125-641: Strouds Run State Park is a public recreation area abutting the city of Athens in Athens County , Ohio , in the United States. The state park is located primarily in Canaan Township , with a small part in Ames Township . Park boundaries coincide with Athens city limits in several places. The park comprises 2,606 acres (1,055 ha), and includes Dow Lake, a 161-acre (65 ha) artificial lake. The park
250-559: A mutualist relationship with ospreys . Barn swallows will build their nest below an osprey nest, receiving protection from other birds of prey that are repelled by the exclusively fish-eating ospreys. The ospreys are alerted to the presence of these predators by the alarm calls of the swallows. Barn swallows will normally raise two broods, with the original nest being reused for the second brood and being repaired and reused in subsequent years. The female lays two to seven, but typically four or five, reddish-spotted white eggs. The clutch size
375-413: A rufous forehead, chin and throat, which are separated from the off-white underparts by a broad dark blue breast band. The outer tail feathers are elongated, giving the distinctive deeply forked "swallow tail". There is a line of white spots across the outer end of the upper tail. The female is similar in appearance to the male, but the tail streamers are shorter, the blue of the upperparts and breast band
500-577: A bird that had been ringed by James Masefield at a nest in Staffordshire, was found in Natal. As would be expected for a long-distance migrant, this bird has occurred as a vagrant to such distant areas as Hawaii, Bermuda , Greenland, Tristan da Cunha , the Falkland Islands , and even Antarctica. The barn swallow is similar in its habits to other aerial insectivores , including other swallow species and
625-471: A campground (pit toilets, no shower), swimming beach, boat dock, boat and canoe rentals, pistol, picnic grounds and shelters, and hiking trails. Hunting is permitted in season. Shooting ranges are no longer available for the public. Significant areas of the park are pine plantations (white and red) from the mid-twentieth century, when the land was purchased, originally as the Athens State Forest. There
750-566: A clutch will get depends on the size of the clutch, with larger clutches getting more food on average. The timing of a clutch also determines the food given; later broods get food that is smaller in size compared to earlier broods. This is because larger insects are too far away from the nest to be profitable in terms of energy expenditure. Isotope studies have shown that wintering populations may utilise different feeding habitats, with British breeders feeding mostly over grassland, whereas Swiss birds utilised woodland more. Another study showed that
875-498: A cup nest from mud pellets in barns or similar structures and feeds on insects caught in flight. This species lives in close association with humans, and its insect-eating habits mean that it is tolerated by humans; this acceptance was reinforced in the past by superstitions regarding the bird and its nest. There are frequent cultural references to the barn swallow in literary and religious works due to both its living in close proximity to humans and its annual migration. The barn swallow
1000-503: A genetically stronger individual which will produce offspring with enhanced vitality. Males in northern Europe have longer tails than those further south, whereas in Spain the male's tail streamers are only 5% longer than the female's; in Finland, the difference is 20%. In Denmark, the average male tail length increased by 9% between 1984 and 2004, but it is possible that climatic changes may lead in
1125-1019: A less vivid gape. The barn swallow has been recorded as hybridising with the cliff swallow ( Petrochelidon pyrrhonota ) and the cave swallow ( P. fulva ) in North America, and the house martin ( Delichon urbicum ) in Eurasia, the cross with the latter being one of the most common passerine hybrids. Barn swallows (and other small passerines ) often have characteristic feather holes on their wing and tail feathers. These holes were suggested as being caused by avian lice such as Machaerilaemus malleus and Myrsidea rustica , although other studies suggest that they are mainly caused by species of Brueelia . Several other species of lice have been described from barn swallow hosts, including Brueelia domestica and Philopterus microsomaticus . The avian lice prefer to feed on white tail spots, and they are generally found more numerously on short-tailed males, indicating
1250-554: A man-made lake . Camping is available. Both Sells Park and Strouds Run State Park are part of The Athens Trail Network, a multi-use trail network branching out from Sells Park . The City of Athens has recently established the Strouds Ridge Preserve project, currently including some 345 acres (140 ha), to save land from development adjacent to the state park. This preserve includes an 85-acre (340,000 m ) old-growth forest known as "Hawk Woods", or, more formally,
1375-600: A number of additional or alternative forms have been proposed, including saturata by Robert Ridgway in 1883, kamtschatica by Benedykt Dybowski in 1883, ambigua by Erwin Stresemann and mandschurica by Wilhelm Meise in 1934. Given the uncertainties over the validity of these forms, this article follows the treatment of Turner and Rose. The short wings, red belly and incomplete breast band of H. r. tytleri are also found in H. r. erythrogaster , and DNA analyses show that barn swallows from North America colonised
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#17330855049891500-568: A pair to build a nest from mud, hair, and other materials, old nests are highly prized. This species breeds across the Northern Hemisphere from sea level to 2,700 m (8,900 ft), but to 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in the Caucasus and North America, and it is absent only from deserts and the cold northernmost parts of the continents. Over much of its range, it avoids towns, and in Europe
1625-430: A police force with about 25 officers. Each of these departments work well together and support each other. Both have additional help when needed by the county sheriff department. Athens Fire department founded in 1830 and became full-time in the 1930s has two stations, a staff of about 30. They work 24 on 48 hours off. The department not only covers the cities fire department needs but also that of Ohio University. The city
1750-401: A protection from predators, and the arrival of roosting birds is synchronised in order to overwhelm predators like African hobbies . The barn swallow has been recorded as breeding in the more temperate parts of its winter range, such as the mountains of Thailand and in central Argentina. Migration of barn swallows between Britain and South Africa was first established on 23 December 1912 when
