Local events in Unity Township, Columbiana County
Nothing is posted for Unity Township itself yet; here is what is on within 10 miles. All local events in Unity Township, Columbiana County
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Checked October 20; the events page is refreshed daily.
How Unity Township, Columbiana County began
Unity Township fills the northeast corner of Columbiana County along the Pennsylvania line, six miles square, and is Ohio's only township of that name. Squatters came first, followed from about 1801 by purchasers such as Richard Dildine, John Taggart and the Forney, Rupert and Greenamyer families, and the township was organized in 1805 or 1806 (sources differ). The village of Unity was platted in 1810, Mechanicsburg (East Palestine) in 1828 and New Waterford about 1851, the last two after the Pittsburgh and Fort Wayne Railroad came through in 1852. East Palestine incorporated in 1875 and now holds most of the township's 9,721 residents.
Settled c.1800-1801, platted 1810 (Unity village); 1828 (Mechanicsburg, now East Palestine); c.1851 (New Waterford), incorporated 1805 (per 1879 county history) or 1806 (per Wikipedia): township organized, by Richard Dildine, Adam Rupert, Henry Forney, John Taggart and other early purchasers; Columbiana County commissioners (township).
Where the name comes from
Wikipedia, citing Cranmer's 1891 History of the Upper Ohio Valley, says the township was organized in 1806 and named by George Augustine; the 1879 county history, which gives 1805 for the organization and says the township's records before 1826 are lost, says the oldest village, Unity, was platted in 1810 by John Augustine. None of the sources reviewed explains why 'Unity' was chosen.
Before the town
No source reviewed names a Native American village, camp or burial site within Unity Township. The 1879 county history, whose township chapter opens with squatters about 1800 and the first purchasers of 1801 and 1802, mentions no Native settlement, trail or encounter here. The township lies within the region ceded under the 1785 Treaty of Fort McIntosh and confirmed by the 1795 Treaty of Greenville. The nearest documented Native-related site is Camp Bouquet of 1764, in neighboring Middleton Township.
Timeline
- — Richard Dildine of Essex County, New Jersey enters the whole of section 20, Richard Beeson enters section 32 and John Taggart of Mercersburg, Pennsylvania enters section 25.
- — Adam Rupert, Henry Forney (who buys section 10), Moses Blackburn and Frederick Sheets settle; religious meetings are held at Rupert's house late in the year by Rev. John Stough.
- — Emanuel Dixon builds a sawmill on Bull Creek; the Lutheran and Reformed settlers of the north build the Salem or Union Church, a log meeting-house, about this year or the next.
- — The 1879 county history dates the township's organization to this year (Wikipedia gives 1806); the township records before 1826 are lost.
- — Unity Township is organized in the northeastern corner of Columbiana County, named, according to Wikipedia, by George Augustine; we found no second source for this.
- — John Taggart builds the house later pictured in the 1879 county history as the residence of the late John Taggart, built 1806.
- — John Augustine plats the village of Unity on section 15, the oldest in the township.
- — Martin Shellenberger of Unity Township advertises in the county paper for a runaway indentured Black girl of seventeen, offering a reward of one cent and, as he put it, twenty-five lashes.
- — The township has three school districts; by 1826 it has six.
- — East Palestine (then Mechanicsburg, within Unity Township) is platted; see the East Palestine unit for its separate history.
- — The Legislature changes the name of Mechanicsburg, platted in 1828, to East Palestine; the first post office there opens about 1836 with Robert Chamberlain as postmaster.
- — John and Robert Silliman lay out New Waterford on Big Bull Creek, about this year; it is first called 'the Creek' when the railroad puts a station there.
- — The Pittsburgh and Fort Wayne Railroad is completed through the township, with stations at East Palestine and New Waterford.
- — A Philadelphia company builds a furnace at East Palestine about this year to distill oil from the local cannel coal; it is judged a success until the discovery of petroleum makes it unprofitable.
- — The county commissioners grant a petition by seventy-eight residents to incorporate East Palestine; the first village election is held April 3, 1876, with Enos Goble elected mayor.
- — The census counts 9,721 people in Unity Township.
- — A Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous chemicals derails on the eastern end of East Palestine, causing an explosion and fire.
Stories
Under a grapevine on section 10
In 1802 Henry Forney of Adams County, Pennsylvania bought the whole of section 10 in what became Unity Township and brought along six sons: John, Peter, Andrew, Henry, Adam and Nicholas. While he got his log cabin up, the 1879 county history says, the family lived under a large grapevine. The sons divided the land among themselves and all lived out their lives in the township; Adam's son Benjamin owned the middle of the section in 1879, on the site of the first cabin, and was the township clerk for nearly all of the years from 1859 to 1878. The Forneys were part of the German Lutheran and Reformed settlement in the northwest of the township that put up the log Union Church of Salem in 1803 or 1804, replaced by a brick one in 1823.
