairie, an unincorporated community first settled in the 1810s and named for a large prairie near the original town site, in its northwestern corner near Odell Lake. Township population grew from 1,279 in 1840 to 2,415 by 2020.
Settled 1810s (Big Prairie).
Before the town
No Native village or site specific to Ripley Township is recorded. Henry Howe's 1888 county sketch has one early story from nearby: Jonathan Grant, the county's first settler in 1809, could speak the Indian language and was with the surveyors as a lookout.
Timeline
- — Big Prairie, in the northwestern part of Ripley Township near Odell's Lake, is first settled and named for a large prairie near the original town site.
- — A preaching point for what becomes Hopewell Presbyterian Church at Big Prairie begins about 1818 or 1819.
- — The Holmes County commissioners meet in June and organize the county into townships, which Howe says remain unchanged.
- — The earliest Hopewell church building is raised, after the congregation was organized under the Mansfield Presbytery about 1822; it burns and is replaced in 1846.
- — Township population recorded at 1,279 in the federal census.
- — Township population recorded at 1,359.
- — Henry Howe describes Odell's Lake, in the county's northwest corner and reachable by a station of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad, as a popular resort for fishing and pleasure parties, half a mile broad, two miles long and up to thirty feet deep, with enough water-power to run a large flouring mill.
- — The present Hopewell Presbyterian Church building is dedicated.
- — The Monitor Self Heating Sad Iron Co., based at 459 Wayne Street in Big Prairie, advertises in Popular Mechanics Magazine in May.
- — The census counts 1,730 people in the township.
- — The census counts 2,194 people in the township.
- — The census counts 2,338 people in the township.
- — Township population recorded at 2,415, up from 1,730 in 1990.
Stories
The oldest church in the county
Hopewell Presbyterian Church at Big Prairie is described on its 1997 marker as the oldest organized church in continuous existence in Holmes County. Its history begins with a preaching point as early as 1818 or 1819, when Big Prairie was a new settlement named for a large prairie near the original town site. It became a regularly organized congregation under the Presbytery at Mansfield about 1822. The first building went up about 1830, burned, and was replaced in 1846, and the present church was dedicated in 1906. Around it Big Prairie grew into a village post office in northwestern Ripley Township, close to Odell Lake, and in the early 1900s was home to the Monitor Self Heating Sad Iron Company, which advertised in Popular Mechanics in May 1914.
Local history sources: en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · archive.org · archive.org · hmdb.org
Water
Mostly private wells The water here
- Shreve Village86% of residentsGroundwater wells (3 wells)
- Millersburg Village9% of residentsGroundwater wells (2 wells)
- Berlin Water Company2% of residentsGroundwater wells (4 wells)
- Bloomfield Water Company1% of residentsGroundwater wells (5 wells)
- Big Prairie Community Water Company1% of residentsGroundwater wells (2 wells)
- Nashville Village0% of residentsGroundwater wells (2 wells)
- Walnut Creek Water Co.0% of residentsGroundwater wells (3 wells)
Hospitals, fire stations and more
Inside Ripley Township, Holmes County's boundary: 7 private schools, 2 Toxics Release Inventory facilities and 2 spill cases. Press a pin or a name for its whole record and its source.
Private schools (7)
-
Deer RunPrivate, religious, independent · Big Prarie
- Address
- 12135 Tr # 506, Big Prarie, OH 44611
- Kind
- religious, independent
- Students, 2023-24
- 28
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 2
- Students per teacher
- 14
- NCES private school ID
- A1903422
-
Hickory RidgePrivate, religious, independent · Big Prairie
- Address
- 7841 County Road 373, Big Prairie, OH 44611
- Kind
- religious, independent
- Students, 2023-24
- 37
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 2
- Students per teacher
- 18.5
- NCES private school ID
- A1302340
-
Lakeville ParochialPrivate, religious, independent · Big Prairie
- Address
- 7841 County Road 373, Big Prairie, OH 44611
- Kind
- religious, independent
- Students, 2023-24
- 29
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 2
- Students per teacher
- 14.5
- NCES private school ID
- A1302366
-
Locust RunPrivate, religious, independent · Lakeville
- Address
- 13238 Tr # 473, Lakeville, OH 44638
- Kind
- religious, independent
- Students, 2023-24
- 35
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 2
- Students per teacher
- 17.5
- NCES private school ID
- A1302378
-
Lone PinePrivate, religious, independent · Shreve
- Address
- 8180 Tr # 527, Shreve, OH 44676
- Kind
- religious, independent
- Students, 2023-24
- 18
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 2.9
- Students per teacher
- 6.2069
- Phone
- (330) 466-2885
- NCES private school ID
- A1302379
-
Sunny AcresPrivate, religious, independent · Big Prairie
- Address
- 7841 County Road 373, Big Prairie, OH 44611
- Kind
- religious, independent
- Students, 2023-24
- 30
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 2
- Students per teacher
- 15
- NCES private school ID
- A1302537
-
Sunrise View SchoolPrivate, religious, independent · Holmesville
- Address
- 7473 Tr # 525, Holmesville, OH 44633
- Kind
- religious, independent
- Students, 2023-24
- 33
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 2
- Students per teacher
- 16.5
- Phone
- (330) 521-4712
- NCES private school ID
- A1302536
Source: NCES Private School Survey 2023-24.