1875-764: A registered dietician. Holzer Athens , (2131 East State Street) employs 42 health care professionals at its clinic. Their service line includes allergy and immunology, anesthesiology, audiology, breast health, cancer care, chiropractic care, ear, nose & throat, eye care, gastroenterology, gynecology, heart & vascular care, imaging & radiology, kidney care, lab services, low-dose CT, men's health, midwifery, occupational health & wellness, orthopedics, pain management, pediatrics, pharmacy, podiatry, pregnancy & birth, primary care, sleep medicine, sports medicine, surgery, therapy services, urgent care, women's health, and work health & wellness. Barn swallow 6, see text The barn swallow ( Hirundo rustica )
2000-510: A severe slip hazard when structures are built over it on hillsides. However, there are safe zones above sandstone beds, most notably the Connelsville Sandstone that outcrops high on the hillsides. The old Athens Mental Hospital grounds (now part of the university) was built on the top of a hillside in the late 1860s, and is completely stable due to its position atop the hill rather than on a slope. The recent University Courtyard Apartments
2125-528: A sharp siflitt for predators like cats and a flitt-flitt for birds of prey like the hobby . This species is fairly quiet on the wintering grounds. The distinctive combination of a red face and blue breast band renders the adult barn swallow easy to distinguish from the African Hirundo species and from the welcome swallow ( Hirundo neoxena ) with which its range overlaps in Australasia . In Africa
2250-454: A single population breeding in Denmark actually wintered in two separate areas. The barn swallow drinks by skimming low over lakes or rivers and scooping up water with its open mouth. This bird bathes in a similar fashion, dipping into the water for an instant while in flight. Swallows gather in communal roosts after breeding, sometimes thousands strong. Reed beds are regularly favoured, with
2375-463: A skate park, fitness equipment, an indoor walking and running track, event rental facilities, and playgrounds. The Arts, Parks and Recreation Department actively supports a variety of community recreation initiatives. It sponsors adult summer and fall slow-pitch softball that is popular among residents in Athens and the county. The recreation department has organized men's, women's, and co-ed leagues, although
2500-421: A small mall, several shopping strip centers, large box stores, car dealerships, hotels/motels and many local and national sit-down / fast food restaurants. On the north side of town is Columbus Road area with some shopping, car dealer, motels, eateries and office buildings. On the south side, Richland Avenue has large student housing apartment complexes. West Union St. has a hospital complex, some student housing and
2625-514: A symbol of spring or summer. The proverb about the necessity for more than one piece of evidence goes back at least to Aristotle 's Nicomachean Ethics : "For as one swallow or one day does not make a spring, so one day or a short time does not make a fortunate or happy man." The barn swallow symbolises the coming of spring and thus love in the Pervigilium Veneris , a late Latin poem. In his poem " The Waste Land ", T. S. Eliot quoted
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#17330855049892750-611: A tie vote. City Hall is located in uptown on Washington Street. Athens is also covered by the Athens County Department of Health, the Athens County Planning Office, and Athens County Job and Family Services. The city of Athens has a strict parking policy. The city has a professional Police Department since 1911 working 24/7 year round. Today the force is made up of about 30 Officers plus a like number of reserve officers and support staff. Ohio University also has
2875-483: A village in 1811. Ohio had become a state in 1803. Ohio University was chartered in 1804, the first public institution of higher learning in the Northwest Territory . Previously part of Washington County, Ohio , Athens County was formed in 1805, named for the ancient center of learning, Athens , Greece. Ohio University in Athens was established with the first federal endowment of an educational institution in
3000-770: A whole part of the OhioHealth system. In early 2021 a new 2 story Medical Office building opened. Between 2019 and 2021 a new ICU opened, numerous equipment and facilities upgrades, and major expansion and renovation of the ED. Hopewell Health Centers operate several health care facilities in Athens, including Athens Behavioral Health and Primary Care Clinic (90 Hospital Drive), Respite Adult Crisis Program (7976 Dairy Lane), Athens County WIC Program (215 Columbus Road, Suite 106), and Early Childhood Program (9 Kenny Drive). Hopewell Health Centers offer comprehensive behavioral health care, dental health care, and primary health care. A sliding fee scale
3125-486: Is 70–90%. Average mortality is 70–80% in the first year and 40–70% for the adult. Although the record age is more than 11 years, most survive less than four years. Barn swallow nestlings have prominent red gapes, a feature shown to induce feeding by parent birds. An experiment in manipulating brood size and immune system showed the vividness of the gape was positively correlated with T-cell–mediated immunocompetence, and that larger brood size and injection with an antigen led to
3250-771: Is a multi-use trail network branching out from Sells Park at the end of Avon Place. A series of twelve trails and connectors branch out into the surrounding woods, heading eastwards to eventually connect with the trails of Strouds Run State Park. The trails are designed for hiking, running, and biking, although some sections are off-limits to bicycles. The trails provide scenic views of the East State Street commercial area and travel past and through notable features such as Sells Pond, Riddle State Nature Preserve (also known as Hawk Woods), Boulder Cove, Turtlehead Cave (also known as Blue Ash Rockhouse), Finger Rock, Pioneer Cemetery, and Dow Lake at Strouds Run State Park . The trail network
3375-594: Is a public university located in Athens (30,000+ students ) that is situated on an 1,800-acre (7.3 km ) campus. Founded in 1804, it is the oldest university in Ohio , oldest in the Northwest Territory , and ninth oldest public university in the United States. Known as the Bobcats, Ohio University hosts over 250 academic programs, 5,300 employees, and has been recognized by the John Templeton Foundation as one of
3500-406: Is also built on similar underlying geology across a small valley, but the hilltop was extensively removed in order to create a stable base. The city receives all its water supply from wells in unconsolidated river aquifers , and is reputed to be the largest city in the United States to do so. As of the census of 2010, there were 23,832 people, 6,903 households, and 1,842 families residing in
3625-431: Is also one small baldcypress plantation within the park. However, most of the area is mature hardwood forest. The park features many bluffs and rock outcrops of sandstone. Several beaver ponds are within the park boundaries. Many of the trails are open to mountain bikes. The lake is used by Ohio University for aquatic sports such as crew . The lake is also a very common destination of Ohio University students to enjoy
