Cheshire, Ohio

Cheshire is a village in Gallia County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 132 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Point Pleasant, WV - OH Micropolitan Statistical Area.HistoryCheshire, Ohio, was named for the county of Cheshire in England.Town buyout by American Electric PowerBy 2000, the village was plagued by toxic sulfurous gas clouds and acid rain from the nearby coal-fired Gavin Power Plant, as an unintended consequence of pollution-control technology. Residents hired lawyers requesting a buyout. The plant's owner, American Electric Power (AEP), thoroughly investigated the claims and found that no long term injuries/illnesses resulted from the cloud but decided it could use the land to expand plant property for future technologies. In 2002, AEP reached a settlement with residents that was effectively a $20 million buyout. Most of the 221 residents agreed to leave the town and absolve the company from future property or health claims, while some remain through either deals with the company or refusal to sell their property. The company announced plans to demolish the existing structures and construct a dock facility for coal barges, but has not yet begun work on constructing them.