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

Urbana, Ohio

15 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1914 and the latest in 1992. It stands in Urbana Township. It lies in ZIP code area 43078. The Survey maps it on the Urbana West quadrangle. 11,115 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,050 feet above sea level.

Research this city

This curated hub for Champaign County, Ohio brings together the page's documented record links, visible map or image evidence where published, and routes to related local records.

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Urbana within Champaign County

Population over time

3 figures

Urbana fell from 11,793 to 11,115 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
201011,793
201911,404-389 (-3%)
202011,115-289 (-3%)

Then and now

1914 to 1992

The same ground, surveyed 78 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.

Topographic sheet of Urbana, surveyed 1992
Topographic sheet of Urbana, surveyed 1914

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

94,624 words on this township

The History of Champaign County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County; Its Cities, Towns, Etc.; General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of Champaign County; Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters .., published 1881 names this settlement in its chapter on Urbana Township. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.

His ancestors were originally from Wales and Ireland, and at an early day settled in Pennsylvania, removing later to Maryland, on the Potomac near the now famous Antietam. Judge Reynolds died Dec. 21, 1855, and his wife followed him March 5, 1857.

Passage source: The History of Champaign County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County; Its Cities, Towns, Etc.; General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of Champaign County; Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters .., published 1881.

The subject of this sketch received rudimentary education in the common schools, and afterward attended college at Cincinnati. On the 12th of July, 1825, he married Mary P. Tiffin, a most excellent lady, and daughter of Edward Tiffin, the first Governor of Ohio. Mr. Reynolds was trained to mercantile business, but afterward turned his attention to agriculture. He at one time lived in Chillicothe, but for a number of years has been a retired citizen of Urbana. His amiable wife died July 1, 1862. They had but one child, also deceased. Mr. Reynolds still resides at the southwest corner of High and Reynolds streets.

Passage source: The History of Champaign County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County; Its Cities, Towns, Etc.; General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of Champaign County; Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters .., published 1881.

A. M., President of the Urbana University, Professor of Intellectual and Moral Science in the same institution, and minister of the New Church, in Urbana, since 1870, was born in Bath, Me., in the year 1837, and is the son of Wm. D. Sewall, of that city. He was educated in the public schools, and, at the age of 16 years, entered Bowdoin College, at Brunswick, Me., where he was graduated in the degree B. A. at the age of 20. The same year, 1858, he went abroad ; spent a winter in Rome and other parts of Italy ; the following summer, went to Germany, where he was matriculated a student in the university of Tubingen in Wurtemberg, and pursued his studies in theology, philosophy and literature under the direction of the learned scholar and eminent Swedenborgian, the late Dr. Frederick Immanuel Tafel, then professor of Philosophy and Librarian of the university. From Tubingen he went to pursue his studies at the university of Berlin, where he attended lectures under the eminent Orientalist, Bopp, the historian Ranke, the theologians Hengstenberg, Nitzch and others. He also traveled extensively in Germany, Switzerland and France, passing considerable time in Paris attending lectures at the Sorbonne, and subsequently making a sojourn at St. Amand, in Cher, enjoying the intimate society of the eminent French New Churchman, the late M. Le Boys des Guays. Returning to America after three years' absence, he received from Bowdoin College the degree of Master of Arts, and he then entered upon his preparation for the ministry of the New Church, in which faith he had been nurtured by his parents, studying under the direction of the Rev. Samuel F. Dike, - his Pastor, and the ordaining minister of the Maine Association of the New Church.

Passage source: The History of Champaign County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County; Its Cities, Towns, Etc.; General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of Champaign County; Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters .., published 1881.

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 Urbana Township - it names this place 89 more 89 times.

Fires near this place

2 since 2002

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 2 fires within 5 miles of Urbana between 2002 and 2002, burning about 1 acres in total. 1 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
Recreation and ceremony1
Natural1

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
6 September 2002Recreation and ceremony1.0 acresOhio State Fire Marshal's Officenot named
24 June 2002Naturalunder an acreOhio State Fire Marshal's Officenot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Champaign County

