Local events in Washington Township, Muskingum County
Nothing is posted for Washington Township itself yet; here is what is on within 10 miles. All local events in Washington Township, Muskingum County
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Checked October 20; the events page is refreshed daily.
How Washington Township, Muskingum County began
Washington Township, northeast of Zanesville, was struck off from Zanesville township by the county commissioners on June 5, 1822, though its first settler, Isaac Prior, had already been farming and keeping tavern on the Wheeling road since 1801. The township holds the distinction of the first coal mining recorded in Muskingum County, dug by John Bates on Mud Run in 1811 and hauled to Zanesville for sale by the bushel. Crossed by the National Road and later the Central Ohio Railroad, it stayed a quiet farming township of small crossroads settlements -- Jackson, Gilbert Station, Coal Dale -- through the nineteenth century, and an 1833 state gazetteer recorded salt works, an ancient fortification and several mounds within its bounds.
Settled 1801 (Isaac Prior), incorporated township formed June 5, 1822 by the Muskingum County Commissioners, by Muskingum County Commissioners, from the portion of Zanesville township north of the military lands line.
Where the name comes from
Named, like forty-two other Ohio townships, for George Washington; no source found gives a township-specific reason beyond the general pattern of naming early Ohio civil townships for the first president.
Before the town
No source we found names a specific Native village, trail or documented encounter located inside Washington Township. The 1882 county history's chapter on the township records only a general statement that up to the close of the War of 1812 'our pioneers were often under arms' and had 'gone in quest of the red skins who trespassed on the rights of their neighbors,' without naming a nation, place or incident -- a stock phrase in county histories of this kind rather than a documented event, and it is reported here as such rather than as fact. An 1833 Ohio gazetteer, cited via the township's Wikipedia article, records that the township then contained 'an ancient fortification, and several mounds,' evidence of pre-contact Native settlement (most likely Adena or Hopewell earthwork building, the cultures responsible for most such works in this part of Ohio), but no source gives their location, extent, or whether any survive; they are not a confirmed, located site.
Timeline
- — Isaac Prior, the township's first settler, arrives from Pennsylvania with his family and settles on the Wheeling road five miles from Zanesville; he makes the first clearing, plants the first corn, builds the first hewed-log house and keeps the first tavern.
- — Moses Boggs arrives from Delaware with his family of six children and buys land from Noah Zane in the eastern part of the township; he later serves as a County Commissioner, 1840-1843.
- — The first marriage in the township, John Mercer and Elizabeth Vernon, and the first recorded death, Elijah Hart in December, both occur.
- — John Bates mines the first coal recorded in Muskingum County, on Mud Run in this township, hauling it to Zanesville to sell by the bushel.
- — The Adamsville road is surveyed, becoming the first county road in the township.
- — The Muskingum County Commissioners strike off Washington Township from the portion of Zanesville township north of the military line; the first township election is held June 22 at the house of Mathias Colshier.
- — Wesley Chapel Methodist Episcopal congregation, meeting since about 1808 in members' homes and groves, builds its first hewed-log meeting house on John Bowers Sr.'s farm.
- — The village of Jackson is surveyed and recorded on land owned by Spencer Lehue, four miles east of Zanesville on the National Pike.
- — An Ohio state gazetteer records that Washington Township contains several salt factories, two saw mills, an ancient fortification, and several mounds.
- — Members petition the Salem township Baptist church for leave to form their own congregation in Washington township; the Washington Township Baptist Church is consecrated in 1843.
- — O. C. Shirtz builds a storehouse and opens a post office at Gilbert Station on the Cincinnati & Muskingum Valley Railroad, named for Gilbert Beatty.
Stories
The first coal dug in Muskingum County
In 1811, a settler named John Bates opened the first coal mine recorded anywhere in Muskingum County, on Mud Run in what would later be organized as Washington Township. He hauled his coal by wagon into Zanesville and sold it by the bushel, one load at a time, to households still burning mostly wood. Three years later, in 1814, John Spears -- who had also bought the tavern stand once run by pioneer Job Dickson -- opened his own coal bank nearby, though only to dig what he needed for his own use. The township sat on the same coal seam that would fuel Zanesville's brick, tile and pottery industries for the next century.