Facilities reporting toxic releases (2)
-
Dometic Sanitation CorpToxics Release Inventory · Big Prairie
- Address
- 13128 Sr 226, Big Prairie, OH 44611
- County
- Holmes County
- Status
- Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
- EPA program ID
- 44611SLNDTPOBOX
- EPA registry ID
- 110000591752
EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Mansfield Plumbing Products - Big Prairie FacilityToxics Release Inventory · Big Prairie
- Address
- 13211 State Rte. 226, Big Prairie, OH 44611
- County
- Holmes County
- Status
- Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
- EPA program ID
- 44611MNSFL13211
- EPA registry ID
- 110000390292
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 (2)
-
Oil Motor / Lube Oil / Vehicle2025-03-07 · Ripley Twp
- Reported
- 2025-03-07
- What spilled
- Oil Motor / Lube Oil / Vehicle; Other / All Other / Trade Name / Mixture / Solution Etc
- Largest amount reported
- 150 gallons
- Where
- Ripley Twp, Holmes County
- Ohio EPA district office
- NEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2503EPA0000319
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fish Kill Reached water2022-04-27 · Salt Creek Twp
- Reported
- 2022-04-27
- What spilled
- Fish Kill
- Reached a waterway
- 99 - Unnamed
- Where
- Salt Creek Twp, Holmes County
- Ohio EPA district office
- NEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2204EPA0000592
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 Ripley Township, Holmes County, with the share of its residents who live here and the same headline figures as the ZIP page.
| ZIP | Share | Water | Radon | Home value | Schools | Flood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44611 Ripley Township and Big Prairie | 58% | Mostly private wells | 6.6 pCi/L average radon | Median year built 1980 | West Holmes Local · 3.5 stars overall | 1.3% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
| 44676 Shreve | 18% | Mostly private wells | 9.0 pCi/L average radon | Median year built 1971 | Triway Local · 4 stars overall | 4.2% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
| 44638 Washington Township and Lakeville | 5% | Mostly private wells | 9.3 pCi/L average radon | Median year built 1981 | West Holmes Local · 3.5 stars overall | 8.9% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
| 44633 Prairie Township and Holmesville | 2% | Mostly private wells | 4.3 pCi/L average radon | Median year built 1980 | Southeast Local · 4.5 stars overall | 5.6% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
| 44654 Berlin Township and Millersburg | 1% | Mostly private wells | 7.4 pCi/L average radon | Median year built 1986 | West Holmes Local · 3.5 stars overall | 1.9% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
Local government
Who holds office in Ripley Township, Holmes County, how its elections and ballot issues came out, and the state auditor's record.
Money issues on the ballot since 2024: 1 of 1 passed.
Ballot issues
| Date | Issue | For | Against | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11-05 | Issue: 11. Tax Levy - Renewal - Ripley Township - Roads - 2.5 mills / 5yrs (2.5 mills, renewal) | 535 | 311 | Passed (63.24% for) |
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-04 | Township Trustee (unofficial count) | Jason B. Schuch 137, 45.21%; Dale Sprang 166, 54.79% |
| 2023-11-07 | Township Trustee | Kevin Miller I! 455, 100.0% |
| 2023-11-07 | Township Fiscal Officer | Amy Snyder 428, 100.0% |
| 2021-11-02 | Township Trustee (unofficial count) | Jason B. Schuch 152, 45.24%; Dale J. Sprang 184, 54.76% |
| 2019-11-05 | Township Trustee (unofficial count) | Kevin Miller II 218, 100.0% |
| 2019-11-05 | Township Fiscal Officer (unofficial count) | Amy Snyder 211, 100.0% |
| 2017-11-07 | Township Trustee | James D. Martin 168, 30.16%; Ryan Small 150, 26.93%; Dale Sprang 239, 42.91% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Auditor of State record
- No fiscal caution, watch or emergency on the Auditor of State's lists.
- Financial Audit, 2023 to 2024, released 2025-08-05
The county
Holmes County: 14 ZIP codes, 21 cities, villages and townships, 42,404 people.
Nearby places
Quick answers
What county is Ripley Township, Ohio in?
Ripley Township, Holmes County is a township in Holmes County, Ohio, with 2,415 residents.
When was Ripley Township, Ohio founded?
Ripley Township, Holmes County was settled 1810s (Big Prairie). Source
What ZIP code is Ripley Township, Ohio?
Ripley Township, Holmes County is served by ZIP codes 44611, 44676 and 44638; 44611 holds the largest share of its residents.
Where does Ripley Township, Ohio get its water?
The main water source for Ripley Township, Holmes County (Shreve Village): Mostly private wells.
Cite this page
Cite this page as:
Cracked Buckeye, "Ripley Township, Holmes County", https://crackedbuckeye.com/place/ripley-township-holmes-county/, built 2026-10-31, accessed [date].
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