Southern Ohio is the meeting place of rural south and urban north. As you travel the highways and byways of this interesting region, you will notice many things that are unique to the area and its residents. Moving here can lead you to one of the many intriguing communities that form the state's southern border.
Framed along its southern edge by the Ohio River that runs from up near Pittsburgh down through Cincinnati, this part of Ohio offers complexity and color that is often hard to find in other locations. From the Appalachian towns in the southeast to the upper-middle class communities of the southwest, you can find people from any walk of life and every type of income, small or great. Farming and mining are predominant in the southeast, although many of these are tapped out, and families have moved up North for jobs in factories or a chance at an education. The gateway to the West, Cincinnati is called the Queen City, and rightly so, for it drew early settlers who passed through her portals in quest of elusive freedom and treasure further West.
If you are moving to southern Ohio, your job may dictate where you live. But if you have a choice, you might enjoy the slower pace of life at Marietta at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum rivers. Here in 1788 a contingent of settlers built a fort and established the first town, named in honor of Queen Marie Antoinette of France, which had proven a good friend to our young country during the Revolutionary War of 1775. But the Indians who had lived here for hundreds of years before white people came moved on, leaving behind their burial mounds and artifacts that are now preserved at Marietta's museum on Second Street, which encloses one of the original log homes of the 1788 fort. In Marietta you can enjoy the camaraderie of each July 4th ice cream social at the fairgrounds or the small town of Lowell's annual October fest, just a few miles north.
An hour's drive to the southwest will bring you to Athens, Ohio, home to Ohio University (not to be confused with Ohio State University based in Columbus). If you're a student with a yen for campus life, you will certainly find it in this small but lively college town.
Making your way down the river toward Cincinnati, you will pass factories and plants perched on the riverbank to take advantage of hydroelectric power, providing jobs to local blue-collar residents. Sleepy little towns like Belpre offer the conveniences and attractions of suburban living, where many still leave their front doors unlocked at night.
Arriving at Cincinnati at last, you will be amazed by the city that is built on a series of hills. Noted for its cosmopolitan air and uncountable eateries of distinction, this royal city is home to hundreds of thousands who work and live on Ohio's borders with Kentucky and Indiana. Housing, culture, and recreation can be found in abundance, generally at moderate prices.
There are many fine areas in southern Ohio in which to build a career or raise a family. Contact Ohio's tourism department or one of the city's chamber of commerce for helpful information that can make your move easier.
