Darke County in western Ohio stretches from the Indiana line through Greenville to Versailles, Bradford, and the lower Stillwater River country. Greenville is the largest point on the supplied city distribution map, while Arcanum, Versailles, Bradford, Union City, and Ansonia provide references around the county. The original high-resolution JPG versions of the county, city, terrain-and-water, and elevation maps on this page are available together in one ZIP for printing, classroom work, presentations, and regional reference. High-resolution map files are available for download in the section below.
The county’s drainage is divided among several river systems. Stillwater River crosses the central and eastern side, North Fork Stillwater River descends from the north, and Mississinawa and Wabash rivers occupy the upper county. East Fork Whitewater River appears in the southwest. Elevation ranges from about 284 to 375 meters, with a mean near 318 meters, and the western and southwestern side is generally higher than the eastern lowlands.
Table of Contents
Greenville anchors the road network between the Indiana line and Versailles
Greenville is the simplest place to begin on the general county map. Route 127 crosses the central area, while Routes 118 and 49 provide additional north-south connections. Routes 571 and 502 pass close to Greenville and help define the east-west road pattern. From this central point, Versailles lies to the northeast, Arcanum to the southeast, Union City on the western boundary, and Bradford close to the eastern edge.
Ansonia is north of Greenville, with New Weston, North Star, and Osgood farther north. Versailles sits in the northeastern part of the county near Routes 47 and 185, and Darke County Airport is marked to its southwest. The northern half contains broad rural stretches between towns, so road numbers and stream crossings are useful for maintaining orientation.
New Madison lies southwest of Greenville near Routes 121 and 722, while Wayne Lakes is closer to the south-central interior. Arcanum is farther southeast near Route 49A, and Gordon appears near the southern edge. These places show how widely the county’s smaller communities are dispersed across agricultural land rather than forming one continuous urban corridor.
The map also shows the contrast between boundary communities and the central road network. Union City and Bradford sit at opposite sides of the county, while Greenville provides the strongest middle reference. This makes the county particularly easy to teach with a center-and-edges approach before adding streams and elevation.
Six city points spread across the entire county
The city distribution view highlights Greenville, Arcanum, Versailles, Bradford, Union City, and Ansonia. Greenville ranks first, Arcanum second, and Versailles third. Bradford, Union City, and Ansonia complete the six-point pattern, giving useful references on the east boundary, west boundary, and north-central side.
Greenville lies slightly west of center, while Arcanum is southeast and Versailles northeast. Union City sits directly on the Indiana line, Bradford near the opposite eastern edge, and Ansonia north of Greenville. Their positions make it possible to understand the county’s overall width and orientation without needing every local place name.
For a presentation, Greenville can be introduced first, followed by Arcanum and Versailles to establish the southeast and northeast. Union City and Bradford then define the west and east boundaries, and Ansonia completes the northern side. Returning to the general map afterward makes Routes 127, 49, 47, 571, and the smaller connectors much easier to follow.
The city view is not a complete inventory of every community or rural address. New Madison, New Weston, North Star, Osgood, Wayne Lakes, Gettysburg, and other local labels are easier to find on the detailed county map. Using both views keeps the major settlement pattern simple while preserving access to more detailed transportation context.
Stillwater River dominates the central and eastern drainage
Stillwater River is the strongest water reference in the central and eastern county. It follows a broad, winding low corridor and collects many smaller tributaries before continuing toward the east. Around Greenville, the drainage network is made up of smaller branches, but the Stillwater valley becomes increasingly easy to identify farther east.
North Fork Stillwater River descends from the north-central part of the county. In the northwest, Mississinawa River and Wabash River form separate systems, with Wabash Conservancy District Lake providing a useful water landmark. Swamp Creek crosses the northeastern side and adds another low corridor near the Versailles area.
East Fork Whitewater River crosses the southwest, and smaller streams such as Mud Creek and Painter Creek divide the southern half. Miami Lake, Minnetonka Lake, Ess Lake, and Cherokee Lake form a cluster of small water bodies south and southwest of Greenville, while Bobolink Pond appears farther north of them.
This water map is intended for broad geographic reference. It does not provide current streamflow, water depth, flood probability, parcel boundaries, public access, or boating safety. Those questions require current agency information and specialized hydrologic products. Here, the map is best used to compare the county’s separate river systems and the valleys they occupy.
