Martins Ferry is a city in Belmont County. It enjoys the honor of being the oldest settlement in the state of Ohio, having been settled at least as early as 1779. The community was a westward extension of the city of Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia). Directly across the river lies the city of Wheeling, West Virginia, and just miles to the east is the Pennsylvania state line. The city of Columbus, Ohio, is 125 miles to the west, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is 59 miles northeast of the city. On the southern end of town, Martins Ferry is directly connected to the village of Bridgeport.

Fun Facts

Martins Ferry was the birth place of James Wright - Pulitzer Prize winning poet and author. One of Wright’s most celebrated poems captures some of the nuances of his hometown, titled "Autumn Begins in Martins Ferry, Ohio".

Martins Ferry is the hometown of Alex Groza, Gold Medalist in the 1948 Olympics and star basketball player, and brother Lou Groza (AKA "The Toe"), Pro Football Hall of Fame kicker and offensive lineman with the Cleveland Browns and Ohio State Buckeyes.