Ai, Ohio
Unincorporated community in Ohio, U.S.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ai is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fulton County, Ohio, United States.[1] The population was 322 at the 2020 census. Ai has been noted for its short place name.[2][3][4]
History
Ai was established around 1843.[1] A post office was established at Ai in 1846, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1903.[5] With the construction of the Northern Indiana Air Line railroad during the 1850s, business activity shifted to nearby Swanton and Ai's population dwindled.[6]
Name origin
The origin of the place's name has been a local controversy. Some say that it was named after the biblical city of Ai,[3][4] while others believe that it was named after one of its founders, Ami Richards. The story continues Ami was a man, so others dropped the 'M' from his name to make the town's name more masculine.[7]
