Barnesville, OH (Warren, Cambridge, Montgomery: rent to own, crime, houses)

[pepinodulce]

I'm wondering what the area around Barnesville OH is like...I'm considering a job near there, and I know pretty much nothing about it. I want to know what the general atomosphere of the place is like: liberal or conservative? How's the arts scene? Really any information would be great.

I'm single and in my early thirties, so I'm also curious about the social scene.

[bjb123]

I grew up @ 7 miles from Barnesville & left that area in 1989. I do go back occasionally for visits. I would say that area would be more conservative than liberal but not overly conservative. Barnesville & the surrounding towns are pretty small, which for me was just fine. Those areas are still pretty safe; not a lot of crime. There isn't a whole lot of things to do in Barnesville at night with the exception of a few private clubs like the Elks, Moose & maybe some others I can't remember. In Sept., Barnesville has a Pumpkin Festival that draws quite a crowd. For nightlife, we would go to the St. Clairsville area or on down to Wheeling, WV since it's not that far of a drive. St. Clairsville has a mall, but I hear it's not doing as well as it used to. As for arts, in and around Barnesville there would be mostly antique stores - no art gallaries or museum as far as I know. There is a wonderful historical museum in Barnesville called the Gay 90's Mansion museum. For a small town, it is wonderful if you're interested in history. We would go to Oglebay Park just east of Wheeling, WV too. They have great golfing, swimming, horseback riding. It's very hilly terrain & is very pretty in the Spring & Fall. At Christmastime they have a real nice festival of lights you can drive thru. There's also a nice lodge there with great dining.

I hope this helps. If you need more specifics just ask. We're having pc trouble off & on but, I'll check back. Good luck!

[esya]

Question: My dad's family is from the Hillsboro and Blanchester areas (highland county, Ohio). Their last name is Barnes. Any connections? There is a Barnes cemetary somewhere down in Highland County and I'd really like to know exactly where; have not been there since I was a little girl.

[bjb123]

Originally Posted by esya

Question: My dad's family is from the Hillsboro and Blanchester areas (highland county, Ohio). Their last name is Barnes. Any connections? There is a Barnes cemetary somewhere down in Highland County and I'd really like to know exactly where; have not been there since I was a little girl.

Looking at my atlas I see Hillsboro would be east of Cincinnatti, OH. The Barnesville, OH I lived around is in the extreme eastern part of Ohio. I happened to keep an insert from the Barnesville Enterprise (I still subscribe to keep up w/hometown news). They are celebrating their bicentennial this year. Here are some entries from the earliest part of Barnesville's history. It's probably more info than you need, but some of these other names might be significant - who knows?

1800 - John Grier, George Shannon & John Dougherty, all of Fayette Co., Pa., are the first settlers in Warren Twp. (Where Barnesville is) The first land grant is issued to Benjamin Stanton. It was later assigned to John Grier.

1801 - Abraham Plummer, a Quaker, is the 4th settler in the Township. Belmont Co. is established & set-off from Jefferson Co.

1802 - Wilson Shannon, 1st native-born governor of OH, is born in the future town of Mt. Olivet. Otho French settles in present day Tacoma (outside of Barnesville) along the Old Clay Pike, or Drovers Rd.

1804 - Henry Grier is the 1st settler west of Barnesville.

1805 - Warren Twp. is organized. A Land Grant is issued to James Barnes for land that will be the site of Barnesville. The first school is erected.

1806 - George Shannon III, son of Warren Twp pioneer George Shannon, a member of the Lewis & Clark Expedition of Discovery, returns east after 2 yrs. surveying the great Northwest.

1807 - The first election in Warren Twp to select a Justice of the Peace is held at the cabin of John Grier west of town.

1808 - The village of Barnesville is surveyed by John Brown & the plat recorded at the Belmont Co. Courthouse in St. Clairsville on Nov. 9. The town is named Barnesville by it's founder, his 2nd town. The other Barnesville, located in western Montgomery Co., MD., was platted in 1796.

1810 - James Barnes & his wife relocate from Barnesville, MD., to St. Clairsville. William Philpot if hired to supervise James Barnes' mercantile establishment. James Rownd is the 1st child to be born in the village of Barnesville, OH.

1812 - Founder Barnes & his wife Elizabeth Harrison Barnes, "Aunt Nancy" move to Barnesville. Henry Barnes, cousin of James, opens the first inn/tavern.

[esya]

Thank you, and Sorry it took me so long to respond. A friend recently looked this up for me. All the Barnes I am related to seem to be farmers from Highland county, Ohio, back to Teter Barnes, born in 1817 in Highland County and died in Highland County and son of Pancrats Bernhard (which later seemed to have become Barnes)(Born 15 Dec 1767 Berkeley, Germany, then to James Co, VA).

[bud3572000]

looking for place in barnesville on land contract or rent to own.

[Cosmic]

Originally Posted by pepinodulce

I'm wondering what the area around Barnesville OH is like...I'm considering a job near there, and I know pretty much nothing about it. I want to know what the general atomosphere of the place is like: liberal or conservative? How's the arts scene? Really any information would be great.

I'm single and in my early thirties, so I'm also curious about the social scene.

How big an area around Barnesville are you talking? I spend a fair amount of time over in Barnesville, it is a pretty laid back stable town of a tad over 4000 souls. All depends on what you want and expect. It is a sort of Mayberry type small town, bit of a throw back to a more early time.

I would not call it liberal or conservative in a political sense. They are more independent type townies where what is going to affect them matters most. Pretty crime free for today's World. They have a fairly nice downtown, not all decayed or run down or no businesses like so many places. Lots of small shops, there is a sort of mini mall going out to the northeast, maybe less than a mile. I also like the fact the downtown has no parking meters like so many small towns. There are a few bars, the Elks, Moose, etc.

It is like many towns of that size. Everybody sort of knows or has heard of everybody or went to school with them, etc. Lots of the activities revolve around the local schools. The high school football team sucks pretty bad. Don't even think you can call it rebuillding.

The Pumpkin Festival is the big too do. Lasts the better part of a week.

Has most of the type things it takes to sustain daily life local. Most folks do make shopping runs up to the Ohio Valley Mall and for a night out. There is a hospital, park system, library, banks, groceries, drug stores, bowling alley, etc. All the stuff you expect to find for a town of that size and more. Fairly cheap place to live compared to most other places, even in Ohio. Do not speed in the town or even on the roads outside, cops do play the revenue enhancement game. Watch out for the deer if out at night, suckers are everywhere, you will not see them on low beams. Must be very alert in more rural areas.

You don't say if you are male or female, about 50% of the population in your general age range. 4 babes for every 3 guys. If you are available the word gets around pretty quick. A fair share of retreads for a town of that size, they seem to start early. There is no art's scene that I am aware. Some of that is thru the high school, there are some antique shops if that counts.

The surrounding countryside is fairly rural, dotted with small towns. Cambridge and St. Clairsville are the big close towns with Wheeling also available. Another shopping mall a bit pass Wheeling up on the hill off the freeway. Also a technical college a few miles away off I-70 going east.

In general a pretty friendly easy going type place. Lots of the social stuff takes place at various peeps houses. Card playing parties, lawn party, cook out here or there. It is that type place, you almost can't help to get to know folks.

[Jimcol]

Be sure to check out the Dickenson Cattle Co. They give ranch tours aboard a school bus where you are actually driven out to the pastures when the cattle are grazing and you can feed them "cow candy" (from the bus of course. Those horns are BIG) while the driver narrates about the different breeds that you will see.