The coal-oil furnace that petroleum killed
About 1854 a party from Philadelphia began extracting lamp oil from the cannel coal mined around East Palestine, building a furnace with Loyal Case as superintendent. For some years, the 1879 county history says, the enterprise was judged a success, and it was the village's most important manufacturing interest. Then petroleum was discovered, and refining it from the ground was so much cheaper that the coal-oil works was no longer worth running. East Palestine settled into the trades the 1879 historian listed: grist-mills, carriage shops, and a weekly newspaper, the Valley Echo, begun in 1878.
Local history sources: en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · archive.org · en.wikipedia.org
Water
Mostly private wells The water here
- East Palestine Village67% of residentsGroundwater wells (5 wells)
- New Waterford Village28% of residentsGroundwater wells (6 wells)
- Columbiana City4% of residentsGroundwater wells (11 wells)
- Aqua Ohio - Struthers1% of residentsEvans Lake (Yellow Creek impoundment)
Hospitals, fire stations and more
Inside Unity Township, Columbiana County's boundary: 2 poor-rated bridges, 4 shale and injection wells, 1 Superfund site, 1 Toxics Release Inventory facility and 7 spill cases. Press a pin or a name for its whole record and its source.
Bridges rated poor (2)
-
Neeld Rd 433 over Penn-Cent RrPoor · built 1992
- Condition
- Poor: a deck, superstructure, substructure or culvert rated 4 or below on the 0 to 9 scale
- What it is
- Bridge
- Built
- 1992
- Length
- 68 ft
- Owner
- County
- Vehicles a day
- 221
- Coordinates
- 40.83202, -80.57302
National Bridge Inventory (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
SR 170 over N Fork Little Beaver CrPoor · built 1990
- Condition
- Poor: a deck, superstructure, substructure or culvert rated 4 or below on the 0 to 9 scale
- What it is
- Bridge
- Built
- 1990
- Length
- 25 ft
- Owner
- State
- Vehicles a day
- 2,497
- Coordinates
- 40.88626, -80.54426
National Bridge Inventory (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory 2025. "Poor" means one major part rated 4 or below on the 0 to 9 scale; it calls for repair, not closing, unless the state posts or closes the bridge.
Shale and injection wells (4)
-
Firestone Homestead Pad B 3HUtica shale well
- What it is
- Utica shale well
- Drilled sideways
- Yes
- Operator
- Geopetro Llc
- County
- Columbiana County
- API well number
- 34029218280100
- Coordinates
- 40.87889, -80.62619
ODNR oil and gas wells (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
The point is the surface well head (the pad); a horizontal well runs a mile or more underground from it.
-
Firestone Homestead Pad B 4HUtica shale well
- What it is
- Utica shale well
- Drilled sideways
- Yes
- Operator
- Geopetro Llc
- County
- Columbiana County
- API well number
- 34029218300000
- Coordinates
- 40.87890, -80.62613
ODNR oil and gas wells (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
The point is the surface well head (the pad); a horizontal well runs a mile or more underground from it.
-
Firestone Homestead Pad B 5HUtica shale well
- What it is
- Utica shale well
- Drilled sideways
- Yes
- Operator
- Geopetro Llc
- County
- Columbiana County
- API well number
- 34029218290000
- Coordinates
- 40.87891, -80.62608
ODNR oil and gas wells (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
The point is the surface well head (the pad); a horizontal well runs a mile or more underground from it.
-
Fowler 32-8-1 1HUtica shale well
- What it is
- Utica shale well
- Drilled sideways
- Yes
- Operator
- Pin Oak Energy Partners Llc
- County
- Columbiana County
- API well number
- 34029217180100
- Coordinates
- 40.82118, -80.60914
ODNR oil and gas wells (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
The point is the surface well head (the pad); a horizontal well runs a mile or more underground from it.
Source: ODNR Division of Oil and Gas Resources well inventory (September 2026): drilled Utica, Marcellus and horizontal wells and Class II injection wells not plugged. Older vertical wells are on the full map.
Superfund sites (1)
-
East Palestine Train DerailmentSuperfund program · East Palestine
- Address
- Rail Line East Northeast of E Taggart and N Pleasa, East Palestine, OH 44413
- County
- Columbiana County
- Status
- Superfund program site, not on the National Priorities List
- EPA program ID
- OHN000521908
- EPA registry ID
- 110071432831
EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
Source: EPA Facility Registry Service, Superfund (SEMS) and National Priorities List sites. Many program sites were assessed and needed no cleanup.
