Laurelville

History

Laurelville was established in 1871 by early settlers William A. Albin and Jacob Riegel, who planned the area as a center for commerce and transportation. The village was named after the native mountain laurel plant that grew abundantly in the surrounding hills. The town quickly grew with the arrival of the M&C Railroad and became a stop for travelers and merchants. Early industries included sawmills, dry goods stores, and small manufacturers. Laurelville also became known for its fairs and served as a social center for western Hocking County.

Geography

Laurelville lies along Salt Creek in the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, surrounded by forested hills and sandstone cliffs. The village covers a total area of 0.31 square miles (0.80 km²), all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,141
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  2,955
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  2,897
• Eastern Towhee

  Pipilo erythrophthalmus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,683
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,628
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  2,507
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,319
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,293

Largest nearby schools

• Laurelville Elementary School
  Elementary · Laurelville · 288 students · 18:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2026-02-22
  2 km NE of Hillsboro, Ohio
• M 3.1 — 2025-02-03
  2 km NNW of Oak Hill, Ohio
• M 2.5 — 2023-03-20
  13 km SSW of Rio Grande, Ohio
• M 2.5 — 2023-02-17
  6 km ESE of Cheshire, Ohio
• M 2.93 — 2020-04-25
  2 km SE of South Shore, Kentucky
• M 2.5 — 2018-01-26
  7 km NNW of Vincent, Ohio