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Main west of School, DonnelsvillePhoto: Nyttend · Public domain
–Not graded
History · Donnelsville

Donnelsville dates to 1830, and 62% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1904 on and the census since 1850.

1830founded
0on the National Register
62%homes built before 1940
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Quick answers

How Donnelsville began

When was Donnelsville founded?

1830

Donnelsville dates its founding to 1830 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1850.

First census: 196 in 18502020 census: 255196 years
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1840.The full story ↓

What stands out about Donnelsville’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Donnelsville are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Donnelsville’s homes were built before 1938.On the map since 19044 editions of the USGS map, 1904 to 1973. Watch Donnelsville change.Deep rootsEstablished in 1830: 196 years of Donnelsville.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Donnelsville’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Donnelsville’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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The story

How Donnelsville came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Donnelsville.

Read it all →

Donnelsville was platted in 1830 by James Donnel, and named for him. A post office called Donnelsville was established in 1840.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

On the map

Donnelsville on the map, 1904 to 1973

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Donnelsville. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Donnelsville on the 1904 USGS mapDonnelsville on the 1955 USGS mapDonnelsville on the 1965 USGS mapDonnelsville on the 1973 USGS map1904Springfield 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 Donnelsville.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Donnelsville, 1908–1922

Passages that mention Donnelsville, cut from the printed page as they were published.

Until the late '30s there were few bridges across the streams in Clark County, those of primitive style not remaining long, but in 1837 there was a bridge over Mad River west of Springfield, and in 1838 there was a bridge at Donnelsville. Some of the early type of covered bridges are s^ill seen bot…
A standard history of Springfield and Clark County, Ohio1922 · page 77Read the page →
Read the text

Until the late '30s there were few bridges across the streams in Clark County, those of primitive style not remaining long, but in 1837 there was a bridge over Mad River west of Springfield, and in 1838 there was a bridge at Donnelsville. Some of the early type of covered bridges are s^ill seen both east and west from Springfield, and the Golden Arch seems to be a permanent thing over Rocky Run. When there were no bridges, people forded the streams or crossed in ferries, and drownings were reported frequently.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
erection and support. Sometime in the seventies this congregation erected a substantial and commodious house in the village of Donnelsville. Schools. The schools of this township are among the best in the county, New Carlisle having had a veiy, very select school
20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio1908 · page 230Read the page →
Read the text

erection and support. Sometime in the seventies this congregation erected a substantial and commodious house in the village of Donnelsville. Schools. The schools of this township are among the best in the county, New Carlisle having had a veiy, very select school

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

Donnelsville, 1809 to 1904

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1809Born hereJames John is born here
  3. 1830
    FoundingDonnelsville is established
  4. 1840Post officeThe Donnelsville post office opens
  5. 1849Born hereJohn Grabill is born here
  6. 20th century
  7. 1904On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Donnelsville, decade by decade

Today18 recent
Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-20212021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-2021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-20212021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-2021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-20212021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-2021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-20212021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-2021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-20212021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-2021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-20212021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-2021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-20212021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-2021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-20212021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-2021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-20212021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-2021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-20212021Donnelsville, Ohio, 5-14-2021Donnelsville Elementary School2021Donnelsville Elementary SchoolDonnelsville Elementary School2021Donnelsville Elementary SchoolArise In Christ Lutheran Church2021Arise In Christ Lutheran ChurchArise In Christ Lutheran Church2021Arise In Christ Lutheran ChurchMain west of School2015Main west of SchoolBethel Township Fire Department2015Bethel Township Fire DepartmentMap of Clark County Ohio Highlighting Donnelsville Village2015Map of Clark County Ohio Highlighting Donnelsville Vi…MapOHMap-doton-Donnelsville2004OHMap-doton-Donnelsville
People over time

Donnelsville, census by census

01002003001850190019502000Peak: 304

Between 166 and 304 people in every census since 1850.

17 censuses, 1850–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Donnelsville’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

2 famous people were born in Donnelsville

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

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John GrabillAmerican photographer · b. 1849
James JohnFounder of the settlement of St. Johns, Oregon,… · b. 1809

Questions about Donnelsville’s history

What year was Donnelsville founded?

In 1830, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Donnelsville’s post office opened in 1840, and the census of 1850 counted 196 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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Sources

Where this page comes from

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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (18), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.