3750-406: Is available for dental health care, primary health care, and some behavioral health care services. Board Certified/Board Eligible health professionals include family practice physicians, dentists, adult psychiatrists, child and adolescent psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, and advanced practice nurses. Hopewell also employs social workers, counselors, psychologists, chemical dependency counselors, and
3875-565: Is best known as the home of Ohio University , a large public research university with an undergraduate and graduate enrollment of more than 21,000 students. It is the principal city of the Athens micropolitan area . The first permanent European settlers arrived in Athens in 1797, more than a decade after the United States victory in the American Revolutionary War . In 1800, the town site was first surveyed and plotted and incorporated as
Strouds Run State Park - Misplaced Pages Continue
4000-478: Is common, making this species genetically polygamous , despite being socially monogamous . Males guard females actively to avoid being cuckolded . Males may use deceptive alarm calls to disrupt extrapair copulation attempts toward their mates. As its name implies, the barn swallow typically nests inside accessible buildings such as barns and stables, or under bridges and wharves. Before man-made sites became common, it nested on cliff faces or in caves, but this
4125-737: Is currently the only osteopathic medical school in the state and offers the degree Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.). The college is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association . In 1993, Barbara Ross-Lee, D.O., was appointed to the position of dean of the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine; she was the first African-American woman to serve as the dean of a U.S. medical school. The Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine has 814 students enrolled across three campuses in Athens, Cleveland, and Dublin. Ohio University partners with University Medical Associates (UMA), which
4250-537: Is described as being particularly attracted to burnt or harvested sugarcane fields and the waste from the cane. In the absence of suitable roost sites, they may sometimes roost on wires where they are more exposed to predators. Individual birds tend to return to the same wintering locality each year and congregate from a large area to roost in reed beds. These roosts can be extremely large; one in Nigeria had an estimated 1.5 million birds. These roosts are thought to be
4375-509: Is in Virgil 's Georgics (29 BC), " Ante garrula quam tignis nidum suspendat hirundo " (Before the twittering swallow hangs its nest from the rafters). Many cattle farmers believed that swallows spread Salmonella infections; however, a study in Sweden showed no evidence of the birds being reservoirs of the bacteria. Many literary references are based on the barn swallow's northward migration as
4500-428: Is influenced by latitude, with clutch sizes of northern populations being higher on average than southern populations. The eggs are 20 mm × 14 mm ( 3 ⁄ 4 in × 1 ⁄ 2 in) in size, and weigh 1.9 grams (29 grains), of which 5% is shell. In Europe, the female does almost all the incubation , but in North America the male may incubate up to 25% of the time. The incubation period
4625-456: Is just over 5,000 feet long with landing system, lighting and hangars. The nearest airports with commercial flights are Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport near Parkersburg, West Virginia and John Glenn Columbus International Airport and Rickenbacker International Airport near Columbus. Athens has a public bus system which is free to OU students & staff and at a reduced price for seniors & school age students. It has several routes inside
4750-510: Is land and 0.22 square miles (0.57 km ) (or 2.19%) is water. Large sections of Athens and Ohio University are located in the floodplain of the Hocking River. Over the last two centuries the town suffered from many destructive floods, including notable floods in 1832, 1873, 1907, 1937, 1949, 1964 and 1968. In 1969 the Army Corps of Engineers completed a major work that rerouted and expanded
4875-425: Is less glossy, and the underparts paler. The juvenile is browner and has a paler rufous face and whiter underparts. It also lacks the long tail streamers of the adult. Although both sexes sing, female song was only recently described. (See below for details about song.) Calls include witt or witt-witt and a loud splee-plink when excited or trying to chase intruders away from the nest. The alarm calls include
5000-534: Is located in the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau about 47 miles from Chillicothe and 35 miles west of Marietta . Athens is surrounded by hills that rise about three hundred feet from river valley to the narrow ridge tops. The county extends west from the Ohio River , mostly centered around the lower Hocking River watershed. According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of 10.05 square miles (26.0 km ), of which 9.83 square miles (25.5 km ) (or 97.81%)
5125-437: Is located on the east side of Athens, near The City of Athens Ohio Community Recreation center. Sells Park comprises 22.5 acres (980,491.87 ft²), and includes Sells Pond, a 1,876.03 square yards (1,568.60 m ) pond. Strouds Run State Park is located just outside the city, bordering the city line. This park features 2,606 acres (10.55 km ) of wooded hills, including many bluffs and rock shelters , centered around
Strouds Run State Park - Misplaced Pages Continue
5250-498: Is maintained by community and university volunteers. Athens is governed by a mayoral-council form of government. Elected officials include mayor, auditor, treasurer, seven council members, and council president. The mayor, auditor, and treasurer are elected for four-year terms. Council members and council president are elected for two-year terms. Four council members represent each of the city's four wards. Three council members are elected at-large. Council president only votes in case of
5375-569: Is named after William Stroud who was a share-holder in the Ohio Company of Associates . The original land for the park was purchased for the Athens State Forest in the 1940s and 1950s. In the late 1950s, construction was started on the Dow Lake Dam, which was completed in 1960, at which point the land became Strouds Run State Park in its entirety. A large area on the west side of the park
5500-435: Is nearby, including Hawk Woods, which is one of Ohio's very few genuine old-growth forests . Common birds in the park include both black and turkey vultures , Canada geese , red-winged blackbirds , red-tailed hawks , red-shouldered hawks , and barn swallows . Beavers and white-tailed deer are common in the park. Bobcats are known to be in the area, but none are known within the park itself. Facilities include