Specimens collected near this place

12 of 1,640 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 1,640 specimens collected within 10 miles of Urbana between 1838 and 1975: 1,262 Animalia, 275 Plantae, 84 Fungi, 11 Unrecorded, 7 Protozoa, 1 Chromista. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A. Gray; W. S. Sullivant, A. R. Gaufin, A. R. Gaufin, H. H. Ross 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 Dryopteris × boottii (Tuck.) Underw.Dryopteris × boottii (Tuck.) Underw.1874Beardslee, H.C.Cedar Swamp
Specimen of Frullania riparia Hampe ex Lehm.Frullania riparia Hampe ex Lehm.1877J. E. Biddlecome
Specimen of Aecidium ranunculi Schwein.Aecidium ranunculi Schwein.1902Schaffner, J.H.; Tyler, F.J.Brush Lake
A photograph of the species Acer negundo, not of this specimenAcer negundo L.1838Samples, JohnUrbana
A photograph of the species Pylaisiadelpha tenuirostris, not of this specimenPylaisiadelpha tenuirostris (Bruch & Schimp. ex Sull.) W.R.Buck1842W. S. SullivantCedar Swamps, 6 mi S of Urbana
A photograph of the species Radula complanata, not of this specimenRadula complanata (L.) Dumort.1843A. Gray; W. S. Sullivantprope Urbana Ohionis
A photograph of the species Radula obconica, not of this specimenRadula obconica Sull.1843Asa Gray; W. S. Sullivantnear Urbana
A photograph of the species Cratoneuron filicinum, not of this specimenCratoneuron filicinum (Hedw.) Spruce1875H. J. Biddlecome
A photograph of the species Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, not of this specimenRhytidiadelphus triquetrus (Hedw.) Warnst.1875Hannah J. BiddlecomeUrbana
A photograph of the species Sphagnum girgensohnii, not of this specimenSphagnum girgensohnii Russow1875Hannah J. BiddlecomeUrbana
A photograph of the species Thuidium delicatulum, not of this specimenThuidium delicatulum (Hedw.) Schimp.1875Hannah J. BiddlecomeUrbana
A photograph of the species Trichocolea tomentella, not of this specimenTrichocolea tomentella (Ehrh.) Dumort.1875H. J. BiddlecomeUrbana

All 1,640 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 Urbana: 5 producers, 2 past producers, 1 plant, 1 unknown. 6 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Tungsten. 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
Ultra-Met/ Urbana, OhioTungstenUnknown
Champlaign Co. Highway Dept.Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Jacobs Farm PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Miller Excavating Urbana PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Moore's Excavating Co. PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Ralph Moore PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Urbana # 215Sand and Gravel, ConstructionPlant
Urbana Number 215 PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary
Urbana PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary

