Decorative drawing: a small American settlement seen from a low hill. Not a photograph of this place.

Bolivar, Ohio

16 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1912 and the latest in 1994. It stands in Lawrence Township. It lies in ZIP code area 44612. The Survey maps it on the Bolivar quadrangle. 1,000 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 925 feet above sea level.

Bolivar within Tuscarawas County

Population over time

2 figures

Bolivar grew from 994 to 1,000 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

Year	People	Change
2010	994
2020	1,000	+6 (+1%)

Then and now

1912 to 1994

The same ground, surveyed 82 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.

Topographic sheet of Bolivar, surveyed 1994

Topographic sheet of Bolivar, surveyed 1912

Topographic sheets covering this place

16 sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

In the county-history sources

6,825 words on this township

The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, published 1884 names this settlement in its chapter on Lawrence Township. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.

THE border- land between Tuscarawas and Stark Counties, in and about Lawrence Township, abounds in interesting and noted historic sites. Post's cabin, built in 1761, and occupied the following year by him and Heckewelder, stood in Bethlehem Township, Stark County, about four rods from the Tuscarawas River, and a few rods east of its southern bond. Calhoon's trading post was located almost a mile further east, on the opposite side of the river, and on the land annexed to Tuscarawas from Stark in 1847. The ancient capital of the Delawares, Tuscarawas, said also to have been previously inhabited by the Senecas and Wyandots, stood on the plains a few rods from the river, and opposite the mouth of Sandy Creek. Fort Laurens, the scene of savage warfare during the Revolution, was situated a mile and a half farther down the stream, about half a mile below Bolivar. Th« old settlers can remember when the embankments at the fort were seven feet in height The Ohio Canal pierced these works and the desecrating plowshare has leveled the most of them to the ground, but small sections may yet bo seen. The township was given its name in honor of this fort, but the orthography has been changed.

Passage source: The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, published 1884.

The Tuscarawas River enters the township from- Stark County, and soon after takes a northern bend of several miles, then returning it pursues a general southeasterly direction till it leaves the township. A southern dip of Sandy Creek brings it for a short distance into the township. Besides these, the streams of Lawrence are small and unimportant tributaries to the river. The Ohio Canal follows the western banks of the river, and the old Sandy A Beaver Canal extends from Bolivar eastward. The Wheeling A Lake Erie Railroad crosses through the valley of the Tuscarawas. The bottoms, plains and hillsides along the river, says Mr. David lant. "were covered in early times with weeds, nettles, wild rye and grass as high as a man's head. This mass of vegetation was set on fire late in the fall by Indians and early hunters, for the purpose of encircling game, enveloping the surface in a sea of flame and effectual y killing every twig of timber. No timber was thus permitted to grow upon the plains, until after these annual burnings ceased." The land away from the valleys is much more rolling than in some portions of the county, and is susceptible of a high cultivation. Farms in the township are valued at from §50 to §150 per acre. Immense quantities of shell ore have been taken from the hillsides in past years. It has been shipped to Granville, Akron, Massillon. Zoar and in small quantities to Dover. Commencing about 1835, the mining of iron ore has been an important business, but the best banks have been exhausted, and little is now produced. Some coal is shipped, but not to any great extent.

Passage source: The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, published 1884.

The first permanent settler was Samuel Mosser, brother of Abraham Mosser, one of the proprietors of the first quarter of the township. Samuel and Abraham Mosser first came out on horseback, about 1803, to examine the land the latter had entered. They were originally from Maryland, but had settled in Pennsylvania. While inspecting the land, they were met by two Indians, one of whom wished to trade his rusty old flint gun for a new rifle which Samuel carried. The offer was refused, but the savages were treated before they departed, from the flask the proprietors carried. The Indians soon returned, and the one with trading proclivities was more anxious than before to exchange weapons of war. To conciliate them, the whisky flask was again brought forth, but without producing the desired effect of conciliation, and at the request of Abraham, his brother at last surrendered the rifle, to avoid difficulties which might postpone the settlement of this tract of land. Samuel Mosser first settled opposite Bolivar, about eighty rods from the east bank of the river, and near the the route of the Sandy & Beaver Canal. His first house was a diminutive hut, which served as a shelter until better accommodations could be provided. About 1809, he purchased Lot 2, and the east half of 14, and died in 1810 or 1812. while constructing a substantial hewed- log cabin. His wife survived him many years. Their children were Elizabeth (Kline), Joseph (still living near Quincy, 111.,) Jacob, Samuel, Catherine (Himes), John, Michael and Abraham.