5625-466: Is normally 14–19 days, with another 18–23 days before the altricial chicks fledge. The fledged young stay with, and are fed by, the parents for about a week after leaving the nest. Occasionally, first-year birds from the first brood will assist in feeding the second brood. Compared to those from early broods, juvenile barn swallows from late broods have been found to migrate at a younger age, fuel less efficiently during migration and have lower return rates
5750-521: Is now an established poet and essayist in Mebourne. Bands hailing from Athens include The Headstone Circus , The Snapdragons , Appalachian Death Ride, She Bears, Southeast Engine , The Ridges and the metal band Skeletonwitch . Athens native Steve Reis, a founder of the Columbus, Ohio-based band McGuffey Lane named his band after a street in Athens. Several theater companies have operated in Athens over
5875-446: Is now rare. The neat cup-shaped nest is placed on a beam or against a suitable vertical projection. It is constructed by both sexes, although more often by the female, with mud pellets collected in their beaks and lined with grasses, feathers, algae or other soft materials. The nest building ability of the male is also sexually selected; females will lay more eggs and at an earlier date with males who are better at nest construction, with
6000-404: Is open year-round. Court Street has a number of small to large student apartment buildings. Ohio University 's main 'college green' entrance is located at Court & Union. The student center ( John Calhoun Baker University Center , coloquially "Baker Center") is at one end of Court Street. Several Athens shopping areas are located outside the uptown area; the largest is on East State Street with
6125-478: Is part of the county-wide Enhanced 911 system. This system is able to locate landline or registered cell phone users, and send a text or phone call message of alert to those who sign up. The city has a large number of rental homes/apartments which are inspected by the Housing Code Office. The city of Athens is the county seat making it the home of many county government offices and the county courthouse at
6250-563: Is replaced in urban areas by the house martin . However, in Honshū , Japan, the barn swallow is a more urban bird, with the red-rumped swallow ( Cecropis daurica ) replacing it as the rural species. In winter, the barn swallow is cosmopolitan in its choice of habitat, avoiding only dense forests and deserts. It is most common in open, low vegetation habitats, such as savanna and ranch land, and in Venezuela, South Africa and Trinidad and Tobago it
6375-402: Is served by OhioHealth O'Bleness Memorial Hospital a 140+ bed non-profit community hospital founded in the early 1920s as Sheltering Arms Hospital. O'Bleness, built in the early 1970s, overlooks the Hocking River and is near the university campus. O'Bleness emergency department (as well as the lab & radiology) is open 24/7 365 days at year. The hospital has a helipad located near the ED. On
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#17330855049896500-570: Is the Latin word for "swallow"; rusticus means "of the country". This species is the only one of that genus to have a range extending into the Americas, with the majority of Hirundo species being native to Africa. This genus of blue-backed swallows is sometimes called the "barn swallows". The Oxford English Dictionary dates the English common name "barn swallow" to 1851, though an earlier instance of
6625-460: Is the national bird of Austria and Estonia . The adult male barn swallow of the nominate subspecies H. r. rustica is 17–19 cm ( 6 + 1 ⁄ 2 – 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 in) long including 2–7 cm (1–3 in) of elongated outer tail feathers. It has a wingspan of 32–34.5 cm ( 12 + 1 ⁄ 2 – 13 + 1 ⁄ 2 in) and weighs 16–22 g ( 9 ⁄ 16 – 3 ⁄ 4 oz). It has steel blue upperparts and
6750-504: Is the most widespread species of swallow in the world, occurring on all continents, with vagrants reported even in Antarctica. It is a distinctive passerine bird with blue upperparts and a long, deeply forked tail. In Anglophone Europe, it is just called the swallow ; in northern Europe, it is the only member of family Hirundinidae called a "swallow" rather than a " martin ". There are six subspecies of barn swallow, which breed across
6875-523: Is the second largest skate park in Ohio. The City of Athens Ohio Community Recreation center (Athens Community Center), known simply as "The Rec Center" to locals, offers programming in athletics, childcare, sports camps, community events and more. Located in the East State Street area, the center is accessible from the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway . Recreation facilities include an outdoor swimming pool,
7000-562: Is variable: in the southern part of the range, the breeding season usually is from February or March to early to mid September, although some late second and third broods finish in October. In the northern part of the range, it usually starts late May to early June and ends the same time as the breeding season of the southernmost birds. Both sexes defend the nest, but the male is particularly aggressive and territorial. Once established, pairs stay together to breed for life, but extra-pair copulation
7125-632: The Baikal region of Siberia, a dispersal direction opposite to that for most changes in distribution between North America and Eurasia. The preferred habitat of the barn swallow is open country with low vegetation, such as pasture, meadows and farmland, preferably with nearby water. This swallow avoids heavily wooded or precipitous areas and densely built-up locations. The presence of accessible open structures such as barns, stables, or culverts to provide nesting sites, and exposed locations such as wires, roof ridges or bare branches for perching, are also important in
7250-489: The collocation in an English-language context is in Gilbert White's popular book The Natural History of Selborne , originally published in 1789: The swallow, though called the chimney-swallow, by no means builds altogether in chimnies [ sic ], but often within barns and out-houses against the rafters ... In Sweden she builds in barns, and is called ladusvala , the barn-swallow. This suggests that
7375-455: The peregrine falcon and the African hobby . In Africa, tigerfish Hydrocynus vittatus have been recorded to routinely leap out of the water to capture low-flying swallows. The barn swallow has an enormous range, with an estimated global extent of about 250,000,000 km (97,000,000 sq mi) and a population of 190 million individuals. The species is evaluated as least concern on
7500-491: The "American Western University" at Athens. The act was approved by Arthur St. Clair, Governor of the Northwest Territory on January 9, 1802. However, no university with the name of American Western University would be established. Ohio became a state in 1803 and on February 18, 1804, the state legislature passed an act establishing the "Ohio University" in the town of Athens. Athens received city status in 1912, following
