West Milton, OH

West Milton is a small town located in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. The population was 1,527 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Weirton- Steubenville, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area.

West Milton was founded in 1812 by Nicholas and Sarah ( Harrison) Miller. The town was named for West Milton, England, the home of Nicholas Miller's ancestors. The first settler in West Milton was Ebenezer Hays who built a cabin on what is now known as the Hays Farmstead. By 1815 there were twenty families living in West Milton.

The early economy of West Milton depended heavily on agriculture and milling. In 1820 there were two gristmills and one sawmill operating in the town. By 1840 there were six mills operating in West Milton: a flour mill, a carding machine factory, a woolen mill, an iron foundry, a pottery factory and a brickyard. These mills provided employment for many residents of West Milton through the years.

In addition to its mills, West Milton also had several businesses that served the local community: a blacksmith shop, an inn called "The George", a store operated by John Daugherty and James Pritchard (the first store in Tuscarawas County), and an ice house operated by Solomon Brownell Jr.. These businesses helped to support the local economy through the years.

Today, much of what made West Milton an important economic center decades ago has disappeared: most of the mills have closed down or been converted to other uses; only one business remains from before 1950 (the Daugherty Store). However, there are still many people living in West Milton who are employed in various industries or who own their own businesses.