Block
Ripley, Ohio
13 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1915 and the latest in 1991. It stands in Union Township. It lies in ZIP code area 45167. It stands on Redoak Creek. The Survey maps it on the Maysville West quadrangle.
Then and now
1915 to 1991The same ground, surveyed 76 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.
Topographic sheets covering this place
13 sheetsMatched 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.
- 1915 USGS Maysville quadrangle1:62500
- 1919 USGS Maysville quadrangle1:62500
- 1952 USGS Maysville West quadrangle1:24000
- 1957 USGS Huntington quadrangle1:250000
- 1957 USGS Huntington quadrangle1:250000
- 1957 USGS Huntington quadrangle1:250000
- 1960 USGS Huntington quadrangle1:250000
- 1961 USGS Maysville West quadrangle1:24000
- 1961 USGS Maysville West quadrangle1:24000
- 1961 USGS Maysville West quadrangle1:24000
- 1961 USGS Maysville West quadrangle1:24000
- 1986 USGS Maysville quadrangle1:100000
- 1991 USGS Maysville quadrangle1:100000
In the county-history sources
49,884 words on this townshipThe History of Brown County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County ... General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of Brown County; Constitution of the United States .., published 1883 names this settlement in its chapter on Union Township. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.
The Political Examiner , a Georgetown paper, under date September 24, 1840, contains the following announcement : " Once more unto the breach, once more! Grand rally at Ripley, Ohio, on the 30th instant. Preparation is already made to keep thousands of freemen - yea, all that may come - ' without money and without price.' Gen. Harrison will most positively be there, among other invited guests, life and health permitting."
Passage source: The History of Brown County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County ... General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of Brown County; Constitution of the United States .., published 1883.
Gen. Harrison came to Ripley as advertised, and one of the largest conventions ever held in the county was the result. They came from every quarter - from Hillsboro and Highland County, from Clermont County, from every nook and corner of Brown County, and thousands from Kentucky - they came in large canoes on wheels, with casks representing hard cider barrels, and, in short, the people were ablaze.
Passage source: The History of Brown County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County ... General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of Brown County; Constitution of the United States .., published 1883.
Ripley was second in the number of hogs packed in the State in 1846 Cincinnati being the first. At the time referred to and for some time thereafter, most of the pork packed there went South in barrels, by flat-boats, known as " broad-horns." These boats carried about ten to twelve hundred barrels, and as many as ten to fifteen boats would leave here in a season for the cotton and sugar plantations of the South. All this trade is now changed. Steamboats and railroads carry most of such freight, and the bulk of the hog trade of Ohio for the Southern market centers in Cincinnati. Uncle James Carr, now living, aged eighty-seven and a half years, in full possession of all his faculties, and to-day (June 5, 1882), making out his pension papers as a soldier of the war of 1812, says he helped build some of these " broad horns" at Ripley. It was hard work, the sawing mostly done by hand. Sometimes a little " jower " occurred, only when some " extra " whisky was aboard.
Passage source: The History of Brown County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County ... General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of Brown County; Constitution of the United States .., published 1883.
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 Union Township - it names this place 33 more 33 times.
Photographs
1 photograph,Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.
Unattributed, . Library of Congress
Fires near this place
1 since 2003Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 1 fire within 5 miles of Ripley between 2003 and 2003, burning about 0 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 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 March 2003 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Ohio Department of Natural Resources | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Specimens collected near this place
12 of 307 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 307 specimens collected within 10 miles of Ripley between 1843 and 1974: 267 Animalia, 33 Fungi, 7 Plantae. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A JOHN, ANSEL JOHN, Ahles, H.E. 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 | Species | Year | Collected by | Where, as recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Cambarus bartonii (Fabricius, 1798) | 1938 | R. Rhoades | Small Branch To Ohio River, 1 mile NW Of Higginsport, Lewis Township |
 | Physcomitrium immersum Sull. | 1843 | W. S. Sullivant; A. Gray | ad fluminis Ohio ripas prope Maysville, Kentucky [bank of Ohio River, near Maysville] |
 | Phyllosticta Pers., 1818 | 1883 | Kellerman W. A. | Cedar Hill |
 | Stictis Pers., 1800 | 1883 | Kellerman W. A. | Cedar Hill |
| Cercospora circumscissa Sacc. | 1899 | Patterson Flora W. | Ripley | |
 | Cercospora sordida Sacc. | 1899 | King H. B. | Ripley |
 | Cercosporina apii (Fresen.) Miura | 1899 | Patterson Flora W. | Ripley |
| Microsphaera alni (DC.) G.Winter | 1899 | Patterson Flora W. | Ripley | |
| Microsphaera peckii U.Braun | 1899 | Patterson F. W. | Ripley | |
 | Microsphaera ravenelii Berk. | 1899 | Patterson Flora W. | Ripley |
 | Polyporus hirsutus (Wulfen) Fr. | 1899 | Patterson F. W. | Ripley |
 | Uromyces phaseoli G.Winter | 1899 | Patterson F. W. | Ripley |
All 307 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
Mines and quarries near this place
1 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Ripley: 1 producer. All of them still produce. What was taken out: 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 | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maysville Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer |
Storms near this place
34 since 1994Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Ripley in 34 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 17 thunderstorm wind, 7 hail, 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2017 | Flash Flood | Ripley | $250,000 | Four to five inches of rain produced widespread flash flooding across southeastern Brown County. Damage to several roads was reported throughout Huntington Township and a bridge at Stringtown and Flaugher Hill Roads sustained damage. One vehicle was washed down a creek and numerous vehicles were stranded in high water. |
| February 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $80,000 | Three homes along US Routes 62 and 68 north of Ripley had their roofs either removed or damaged. Additional structural damage occurred to a motel, and apartment building and church near Aberdeen. A number of parked vehicles had windows damaged. Numerous trees were also uprooted or downed in the area. Damage was determined to be caused by straight-line winds estimated at 80-90 mph. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $20,000 | A tree fell onto a house and a car in Ripley. |
| October 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $20,000 | A porch roof was damaged due to damaging thunderstorm winds. Structural damage also occurred to the walls and main roof of the house due to the winds. |
| July 2025 | Flash Flood | Ripley | $15,000 | A residential structure on Scoffield Road, just west of Devore Road, sustained water damage with several inches of flowing water and mud moving through living spaces. |
| June 2019 | Tornado (EF0) | Ripley | $10,000 | The tornado touched down between the AA Highway and Kentucky 435 in Mason County Kentucky. Some of the heaviest and most concentrated tree damage was found very near the Ohio River on South Ripley Road, and adjacent areas of Mary Ingles Highway (Highway 8). The survey team found tree and agricultural building damage along the length of the path in Mason County. The vast majority of structural damage in Mason County consisted of barns and outbuildings with roof panels removed. ||Across the Ohio River in the eastern side of Ripley, tree and shingle damage was found on Pearl Street, Kevin Drive, and portions of Elizabeth Street. There was little to no evidence of damage up the steep river bluff above the city of Ripley, suggesting the tornado was lifting as it moved into the city. |
| May 2012 | Flash Flood | Ripley | $10,000 | High water was reported over Highway 52 near old State Route 68. Fire crews were working to clean up roadways. |
| May 2012 | Flash Flood | Ripley | $10,000 | Motorists were stranded on Highway 52 due to high water caused by heavy rainfall. |
| June 2008 | Flash Flood | Ripley | $10,000 | Two roads were flooded and closed to the east of Ripley. Significant flooding took place along Fishing Gut Creek near the intersection of State Routes 41 and 763 just north of Aberdeen. |
| May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $10,000 | A roof was blown off of the patio of a home along the Ohio River. The roof was carried 100 feet uphill and over US Route 52 before being dropped. Several trees were downed as well. The damage was caused by a possible microburst. |
| July 2025 | Flood | Ripley | $5,000 | Several inches of water was reported to be covering Hamburg Street where it intersects with Governor Street. Some of this water entered a shed and garage on a residential property, causing water damage. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $5,000 | Several trees were downed along U.S. 52 in the Ripley area. |
| June 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $5,000 | Several trees were downed. |
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $5,000 | Trees and power lines were downed across the southeast part of the county. |
| April 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $5,000 | Trees and wires were downed at US 62 and Tri County Highway. |
| April 1994 | Hail | Ripley | $5,000 | no account filed |
| June 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $4,000 | Several trees and power lines were knocked down. |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $3,000 | A few trees were downed. |
| July 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $3,000 | A few trees were downed. |
| August 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $2,000 | A house on Oak Street sustained minor roof damage. |
| July 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $2,000 | A few trees were downed. |
| April 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $2,000 | A few trees were downed. |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $1,000 | Several large tree limbs were knocked down. |
| May 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $1,000 | One tree was uprooted and another tree was split due to thunderstorm winds. |
| September 2009 | Flood | Ripley | $1,000 | Water remained on several low-lying roads across southern portions of the county. |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ripley | $500 | Power lines were knocked down along a portion of Eagle Creek Drive. |
| July 2025 | Flash Flood | Ripley | - | Rushing water was reported over Scoffield Road south of Howard Hill Road. |
| January 2002 | Flash Flood | Ripley | - | Numerous roads were closed across the county due to high water. Eagle Creek went out of its banks in the southeast portion of the county. |
| May 2019 | Hail | Ripley | - | no account filed |
| April 2015 | Hail | Ripley | - | no account filed |
| April 2015 | Hail | Ripley | - | no account filed |
| June 2001 | Hail | Ripley | - | no account filed |
| May 1998 | Hail | Ripley | - | no account filed |
| March 1995 | Hail | Ripley | - | no account filed |
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 | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Ripley | 0.5 miles | 13 | |
| Hestoria | 0.9 miles | 13 | |
| Clems Shady Nook Park | 1.3 miles | 13 | |
| Stringtown | 1.4 miles | 11 | |
| Levanna | 2.5 miles | 12 | |
| Reeds | 4.3 miles | 12 | |
| Centerpoint | 4.4 miles | 12 | |
| Redoak | 5.0 miles | 11 |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1061608. 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.