7625-557: The 1910 census showing the population had passed 5,000 residents, the requirement for city status in Ohio. Originally, large tracts of land in Athens and Alexander Townships were set aside through a contract between the Congress (under the Articles of Confederation) and the Ohio Company of Associates, a group of American Revolutionary War veterans. These lands were given to Ohio University by
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#17330855049897750-603: The 2019 IUCN Red List , and has no special status under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ( CITES ), which regulates international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants. This is a species that has greatly benefited historically from forest clearance, which has created the open habitats it prefers, and from human habitation, which have given it an abundance of safe man-made nest sites. There have been local declines due to
7875-606: The 264-acre (1.07 km) Baker Tract, managed by the Athens Conservancy, is a short drive away, with a public access trailhead on Ohio State Route 690. Athens, Ohio Athens is a city and the county seat of Athens County, Ohio , United States. The population was 23,849 at the 2020 census . Located along the Hocking River within Appalachian Ohio about 65 miles (105 km) southeast of Columbus , Athens
8000-566: The Ames limestone, including Linscott Spring (which has an historic springhouse). Normal pool elevation of Dow Lake is about 665 feet above sea level, while the highest point in the park is about 1022 feet above sea level. The park is almost entirely within the Strouds Run watershed, although it does not include the entire watershed. The forest in some areas of the park is over a century old without significant disturbance. The Riddle State Nature Preserve
8125-510: The Athens campus and over 28,000 for all campuses. The earliest industry in the area was salt production, followed by iron production and coal extraction. The largest employer in the county is Ohio University. In 1843, the Hocking Canal opened, enabling shipping from the Ohio River up the Hocking River , which passes through Athens, to Nelsonville, Ohio , and points beyond. However, the canal
8250-668: The Dale & Jacki Riddle State Nature Preserve . Also adjacent to the state park is the 75-acre (300,000 m ) Blair Preserve, owned by the Athens Conservancy . The Hockhocking Adena Bikeway is a multi-use asphalt trail with its main hub (mile marker 0) at the Athens Community Center on East State Street. The trail extends 16.4 miles (26.4 km) northwest to Robbins' Crossing and Hocking College in Nelsonville and on to
8375-646: The English name may be a calque on the Swedish term. There are few taxonomic problems within the genus, but the red-chested swallow —a resident of West Africa, the Congo Basin , and Ethiopia —was formerly treated as a subspecies of barn swallow. The red-chested swallow is slightly smaller than its migratory relative, has a narrower blue breast-band, and (in the adult) has shorter tail streamers. In flight , it looks paler underneath than barn swallow. Six subspecies of barn swallow are generally recognised. In eastern Asia,
8500-537: The Federal government. This was the first federal land grant for a university, pre-dating the Morrill Act by more than 70 years. At first, lands were mostly leased out, but the failure of many lessors to pay their rents resulted in most of the land being sold. The sale of these lands funded the growth of Ohio University. Today it is one of the largest institutions of higher learning in Ohio, with an enrollment of over 20,000 on
8625-576: The Marchmont area that was located at the base of what was then known as Tucker Hill. This was on the same portion of land that remained in the Cone family after the park's construction, and currently remains with descendants of Charles Cone. In addition to Gillett and Cone, some other notable family names affected by the park's construction were Cain, Finsterwald, Weiss, and Stalder. Many of those families came to this country with Baron deSteiguer. The Baron purchased
8750-527: The Northern Hemisphere. Two subspecies, ( H. r. savignii and H. r. transitiva ) have fairly restricted ranges in the Nile valley and eastern Mediterranean, respectively. The other four are more widespread, with winter ranges covering much of the Southern Hemisphere. The barn swallow is a bird of open country that normally nests in man-made structures and consequently has spread with human expansion. It builds
8875-591: The OFCC CFAP, construction will begin in 2025 and be completed within an estimated 18 to 30 months. On the city's east side, Athens has a public library, a branch of the Athens County Public Libraries . Railroad came to the city in the 1850s, with the last passenger train ending in 1981. That left a few freight trains passing near the city. Until 1981, Amtrak's Shenandoah (Cincinnati - Washington, D.C.) stopped at Athens station . In earlier years,
9000-629: The Rocky Brands complex near the Public Square, and approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) further east along East State Street and US Route 50 to South Canaan Road (Athens County Road 24A). Access points with parking are located at mile 4 at the West State Street Park, mile 10.2 off Rt. 682 in The Plains, and mile 16.4 at Robbins' Crossing and Hocking College. The trail, which generally follows
9125-706: The United States. In July 1787, the Congress of the Confederation gave to the Ohio Company of Associates "two townships of good land for the support of a literary institution" in the newly created Northwest Territory . During The First Session of the Second Territorial General Assembly, held in Chillicothe from November 23, 1801, to January 23, 1802, the General Assembly passed an act establishing
9250-424: The age of 18 living with them, 20.5% were married couples living together, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 73.3% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.74. The median age in
9375-400: The average family size was 2.72. In the city the population was spread out, with 6.7% under the age of 18, 66.7% from 18 to 24, 13.7% from 25 to 44, 8.0% from 45 to 64, and 4.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males. The median income for a household in the city
9500-449: The bird's selection of its breeding range. Barn swallows are semi-colonial, settling in groups from a single pair to a few dozen pairs, particularly in larger wooden structures housing animals. The same individuals often breed at the same site year after year, although settlement choices have been experimentally shown to be predicted by nest availability rather than any characteristics of available mates. Because it takes around 2 weeks for
9625-466: The birds swirling en masse before swooping low over the reeds. Reed beds are an important source of food prior to and whilst on migration; although the barn swallow is a diurnal migrant that can feed on the wing whilst it travels low over ground or water, the reed beds enable fat deposits to be established or replenished. Males sing to defend small territories (when living in colonies, less so in solitary pairs) and to attract mates. Males sing throughout