Facilities reporting toxic releases (1)
-
Sms MillcraftToxics Release Inventory · East Palestine
- Address
- 49560 State Route 14, East Palestine, OH 44413
- County
- Columbiana County
- Status
- Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
- EPA program ID
- 44413GLDWN49560
- EPA registry ID
- 110000771488
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 (7)
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2024-06-10 · Unity Twp
- Reported
- 2024-06-10
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Largest amount reported
- 150 gallons
- Where
- Unity Twp, Columbiana County
- Ohio EPA district office
- NEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2406EPA0000974
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Asbestos2023-09-02 · Unity Twp
- Reported
- 2023-09-02
- What spilled
- Asbestos
- Where
- Unity Twp, Columbiana County
- Ohio EPA district office
- NEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2309EPA0001553
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Other / All Other / Trade Name / Mixture / Solution Etc2023-04-10 · Unity Twp
- Reported
- 2023-04-10
- What spilled
- Other / All Other / Trade Name / Mixture / Solution Etc
- Where
- Unity Twp, Columbiana County
- Ohio EPA district office
- NEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2304EPA0000545
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Material Unknown2023-02-03 · Unity Twp
- Reported
- 2023-02-03
- What spilled
- Material Unknown; Fish Kill
- Where
- Unity Twp, Columbiana County
- Ohio EPA district office
- NEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2302EPA0000166
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Sheen Rainbow / Hydrocarbon2022-05-10 · Unity Twp
- Reported
- 2022-05-10
- What spilled
- Sheen Rainbow / Hydrocarbon
- Where
- Unity Twp, Columbiana County
- Ohio EPA district office
- NEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2205EPA0000668
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Material Unknown Reached water2021-09-28 · Unity Twp
- Reported
- 2021-09-28
- What spilled
- Material Unknown
- Reached a waterway
- 15 - Bull Creek
- Where
- Unity Twp, Columbiana County
- Ohio EPA district office
- NEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2109EPA0001537
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Material Unknown2021-06-26 · Unity Twp
- Reported
- 2021-06-26
- What spilled
- Material Unknown
- Where
- Unity Twp, Columbiana County
- Ohio EPA district office
- NEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2106EPA0000934
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 Unity Township, Columbiana County, with the share of its residents who live here and the same headline figures as the ZIP page.
Local government
Who holds office in Unity Township, Columbiana County, how its elections and ballot issues came out, and the state auditor's record.
Money issues on the ballot since 2021: 2 of 2 passed.
Ballot issues
| Date | Issue | For | Against | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-11-02 | Issue: Unity Twp Tax Levy Fire | 421 | 134 | Passed (75.86% for) |
| 2021-11-02 | Issue: Unity Twp Tax Levy Roads | 517 | 260 | Passed (66.54% for) |
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-07 | Township Trustee | Mary Beth DiCello 876, 29.69%; Terry L. McElroy 1,128, 38.24%; Kris Wischerman 946, 32.07% |
| 2023-11-07 | Township Fiscal Officer | Nancy G. Herr 2,459, 100.0% |
| 2021-11-02 | Township Trustee | Bryan R. Henderson 936, 38.31%; Kathy McCarthy 848, 34.71%; David J. Mollenkopf 659, 26.98% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
The county
Columbiana County: 20 ZIP codes, 33 cities, villages and townships, 106,075 people.
Nearby places
Quick answers
What county is Unity Township, Ohio in?
Unity Township, Columbiana County is a township in Columbiana County, Ohio, with 3,781 residents.
When was Unity Township, Ohio founded?
Unity Township, Columbiana County was settled c.1800-1801; laid out 1810 (Unity village); 1828 (Mechanicsburg, now East Palestine); c.1851 (New Waterford); incorporated 1805 (per 1879 county history) or 1806 (per Wikipedia): township organized. Founders on record: Richard Dildine, Adam Rupert, Henry Forney, John Taggart and other early purchasers; Columbiana County commissioners (township). Source
How did Unity Township, Ohio get its name?
Wikipedia, citing Cranmer's 1891 History of the Upper Ohio Valley, says the township was organized in 1806 and named by George Augustine; the 1879 county history, which gives 1805 for the organization and says the township's records before 1826 are lost, says the oldest village, Unity, was platted in 1810 by John Augustine. Source
What ZIP code is Unity Township, Ohio?
Unity Township, Columbiana County is served by ZIP codes 44445, 44413, 44454, 44443 and 44455; 44445 holds the largest share of its residents.
Where does Unity Township, Ohio get its water?
The main water source for Unity Township, Columbiana County (East Palestine Village): Mostly private wells.
Cite this page
Cite this page as:
Cracked Buckeye, "Unity Township, Columbiana County", https://crackedbuckeye.com/place/unity-township-columbiana-county/, built 2026-10-31, accessed [date].
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