Every working recorded in Champaign County

Storms near this place

60 of 72 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Urbana in 72 storm reports between 1994 and 2026: 49 thunderstorm wind, 14 hail, 6 flood, 1 lightning. The reports record 3 injuries. 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
May 2002LightningUrbana3 hurtA 12-year old boy was seriously injured by a lightning strike. Two other boys with him, ages 8 and 11, also complained of minor muscle spasms in their legs.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindUrbana$100,000Numerous trees and power lines were downed across mainly the northern half of Champaign County.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindUrbana$25,000Several trees and power poles were downed across Champaign County.
May 2000HailUrbana$25,000Large hail fell causing damage to the roof of a business. The hail also dented three trucks and cracked a car's windshield.
September 2012Thunderstorm WindUrbana$20,000At least four trees were downed in Urbana due to thunderstorm winds. Structural damage also occurred to a house.
July 2003Thunderstorm WindUrbana$20,000Trees and powerlines were downed from Upper Valley Pike east to Kennard-Kingscreek Road. A garage sustained major damage beyond repair along Upper Valley Pike.
April 2023Thunderstorm WindUrbana$10,000A house roof was damaged and several pine trees were downed.
May 2011FloodUrbana$10,000Roads were flooded and vehicles were stalled in flood waters due to heavy rain.
May 2010Thunderstorm WindUrbana$10,000Part of a barn roof was blown off and trees were reported down due to damaging winds.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindUrbana$10,000A door was blown off of an airplane hangar at Grimes Field just north of Urbana.
August 1998HailUrbana$10,000Hail up to the size of tennis balls caused at least one broken windshield.
June 2007Thunderstorm WindUrbana$8,000A tower sustained some minor damage. A home on Kennard-Kingscreek Road sustained significant damage from a fallen tree.
April 2025Thunderstorm WindUrbana$7,000Several trees were downed in Urbana.
July 2013Thunderstorm WindUrbana$7,000Numerous trees were downed due to thunderstorm winds.
October 2001Thunderstorm WindUrbana$7,000Trees were downed across town, and a large limb landed on a parked car.
September 2011Thunderstorm WindUrbana$6,000Numerous trees were down and large limbs were down on a house due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindUrbana$6,000Numerous trees were knocked down across town.
May 2020Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000A tree fell onto a portion of a house along East Ward Street.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000Several trees were downed in the western half of the county.
August 2005Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000Trees and power poles were knocked down.
July 2000Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000Trees and power lines knocked down.
July 1999Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000Trees and power lines.
November 1998Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000Trees and power lines down.
July 1997Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000Several trees knocked down.
July 1997Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000Numerous trees downed.
April 1994Thunderstorm WindUrbana$5,000Trees downed, winds reported at 60 mph.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindUrbana$4,000A power pole was downed.
March 2026Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Multiple trees were downed.
July 2017Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Several trees and power lines were downed along a portion of Reynolds Street.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Large tree limbs were knocked down.
May 2007Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Several trees were knocked down.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000A few trees were knocked down.
March 2007FloodUrbana$3,000Several roads were flooded and closed.
May 2006Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Several four inch dimaeter tree limbs were knocked down.
August 2005Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Trees and powerlines were downed.
May 2004Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Power poles were knocked down.
July 2003Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Several trees and powerlines were downed.
November 2002Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Numerous trees were knocked down.
February 1999Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Numerous trees knocked down.
May 1995Thunderstorm WindUrbana$3,000Trees downed.
July 2013Thunderstorm WindUrbana$2,000Trees were downed near Urbana due to thunderstorm winds.
March 2007FloodUrbana$2,000One road was flooded.
July 2003Thunderstorm WindUrbana$2,000Large limbs and powerlines were downed.
June 1999Thunderstorm WindUrbana$2,000A few trees were downed by thunderstorm winds.
April 1996Thunderstorm WindUrbana$2,000no account filed
June 2025Thunderstorm WindUrbana$1,000A large branch was downed and caused damage to a house roof and porch.
May 2020Thunderstorm WindUrbana$1,000A tree was downed along State Route 54 in Urbana.
June 2020Thunderstorm WindUrbana$1,000A small tree was snapped in half.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindUrbana$1,000One tree was knocked down over a road.
March 2012Thunderstorm WindUrbana$1,000Large branches were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
June 1999Thunderstorm WindUrbana$1,000Large limbs were knocked down onto area roadways.
June 2008HailUrbana$1,000no account filed
September 2006HailUrbana$1,000no account filed
June 2025Thunderstorm WindUrbana$250Several large tree branches were downed near Lafayette Avenue.
June 1995Thunderstorm WindUrbana$4Numerous trees downed, some taking down power lines.
June 2025FloodUrbana-High water was reported on several roads in the Urbana area.
March 2020FloodUrbana-High water was reported on a few streets in Urbana, including along Jefferson Avenue and Powell Road.
February 2019Flash FloodUrbana-Several roads were closed due to flooding.
June 2019FloodUrbana-High water was reported over roads.
August 2016Thunderstorm WindUrbana-A large tree was snapped in half.

Every storm recorded in Champaign County

Newspapers printed here

0 digitised pages

1 paper published in this town, digitised by the Library of Congress and free to read: 0 issues, 0 pages. Every page is searchable, so a name or a street can be looked for directly in what the town printed about itself at the time.

NewspaperPublished
Urbana Union1862 to 1872

What the paper printed

24,982 words

Front pages of the local paper, read from the Library of Congress scans: 5 issues spread across its run from 1862 to 1862, 24,982 words in total. Each is reproduced on its own page, exactly as the recogniser returned it.

These pages read less well than anything else here, and the number is worth stating: about three words in four come through cleanly, against nine in ten for the building records. An 1896 broadsheet sets eight-point type in seven columns on microfilm, which is the hardest thing in this archive to read by machine. We tested our own recognisers against the Library's and they were not better, so the Library's text is what appears, with the wholly unreadable columns removed. Read it as a guide to what the paper covered, and follow the link to the scan before quoting anything.

IssuePaper Length
1862-04-02Urbana Union4,996 words
1862-06-04Urbana Union5,073 words
1862-08-06Urbana Union5,034 words
1862-10-08Urbana Union4,907 words
1862-12-10Urbana Union4,972 words

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
Kingscreek3.9 miles13
Hagenbaugh (historical)4.4 miles13
Westville4.5 miles15
Powhattan5.6 miles14
Northville6.0 miles13
Lippincott6.0 miles13
Bowlusville6.2 miles15
Eris6.3 miles13

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 UrbanaAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q1762816The 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 1065415. 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.