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

Hanging Rock, Ohio

17 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1898 and the latest in 2002. It stands in Hamilton Township. It lies in ZIP code area 45638. It stands on Osborne Run. The Survey maps it on the Ironton quadrangle. 204 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 541 feet above sea level.

Hanging Rock within Lawrence County

Population over time

2 figures

Hanging Rock fell from 221 to 204 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.

YearPeople Change
2010221
2020204-17 (-8%)

Then and now

1898 to 2002

The same ground, surveyed 104 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.

Topographic sheet of Hanging Rock, surveyed 2002
Topographic sheet of Hanging Rock, surveyed 1898

Topographic sheets covering this place

17 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.

Fires nearby

290 since 1992

The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 290 fires within 5 miles of Hanging Rock between 1992 and 2020, burning about 2,150 acres in total. None started naturally. 59 were 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 burning118
Missing data/not specified/undetermined62
Arson/incendiarism59
Equipment and vehicle use22
Recreation and ceremony10
Power generation/transmission/distribution9
Other causes8
Railroad operations and maintenance1
Smoking1

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

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
9 September 2007Debris and open burning1.0 acresWayne National ForestFALSE ALARM 09/09
7 September 2007Power generation/transmission/distribution11 acresWayne National ForestWIND FIRE
6 September 2007Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresWayne National ForestJANIE FIRE
5 September 1998Debris and open burningunder an acreWayne National ForestBAILEY
28 September 1998Arson/incendiarism10 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
28 September 1998Arson/incendiarism8.0 acresKentucky Division of Forestrynot named
26 September 2007Arson/incendiarism1.0 acresWayne National ForestST. MARY'S CHURCH #1
24 September 2007Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresWayne National ForestIRONTON #1 FIRE

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Lawrence County

Specimens collected nearby

12 of 388 shown

Museums hold 388 specimens collected within 10 miles of Hanging Rock between 1890 and 1972: 271 Animalia, 62 Fungi, 54 Plantae, 1 Unrecorded. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by Avery W. B., Bartholomew E., Bartholomew Elam 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.

Image SpeciesYear Collected by Where, as recorded
Specimen of Phyllosticta Pers., 1818Phyllosticta Pers., 18181896F.L. Stevens
Specimen of Meigeniella hinei Coquillett, 1902Meigeniella hinei Coquillett, 19021899[Not Stated]Hanging Rock
A photograph of the species Coleosporium solidaginis, not of this specimenColeosporium solidaginis (Schwein.) Thüm.1890SchneckHanging Rock
A photograph of the species Bryoandersonia illecebra, not of this specimenBryoandersonia illecebra (Hedw.) H.Rob.1892W. C. Werner
A photograph of the species Campylophyllum hispidulum, not of this specimenCampylophyllum hispidulum (Brid.) Hedenäs1892W. C. Werner
A photograph of the species Coleosporium vernoniae, not of this specimenColeosporium vernoniae Berk. & Curt.1892Carver Wm.Ironton
A photograph of the species Dicranella heteromalla, not of this specimenDicranella heteromalla (Hedw.) Schimp.1892W. C. Werner
A photograph of the species Ditrichum pallidum, not of this specimenDitrichum pallidum (Hedw.) Hampe1892W. C. WernerIronton
A photograph of the species Fissidens adianthoides, not of this specimenFissidens adianthoides Hedw.1892W. C. Werner
A photograph of the species Frullania asagrayana, not of this specimenFrullania asagrayana Mont.1892W. C. WernerIronton.
A photograph of the species Hedwigia ciliata, not of this specimenHedwigia ciliata (Hedw.) P.Beauv.1892W. C. WernerIronton
Leucobryum albidum (Brid. ex P.Beauv.) Lindb.1892W. C. Werner

All 388 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Mines and quarries nearby

3 within 5 miles

The federal mineral resources record lists 3 workings within 5 miles of Hanging Rock: 1 plant, 1 past producer, 1 producer. 2 still produce. What was taken out: Clay, Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Haverhill Plant & DredgeSand and Gravel, ConstructionPlant
Brohard PitClayProducer
Ironton Plant Number 85ClayPast Producer

