From Knockemstiff to Center of the World, here are some of the most unusual town names from across Ohio

Celeryville, Huron County
Population: 222
Unfortunately, there’s no crazy story behind the name of this unincorporated community. Settled by Dutch immigrants, Celeryville was named for its fertile soil, which was used to produce–you guessed it–celery. 

Center of the World, Trumbull County
Population: ???
According to Atlas Obscura, this northeastern Ohio community was named by founder Randall Wilmot, who anticipated the area becoming a major railway hub. As you might have guessed, that never happened, but the community’s name remained.

Coolville, Athens County
Population: 452
While there are undoubtedly a whole lot of very cool people living in Coolsville, that’s not where the village gets its name. Coolville was named after Simon W. Cooley, who platted the village, and there’s even a Coolville Founders Day festival each year in his honor.

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Jumbo, Hardin County
Population: ??? 
This one is hard to beat. According to Jim Forte Postal History, the unincorporated community was named after Jumbo, a circus elephant.

Knockemstiff, Ross County
Population: ???
One of our favorites from this list, there’s not really a consensus on how Knockemstiff got its name, but there are stories. One, from a 2008 New York Times article, claims the town was named after a massive fight that broke out while the town was still young. 

Peninsula, Summit County
Population: 530
Similar to Celeryville, the origin story for this village is an incredibly literal one. According to the Summit County Historical Society, Peninsula was named “in recognition of the large feature created by a bend in the Cuyahoga River.”

Red Lion, Warren County
Population: ???
The unincorporated community known today as Red Lion was originally known as Westfield. A prominent tavern called The Red Lion existed in Westfield, and according to Warren County Local History by Dallas Bogan, it became so iconic in the community that the community itself was later renamed to Red Lion.

Reminderville, Summit County
Population: 5,412
The story behind this city is probably not what you’re thinking. According to the City of Reminderville’s website, when the city was established in the 1950s, it was named after one of its most prominent families, the Reminder family.

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