Belpre dates to 1789, and 12% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 76% of U.S. towns · #357 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it
Its Register listings are the Capt. Jonathan Stone House, the Charles Rice Ames House and the Spencer's Landing. Its Register listings are the Capt. Jonathan Stone House, the Charles Rice Ames House and the Spencer's Landing. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1904 on, and the census since 1870.
Belpre dates its founding to 1789 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1870.
First census: 911 in 18702020 census: 6,728237 years
How did Belpre get its name?
Belpre’s name derives from "Belle Prairie" (French for "beautiful meadow"), the name given to the valley by French trappers prior to the first American settlement at the site.
How historic is Belpre?
A−
More historic than 76% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Belpre is more historic than 76% of U.S. towns, #357 of 993 in Ohio. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Belpre’s overall grade.
Ohio towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Ohio town has 2.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Belpre’s 6.0 sits above most of its state (67% of Ohio towns have fewer) while its 4 historic buildings outnumber those of 68% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.8 points). Two sources give 1789.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Belpre’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Lost post offices, old corners and places now gone
Belpre’s post office has been open since 1805. Another post office, Rockland, opened and closed inside today’s town.
Belpre
1805–today
Rockland
1873–1955
18001910today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Barclay AcresBlennerhassett ViewDenim Shack Mobile Home ParkGeorges Trailer ParkMercers Mobile Home ParkMorris Mobile Home ParkPioneer Mobile Home ParkRocklandW D Miller Trailer Park
Gone or out of use
Belpre Open Air Drive-InlocaleRockland Elementary SchoolschoolSniders Airportairport
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
On the map
Belpre on the map, 1904 to 1994
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Belpre. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1904Parkersburg sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Belpre.
The first settlement at Belpre was made in 1788. In 1845 railroad developers founded the Belpre and Cincinnati Railroad, but the destination was changed to Marietta, with a corresponding name change in 1851. For a considerable period of time, travelers had to go by steamboat to connect between Marietta and Parkersburg, Virginia; the latter received service from the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1857. This was shortly before the western part of Virginia seceded in 1861 after the start of the American Civil War to form Unionist West Virginia. Belpre and Marietta were later connected by rail. Coal service is still active on this line.
Passages that mention Belpre, cut from the printed page as they were published.
A history of Belpre, Washington County, Ohio1920 · page 237Read the page →
Read the text
Most of the marketable products of Belpre famns and gardens either pass into or through Parkersburg. A large portion of the trade and banking business of Belpre is done in Parkersburg, and hundreds of people cross the Bridge every day going to and from their business. When trolley cars run across the bridge, as it is supposed they will soon do, entertainments can be attended by the people of Belpre almost as conveniently as by those of Parkersburg.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A history of Belpre, Washington County, Ohio1920 · page 37Read the page →
Read the text
This settlement was begun at the same time with that at Belpre, considered a part of it and called the "Lower Settlement." The location was six miles below Farmers Castle and was commenced by about fourteen associates.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
history of washington county, ohio1881 · page 509Read the page →
Read the text
The murder of two boys at Neil’s station, a point up the Kanawha about a mile above the present village of Belpre, indicated the hostile spirit of the Indians, but for the time no serious apprehensions of danger were felt. But the storm was approaching, and on the memorable second of January, 1791, it burst in a shower of innocent blood upon the settlement at Big Bottom, and *For a more detailed account of many of the incidents of the Indian
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
history of washington county, ohio1881 · page 505Read the page →
Read the text
“tors of the Belpre land, was Major Robert Bradford, who drew lot numbered thirty-seven in the middle settlement, a little over a mile below Farmer’s castle. He came to Belpre in 1789, and almost immediately erected on the upland, a short distance back of the river, a twostory hewed log house, which is still standing in a good state of preservation, and is undoubtedly the oldest house in Belpre township. In later years it was weather-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Belpre, 1789 to 1955
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
In 1789, according to Wikidata. Belpre’s post office opened in 1805, and the census of 1870 counted 911 people here.
How does Belpre rank for history?
Belpre is more historic than 76% of U.S. towns, #357 of 993 in Ohio. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Belpre?
Three places: the Capt. Jonathan Stone House (listed 1978), the Charles Rice Ames House (1978) and the Spencer's Landing (1992).
How old are the homes in Belpre?
12% of Belpre’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.8 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1968.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (4), Wikidata (4), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
Date?
Date?
2026
2026
