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Washington Court House is a city located in Fayette County, Ohio , United States . It is the County Seat of Fayette County and is located approximately halfway between Cincinnati, Ohio , and Columbus, Ohio . As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 13,524. Until 2002 , the official name of the city was the "City of Washington", but there already existed a municipality in Guernsey County, Ohio with the name "Washington" (now known as Old Washington, Ohio ). To avoid confusion by the postal services, the Fayette County city was referred to as "Washington Court House". In 2002, a new charter was adopted, officially changing the name to the "City of Washington Court House." The name is often abbreviated as "Washington C.H." GEOGRAPHY Washington Court House is located at 1 . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 16.8 Km&2 (6.5 Mi&2 ). 16.7 km&2 (6.4 mi&2) of it is land and 0.2 km&2 (0.1 mi&2) of it is water. The total area is 1.08% water. DEMOGRAPHICS As of the Census of 2000, there were 13,524 people, 5,483 households, and 3,536 families residing in the city. The Population Density was 810.8/km&2 (2,100.8/mi&2). There were 5,961 housing units at an average density of 357.4/km&2 (926.0/mi&2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.52% White , 2.71% African American , 0.16% Native American , 0.82% Asian , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 0.66% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. 1.38% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 5,483 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were Married Couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.93. In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The Median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $33,003, and the median income for a family was $40,721. Males had a median income of $31,708 versus $22,382 for females. The Per Capita Income for the city was $18,618. 12.5% of the population and 9.0% of families were below the Poverty Line . Out of the total people living in Poverty , 16.3% are under the age of 18 and 13.2% are 65 or older. EDUCATION IN WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE Two public school districts can be attributed to the Washington C.H. area, as well as a private school, and a community college. Many in the community feel as if the educational system in Washington Court House knits together otherwise disparate residents in this small town. Making up for the lack of a central cultural hub in the town is the strong involvement in the educational lives of Washington Court House children. The writers of this section acknowledge that the official websites of the school districts in and around W.C.H. are relatively sub-par, and we therefore encourage students and residents of the town to participate in the construction of ''this'' site, which hopefully will shed a positive yet "insider" light on the true existence of the schools here. Washington Court House City Schools The Washington Court House City School District enrolls most school-age children within the city limits of Washington Court House. Presently, operating school buildings include:
The district also operates an administrative office and school bus garage. Each first through fifth grader attends school at one of the four elementary schools, while grades 6-8 take place at the historical Middle School. Washington High School consists of students in grades nine through twelve. The graduating class of 2005 was approximately 126. Sunnyside Kindergarten Needs an article to be written. Washington Elementary Schools If a writer would like, the elementary schools may be split into separate sub-articles. Washington Middle School Needs an article to be written. Washington Senior High School The High School rests on the 1200 block of Willard Street, on the eastern side of town. Originally, the current middle school was the town's high school, but in the district's late '60's attempt at expansion, the current high school was built. Washington Senior High has approximately 50 staff members, and approximately 600 students in grades 9-12. Drama and Choral Music Jeannie Rosendahl is the driving force behind Washington Senior High's theatre department, but would enthusiastically assert that her students are the true stars of the show. In the past several years, Washington has performed annual broadway musicals to high community acclaim, and to much community enjoyment. These shows have included South Pacific, Big, Footloose, Children of Eden, West Side Story, and most recently, Beauty and the Beast, in the fall of 2005. Jeannie also commands several choirs each year: the concert choir, the symphonic choir, and the singing and dancing "show choir." Look to official school district events to see choirs and smaller ensambles headlining the entertainment. Instrumental music Matt Stanley is the director of all instrumental music at the high school. His demeanor is friendly, but he teaches with exacting demands, and the results are quite visible. The most noticible contribution to the community, however, is his large and powerful marching band. On Friday nights, their booming bass drums and trumpeting highs can be heard across the downtown area. Their visual power comes not from the rigid, military-style marching associated with Ohio State's band, but from the whimsical yet precisely-controlled break-dancing of Ohio University. Matt Stanley himself is an alumni of OU's elite "Marching 110" (designated by the famed 110 members). While the majority of Washington Court House-ians are devoted to Ohio State's football team, their band sympathies lie with OU for this reason. The "Research History" Class This invaluable asset to Washington Court House's high school curriculum places seniors within reach of leading national scholarship through the analyzation of Primary Source documents. The acclaimed instructor Paul LaRue guides and directs his students' efforts. Some projects either completed or in progress are as follows:
