Shawnee Village History

Shawnee is a village in Perry County, Ohio, was founded in 1872. During the late 1800s, thousands of immigrant workers arrived to work in the coal mines. Their families followed, as did businessmen who came to establish a new urban center. Soon, the town boasted a busy Main Street with banks, stores, and saloons. The discovery of oil and clay deposits further boosted the mineral extraction economy. By the 1920s, the coal boom was over, and economic decline followed. Despite a major drop in population–fewer than 700 people are currently residents–Shawnee and its Main Street have retained an original streetscape with buildings, overhanging porches, two opera houses, and details typical of the Victorian Era. Shawnee is known as one of the best intact examples of boomtown architecture in the eastern United States. Shawnee is part of a beautiful area that offers recreational activities such as hiking, boating, fishing, and horseback riding. The Little Cities of the Forest Collaborative works to preserve and enhance the region in concert with conservation efforts, promoting sustainable use of the region’s resources.

Designated a Preserve America Community in July 2008.