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Outville, Ohio
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Is that corn just ahead on the left, or is it elsewhere on this web site?
Life in the Past Lane
A sign hangs in the old Outville Hay & Grain Company’s front office that reads, “There’s not much to see or do in a small town, but what you hear in here will make up for it.“ That kind of sums up what Outville’s all about. A kind of “Mayberry” type of place, albeit a lot smaller. In our town you won’t find a traffic light, but we do have a rush minute every day, and four stop signs, two back streets, an old mill, a new pizza shop, the Outville Presbyterian Church, a Christmas parade that’s longer than the town, and the railroad.
Ah yes, the railroad! Born from rich agricultural land as a stop along the old Central Ohio Railroad in 1853, the crossing’s first name was Kirkersville Station, a nod of sorts to the town 2 miles south called Kirkersville. An early station agent by the name of James Outcalt, either in a moment of profound genius or extreme vanity, decided that one town called Kirkersville was enough, so he renamed this hamlet “Outville,” after himself. Today, the right-of-way is used by the trains of CSX or the Ohio Central. But more about the railroad later.
Look around our town while you’re here. While visiting, you’ll see vintage photographs dating to the late-1800s, as well as contemporary views. You’ll also see scenes from Licking County, Ohio’s largest holiday parade, the Outville Christmas Parade, held on the second Saturday in December. You remember we told you the parade is longer than the town? Well, it’s so long that, after going around the one block in town, the front end of the parade catches up with the rear end, creating what has become known as the “Outville pause.” The good news is, if you’re lucky enough to get a spot near the Hay & Grain, you get to see the parade twice without moving an inch! And then, hunger sets in.
While visiting us today, you might even be able to smell the delectable ham and bean soup, simmered to perfection in two large cast iron kettles over hardwood fires, or the crispy homemade cornbread, each of which have become somewhat of a local tradition as the community gathers after the parade to celebrate the Christmas season.
If you’re back this way again, we hope you’ll come by and visit us often, just to see what’s going on in our town!
Contact Information
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Send mail to
web@outvilleohio.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
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