After a disaster strikes, many cities and towns set their sights on rebuilding and moving on. But, sometimes, that just isn’t possible – whether the scope of the damage is too severe or there are too many health risks. Before moving to a particular location, you should always take a few minutes to learn as much about the area’s history as you can.
Moving to Ohio definitely garners some of this concern. What do you know about the town of Cheshire, Ohio? The small town actually picked up and moved a few years back. Yes – the town relocated!
About ten years ago, residents in Cheshire, Ohio complained that they had consistently sore eyes and throats. The Federal Government stepped in back in 2002, did some testing, and found that the nearby American Electric Power plan, which was coal-fired, had produced so much sulfuric smoke that the people in Cheshire were susceptible to some really serious health problems.
So, what happened? Instead of fighting with the power company, the 200 or so Cheshire residents decided to strike a deal. They decided to move – for a price of course – and let their homes be razed. The 86 homes in question were sold to American Electric Power for about $20 million, and everyone moved on. That price was about three times the actual worth of the properties.
But, if you are looking at a house listing in Cheshire, Ohio, don’t worry! The entire town actually moved to the north and west, actually growing in the process. Today, the median home value in Cheshire, Ohio is at about $95,000.
Jon Huser
