Lafayette, Madison County, Ohio

Lafayette is a census-designated place in the center of Deer Creek Township, Madison County, Ohio, United States.[2] It is located at 39°56′15″N 83°24′24″W,[3] along U.S. Route 40, just west of its intersection with U.S. Route 42.[4]

Lafayette, Ohio
Unincorporated community
Looking westbound on U.S. Route 40 in Lafayette
Lafayette, Ohio Location of Lafayette, Ohio
Coordinates: 39°56′15″N 83°24′24″W
Country	United States
State	Ohio
Counties	Madison
Elevation [1]	1,010 ft (308 m)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	43140
Area code(s)	740
GNIS feature ID	1064959[1]

History

Lawrenceville

Lawrenceville (also known regionally as "Limerick") was laid out in 1816, by Thomas Gwynne, on land he owned 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northwest of where Lafayette is located today.[5] In 1816, Angus Ross opened Lawrenceville's first and only tavern. The Lawrenceville Post Office was established on July 2, 1825.[6] In 1836-7, the National Road was completed through the township, missing Lawrenceville, and the town immediately began to die.[5] By 1915, the original community was nothing more than pasture land, with no signs left to indicate there was ever a community.[5]

Lafayette

Lafayette was laid out on October 1, 1834, by William Minter, and named in honor of Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette.[5] On December 31, 1836, the Lawenceville Post Office was moved to Lafayette, and renamed Lafayette Post Office,[6] with John Minter as the first postmaster of the new branch.[5] As of 1875, the community contained one drug store, one dry goods and grocery store, and one blacksmith shop.[7] The post office was discontinued on December 31, 1905, with mail service going through the London branch.[6] As of 1915, the community contained three general stores and one blacksmith shop.[5]

Lafayette is also home to the Red Brick Tavern, one of 11 properties on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Madison County, Ohio.

Demographics

The population of Lafayette was 160 in 1875,[7] and 75 in 1915.[5] As of the 2010 U.S. Census it is 202.[8]

References

1. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Lafayette, Madison County, Ohio
3. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Lafayette, Madison County, Ohio
4. Rand McNally. The Road Atlas '06. Chicago: Rand McNally, 2006, 80.
5. Bryan, Chester E., History of Madison County, Ohio, B.F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1915, Pg. 178.
6. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Lafayette Post Office
7. J. A. Caldwell, Caldwell's Atlas of Madison County, Ohio, Condit, Ohio, 1875, Pg. 10.
8. American FactFinder