9750-555: The breeding season, from late April into August in many parts of the range. Their song is made up of a "twitter warble," followed by a rising "P-syllable" in European H. r. rustica and the North American H. r. erythrogaster. In all subspecies, this is followed by a short "Q-syllable" and a trilled series of pulses, termed the "rattle." The rattle is sometimes followed by a terminal "Ω-Note" in some subspecies' populations, and always at
9875-471: The channel of the Hocking River, for a stretch of several miles around the town, moving the river hundreds of feet to the south. That project and the ongoing efforts to maintain the channel have greatly reduced the negative effects of seasonally high river levels. Athens is located mostly on and around a south-jutting ridge bordered by a loop in the Hocking River. The underlying geology is mostly sandstone and shale , including " redbed " shale that presents
10000-523: The city and one to The Plains . OU has a bus system that links with a city bus system. Many student apartment complexes have their own bus shuttle. Athens also has an inter-city bus line from Athens to Columbus , Cincinnati , Marietta, Ohio , and Cleveland –the GoBus –running twice a day with stops in-between. At Ohio University the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine was established in 1975. It
10125-404: The city was 21.6 years. 5.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 67.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 14.4% were from 25 to 44; 7.9% were from 45 to 64; and 4.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.0% male and 50.0% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 21,342 people, 6,271 households, and 1,906 families residing in the city. The population density
10250-442: The city. Multiple US army regulars became drunk and were arrested by National Guard Provosts for causing disturbances. The arrests angered the regulars; on Friday a large contingent set out from camp to free an arrested comrade. The armed regulars were stopped by provosts and the ensuing quarrel quickly escalated into a shoot-out on Washington Street, during which one guardsman was killed and five others were wounded. By 1935, Athens
10375-477: The city. The population density was 2,424.4 inhabitants per square mile (936.1/km ). There were 7,391 housing units at an average density of 751.9 per square mile (290.3/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 86.4% White , 4.4% African American , 0.2% Native American , 6.1% Asian , 0.6% from other races , and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.4% of the population. There were 6,903 households, of which 11.8% had children under
10500-624: The co-ed leagues have seen strongest participation in recent years. Soccer leagues are organized year round, with programs offered through the Community Recreation Center, Ohio University and the Athens Soccer Academy. Youth sports, such as soccer leagues, summer camps and little league, are also supported by local residents. Programming for the arts are facilitated through Arts West, the Dairy Barn, and Ohio University. Sells Park
10625-473: The colonisation of northern Alberta . A specific threat to wintering birds from the European populations is the transformation by the South African government of a light aircraft runway near Durban into an international airport for the 2010 FIFA World Cup . The roughly 250 m (270 yd) square Mount Moreland reed bed is a night roost for more than three million barn swallows, which represent 1% of
10750-473: The corner of Court and Washington streets. Each of Athens County's three commissioners are usually from the city of Athens. Athens is a stronghold of the Democratic Party . President Barack Obama visited the city and Ohio University late during the 2012 re-election campaign. The city and Athens County have voted Democratic during all presidential elections since 1972 except for 1984. Ohio University
10875-514: The county fairgrounds. Athens has a long musical tradition that includes local acts and events for touring musicians, performing at Ohio University and festivals in Athens. The folk song "Athens County" - words by Joe Dolce ; music by Jonathan Edwards - refers to Athens, Ohio, where Edwards & Dolce attended college in the late 60s. Edwards went on to have a Number 2 hit song nationally with 'Sunshine' while Dolce moved to Australia and had an international Number 1 hit with Shaddap You Face . Dolce
11000-578: The county. They became a minor source after the best and most available coal had been extracted and cheaper brick-making became available outside the area. A former manufacturing company was the Midget Motors Corporation , makers of the small automobile, the King Midget . Ohio University is the largest employer in Athens County. In addition to direct employment through the university, much of
11125-534: The course of the Hocking River, provides access to the East State Street commercial areas, Ohio University's campus (at South Green and Peden Stadium ), The Plains, and Hocking College. It is designed for walking, running, biking, cross-country skiing, skating, and wheelchairs. Additionally several city streets are marked as bike lanes. Athens is a qualified Tree City USA as recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation . The Athens Trail Network
11250-419: The daily B&O trains, Diplomat (St. Louis - Jersey City, NJ) and National Limited (St. Louis - Jersey City, NJ) stopped at the station. The first 4-lane road into and out of the city came in the early 1970s. SR 32 from Athens to Cincinnati was completed in the early 1980s. Four lanes from Athens to Belpre / Parkersburg was completed in the late 1990s on US-50, SR-32 & 7 hooking up with I-77. In
11375-507: The earliest practical handbooks on forestry. A large part of the upper east side of the part was owned by the Cone family, last owned by Charles Cone and Lucille Gillett Cone (a descendant of Samuel Gillett above.) Adjacent to the Cone farm was a large, one-room school house that was dismantled when the lake was built. Some of the materials from the school house were then used to construct the Strouds Run Community Church just up
11500-410: The early 2000s, SR-33 'Super-2' highway was complete, linking Athens to I-77 at Ravenswood , WVa. In October 2013, the last section of the 4-lane highway was completed, bypassing Nelsonville's two lane road on SR-33, linking Athens with Columbus . Ohio University has a modern regional airport about 15 miles southwest of the city near Albany off US-50/SR-32 called Gordon K. Bush Airport . The runway
11625-487: The end of H. r. tytleri song. Female songs are much shorter than male songs, and are only produced during the early part of the breeding season. Females sing spontaneously, though infrequently, and will also countersing in response to each other. The male barn swallow returns to the breeding grounds before the females and selects a nest site, which is then advertised to females with a circling flight and song. Plumage may be used to advertise: in some populations, like in
