Bellaire is located in the Ohio Valley, bordered on the east by the Ohio River and on the west by beautiful hills. in 1832, "Bell Air", consisted of several log cabins. Jacob Davis, who hailed from Maryland, named the town after his Maryland home. In 1862, the name was changed to Bellaire to avoid confusion in the distribution of railway freight.It was the Ohio river, with its facilities for passenger and cargo freight, which determined the location of Bellaire.
Bellaire's main industry was coal, along with many glass factories. The most famous glass works was Imperial Glass, which closed in August of 1984. It was demolished in 1995, and a strip mall is now located there.
Bellaire offers both public and private education to students. Bellaire Local Schools and St. John Central Grade and High School provide students with the latest in educational facilities and technology.
Belmont Community Hospital has been on Harrison Street for decades, offering emergency care and rehabilitation. It is now affiliated with Medical Park of Wheeling, WV.
The banking institutions offer all necessary financial services. Belmont Savings Bank, Progressive Bank, United Bank and Chase Bank are all located in the downtown area.
One of the best assets of Bellaire is the Bellaire Public Library, located at 32nd & Guernsey Street. The library is operated by the Mellott Trust, which left money to build a library and community center for Bellaire. The trust was set up so that money left over from construction would maintain the building.
There are many churches of different denominations located in Bellaire and outside of the town.
The construction of State Route 149 is expected to be completed in August of 2011.
