Centerville (Thurman), OH

Centerville, commonly called Thurman, is a small village in western Gallia County near the Jackson County line. U.S. Route 35 runs just south of town, while State Route 279 ends there, giving the village a road connection that matters more than its size suggests. It is also known as Ridgeway, and the official name can appear as Centreville in older records. The 2020 census counted 87 residents, so this is a very small incorporated place. It remains distinct from the larger Centerville near Dayton.

The village was platted in 1835 and settled chiefly by Welsh immigrants. That background still shows up in local history, including the Welsh Museum's account of Centerville-Thurman and the village's continuing use of both names. The local scoop is that Centerville is one of those Ohio places where the legal name, the local name, and the map name do not quite line up: Centerville on the charter, Thurman in common use, and Ridgeway in older references.