A township struck off by petition
Washington Township did not exist as a political unit until June 5, 1822, when the Muskingum County Commissioners, meeting in session, granted a petition from residents of Zanesville township living north of the old military survey line asking to be set off as their own township. The commissioners' order, copied into the 1882 county history word for word, traces the new township's boundary through a chain of long-vanished landmarks -- 'the southwest corner of Beeford's farm on the Wheeling road,' 'Joseph Sheets' land,' 'John Lehue's estate,' down Mill Run to the Muskingum River. An election was called for June 22 at the house of Mathias Colshier to fill the new township's offices; Robert McConnell, Moses Boggs and James Huff were chosen trustees. By then Isaac Prior, the township's actual first settler, had already been farming and keeping tavern on the Wheeling road for more than two decades.
Local history sources: en.wikipedia.org · archive.org · archive.org · ohiogenealogyexpress.com
Water
Wells in the eastern floodplain of the Muskingum River along Lewis Drive/SR 666 (Riverside Park well field, reportedly in use since about 1917), adjacent to the treatment plant on Buckeye Drive The water here
- Zanesville68% of residentsMuskingum River valley aquifer (wells)
- Muskingum County Water - Se20% of residentsMuskingum River buried valley aquifer (wells near Duncan Falls)
- South Zanesville6% of residentsGroundwater wells (2 wells)
- Maysville Regional Water5% of residentsMuskingum River buried valley aquifer (wells near Duncan Falls)
- Greenlawn Estates MHP1% of residentsMuskingum River buried valley aquifer (wells near Duncan Falls)
Hospitals, fire stations and more
Inside Washington Township, Muskingum County's boundary: 1 fire or EMS station, 1 high-hazard dam, 1 public school, 1 police station, 3 Toxics Release Inventory facilities and 13 spill cases. Press a pin or a name for its whole record and its source.
Fire and EMS stations (1)
-
Washington Township Volunteer Fire DepartmentZanesville
- Address
- 2310 Adamsville Road, Zanesville, OH 43701
- Coordinates
- 39.96266, -81.96117
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.
High-hazard dams (1)
-
Zanesville State Nursery Lake DamTributary To Blount Run · condition: fair
- Hazard class
- High: a failure would probably cost a life
- Condition
- Fair (assessed 09/13/2024)
- River or stream
- Tributary To Blount Run
- Purpose
- Recreation
- Type
- Earth
- Height
- 32 ft
- Storage
- 375 acre-feet
- Owner type
- State
- County
- Muskingum County
- Nearest town (NID)
- Gilbert
- Last inspection
- 11/21/2023
- Emergency action plan
- Yes
- NID ID
- OH02226
National Inventory of Dams record ↗ National Inventory of Dams (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Inventory of Dams, August 2026. "High hazard" rates what a failure would cost downstream, not how likely one is; the condition is the state's assessment.
Public schools (1)
-
National Road3 of 5 stars · Zanesville
- Address
- 3505 East Pike, Zanesville, OH 43701
- School district
- Zanesville City School District
- Kind (NCES)
- Regular School
- Students, 2023-24
- 336
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 20.1
- Report card, 2025-26
- 3 of 5 stars
- Performance index
- 73%
- Ohio building IRN
- 000831
- NCES school ID
- 390451705123
NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ 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.
Police stations (1)
-
Muskingum County Sheriff's OfficeZanesville
- Address
- 1840 East Pike Street, Zanesville, OH 43701
- Coordinates
- 39.94249, -81.97784
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.
