This Ohio town has a claim to pop culture fame -- Conchata Ferrell. Ferrell, the actress best known for her role as Berta in "Two and a Half Men", is a Circleville native. Although Ferrell was born in Charleston, West Virginia, she was raised in what the locals affectionately refer to as "Round Town."
Circleville is located about 30 miles south of Columbus, Ohio
This Ohio town has a claim to pop culture fame -- Conchata Ferrell. Ferrell, the actress best known for her role as Berta in "Two and a Half Men", is a Circleville native. Although Ferrell was born in Charleston, West Virginia, she was raised in what the locals affectionately refer to as "Round Town."
Circleville is located about 30 miles south of Columbus, Ohio. With just 13,314 residents as of the 2010 Census, it offers a less busy environment than Columbus while still providing access to the state capital's shopping and entertainment venues via U.S. Route 23. While there are plenty of businesses in Circleville (Walmart is among the largest employers), some of the residents make the easy commute to Columbus to work in other industries. Circleville might be best known for small-town living and its odd enthusiasm for pumpkins, both of which locals and visitors greatly enjoy.
U.S. Route 23 serves as the western border of Circleville, with Western Avenue and Court Street running parallel to the highway to connect the north and south areas of the town. Thanks to the hilly terrain of southern Ohio, Circleville has no discernible east end. It also doesn't have any true neighborhoods. Both the north and south areas of the town are a mixture of residences, including apartment rentals, and industrial businesses. Aside from smaller shops in the downtown area, most of the retail stores and restaurants are located along U.S. Route 23.
There are 6,024 housing units within Circleville's 6.76 square miles of land, with most of the owned real estate and apartment complexes in the north and south areas of the town.
Circleville's simple name (especially compared to the difficult-to-pronounce names of nearby towns such as Kinnikinnick and Chillicothe) might lead you to believe that the town features a circular layout. Indeed, the town originally had a layout of concentric streets surrounding a large Hopewell earthwork on which the octagonal court house was built. In 1837, though, concerns over the design caused the Ohio General Assembly to authorize the conversion of Circleville to a grid layout. Today, you will find little evidence of the original earthwork or the town's previous round design. You also won't have to run in circles to chase down an apartment or home for rent in "Round Town."
Prices for both owned and rental units are somewhat lower than the national median. Remember, you're moving to a small town, so don't expect any high-rise apartments with stunning views. Still, there are plenty of complexes, including Apple Ridge and Twin Oaks Apartments, that offer studio apartments and larger units.
If you're a fan of the Roaring Twenties, check out the Ted Lewis Museum and Park. Lewis was a vaudeville performer who called Circleville his home. Be sure to call before you visit, though -- as with most small-town museums, hours can vary considerably based on seemingly random circumstances.
Just south of Circleville at the Sugarloaf Mountain Theater, you can attend Tecumseh, a live-action show depicting the struggle of Shawnee Indians against the United States in the late 1700s. You will gain a deep appreciation for the area's history and Tecumseh's contributions to Native American tribes. Thanks to simulated musket and cannon fire throughout the performance, you will likely also leave with ringing ears.
The Circleville Pumpkin Show is the pride of the town, and is considered the biggest festival in the United States dedicated to the unassuming squash. Pumpkin fever is so intense here that the weekend-long festival attracts up to 400,000 visitors each year. Highlights include carnival rides, street vendors, pumpkin-flavored everything, and the weighing in of behemoth pumpkins, some of which weigh more than 1,000 pounds. Keep in mind that it can be extremely difficult to get around town during the festival, which takes place on the first weekend in October.
