to
Update
is a city in Hocking County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,704 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hocking County. Logan is located in southeast Ohio, on the Hocking River southeast of Columbus. The current mayor of Logan is Democrat Michael Walsh, who took office in January 2004 and was elected in 2007 to a second four year term.
Logan is the county seat of Hocking County, Ohio. Residents named the town in honor of Chief Logan of the Mingo Indian tribe. Ohio Governor Thomas Worthington established the community in 1816.
According to the Ohio Historical Society, Logan had about 250 residents in 1825, and 600 by 1840. The Hocking River provided sufficient water power for the purpose of operating grist and sawmills particularly at the falls above Logan. The town of Logan was slow to progress until the opening of the Hocking Canal, a branch of the Ohio and Erie Canal, in 1838. Several industries prospered due to the rich mineral resources of the Hocking Valley.
The discovery of immense quantities of coal led to the flourishing mining industry. Towns appeared and vanished as quickly as mines opened and closed.
It was soon found that iron ore could be extracted from the sandstone bedrock of the area. At its height during the Civil War, Ohio was the leading producer of iron for implements and weapons. No less than forty-six furnaces were firing in southern Ohio's six-county Hanging Rock Iron Region, and by summer 1865 up to sixty furnaces were counted.
The clay soils of the Hocking Valley helped Ohio become a leader in clay products. The firebrick industry of the valley manufactured such products as clay tile, building and paving bricks and clay sewer pipe. Evidence of the industry can be seen in the many brick houses and abandoned kilns of the area. Clay is still an important industry in the region.
In the town's early history, many manufacturers were established in the community. In the early years, the two largest employers were the Motherwell Iron and Steel Company and the railroad. In more recent history, prominent industrial names in Logan have included Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Selkirk Metalbestos, General Electric, Logan Clay Products, Smead, Amanda Bent Bolt, Osburn Associates, and Carborundum.
Today, many residents of Logan and the surrounding area work in the tourism sector. Numerous residents operate bed and breakfasts or work in hotels or restaurants to meet the needs of tourists visiting the Hocking Hills State Park. Many natural wonders exist in the area immediately surrounding Logan.