Elevation falls from the western uplands toward the eastern lowlands
The elevation map reports an actual range of about 284 to 375 meters, with a mean near 318 meters. The west and southwest contain broad tan and brown high ground, while the eastern half is dominated by greener, lower terrain. The overall pattern suggests a clear west-to-east drop, although stream valleys interrupt that trend and create local low corridors.
The highest ground appears near the western and southwestern boundary, including areas south of Union City and west of New Madison. Greenville lies closer to a transitional zone where moderate uplands and stream valleys meet. East of the city, lower green terrain becomes much more widespread.
Versailles and Bradford sit closer to the lower eastern half, and the Stillwater River valley forms one of the clearest green corridors. The northern Wabash and North Fork Stillwater valleys also lie below nearby ground. In the southeast, broad lower terrain contrasts strongly with the western upland band.
This elevation surface is generalized for county-scale interpretation and is not survey-grade information. It should not be used for exact parcel elevations, construction grades, engineering slopes, drainage design, or legal benchmarks. Its value is comparative: it shows where the western uplands are highest, where eastern lowlands spread, and where river valleys cut below surrounding terrain.
Greenville, Versailles, and Union City illustrate three different settings
Greenville works as the best all-purpose reference because roads, settlement, drainage, and elevation can all be connected from the same area. Routes 127, 118, and 49 are nearby, and numerous small tributaries cross the surrounding rural land. The elevation map places Greenville between the higher west and lower east.
Versailles represents the northeastern side. Routes 47 and 185 provide road references, while the Stillwater and Swamp Creek systems lie nearby. On the elevation map, this side is distinctly lower than the western boundary, making it useful for explaining the county’s eastward drop.
Union City sits on the Indiana line and represents the higher western side. Nearby terrain rises into one of the broadest upland areas in the county. Comparing Union City with Bradford or Versailles on the elevation map shows how substantial the west-to-east height difference is within Darke County.
For classroom work, students can locate Greenville first, then add Versailles, Arcanum, and Union City. Stillwater River and North Fork Stillwater River can be traced next. The elevation map can then be used to compare the western brown uplands with the greener eastern lowlands, linking settlement, transportation, water, and relief.
Choose the map that fits the task
The general county map is the strongest all-purpose option when roads, communities, and the county outline need to appear together. The city map is cleaner for comparing Greenville, Arcanum, Versailles, Bradford, Union City, and Ansonia. The terrain-and-water map is best for Stillwater River, the northern river systems, and the small lakes, while the elevation view makes the western-high/eastern-low contrast easiest to see.
The original JPG files are 2572 by 3638 pixels in portrait orientation. Preserve that aspect ratio when placing them in a document or slide so the county outline is not distorted. Small stream names and road numbers can become difficult to read when the image is reduced too far, so larger printed pages and presentation screens are better for detailed use.
For a worksheet, copies can be annotated with town names, route numbers, river labels, or high and low elevation zones. A report may use the general map for orientation and the elevation map to explain why the western side differs from the Stillwater River lowlands. User-added notes should be visually separated from the original labels so readers can distinguish source information from later annotations.
These files are suitable for education, presentations, document graphics, broad regional orientation, and general trip planning. They are not substitutes for legal boundary records, cadastral surveys, engineering drawings, live road reports, flood maps, or navigation products. The ZIP below contains the original high-resolution JPG versions of the county, city, terrain-and-water, and elevation maps shown on this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is the largest point on the supplied city distribution map?
Greenville is the largest indexed point on the supplied city distribution map. Arcanum and Versailles follow, while Bradford, Union City, and Ansonia provide additional references around the county.
Which map shows Stillwater River and the northern river systems most clearly?
The terrain-and-water map is the clearest choice. It also shows North Fork Stillwater River, Mississinawa River, Wabash River, East Fork Whitewater River, Wabash Conservancy District Lake, and several smaller lakes and ponds.
Can the 284–375 meter elevation range be used for surveying or construction?
No. The elevation map is a generalized county-scale reference for comparing relative height. Exact parcel elevations, engineering grades, drainage calculations, construction benchmarks, and legal measurements require current professional survey or engineering data.
Map File Information
Download the map files associated with this page for reference, printing, and compatible visual projects.
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Related Maps
Sources and references
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles — county boundary and administrative geography reference
- USGS National Hydrography — river, creek, lake, and pond reference data
- USGS 3D Elevation Program — elevation and terrain data reference
Green Map creates custom-edited map images using open geographic data sources such as geoBoundaries, Natural Earth, OpenStreetMap, and government open data. These maps are edited visual materials, not raw data files, and are provided for education, documents, presentations, and graphic reference.
