For years Union County was known as being home to Scotts lawn care products, and then Honda opened its first factory in the county and almost overnight Union County became an international success.
Before the first settlers and pioneers arrived in the area, the land was populated by various groups of Wyandot, Miami, Delaware and Shawnee Native Americans.
The first town, North Liberty, was plotted out by Lucas Sullivant along Big Darby. Sullivant is probably best known for laying out the town of Franklin that would later become part of Columbus. Union County was created in 1820.
Tradition has it that the Union County was named because it was formed from a union from parts of surrounding counties that went into making up the new county.
Union County is home to several major businesses. What originally began in a local hardware store, is today, one of the largest suppliers of quality fertilizers, lawn seed and other related products. OMScott and Brothers.
The company was founded in 1868 by Orlando McLean Scott as a seed company. After Orlando was discharged from the army after the Civil War, he decided to start his new enterprise with the idea that "farmers need and shall have clean, weed-free fields." In the early 1900s the company began a grass seed business for homeowners, and the rest as they say is history.
A little company with a little car and a popular motorcycle, opened a plant to manufacture motorcycles just west of Marysville in 1979. Here they began the production of the Honda dirt bike with just 65 employees. Three years later the plant would begin producing automobiles and today it pays over a billion dollars in salaries to Ohio workers.
Marysville is also home to Nestle R&D Center that employs upwards of 200 or so employees.
Much of Marysville and Union County's history is documented in the Union County Historical Society Museum. Not only is there numerous artifacts and historical items on display, but they also have the oldest Union County home located on their property. The Weller Log Cabin was home to Edward Weller, founder of Union County's first major industry: The Weller Pottery Works.
Although the county seat for Union County was always intended to be located in Marysville, the first county courthouse was temporarily created in Milford Center which was established in 1816 by George Reed. Located approximately in the center of Union Township, and when the town was formed there was just a single mill owned by George Reed and a log cabin, hence the name Milford Center. Today they have what some consider to be a re-creation of that first court house on display just a block north of the main intersection.
For a time there was a drainage tile manufacturer located in Milford Center, but the tile's design was based on an English design known as the horseshoe which was an upside down u-shaped tunnel that could be used to drain overly wet farm fields. It was a popular design and superior to the ditches that had been in use throughout the state. When the owner of the tile company died, so to did the tile company.
With a name like Magnetic Springs, even a casual reader might deduce that there is something about this location in eastern Union County along Bokes Creek, a Scioto River tributary. In 1879 a local farmer was digging a well hit a large aquifer with sufficient pressure that the water gushed out of the ground at a constant rate. At the time, a number of places across the country were saying their water actually cured people's ailments. Although it is unlikely that the water itself cured anyone, the fact that the water was coming from deep well meant that it wasn't contaminated and also had a pure taste compared to waters drawn from nearby rivers or reservoirs of standing water.
Regardless of any healing properties, word spread across the area and folks began taking day trips to the little farm. In time, hotels and inns sprang up in the area to accommodate visitors. A company was formed that bottled the water so people could take some home.
The name "magnetic" was attached to the water because it was said that if a nail was suspended in the water, it would become magnetized. It is most likely that the nail was magnetized before it was suspended because, according to physicists, for a molecule to become magnetized it must at the very least have an odd number of electrons, and it must be a solid. Water has an even number of electrons. Regardless of the science, people today are sucked in by similar comments that "magnetized" water is good for you.
Once the fad of healing waters began to fade at the turn of the century, Magnetic Springs lost its main source of income: tourist dollars. Today, the hotels, spas have long disappeared.
What began in 1975, has become one of central Ohio's great hot air balloon gatherings each year. The All Ohio Balloon Fest is a combination of hot air balloons, live entertainment, good food, some high performance aircraft and usually a parachute exhibit of some kind. The event is held at the Union County Airport in mid-August.
Web: www.allohioballoonfest.com
In tribute to Reuben Partridge, the Union County Covered Bridge Festival is quickly becoming a regional favorite. In early September visitors have the opportunity to tour Union County's historic covered bridges and learn more about their history throughout Union County. Noted as a celebration of local heritage, the Union County Covered Bridge Festival is marked with various activities in Marysville, Milford Center, North Lewisburg, Plain City and Unionville Center.
Web: www.coveredbridgefestival.com
O.M. Scott -- founder of the Scotts Lawn company. He operated a hardware store in Marysville, and was known for selling high-quality agricultural seed to local farmers. Over the years, he began developing a quality lawn seed, that became the industry standard.
Reuben Partridge -- often referred to as Union County's Covered Bridge Builder, Reuben Partridge built over 125 bridges, 4 of which are still in existence in Union County.
Charles Warren Fairbanks -- Fairbanks was born in a log cabin in Darby Township . He became a national political leader and in 1896 was the keynote speaker of the Republican Convention. The following year he was elected to the US Senate and then served as Teddy Roosevelt's Vice President from 1905 - 1909. Fairbanks Alaska is named for Charles Fairbanks.
Col. Noah Orr -- most people have heard of Tom Thumb that became famous in the 1800s as the world's smallest man. Tom Thumb traveled about the country in numerous side-shows and events including Barnum. As a comparison of General Tom Thumb's small size, an especially tall man often performed with him. That man was Noah Orr. He was 7' 3" tall, but in costume he was over 8' tall and an imposing character. Noah Orr became known as the Union County Giant as well as the Ohio Giant. Noah was born in Union County in 1836 and died here in 1882.
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