Ashtabula County, Ohio

Ashtabula County
County
Ashtabula County Courthouse
Ashtabula County Courthouse
Flag of Ashtabula County
Flag
Official seal of Ashtabula County
Seal
Map of Ohio highlighting Ashtabula County
Location within the U.S. state of Ohio
Map of the United States highlighting Ohio
Ohio's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°53′N 80°46′W / 41.89°N 80.76°W / 41.89; -80.76
Country United States
State Ohio
FoundedMay 1, 1811
Named forLenape ashtepihële 'always enough fish to go around'
SeatJefferson
Largest cityAshtabula
Area
 • Total1,368 sq mi (3,540 km2)
 • Land702 sq mi (1,820 km2)
 • Water666 sq mi (1,720 km2)  49%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total97,574 Decrease
 • Density71/sq mi (27/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district14th
Websitewww.co.ashtabula.oh.us

Ashtabula County (/ˌæʃtəˈbjuːlə/ ASH-tə-BYU-lə) is the northeasternmost county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 97,574.[1] The county seat is Jefferson, while its largest city is Ashtabula.[2] The county was created in 1808 and later organized in 1811.[3] The name[4] Ashtabula derives from the Lenape language phrase ashte-pihële, which translates to 'always enough (fish) to go around, to be given away'[5] and is a contraction of apchi ('always')[6] + tepi ('enough') + hële (verb of motion).[7] Ashtabula County is part of the Cleveland, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The county is best known for having nineteen covered bridges within the county limits, including both the longest and the shortest covered bridges in the United States. Grapes are a popular crop and there are several award-winning wineries in the region due to the favorable microclimate from the nearby lake.[8] During the winter, Ashtabula County (along with neighboring Geauga and Lake counties, as well as Crawford and Erie counties in neighboring Pennsylvania) receives frequent lake-effect snow and is part of the Southeastern Lake Erie Snowbelt.

  1. ^ 2020 census
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Ohio: Individual County Chronologies". Ohio Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2007. Archived from the original on April 6, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  4. ^ Cross, Tom (2008). Fishing Ohio: An Angler's Guide to Over 200 Fishing Spots in the Buckeye State. Lyons Press. p. 112. ISBN 978-0-7627-4326-1.
  5. ^ Mahr, August C. (November 1959). "Practical Reasons for Algonkian Indian Stream and Place Names". Ohio Journal of Science. 59 (6): 365–375. hdl:1811/4658. ISSN 0030-0950. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  6. ^ "apchi". Lenape Talking Dictionary. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  7. ^ "tèpihële". Lenape Talking Dictionary. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  8. ^ "Ferrante Winery brings home the gold". The Ashtabula Wave. Archived from the original on April 14, 2016. Retrieved April 1, 2016.