Scio’s New Market roots and oil boom

Scio was platted as New Market in 1852. The establishment of Scio College in 1866 led the village to adopt the name Scio. The college flourished and prepared many men for Methodist pulpits. An important adjunct of the college was Beall’s School of Pharmacy, then unsurpassed in its field.

The oil boom of 1899 disrupted the educational programs, and Scio College became part of Mount Union in 1911. In 1899, a large pool of oil was tapped. The village population in 1898 was about 700, but by mid-1899 it was estimated to have reached 5,000. Peak production in 1900 found no fewer than 175 wells being pumped.

The railroad played a major role in moving people and equipment to Scio for oil production. The college originally moved here, in part, because the railroad made it easier to transport students and parents to the school.

Information is from the Harrison County, Ohio Sesquicentennial Celebration, 1813-1963. Photo is from E.D. Shoemaker.