Welcome to Serenity, Ohio

In late November of 1788, settlers arrived in the hills of Appalachia after a months-long trip through the Appalachian Mountains. Led by two men, Edgard Gentry and Peter Mills, seventeen families journeyed through harsh conditions to begin a settlement in what’s now known as Serenity.

 

In 1789, in a small log cabin, the settlers and the Shawnee came together to ratify treaties and bills in the establishment of Serenity, Ohio. Over the coming years, as more laws and more families made the journey, the small town grew together until the incident of Barbara Mimms in 1798. As the folklore goes, Barbara Mimms was found guilty of being a witch, but before they could carry out her sentence, Barbara vanished while being guarded by several men. She was found a week later at a cemetery in the center of town, completing her curse upon the people and the land. She was hung and pelted with rocks even after she had long perished. To this day, reports state that she has been seen in different ancient cemeteries that it’s said she visited before she was captured, six in total, five on the outskirts of town and then the last one in the center of town.

 

Economically, the first businesses established in Serenity were a paper mill, sawmill, import/export using the Hocking River lanes, and farming. When the railroad was built through the Appalachians, it gave the town another lane of opportunity to ship coal from the mines and timber from the sawmill, creating a self-sustaining community. In 1804, Serenity University was established, which brought students from around the state in search of a higher education.

 

A thriving community of diversity today, Serenity stands as a testament to how, if you work together, you can make anything happen.