Coshocton named one of Ohio Magazine’s Best Hometowns

COSHOCTON –– From a celebrated history to beautiful natural surroundings to friendly people, there are numerous reasons why people who call Coshocton home love the town.

This year, Coshocton is being recognized for all the reasons it is a special place to live and visit.

Coshocton has been named one of Ohio Magazine’s 2015-2016 Ohio’s Best Hometowns and will be honored in the November issue, which will go on sale Oct. 30.

“We are extremely excited and proud of the hard work that went into winning this honor,” said Amy Stockdale, executive director of the Coshocton County Chamber of Commerce. She said the fact that locals have a lot to enjoy, including Roscoe Village and area wineries, is part of the reason that Coshocton was chosen.

“Coshocton has deep history filled with culture that it not found normally in cities this size,” Stockdale said.

After places across the state are nominated, Ohio Magazine staff members do site visits to select the five honorees.

“When we choose a town, we look for some common traits,” said Jim Vickers, editor of Ohio Magazine.

The editors make their decisions for the five best hometowns after evaluating the nominees in six categories that include education, entertainment, culture and heritage, business environment, health and safety, and spirit of community.

Vickers said Coshocton was chosen because it embodies specific hometown qualities such as friendly people, unique places to shop and attractively maintained areas. He was especially impressed by the court square surrounding the courthouse.

“We think it’s a beautiful area that shows a lot of community pride,” he said. “The upkeep of a town represents the spirit of the community.”

Vickers also noted Coshocton’s history has been preserved and celebrated, a quality that the editors look for when selecting the best Ohio hometowns each year.

“We really like towns that embrace their history,” Vickers said.

The emphasis on the canal history in the area and Historic Roscoe Village make Coshocton stand out in the history category, he said.

“We just loved that about Coshocton, and we thought that the town has found great ways to honor the past while also embracing the future,” he said.

This year marks the 10th year for the Ohio’s Best Hometowns issue.

The January and July issues of the magazine also will feature attractions and highlight reasons to visit each best hometown. Huron, Hudson, Powell and Tipp City also received this year’s honor.

Jan Myers, director of the Coshocton County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said residents are all abuzz about the honor.

“Obviously, we are extremely proud of the city of Coshocton for being chosen. It is a prestigious honor, and to receive it is thrilling for us and for the residents of Coshocton,” Myers said.

Future celebrations to recognize the honor are in the planning stage, she said.

Myers said being recognized as one of Ohio’s Best Hometowns will hopefully bring new and return visitors to the area, and possibly new residents who are considering moving to a nice, safe small town with a lot to offer.

“This honor is about the quality of life in Coshocton, not only for being a great place to visit but also to live,” she said. “It’s a reminder of all the positive aspects of Coshocton. We do have a lot of gems in our community.”