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The first permanent European settlers arrived in Athens in 1797. In 1800, the townsite was first surveyed and platted, but was not incorporated as a village until 1811. In the meantime, Ohio became a state in 1803, and Ohio University was chartered in 1804. Previously part of Washington County, Ohio, Athens County was formed in 1805.
Athens did not receive city status until 1912 (in Ohio, 5,000 permanent residents are required to receive city status). Athens still has only slightly over 6,100 permanent residents within city limits -- the other 15,000 population are students.
Originally, large tracts of land -- Athens and Alexander Townships -- were set aside under the ownership of Ohio University. At first, lands were mostly leased out, but the failure of many lessors to pay their rents resulted in most of the land being sold. The sale of these lands funded the growth of Ohio University. Today it is one of the larger institutions of higher learning in Ohio, with an enrollment of over 20,000.
The earliest industry in the area was salt production, followed by iron production and coal extraction. Today, the largest employer in the county is Ohio University.
In 1843, the Hocking Canal opened, enabling shipping from the Ohio River up the Hocking River, which passes through Athens, to Nelsonville, Ohio, and points beyond. However, the canal was closed during cold winters when it froze over. The first railroad reached Athens in 1857. In the late 1800s, an interurban line opened between Athens and Nelsonville and operated for some years.
The Athens Lunatic Asylum, later the Ohio State Hospital, opened in 1874. This was located on high ground to the south of town and to the south of the Hocking River, and in the late 1800s was the town's largest employer.
Starting in 1969, the Hocking River was partly relocated and partly channelized for a stretch of several miles around the town, moving the river hundreds of feet to the south so that the floodplain, formerly south of the river, was now north of the river and since has been extensively built on by Ohio University. Much of these floodplains was originally agricultural land for the state hospital, but also included park-like areas open to the public. There was an outstanding virgin grove of sycamores near the present Richland Avenue bridge that was destroyed by a tornadoFor other uses of Tornado, see Tornado (disambiguation). waterspout near Florida. A tornado is a violent windstorm characterized by a twisting, funnel-shaped cloud. The word "tornado" comes from the Spanish or Portuguese verb tornar meaning "to turn. in the late 1800s.
The old state hospital was eventually decommissioned and the property given to Ohio University. It is now known as The Ridges. Much of the building space has been renovated for offices and research space, and most of the grounds has been set aside as open space, including a land labA land lab is an area of land that has been set aside for use in biological studies. Thus, it is literally an outdoor laboratory based on an area of land. Studies may be elementary or advanced. For instance, students may simply be given the task of identi.
The only battle ever to take place in Athens occurred in 1904 when both the U.S. ArmyAn army comprises all of a nation's land-based military forces or a specific large military force. Military land forces An army is a military organization. The word army can refer to any armed force, or more specifically a force primarily designed for lan and the Ohio National GuardThe United States National Guard is a significant component of the United States armed forces military reserve. The National Guard draws from state guard forces, but should not be confused with the reserves of the various services which serve primarily as were conducting training exercises at the same time at the city. When some guardsmen became drunk and caused a disturbance, they were arrested by Army MPs. The ensuing quarrel escalated into a battle on Washington Street, during which one guardsman was killed and several combatants were wounded.
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