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History · Riverlea

Riverlea dates to 1939, and 14% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listing is the Mark Russell House. Below: maps from 1901 on and the census since 1940.

1939founded
1on the National Register
14%homes built before 1940
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Quick answers

How Riverlea began

When was Riverlea founded?

1939

Riverlea dates its founding to 1939 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1940.

First census: 92 in 19402020 census: 59987 years
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year.

What stands out about Riverlea’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 Riverlea are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19015 editions of the USGS map, 1901 to 1995. Watch Riverlea change.Old housesHalf of Riverlea’s homes were built before 1954.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Riverlea’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Riverlea’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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On the map

Riverlea on the map, 1901 to 1995

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

Riverlea on the 1901 USGS mapRiverlea on the 1955 USGS mapRiverlea on the 1965 USGS mapRiverlea on the 1982 USGS mapRiverlea on the 1995 USGS map1901Dublin 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 Riverlea.

The story so far

Riverlea, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Riverlea yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Riverlea is a village in Franklin County, Ohio, United States, surrounded by Worthington on its north, south, and east sides, and bordered on the west by the Olentangy River, across which is Columbus. Riverlea was incorporated in 1939, a small community that formed on former farmland. The population was 599 at the 2020 census. In 2011, Riverlea and Worthington explored the possibility of the annexation of Riverlea to Worthington. Riverlea voters defeated the annexation.

Riverlea was established in 1939. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 545 to 599 (+10%).

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

By decade

Riverlea, decade by decade

Today3 recent
Map of Franklin County Ohio Highlighting Riverlea Village2015Map of Franklin County Ohio Highlighting Riverlea Vil…MapMark Russell House2012Mark Russell HouseOHMap-doton-Riverlea2004OHMap-doton-Riverlea
On the National Register

1 historic place in Riverlea

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
3
each building in a district counts
first listed
1976
Mark Russell House
Mark Russell House
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Carpenter Gothic1
All 1 listings
Mark Russell HouseBuilding · listed 1976

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Riverlea, census by census

010020030040050060070019401960198020002020Peak: 625

Between 92 and 625 people in every census since 1940.

9 censuses, 1940–2020.

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

Famous people

Famous people close to Riverlea

Nobody well known was born in Riverlea itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Simone BilesAmerican artistic gymnast · b. 1997
Maggie GraceAmerican actress · b. 1983
J
Josh RadnorAmerican actor, director, producer, and screenw… · b. 1974
R. L. StineAmerican novelist · b. 1943
Warner BaxterAmerican actor · b. 1889
Lois McMaster BujoldAmerican novelist · b. 1949
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Sharon Township31 historic placesA−Worthington30 historic placesA−

Questions about Riverlea’s history

What year was Riverlea founded?

In 1939, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1940 counted 92 people here.

What is on the National Register in Riverlea?

One place: the Mark Russell House (listed 1976).

Memory lane

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

Town Square →
Start a conversation
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 (3), the National Register of Historic Places (1), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.