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

Straitsville, Ohio

15 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1911 and the latest in 2002. It stands in Coal Township. It lies in ZIP code area 43766. It stands on Salt Run. The Survey maps it on the New Straitsville quadrangle.

Straitsville within Perry County

Then and now

1911 to 2002

The same ground, surveyed 91 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.

Topographic sheet of Straitsville, surveyed 2002
Topographic sheet of Straitsville, surveyed 1911

Compare 1911 against another survey:

Topographic sheets covering this place

15 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

2,138 words on this township

1883 History Perry County, Ohio, published 1883 names this settlement in its chapter on Coal Township. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.

New Straitsville was laid out in 1870, by the Straitsville Mining Company, and at once began to grow with a rapidity that no other new mining town in this section of the State had equaled. Large coal companies were organized, and the shipping of coal engaged in on a large scale. Coal-works, stores, shops, dwellings, and c hurches grew up as if by magic. Miners, mechanics, general laborers and business men, gathered from nearly all quarters of the globe. The population of the place increased wonderfully, and in a short time it appeared to be almost a city. It was duly incorporated, and otherwise prepared for permanent growth and lasting habitation. It contains a bank. post oflice, railroad station, telegraph offices, turnace, and stores. shops, etc.. corresponding with the population and business of the place. It also has a large union school-house of eight rooms, four churches and a number of costly private residences. The population of New Straitsville, according to the census of 1880. was 2782, and now probably exceeds 3000.

Passage source: 1883 History Perry County, Ohio, published 1883.

Straitsville (the old town.) situated about one mile from New Straitsville, was Jaid out in 1835 by Jacob and Isaac Strait. The village is pleasantly situated on a broad and commanding ridge, ov erlooking much of the surrounding country. It grew slowly. however, and for many years, had simply a postoflice, store or two, tavern, and church, and less than one hundred inhabitants. Though only an unimportant country village, it is historic ground, for there the first three years company of volunteers in the county rendezvoused and drilled. before they came to New Lexington to take the cars for the seat of war. Straitsville and surrounding country was a faverite recruiting ground. which kept far ahead of its quota, and the dark shadow of a draft never fell upon its homes, though no part of the State, so far as is known, gave a greater percentage of its population to fight for the Nation's life, and the mortal remains of a large number of them sleep in the soil which their valor helped save to Liberty and Union. Truly, these considerations should make the old village of Straitsville historic ground. The old tavern mentioned is gone, but the village now bas a good

Passage source: 1883 History Perry County, Ohio, published 1883.

The churches in New Straitsville are, of course, all of more recent origin. The Catholic church, which is a large brick structure, was builtin 1871. The M. E. church, a frame building of good dimensions, was erected in 1872. The Welsh Baptist and Disciple churches were built in 1880. The society of Primitive Methodists have not yet built, but worship at Odd Ifellow's Hall. The Methodist Protestant congreation have no building of their own, but hold regular services at Kohn's Hall. All of these churches have Sabbath schools connected with them, which schools are said to be in a flourishing condition.

Passage source: 1883 History Perry County, Ohio, 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 Coal Township - it names this place 9 more 9 times.

Fires near this place

50 since 2006

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 50 fires within 5 miles of Straitsville between 2006 and 2020, burning about 51 acres in total. None started naturally. 6 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
Missing data/not specified/undetermined17
Debris and open burning13
Arson/incendiarism6
Equipment and vehicle use4
Other causes3
Smoking2
Misuse of fire by a minor2
Recreation and ceremony2
Fireworks1

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
26 September 2016Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreWayne National ForestDUKES OF HAZZARD
25 September 2016Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreWayne National ForestTRUCK FIRE
21 September 2020Debris and open burningunder an acreWayne National ForestSTUMP
19 August 2015Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreOhio Department of Natural Resources1921
13 August 2008Recreation and ceremony1.0 acresWayne National ForestSTONE CHURCH FIRE
13 June 2016Smokingunder an acreWayne National ForestCUNNINGHAM
4 May 2015Arson/incendiarism1.0 acresOhio Department of Natural Resources1123
27 May 2018Arson/incendiarismunder an acreWayne National ForestBARN FIRE