11750-484: The flocks. Climate change may affect the barn swallow; drought causes weight loss and slow feather regrowth, and the expansion of the Sahara will make it a more formidable obstacle for migrating European birds. Hot dry summers will reduce the availability of insect food for chicks. Conversely, warmer springs may lengthen the breeding season and result in more chicks, and the opportunity to use nest sites outside buildings in
11875-406: The following year. The barn swallow will mob intruders such as cats or accipiters that venture too close to their nest, often flying very close to the threat. Adult barn swallows have few predators, but some are taken by accipiters, falcons , and owls . Brood parasitism by cowbirds in North America or cuckoos in Eurasia is rare. Hatching success is 90% and the fledging survival rate
12000-466: The function of unbroken white tail spots as a measure of quality. In Texas, the swallow bug ( Oeciacus vicarius ), which is common on species such as the cliff swallow , is also known to infest barn swallows. Predatory bats such as the greater false vampire bat are known to prey on barn swallows. Swallows at their communal roosts attract predators and several falcon species make use of these opportunities. Falcon species confirmed as predators include
12125-408: The future to shorter tails if summers become hot and dry. Males with long streamers also have larger white tail spots, and since feather-eating bird lice prefer white feathers, large white tail spots without parasite damage again demonstrate breeding quality; a positive association exists between spot size and the number of offspring produced each season. The breeding season of the barn swallow
12250-453: The global population and 8% of the European breeding population. The reed bed lies on the flight path of aircraft using the proposed La Mercy airport, and there were fears that it would be cleared because the birds could threaten aircraft safety. However, following detailed evaluation, advanced radar technology will be installed to enable planes using the airport to be warned of bird movements and, if necessary, take appropriate measures to avoid
12375-497: The hospital grounds is the Cornwell Center, which houses a catheterization lab, cardiac/pulmonary rehabilitation program as well as medical offices. The Castrop Center houses Athens Cancer Center, medical offices plus a public pharmacy. A new 2 story Doctor's Park building open in 2021 with doctor offices, including exams and Lab. O'Bleness was in a management agreement with OhioHealth from 2010 until early 2014 when O'Bleness became
12500-510: The hospital was the town's largest employer. The state hospital was eventually decommissioned and the property was deeded to Ohio University. It is now known as The Ridges . Much of the building space has been renovated for offices and research space or demolished, and most of the grounds have been set aside as open space, including a land lab . In 1904, the U. S. Army and the Ohio National Guard conducted joint training exercises near
12625-524: The lands from the heirs of John Paul Jones as most of the area land was once owned by the Revolutionary War admiral. Strouds Run is located within the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau . The park consists of mostly narrow valleys, narrow ridges, and steep hillsides. Bluffs and rock shelters are common throughout the park, formed by the Connellsville sandstone. There are a few springs in the park out of
12750-458: The late 1840s. Currently it consists of 5 schools: East Elementary (PK-3), Morrison Gordon Elementary (PK-3), The Plains Intermediate School (4-6), Athens Middle School (grades 7–8), and Athens High School home of the 'Bulldogs' and Joe Burrow Stadium. East Elementary and Morrison Gordon Elementary were replaced with new buildings on the same locations, and opened in Fall 2021, and The Plains Intermediate
12875-508: The line "Quando fiam uti chelidon [ut tacere desinam]?" ("When will I be like the swallow, so that I can stop being silent?") This refers to the myth of Philomela in which she turns into a nightingale , and her sister Procne into a swallow . Gilbert White studied the barn swallow in detail in his pioneering work The Natural History of Selborne , but even this careful observer was uncertain whether it migrated or hibernated in winter. Elsewhere, its long journeys were well observed, and
13000-832: The local economy depends on tourism and events related to the university, through local restaurants, bars, stores and hotels. Manufacturing and technology related businesses, including Quidel Corporation (formerly Diagnostic Hybrids ), Stewart-MacDonald, Sunpower, Mitchell Electronics , Fastenall, and Gorman-Redlich. Since the 1970s Athens has earned a reputation as one of the more progressive (liberal) communities in Southeastern Ohio . That reputation includes Democratic political leaning, presence of some international communities, support for use of alternative energy, calling for ' smart growth ' development, development of small farms emphasizing sustainable and organic-produced crops, and support for local businesses . The Athens Farmers Market
13125-459: The most recently purchased areas of the park was acquired in 1953 from the Crumley family, heirs to Dr. John Jackson Crumley, who purchased the land almost a century ago as an experimental tree farm. Dr. Crumley was a classical scholar who also was one of Ohio's early state foresters, who managed the purchase of the original land for Zaleski State Forest and Hocking State Forest , and who wrote one of
13250-510: The north of the range might also lead to more offspring. The barn swallow is an attractive bird that feeds on flying insects and has therefore been tolerated by humans when it shares their buildings for nesting. As one of the earlier migrants, this conspicuous species is also seen as an early sign of summer's approach. In the Old World , the barn swallow appears to have used man-made structures and bridges since time immemorial. An early reference
13375-437: The opposite being true with males that are not. After building the nest, barn swallows may nest colonially where sufficient high-quality nest sites are available, and within a colony, each pair defends a territory around the nest which, for the European subspecies, is 4 to 8 m (40 to 90 sq ft) in size. Colony size tends to be larger in North America. In North America at least, barn swallows frequently engage in
13500-407: The population. There were 6,271 households, out of which 12.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 22.9% were married couples living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 69.6% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and
13625-427: The road from the park, as well as a new barn for Charles Cone who lost his previous one to the park's construction. The church was eventually converted into a private residence, and was subsequently completely destroyed in a fire a few years later. The area from the old school house, up past where the church was constructed and beyond was briefly known as Marchmont. From 1893 to 1901, there was an inn and post office for