In 2005, the research history team sent two representatives to Washington, DC to compete in a national history research competition sponsored by "The History Channel." The program, called "Save Our History," included project submissions from hundreds of schools and extra-curricular teams from across the country. Washington C. H.'s Research History class placed in the final four high school teams, and thus, was offered an all-expenses-paid trip for two student representatives to the nation's capital. For the same project work done, the class received plaques from the Veteran's Administration's headquarters in Washington, DC. To Rebuild, or Not to Rebuild... ''A testimonial of a Washington High School Student'' "For many routinely involved with the high school, walking down its halls upon the first bell, last bell, or between classes is considered a chore. The claustrophobic hallways are a long way from satisfying the needs--especially the time requirements--of its students, staff, and teachers. "Between May and September, the typical summer months, persons inside the High School (who typically are within its walls during the hottest hours of the day) have only very small windows to let cool breezes come through. The district (in 1968, mind you) had originally planned to have air conditioning installed thoughout the building. For years this fallacy kept up the hopes of students... but those original students have long since graduated, as well as some of their children. Now is the time to rebuild." In fact, the district is doing just that. Some time ago, all residents voted on a levy in order to secure tax monies to replace the aging school buildings. The large majority of rebuilding funds are to come from state-sponsored grants. On May 7, 2006, a groundbreaking ceremony and celebration will take place near the high school and Eastside Elementary to raise awareness and mount excitement for the buildings coming in the near future. A statement regarding the new schools released on the district's website reads as follows: (Upon the groundbreaking,) Washington City Schools will begin a two year construction project which will replace the existing facilities with four state-of-the-art school buildings. This exciting project received overwhelming community support by continuing a tradition of ensuring adequate funding for local schools. These new buildings, while not only bringing architectural beauty that adds to the richness of our community, will ensure that our students are provided with an education that is second to none. The schools are to be configured with K-2 housed in one facility, another "primary" facility for 3-5, a third Middle School building which will host 6-8, and the Senior High School where grades 9-12 will meet for classes. The schools include dedicated space for libraries, media, gymnasiums, fine arts, musical arts, outdoor sports facilities, and will support a technology-oriented infrastructure that will assure a comprehensive academic experience for our students. This major project is an unbelievable opportunity for our community and we enthusiastically anticipate inaugurating these four leading-edge facilities in September of 2008. Miami Trace Local School District The Miami Trace Local School District serves parts of the city in question, while providing education for every surrounding area within Fayette County. The vast amount of land area covered by this school district, while less population-dense of an area, warrants a larger student body than the "city" school district. Fayette Christian School A small number of students attend Fayette Christian School , placing it as the only alternative to public education in Fayette county. It also seems to have the most well-designed website. Southern State Community College The "Fayette Campus" of Southern State Community College is widely used among residents of W.C.H. due to its open enrollement (as opposed to selective admissions, which is the process of examining material on a prospective student's past in order to grant admission-- "selective admissions" has nothing to do with a "degree of selectivity"). High school students from Washington Senior High School and Miami Trace High School regularly attend classes here due to the lack of an extensive "Advanced Placement," or "AP" program at either school. Like AP, course credit at Southern State usually transfers to the students' university of choice, thus saving the student precious money spent on tuition at a more expensive institution. (Or, in the case of most Fayette County, OH students, long-term loans destined to be repaid in the years to come.) TRADITIONS Every small town has its traditions... "The Scarecrow Festival" For one week in October, each year since around 1998 (someone should double-check this), the downtown area has come alive with street vendors, fair food, and a portable amusement company. Some would compare it to the ever popular Circleville Pumpkin Show (festival), or the Greene County Corn Festival, although the Scarecrow Festival is much newer than many events elsewhere, and "fair rides" are not usually part of the other small-town festivals. The whole family can be brought to this affair among the dense buildings and various shops of downtown-- small children will enjoy the fair-like atmosphere of sounds, lights, and smells, at night, while the large amount of walking attributed to a fair is kept to a minimum. The Fayette County Fair An article needs to be written Fourth of July Fireworks An article needs to be written LANDMARKS Washington Court House has places to go, and sights to see... please see this "Travel and Tourism" page for more information and pictures. Fayette County Court House The Fayette County Court House is one of Washington's more interesting landmarks, believe it or not. However, the building standing today in downtown WCH is not the first "Court House" to be built in Fayette County. The original judicial center was a log cabin, and it stood on "Cherry Hill," just outside of old "Yatesville, OH." (Which today is along Route 38, just before you arrive at I-71 if you are travelling west from WCH). This building was not burned down, contrary to popular belief. A local governing body voted to move the court house (the proceedings of the judicial system, not the actual log cabin) into what was then "Washington," very suddenly and in a panic decision. Today, no one knows the reasoning behind this action, but rumor has it that bodies had been found near the old Yatesville site, just before the date of the move. Not much information is known about this ''second'' building, in WCH, either, except that it was made of brick. At the time, the community was growing, and