Gallipolis, OH

Gallipolis is Gallia County's seat on the Ohio River in southeast Ohio, roughly between Chillicothe and Charleston, West Virginia. The 2020 census counted 3,313 residents. The town began in 1790 with "the French 500," a group of French aristocrats, merchants, and artisans who came to the river after the French Revolution. That origin still gives Gallipolis a stronger European accent than most Ohio River towns, especially around the original settlement site in City Park. City Park sits in the center of town beside the river and hosts the River Recreation Festival, Gallia County BBQ Festival, and the Christmas display known as Gallipolis in Lights.

Mound Hill Park adds a high overlook toward the Ohio and the opposite shore, while the local public schools and county offices keep the town grounded in everyday work. Gallipolis' local scoop is a county-seat river town where a French refugee story, a central park, and a string of seasonal events all share the same few blocks.