13750-416: The short tail streamers of the juvenile barn swallow invite confusion with juvenile red-chested swallow ( Hirundo lucida ), but the latter has a narrower breast band and more white in the tail. The barn swallow was described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae as Hirundo rustica , characterised as " H. rectricibus, exceptis duabus intermediis, macula alba notatîs ". Hirundo
13875-476: The subspecies H. r. gutturalis , darker ventral plumage in males is associated with higher breeding success. In other populations, the breeding success of the male is related to the length of the tail streamers, with longer streamers being more attractive to the female. Males with longer tail feathers are generally longer-lived and more disease resistant, females thus gaining an indirect fitness benefit from this form of selection, since longer tail feathers indicate
14000-503: The top character building institutions in the country. In addition to its main campus in Athens, Ohio University also operates regional campuses in Chillicothe, Cleveland, Dublin, Ironton (Ohio University - Southern), Lancaster, Pickerington, Proctorville, St. Clairsville (Ohio University - Eastern), and Zanesville. Outside of Ohio University, the residents of Athens are served by the Athens City School District, founded in
14125-454: The unrelated swifts . It is not a particularly fast flier, with a speed estimated at 11 m/s (40 km/h), up to 20 m/s (72 km/h) and a wing beat rate of approximately 5, up to 7–9 times each second. The barn swallow typically feeds in open areas 7–8 m (23–26 ft) above shallow water or the ground often following animals, humans or farm machinery to catch disturbed insects, but it will occasionally pick prey items from
14250-547: The use of DDT in Israel in the 1950s, competition for nest sites with house sparrows in the US in the 19th century, and an ongoing gradual decline in numbers in parts of Europe and Asia due to agricultural intensification, reducing the availability of insect food. However, there has been an increase in the population in North America during the 20th century with the greater availability of nesting sites and subsequent range expansion, including
14375-642: The water surface, walls and plants. Swallows have been observed feeding on insects that fly around active white stork nests as well. In the breeding areas, large flies make up around 70% of the diet, with aphids also a significant component. However, in Europe, the barn swallow consumes fewer aphids than the house or sand martins . On the wintering grounds, Hymenoptera , especially flying ants , are important food items. Grasshoppers , crickets , dragonflies , beetles and moths are also preyed upon. When egg-laying, barn swallows hunt in pairs, but otherwise will form often large flocks . The amount of food
14500-470: The weather on sunny spring or summer days. The lake is stocked on an annual basis with several kinds of fish, including rainbow trout, which cannot survive the winters. The park borders on the city's 325-acre (1.32 km) Strouds Ridge Preserve Project, which includes the Riddle State Nature Preserve , and with the Athens Conservancy 's 75 acre (0.3 km) Blair Preserve. In addition,
14625-554: The years. Studio for Young Actors, aka Drama Club Youth Academy was a youth theater which operated from 2000 to approximately 2010. They performed both original and published plays and musicals featuring young actors. Their main venue was Stuart's Opera House in Nelsonville, Ohio They subsequently moved their performance venue to Arts/West a community arts space in Athens, Ohio, operated by the City of Athens. A university park on Richland Ave
14750-430: Was $ 17,122, and the median income for a family was $ 53,391. Males had a median income of $ 35,849 versus $ 28,866 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 11,061. About 14.8% of families and 51.9% of the population were below the poverty line , including 19.1% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over. From the mid-1800s until the 1950s, coal and brick -making were major sources of employment in
14875-412: Was 2,560.4 people per square mile (988.6 people/km ). There were 6,715 housing units at an average density of 805.6 per square mile (311.0/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 89.16% White , 3.82% Black or African American , 0.15% Native American , 4.47% Asian , 0.06% Pacific Islander , 0.60% from other races , and 1.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.41% of
15000-466: Was closed during cold winters when it froze over. The first railroad reached Athens in 1857. In the late 19th century, an interurban line opened between Athens and Nelsonville and operated for some years. The Athens Lunatic Asylum , later named the Athens State Hospital, opened in 1874. This was on high ground to the south of town and to the south of the Hocking River. In the late 19th century
15125-470: Was designed by Athens' own Maya Lin . Athens recreation facilities include a community recreation center, several city parks and play grounds, public gardens, soccer fields, an arts center called Arts West, two off-leash enclosed dog parks, and an extensive scenic trail system in the city lands, adjacent Strouds Run State Park, and the Blair Preserve owned by the Athens Conservancy. The Athens Skate Park
15250-559: Was formerly land of the Gillett family (Samuel and Charlotte Beach Gillett and their descendants). The family owned well over a thousand acres at one time. The old farmstead seen on the Trace Trail and the "Pioneer Cemetery" are both remnant from the Gillett occupancy of the land. Two of the adjacent nature preserves, both owned by the Athens Conservancy (Blair Preserve and Tucker Run Preserve) are also both on former Gillett family land. One of
15375-425: Was founded in 2003, and is a wide-ranging medical service provider in multiple locations around the Athens area, both on campus and off. UMA's mission is to deliver health care services to the residents of southeastern Ohio while providing clinical training opportunities for future osteopathic physicians. Ohio University also runs Campus Care, which is an on-campus clinic for enrolled students. Additionally, Athens
15500-476: Was known as a coal and fruit-producing region and a state center of higher education and psychiatric care. The major manufactured goods included stoves, lumber, parquetry flooring, caskets, and flooring. The university (and in turn, the city) saw large growth during the post-World War Two era and again during the Vietnam War era. Growth slowed in the 1980s with small increases in growth into present times. Athens
15625-469: Was significantly remodeled for a re-opening in Fall 2022. In 2019, a new Athens High School was scheduled to begin design and construction in 2024 with a planned Fall 2026 opening. As a result of COVID and other work-related delays, work has not yet begun, but as a result of a tax-funded levy passed in November 2023 giving a $ 24 million bond to the Athens City School District (ACSD), as well as $ 28.5 million from
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