Every working recorded in Lawrence County

Storms nearby

11 since 2010

The National Weather Service names Hanging Rock in 11 storm reports between 2010 and 2025: 6 flood, 4 flash flood, 1 tornado. The reports record 1 injury. 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.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
April 2024Tornado (EF1)Hanging Rock1 hurt, $100,000A tornado that began in Greenup County, Kentucky finally crossed the Ohio River and impacted a campground on the Ohio side at Hanging Rock. More significant damage was noted here as several travel trailers were overturned, the roof was blown off of the Laidback Bar, and significant tree damage was noted in the adjacent camping area. Drone footage showed campers tossed in a counter-clockwise motion and some convergence in the tree damage. A salt storage dome was also destroyed in this area, causing significant injury to an employee.||The tornado continued to track eastward, damaging a few homes and damaging the roof and ballfields at Ironton Middle School. The tornado weakened but continued to cause some sporadic damage to homes all the way to the Storms Creek Flood Wall.
July 2010Flash FloodHanging Rock$4,000,000Around 150 properties reported damage. Of that number, about 30 to 35 homes sustained major damage or were destroyed. Two county timber bridges were washed away. A historic double stone arch bridge at Lake Vesuvius was severely damaged. It was built in the 1930s. Several private bridges and culverts were also damaged or destroyed, creating access issues. One school was damaged along with some churches. Debris, including large boulders, also slid off unstable hillsides onto roads. ||A lot of the damage was concentrated in the Storms Creek. That was along and near Route 93. Yet, even along Solida Creek north of South Point, damaged occurred. Overall, Hamilton, Upper, Elizabeth, and Fayette Townships reported the most damage in the county. Some of this same area was flooded during May of 2010.||Thankfully, there were no fatalities in Lawrence County. One male residence along Route 93 woke up in a thunderstorm around 0100E. He was going to back his truck out of the garage and drive to check on another property. The electricity was out. Luckily, he got a flashlight and noticed his private driveway bridge was washed away before attempting to leave.
February 2016FloodHanging Rock$75,000The headwater creeks, such as Little Pine and Ellisonville Creek, flooded and closed roads around Pedro, including Routes 93 and 650. One elderly woman, not familiar with the area, drove her small vehicle into high water and stalled. The local fire department rescued her, while other vehicles were still driving through the high water.||Larger creeks, such as Symmes and Indian Guyan Creeks, flooded and closed roads through the afternoon and into the night. This included Route 141. The gauge at Aid on Symmes Creek rose about 8 feet, but crested below the 19 foot bankfull reading, early on the 22nd.
March 2015FloodHanging Rock$20,000Streams overflowed with minor flooding. Symmes Creek overflowed and blocked roads, such as Route 378 and 217 near Willow Wood. Minor flooding also occurred along the Ohio River into the 16th, but the crest was lower than on the 6th and 7th of the month.
June 2014Flash FloodHanging Rock$20,000Rain maximums of 2 to 3 inches fell in central Lawrence County in 3 to 6 hours. Several small streams flooded and closed roads. Some of the highest water was along McKinney Creek and County Route 36. The water surrounded a few homes. Water got inside a garage. Water from the headwaters of Ice Creek also flooded County Route 6 around Rock Camp.
April 2014FloodHanging Rock$10,000After the localized flash flooding from the previous day, widespread minor flooding occurred on the 30th as streams overflowed and closed roads. A few locations, included Route 141 near Aid and Route 93 again near Pedro. No structures were damaged.
March 2013Flash FloodHanging Rock$5,000Streams flooded and blocked roads in scattered locations in much of the county. For example, Solida Creek flooded near South Point. Hog Run flooded near Ironton.
September 2018FloodHanging Rock$1,000Route 140 was closed due to flooding along Hales Creek and Route 93 was closed due to flooding along Olive Creek.||The river gage on Symmes Creek at Aid also rose into minor flood stage. The creek crested at 19.1 feet, just above its 19 foot bank full level, on the evening of the 10th. This closed a section of Route 141 near Aid.
February 2025FloodHanging Rock-The Ohio River at Ironton exceeded a bankfull level of 52 feet on the night of February 17th, then rose to a crest around 53 feet the following afternoon. The river slowly returned to its banks early on the morning of the 19th. While out of its banks, flooding occurred along low areas of Storms Creek.
April 2025FloodHanging Rock-Sections of OH Route 650 were closed due to flooding. A car stalled in high water near the intersection of Route 650 and Pidgeon Hollow Road.
April 2024Flash FloodHanging Rock-US 52 was closed due to flooding at State Route 650.

Every storm recorded in Lawrence 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.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Green Valley1.0 miles17
Glendale2.1 miles18
New Castle2.2 miles17
La Grange2.4 miles17
Ironton2.6 miles17
Coryville3.2 miles17
Pine Grove3.4 miles17
Vesuvius (historical)3.9 miles17

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 Hanging RockAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q2317920The 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 1075994. 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.