Knockemstiff, Ghost town in Ross County, Ohio, United States
Knockemstiff is a ghost town in Ross County, Ohio, located at the junction of Black Run Road and Shady Glen Road. The area today consists mainly of scattered houses surrounded by farmland, with no clear town center or commercial services.
The settlement began in the early 1900s as a farming community and reached its peak population in the 1950s. Many residents later left for work in cities, causing the town to gradually empty out and decline.
Author Donald Ray Pollock grew up here and used his personal experiences from this rural area as material for his novels and short stories. His literary works offer readers a window into the lives of people in farming communities across Ohio.
The area has no signage, shops, restaurants, or services within the immediate vicinity. Visitors should arrive by car and be prepared for exploring a rural landscape with limited facilities.
The name may come from the bar fights that once happened frequently in this area. Another account traces it to a woman's angry confrontation with a preacher over her unfaithful husband.
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