the current building was commissioned after the need for a larger facility was demonstrated. The current location and structure are steeped in history. You can see this for yourself if you attend an available guided tour of the site. Most notable are historic murals by Archibald M. Willard, and seven bullet holes in the Court Street doors, left by an angry mob demanding the death of a man. This man was found innocent in court upon charges of killing a local, but the crowd would not have it. The man was hanged from a tree on the court house lawn, and his noose and mask remain on display in the Fayette County Museum. In the early 1990's, major renovation took place on today's building. The most notable change was the replacement of the golden statue atop the spire, "Lady Liberty." Prominently displayed is the motto "Justice to and for each and every." One story recalls, however, a point in WCH's history where justice was not as valued. At the five-point intersection near the present-day Krogers (the intersection of Routes 41, 22, 62, and 3), there stood a house where a runaway slave had made his home as a free man under the laws of Ohio. This house, formerly situated between Highland Ave. and Leesburg Ave., has since been demolished and replaced with condominiums. As the story goes, a carriage of white men arrived while the family was having tea. They kidnapped the runaway slave father and transported him to the property of his former "owner" in Kentucky. To this day, we do not know of the man's fate, although it is presumed that he was killed. The local government could have acted, but did nothing to stop the extradition from occuring, or to recover their fellow townsman and stifle the grief of his family. Fayette County Historical Society Museum An article needs to be written INTERESTING QUIRKS The City of Washington Court House has, as its first and most prominent interesting quirk, its name. Rumors have circulated that the town's name is one of the longest in the United States, was in the Guinness Book of World Records, or other such nonsense. This is not true, but it is interesting. The following points, however, ''are'' true, and could be the most valuable source of information about actual life in Washington Court House. Fast food Washington Court House has many fast food restaurants: too many to support, it would seem. But they all keep up their business, if this is any indication of average life in W.C.H. Pizza seems to be the most prominent fast(er) food restaurant. Pizza Hut, Donatos, Domino's, "Pizza 'n Motion," "Center Pizza," and at one time years ago, Papa John's and "Farmer's Pizza" were ''all'' functioning simultaneously to serve the munching needs of the 13,000 townspeople. Wal-Mart Wal Mart's arrival on the "'Court House" scene spurred no dissention. In fact, many school-age children and young adults consider a trip to the 'Court House Wal-Mart a social outing, and regularly frequent the store with their friends, without intention of purchasing anything. The "Upper Room Cafe" Built as an addition to Grace Community Church in 2003, this upscale cafe/coffee shop serves traditional Starbucks-type fare and more, with a decorative flare seen nowhere else in this small town. It quickly became the primary "hang-out" location for students in middle school, high school, and college, as well as adults. Eventually, to keep patrons and workers alike sane, certain nights of the week were mandated as nights for certain age groups. Despite its undeniable and widespread popularity, "The Cafe" drastically cut its functional hours for manegerial reasons, and has since dwindled as the "hang-out"-of-choice. The Municipal Pool The "City Pool," as it is affectionately called, provides a less sweltering place to socialize during the summer. For families without air conditioning in their homes, a pool membership is invaluable in the months of July and August. As of April 2006, the coming of the YMCA (as yet, only ''proposed'' for just outside of town) has not made this landmark of 50 years obsolete. The pool staffs about 40 lifeguards, who work for the City of Washington Court House. Over the summmer of 2005, the pool was open from 12 PM to 8 PM Monday-Saturday, and from 1 PM to 8 PM on Sunday. Swimming lessons are also available (free of charge, for members) on weekday mornings. WCHO WCHO, found on the radio in Washington C.H. at 105.5 FM, is more or less the "official" radio station of the city, despite the recent tendency of the younger generations (those residing in the city) to grow away from their area's roots in "country" music. The station plays a selection of country and soft rock music, commentaries on local (high school) sporting events, and gives updates on weather. School cancellations are received by the public via WCHO, or "Channel 3," the public access cable channel. Other stations with clear reception in WCH are 97.1 (an eclectic mix of music), 99.7 (rock), 97.9 (pop), 107.1 (harder rock), and various other stations of country and Christian music. A popular Christian rock station, " Radio U ," out of Columbus, OH does ''not'' come in clearly in WCH-- rather, its reception dies just outside of the city limits. The Record Herald The daily newspaper of Washington Court House is called " The Record Herald ," and is owned and operated by the news conglomerate "Brown Publishing Company." The interesting quirk about it is that it finds things to report on. Once, years ago, the headline of the day read in large, bold print: "Elderly couple enjoys noodle-making." It also seems to cater to a low level of reading skill, but this is not to say that it is a poor publication when all is considered. Operations such as the Record Herald and the Fayette County Memorial Hospital may be ridiculed from time to time, but it is a testament to the population of WCH they exist ''at all'' as they do, in a place as small as this town. PRESENT CHANGES AND DEVELOPMENT There are many changes occuring in Washington Court House, and this article will track each of them.
While the town is small, suburban-type areas such as "Quail Run," and "Storybrook" have been developed and generally praised. The "suburbia" phenomenon could continue its reign of popularity in the coming years, thus ending the existance of the quaint farming community Washington Court House once was. |
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