Circleville

Circleville is the county seat of Pickaway County and a city in the Miami - Scioto basins in south-central Ohio. It is located along the banks of the Scioto River. As of the 2020 Census, Circleville's population was 13,922 and is slowly increasing. It is located approximately halfway between Washington Court House (Court House, as the locals refer to it: designated as Washington CH on highway signs) and Lancaster on US 22, and about halfway between Columbus and Chillicothe on US 23.

Get in

By plane

John Glenn Columbus International Airport (IATA: CMH) is the major air hub for Circleville. It is located on the northeast side of Columbus, about 40 minutes from Circleville. Take US 23 North toward Columbus, and in 19.5 mi, take the exit for I-270 (the Outerbelt) going east. Stay on I-270, going around the south and east side of Columbus, and follow signs for John Glenn Columbus International Airport. You'll take the exit for I-670 West (exit 35) and keep left. The Columbus airport is the next exit. Columbus International Airport provides to 31 airports via 9 airlines on 148 nonstop flights daily.

Significantly smaller, newer, and closer is Rickenbacker International Airport, located on the south side of the city. It is about 25 minutes from Circleville. Take US 23 North to OH-317/London-Groveport Rd (just south of Scioto Downs) and turn right. Continue for 4 miles, then turn right onto Alum Creek Dr., and you have arrived. Rickenbacker International Airport services Allegiant Airlines to over ten destinations in the Deep South, mostly in Florida.

By car

The backbone of Circleville's transportation system is the two major US Highways running through it.

US 22 runs WSW-ENE through the city and forms Main Street through downtown. It continues WSW to Washington CH and Wilmington before terminating in downtown Cincinnati. It travels east past Ohio Christian University to Lancaster, Zanesville, Cambridge, and Steubenville before continuing into West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

US 23 runs N-S through Circleville, just west of downtown. It is a two lane divided highway for most of its length through town, but has a freeway-style exit at US 22/OH-56 into downtown Circleville. It continues north to Columbus, Delaware (Ohio), Marion, Upper Sandusky, Fostoria, and on to Toledo and Michigan. It continues south to Chillicothe, Waverly, Portsmouth, and Huntington (W. Va.) metro, before winding through the Appalachians.

Numerous state highways service the city as well, the most major being OH-56, providing access to I-71 to the northwest.

Get around

By car

Because the city is relatively small, it isn't difficult to get around. The major streets in Circleville are:

Main Street (US 22/OH-56) runs ESE-WNW through downtown. The two highways merge just west of town, then they cross the Scioto River into town. They split just to the east of downtown.
Lancaster Pike (US 22) when US 22/OH-56 splits to the east of town, US 22 goes northeast to Lancaster, about 20 miles away. This is a major road, and it has many businesses along the road. The Pickaway County Fairgrounds are also along Lancaster Pike.
Court Street (partially OH-188) is another major street in Circleville. The intersection of Main and Court is the center of downtown, and north of Main Street, Court Street becomes OH-188. It continues south to the main shopping district.
Northridge Rd (OH-188) to the north of town, OH-188 turns northeast onto Northridge Rd, which goes toward Lancaster.
Nicholas Dr is a major N-S road starting at US 22 and continuing to Northridge Rd. Mostly through residential, but is near Circleville Public Schools and the YMCA.
US 23 is the main transportation corridor in Circleville. To the south of town, it runs through a major shopping district with a Walmart, many restaurants, and a few hotels.

See

Attractions

The Ted Lewis Museum, 133 W Main St, info@tedlewismuseum.org. +1 740-477-3630 2018-11-29

Architecture

Pickaway County Courthouse, 39.60062°, -82.94626°. 2018-11-29
Circleville Memorial Hall, 39.6009°, -82.9428°. 2018-11-29
Mount Oval, 39.5283°, -82.9664°. A historic farmstead 2018-11-29
Ohio Christian University, 39.612638°, -82.905146°. 2018-11-29
Gregg-Crites Octagon House, 39.5856°, -82.9419°. As of 2018 this building is being restored for use as a museum. The building and its strange architecture should still be visible. 2018-11-29

Indian Mounds

Luthor List Mound, 39.575278°, -82.924722°. 2018-11-29
Cross Mound, 39.5622°, -82.7853°. 2018-11-29

Do

Events

Circleville Pumpkin Show, 39.6018°, -82.9451°. 2018-11-29
Pickaway County Fair, 415 Lancaster Pike, 39.5984°, -82.9266°. 2018-11-29

Parks & sports

Calamus Swamp, 39.5833°, -83°. A nature preserve that is good for bird watching. 2018-11-29
Stage's Pond State Nature Preserve, 39.6764°, -82.9395°. A kettle lake surrounded by trails 2018-11-29
A. W. Marion State Park, 7317 Warner-Huffer Rd, 39.6247°, -82.8861°, +17404672690. Has a lake that allows small boating and fishing, as well as a campsite and a trail around Hargus Lake. 2018-11-29
Mary Virginia Crites Hannan Park, 1230 Pontius Rd, 39.6257°, -82.9112°. Has a dog park and a bird watching blind. 2018-11-29
{{do | name=Martha Hitler Park | alt= | url=https://www.pickawaycountyparks.org/martha_hitler_park.htm (dead link: December 2020) | email= | address=23338 Bolender Pontious Rd | lat=39.5924 | long=-82.9005 | directions= | phone= | tollfree= | fax= | hours= | price= | lastedit=2018-11-29 | content=Has a 22 acre disk golf course and picnic area. Like other features in Circleville named "Hitler", it is named after a local family that came here in the 1700s, and is of no relation to Adolf Hitler. }}