Washington County

Belpre township - It was created by resolution of the Court of Quarter Sessions, December 20, I790, as is shown by the following record:

Resolved, That townships No. 1 and 2, in the tenth range and No. 1, in the ninth range, be, and they hereby are incorporated, and to be included in one township, by the name of Belpre.

The first town officers were: Col. E. Battelle, town clerk: Winton Casey, overseer of poor; Col. Nathaniel Cushing, constable. The location of the settlements is thus described by Dr. S. P. Hildreth: "The main body of the new colony tract was divided into two portions, known as the 'Uppe' and 'Middle' settlements. The lands on the river were of the richest quality; rising as they receded from the Ohio on to an elevated plain, 30 or 40 feet higher than the low bottoms, and extending back to the base of the hills. This plain was in some places more than half a mile in width, forming with the bottoms alluvions of nearly a mile in extent. The soil on the plain was in some places fertile, loamy sand; and in others inclined to gravel, but  everywhere covered with a rich growth of forest trees, and producing fine crops of small grain. About a mile below the Little Kenawha, this plain came into the river, presenting a lofty mural front of eighty or a hundred feet above the surface of the water. This precipitous bank is continued for half a mile, and on its brow, and for some distance back, is clothed with evergreens, being chiefly different varieties of the cedar. That portion of the plain is known by the name of 'the Bluff,' and is located near the head of Blennerhassett's Island, close to the landing and crossing place to the mansion erected a few years after by this celebrated man. 'The Bluff' divided the 'Upper settlement from those below. The 'Upper' lay in a beautiful curve of the river, which formed nearly a semi-circle, the periphery of which was about a mile and a half, and rose gradually from the bank of the river on to the second bottom by a natural glacis, the grade and beauty of which no art of man could exrel. From the lower end of 'the Bluff,' the plain gradually receded from the river, leaving a strip of rich bottom land, about three miles in length, and from a quarter to a third of a mile in width. This distance, like that portion above, was laid off into farms, about 40 rods wide and extending back to the hills, which rose by a moderate slope to an elevation of an hundred feet above the surface of the plain, and were clothed with oak and hickory, to their tops. This charming location was well named 'Belle-prairie,' (or beautiful meadow), but is now generally written 'Belpre.' "

THE TOWN OF BELPRE IN 1902.

(Incorporated in 1901.)

The Belpre of today reflects creditably the intellectual and cultured characteristics of the stalwart pioneer of the "block-house" days. There still remains some traces of the old pioneer blood, and a few of the historic points made famous during the days of the first settlers are cherished and protected by the present inhabitants.

The geographical limits of Belpre have been encroached upon, from time to time, until now Belpre—proper—represents an incorporated village about one mile long and one-half wide, directly opposite Parkersburg, West Virginia. Though the settlement of Belpre is one of the oldest in the county and hence in the State, and for many years the most popular community in the county, outside the present Marietta, yet it was not until July 22, 1901, that it was voted to incorporate it. The following January (1902) the charter was received, and on the 13th day of the same month, the election of the first officers of the corporation was held.

The estimated population is 900,—no census has as yet been taken since the incorporation.

The valley in which Belpre is located is still one of the most productive along the Ohio River, being especially adapted to truck-gardening, and yet retains the pristine beauty, which gave to it its poetic name. Belpre is essentially a residence village, its commercial and industrial interests having been greatly damaged by the 1884 Ohio River freshet, from which it has only partially recovered. However, in a retail way, it has a number of institutions which do a thriving business. It depends upon Parkershurg, West Virginia, for its banking facilities. A building and loan company was incorporated January 8, 1902, with an authorized capital of $500,000.

Belpre has ever taken a front rank in its interest in education. Its public schools are noted for their excellence, and have an enrollment of 300 pupils, with eight teachers. The school building is a well-equipped brick structure of eight rooms, erected in 1876. Connected with the schools is a circulating library of 650 volumes, to which additions are made each year.

The churches of the village are four, viz.: The Methodist Episcopal, a direct descendant of the first organization of Methodism in Belpre township, effected by Rev. Mr. Morris in 1816. Their present place of worship—Lewis Chapel—was dedicated February 24, 1867, and was remodeled in 1896. The present membership is 200.

The Congregational Church—with 120 members—tracing its origin to a mission of the First Congregational Church of Marietta, was organized in1802, at what is now Rockland. The first service held in the village limits was in 1858. The church building, in which thev still worship, was erected in 1869.

The Catholic Church, for many years an outer mission of the Marietta Church, and later assigned to the Little Hocking Church, always holding its services once a month at the home of some of its members, now worships in a little church of its own—St. Ambrose Church—donated by P. W. O'Connor of Columbus, Ohio, in 1901, with 35 communicants.

The A. M. E. Church with 20 members dates back to 1877.

Politically, Belpre has always been Republican.  —Bertha G. Ballard.

 Source: History of Marietta and Washington County, by Martin R. Andrews, MA, 1902, Transcribed by C. Anthony