Williamstown is a small village on the banks of the Ohio River.   There have been no great historical events in Williamstown.   Our history is the history of ordinary people, and we are proud of our town and our people.

 

Williamstown began life as a frontier settlement, in the days of mud and black powder.   Indian raids were a constant threat.   Everything travelled on the river, and the few buildings hugged the river banks.

 

In 1884 the railroad came to town, followed by the telephone (1899), paved streets (1901), a trolley line (1902), a bridge across the Ohio (1903) the Fenton Art Glass Company (1906), and electricity (1913).   Businesses clustered alongside the railroad tracks.

 

In 1922 Route 14 connecting Williamstown to Vienna was completed and road transportation began to eclipse the railroad.   Homes and businesses were built on the bluff overlooking the river, to avoid the frequent and devastating floods.