Facilities reporting toxic releases (3)
-
Amg Vanadium LlcToxics Release Inventory · Zanesville
- Address
- Rte 93, Exit 157, Left on Innovation Way, Zanesville, OH 43701
- County
- Muskingum County
- Status
- Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (***unchanged***)
- EPA program ID
- 4370WMGVNDRTE93
- EPA registry ID
- 110070866677
EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Amg Vanadium LlcToxics Release Inventory · Zanesville
- Address
- 2295 Innovation Way, Zanesville, OH 43701
- County
- Muskingum County
- Status
- Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (***unchanged***)
- EPA program ID
- 4370WMGVND2295I
- EPA registry ID
- 110070664289
EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
The Bilco CompanyToxics Release Inventory · Zanesville
- Address
- 3400 Jim Granger Dr, Zanesville, OH 43701
- County
- Muskingum County
- Status
- Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory
- EPA program ID
- 4370WTHBLC34JIM
- EPA registry ID
- 110046537280
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 (13)
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2024-12-17 · Washington Twp
- Reported
- 2024-12-17
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Largest amount reported
- 200 gallons
- Where
- Washington Twp, Muskingum County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2412EPA0002031
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Oil Petroleum Not Otherwise Specified (Nos) Reached water2024-05-07 · Washington Twp
- Reported
- 2024-05-07
- What spilled
- Oil Petroleum Not Otherwise Specified (Nos); Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Largest amount reported
- 100 gallons
- Reached a waterway
- 99 - Unnamed
- Where
- Washington Twp, Muskingum County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2405EPA0000763
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Oil Crude2023-10-20 · Washington Twp
- Reported
- 2023-10-20
- What spilled
- Oil Crude
- Where
- Washington Twp, Muskingum County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2310EPA0001805
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Other / All Other / Trade Name / Mixture / Solution Etc2022-12-10 · Washington Twp
- Reported
- 2022-12-10
- What spilled
- Other / All Other / Trade Name / Mixture / Solution Etc
- Where
- Washington Twp, Muskingum County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2212EPA0001833
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2022-11-11 · Washington Twp
- Reported
- 2022-11-11
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Largest amount reported
- 150 gallons
- Where
- Washington Twp, Muskingum County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2211EPA0001686
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2021-11-06 · Washington Twp
- Reported
- 2021-11-06
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Largest amount reported
- 100 gallons
- Where
- Washington Twp, Muskingum County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2111EPA0001704
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road) Reached water2021-09-28 · Null
- Reported
- 2021-09-28
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Largest amount reported
- 100 gallons
- Reached a waterway
- 99 - Unnamed
- Where
- Null, Muskingum County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2109EPA0001534
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2021-06-30 · Washington Twp
- Reported
- 2021-06-30
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Where
- Washington Twp, Muskingum County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2106EPA0000965
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road) Reached water2021-05-05 · Washington Twp
- Reported
- 2021-05-05
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Largest amount reported
- 100 gallons
- Reached a waterway
- 99 - Unnamed
- Where
- Washington Twp, Muskingum County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2105EPA0000622
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2026-09-04 · Washington Twp
- Reported
- 2026-09-04
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Largest amount reported
- 200 gallons
- Where
- Washington Twp, Muskingum County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2609EPA0001661
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fish Kill2026-06-18 · Washington Twp
- Reported
- 2026-06-18
- What spilled
- Fish Kill
- Where
- Washington Twp, Muskingum County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2606EPA0001093
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2026-04-07 · Washington Twp
- Reported
- 2026-04-07
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Where
- Washington Twp, Muskingum County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2604EPA0000581
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2026-03-05 · Washington Twp
- Reported
- 2026-03-05
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Where
- Washington Twp, Muskingum County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SEDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2603EPA0000302
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 Washington Township, Muskingum 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43701 Zanesville | 7% | Wells in the eastern floodplain of the Muskingum River along Lewis Drive/SR 666 (Riverside Park well field, reportedly in use since about 1917), adjacent to the treatment plant on Buckeye Drive | 6.5 pCi/L average radon | Appraisal records without year built | Zanesville City · 3 stars overall | 1.2% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
The county
Muskingum County: 17 ZIP codes, 38 cities, villages and townships, 91,875 people.
Nearby places
Quick answers
What county is Washington Township, Ohio in?
Washington Township, Muskingum County is a township in Muskingum County, Ohio, with 4,094 residents.
When was Washington Township, Ohio founded?
Washington Township, Muskingum County was settled 1801 (Isaac Prior); incorporated township formed June 5, 1822 by the Muskingum County Commissioners. Founders on record: Muskingum County Commissioners, from the portion of Zanesville township north of the military lands line. Source
How did Washington Township, Ohio get its name?
Named, like forty-two other Ohio townships, for George Washington; no source found gives a township-specific reason beyond the general pattern of naming early Ohio civil townships for the first president. Source
What ZIP code is Washington Township, Ohio?
Most of Washington Township, Muskingum County is in ZIP code 43701.
Where does Washington Township, Ohio get its water?
The main water source for Washington Township, Muskingum County (Zanesville): Wells in the eastern floodplain of the Muskingum River along Lewis Drive/SR 666 (Riverside Park well field, reportedly in use since about 1917), adjacent to the treatment plant on Buckeye Drive.
Cite this page
Cite this page as:
Cracked Buckeye, "Washington Township, Muskingum County", https://crackedbuckeye.com/place/washington-township-muskingum-county/, built 2026-10-31, accessed [date].
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