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Perry County

Specimens collected near this place

12 of 128 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 128 specimens collected within 10 miles of Straitsville between 1890 and 1973: 56 Animalia, 45 Plantae, 21 Fungi, 4 Protozoa, 2 Unrecorded. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by Buker, W.E., Collector(s): B. A. Metzger; Preparator(s): B. A. Metzger, Cooke, W. B.; Cooke, V. G. 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 Pucciniastrum hydrangeae (Magnus) ArthurPucciniastrum hydrangeae (Magnus) Arthur1891W. A. Kellerman
Specimen of Uromyces junci-effusi P.Syd. & Syd.Uromyces junci-effusi P.Syd. & Syd.1910W. A. Kellerman
A photograph of the species Phaeoceros carolinianus, not of this specimenPhaeoceros carolinianus (Michx.) Prosk.1890W. C. WernerRendville.
A photograph of the species Anomodon attenuatus, not of this specimenAnomodon attenuatus (Hedw.) Huebener1891W. C. WernerRendville
A photograph of the species Anthoceros punctatus, not of this specimenAnthoceros punctatus L.1891not recordedRendville
A photograph of the species Ascocoryne cylichnium, not of this specimenAscocoryne cylichnium (Tul.) Korf1891W. A. Kellerman
Brachythecium acuminatum (Hedw.) Austin1891W. C. Werner
A photograph of the species Callicladium haldanianum, not of this specimenCallicladium haldanianum (Grev.) H.A.Crum1891W. C. WernerRendville
A photograph of the species Frullania eboracensis, not of this specimenFrullania eboracensis Gottsche1891W. C. WernerRendville
A photograph of the species Holwaya gigantea, not of this specimenHolwaya gigantea (Peck) E.J.Durand1891W. A. Kellerman[Specific locality illegible.]
A photograph of the species Hypnum jutlandicum, not of this specimenHypnum jutlandicum Holmen & E.Warncke1891W. C. WernerRendville
Panellus stipticus (Bull.) P.Karst.1891W. A. KellermanRendville

All 128 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Mines and quarries near this place

9 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 9 workings within 5 miles of Straitsville: 5 past producers, 4 producers. 4 still produce. What was taken out: Clay, Stone, Crushed/Broken, Clay, Coal. 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
Greendale Minerals LeaseClay, CoalPast Producer
Maxville QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Maxville QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Columbus Clay PlantClayPast ProducerSedimentary
Columbus Clay PlantClayPast Producer
Kishler Clay PitClayPast ProducerSedimentary
Kishler Clay PitClayProducer
Kishler Trucking & Mining Clay PitClayProducer
Nutter Brothers Clay Company PitClayPast ProducerSedimentary

Every working recorded in Perry County

Storms near this place

9 since 1997

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Straitsville in 9 storm reports between 1997 and 2025: 4 thunderstorm wind, 3 flash flood, 2 hail. 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.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
August 1997Flash FloodNew Straitsville$175,000The community of Corning was most affected by the flooding along Sunday Creek. Five houses sustained major damage. About 100 citizens were evacuated , while 25 residents were sheltered. Flooding also occurred along Federal and Wolf creeks.
March 2017Flash FloodNew Straitsville$3,000Multiple roads were closed due to high water across southern Perry County as a result of flash flooding on Sunday and Monday Creeks, and their smaller feeder creeks.
June 2019Flash FloodNew Straitsville$2,000Heavy rainfall resulted in flooding along Main Street in New Straitsville.
August 2015Thunderstorm WindNew Straitsville$2,000Trees were blown down.
January 2013Thunderstorm WindNew Straitsville$1,000A couple of trees were blown down along Plummer Hill Road.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindNew Straitsville$500Outside of New Straitsville, a downed tree was observed across both lanes of State Route 595.
April 2024Thunderstorm WindNew Straitsville$500One tree was blown down along State Route 427 outside of New Straitsville.
July 2017HailNew Straitsville-Enough hail fell to be able to shovel it. Most of it was ping pong size, with some up to the size of golf balls.
May 2018HailNew Straitsville-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Perry 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
New Straitsville1.2 miles15
Shawnee1.9 miles15
McCuneville2.4 miles14
Greeleyville3.6 miles14
Dicksonton (historical)3.7 miles14
Dixie4.0 miles14
Sulphur Springs4.2 miles15
Carrington4.3 miles15

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1076977. 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.