Passage source: The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, published 1884.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Lawrence Township - it names this place 13 more 13 times.

Fires near this place

10 since 2004

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 10 fires within 5 miles of Bolivar between 2004 and 2020, burning about 32 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause	Fires
Debris and open burning	4
Missing data/not specified/undetermined	3
Equipment and vehicle use	2
Power generation/transmission/distribution	1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

Date	Cause	Size	Reported by	Name on the report
26 July 2020	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	1.5 acres	Ohio Department of Natural Resources	15797
5 May 2012	Equipment and vehicle use	under an acre	Ohio Department of Natural Resources	not named
11 April 2015	Power generation/transmission/distribution	under an acre	Ohio Department of Natural Resources	802
1 April 2015	Equipment and vehicle use	3.0 acres	Ohio Department of Natural Resources	724
31 March 2005	Debris and open burning	3.0 acres	Ohio Department of Natural Resources	BRASS ROAD
29 March 2015	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	10 acres	Ohio Department of Natural Resources	805
26 March 2004	Debris and open burning	1.0 acres	Ohio Department of Natural Resources	not named
23 March 2019	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	under an acre	Ohio Department of Natural Resources	15049

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Tuscarawas County

Specimens collected near this place

12 of 281 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 281 specimens collected within 10 miles of Bolivar between 1851 and 1973: 164 Animalia, 104 Plantae, 12 Fungi, 1 Chromista. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A W Cusick, A. Cibula, A. Cobula and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.

Species	Year	Collected by	Where, as recorded
Adiantum pedatum L.	1936	Heintzelmann, C.E.	Camp Tuscazoar. Zoarville.
Botrychium virginianum (L.) Sw.	1936	Heintzelmann, C.E.	Camp Tuscazoar, Zoarville.
Dryopteris spinulosa (O.F.Müll.) Watt	1936	Heintzelmann, C.E.	Zoarville, Ohio. Camp Tuscazoar
Amelanchier arborea (F.Michx.) Fernald	1851	Wolle, J.	Canoe Down [Canal Dover]
Anemone canadensis L.	1851	Wolle, J.	Canoe Down [Canal Dover]
Cardamine douglassii Britton	1851	Wolle, J.	Canae Docus [??] [Canal Dover]
Conopholis americana (L.) Wallr.	1851	Wolle, J.	Canoe Down [Canal Dover?]
Delphinium tricorne Michx.	1851	Wolle, J.	Canoe Down [Canal Dover]
Erythronium americanum Ker Gawl.	1851	Wolle, J.	Canal Dover
Hydrophyllum appendiculatum Michx.	1851	Wolle, J.	Canoe Down [Canal Dover]
Hydrophyllum virginianum L.	1851	Wolle, J.	Canoe Down [Canal Dover]
Silene virginica L.	1851	Wolle, J.	Canal Downs [Canal Dover]

All 281 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 15 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 15 workings within 5 miles of Bolivar: 11 producers, 3 past producers, 1 plant. 12 still produce. What was taken out: Clay, Sand and Gravel, Construction, Coal, Fire Clay (Refractory). Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Site	Commodity	Status
Black Hawk Mine	Clay, Stone, Crushed/Broken	Producer
Corundite Plant	Fire Clay (Refractory)	Past Producer
Strasburg Brick Mill	Fire Clay (Refractory)	Past Producer
Zoar Pit	Clay, Coal	Producer
Zoar Pit	Clay, Coal	Producer
Belden Pit	Clay, Coal	Producer
Edgar Spring Pit	Clay, Coal	Producer
Fairfield Pit	Clay, Coal	Producer
Edgar Spring Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Oster Sand & Gravel Bolivar Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer

Every working recorded in Tuscarawas County

Storms near this place

21 since 1995

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Bolivar in 21 storm reports between 1995 and 2020: 11 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail, 2 flash flood, 2 flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
June 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Bolivar	$100,000	Law enforcement reported trees down across much of the county.
July 2013	Tornado (EF1)	Bolivar	$75,000	An NWS storm survey found an EF-1 tornado touched down in Tuscarawas county south of Bolivar and continued into Carroll county near Atwood Lake, before dissipating. EF-0 damage was found along SR 212 south of Bolivar where numerous large limbs were snapped and trees uprooted northwest of Zoar. EF-0 damage became more significant as the circulation descended the lee side of a hill west of Mineral City, where a broad swath of snapped trees was observed. EF-1 structural damage was noted in Mineral City where the roof of the fire house was lifted and cinder block walls collapsed. Several homes lost shingles, and windows were blown out on northwest facing walls. Thereafter damage was confined primarily to trees before the tornado dissipated. Maximum winds Were estimated to be from 90 to 100 MPH, with a path length near 14 miles. The maximum path width was near 300 yards. \|See Storm Data for Carroll county, Ohio for the remainder of this tornado path.
July 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Bolivar	$35,000	The 911 center reported trees and power lines down in Bolivar.
July 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Bolivar	$35,000	The 911 call center reported trees and power lines down in Bolivar.
July 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Bolivar	$35,000	Law enforcement reported trees down.
April 2020	Thunderstorm Wind	Bolivar	$20,000	A roof was blown off of a two-story home at the intersection of Bolivar Street and Ladyne Avenue. The roof was blown into a neighbor's yard. Damage was done to two homes on the opposite side of the street as well.
August 2007	Flash Flood	Bolivar	$10,000	Emergency management reported flash flooding closed Dueber Avenue in Bolivar.
August 2007	Flood	Bolivar	$10,000	Emergency management reports flooding continues on Duever RD along the Tuscarawas River.
August 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Bolivar	$8,000	Widespread trees and power lines downed from Bolivar, to Gnadenhutten, to Newcomerstown.
August 2007	Flood	Bolivar	$5,000	Emergency management reported flooding on Duever RD along the Tuscarawas River.
August 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Bolivar	$5,000	Trees and power lines down.
May 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Bolivar	$5,000	Thunderstorm winds downed several trees and power lines.
August 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Bolivar	$3,000	Tree fell across Middle Run Rd.
May 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Bolivar	$3,000	Trees and power lines were downed by thunderstorm winds.
July 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	Bolivar	$1,000	Numerous trees downed by thunderstorm winds.
August 2003	Flash Flood	Bolivar	-	County Rd 107 near Bolivar Dam flooded. Route 800 flooded near Mineral City.
June 2013	Hail	Bolivar	-	no account filed
June 2013	Hail	Bolivar	-	no account filed
June 2011	Hail	Bolivar	-	no account filed
June 2011	Hail	Bolivar	-	no account filed
June 2011	Hail	Bolivar	-	no account filed

Every storm recorded in Tuscarawas County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Place	Distance	Sheets
Lawrenceville (historical)	0.4 miles	16
Wilkshire Hills	1.9 miles	16
Zoar	2.9 miles	16
Sandyville	4.3 miles	17
Dutchtown	5.0 miles	17
Sandy Valley Estates	5.3 miles	17
Strasburg	5.5 miles	16
Zoarville	5.6 miles	16

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on Bolivar	An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q935564	The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1064463. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.