                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

                                  June 18, 2004



Peoples Bancorp Inc.
138 Putnam Street
Marietta, Ohio 45750

         Re:  Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         I have acted as counsel to Peoples Bancorp Inc., an Ohio corporation
(the "Company"), in connection with the preparation and filing on the date
hereof, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") of a
Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), for the purpose of
registering 306,582 common shares, without par value (the "Shares"), of the
Company. The Shares are to be offered and sold by certain selling shareholders
of the Company.

         In reaching the opinions set forth herein, I have examined and am
familiar with the originals or copies, certified or otherwise, of such documents
and records of the Company and such statutes, regulations and other instructions
as I have deemed necessary or advisable for purposes of this opinion, including
(i) the Registration Statement; (ii) the Amended Articles of Incorporation of
the Company, as amended to date; (iii) the Code of Regulations of the Company,
as amended to date; (iv)(a) the Asset Purchase Agreement dated April 7, 2004 by
and among Putnam Agency, Inc., Thomas G. Chaffin, Dana N. Conley, Charles R.
Lowe, Clarence C. Massey, Laura A. Morris, Thomas C. Phipps, Donald H. Putnam,
Jr., Donald H. Putnam, Jr., Trustee U/A DTD May 7, 1993, FBO Donald H. Putnam,
Jr., Revocable Trust and Erland P. Stevens, Jr. and Peoples Bancorp Inc. and
Peoples Insurance Agency, Inc., (b) the Registration Rights Agreement dated as
of April 30, 2004 by and among Putnam Agency, Inc., Thomas G. Chaffin, Dana N.
Conley, Charles R. Lowe, Clarence C. Massey, Laura A. Morris, Thomas C. Phipps,
Donald H. Putnam, Jr. and Donald H. Putnam, Jr., Trustee U/A DTD May 7, 1993,
FBO Donald H. Putnam, Jr. Revocable Trust and Erland P. Stevens, Jr., and
Peoples Bancorp Inc., (c) the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of May 28,
2004 by and among Peoples Bancorp Inc., Peoples Insurance Agency, Inc., Barengo
Insurance Agency, Inc., James Barengo and Randall T. Barengo, and (d) the
Registration Rights Agreement dated as of May 28, 2004 by and among James
Barengo, Randall T. Barengo and Peoples Bancorp Inc.; and (v) certain
resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company.

         In my examinations and in reaching the opinions set forth below, I have
assumed, without independent investigation or examination, that (i) all
information contained in all documents reviewed by me is true, correct and
complete, (ii) all signatures on all documents reviewed by me are genuine, (iii)
all documents submitted to me as originals are true and complete, (iv) all
documents submitted to me as copies are true and complete copies of the
originals thereof and such originals are authentic and (v) all persons executing
and delivering originals or copies of documents examined by me are competent to
execute and deliver such documents. As to the facts material to my opinion
expressed herein, which are not independently established or verified, I have
relied upon oral or written statements of officers and other representatives of
the Company.

         Based on the foregoing, and having due regard for the legal
considerations I deem relevant, I am of the opinion that the Shares are validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

         As General Counsel to the Company, I am an employee and officer of the
Company.

         I am a member of the Bar of the State of Ohio and do not purport to
have expertise in the laws of any jurisdiction other than the laws of the State
of Ohio and the laws of the United States of America. Accordingly, my opinions
are limited to the laws of the State of Ohio and the laws of the United States
of America. I express no opinion as to the application of the securities or blue
sky laws of the several states to the offer or sale of the Shares. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as set forth herein, I express
no opinion in connection with the matters contemplated by the Registration
Statement, and no opinion may be implied or inferred, except as expressly set
forth herein.

         This opinion is based upon the laws and legal interpretations in
effect, and the facts and circumstances existing, on the date hereof, and I
assume no obligation to revise or supplement this opinion should any such law or
legal interpretation be changed by legislative action, judicial interpretation
or otherwise or should there be any change in such facts and circumstances.

         This opinion letter may be filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement. Consent is also given to the reference to me under the caption "Legal
Matters" in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus included in the
Registration Statement as having passed on the validity of the Shares of the
Company. In giving this consent, however, I do not thereby admit that I fall
within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the
Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated
thereunder.

                                            Very truly yours,

                                        /s/ Charles R. Hunsaker

                                            Charles R. Hunsaker
                                            General Counsel


