- Allen
- Auglaize
- Crawford
- Darke
- Defiance
- Erie
- Fulton
- Hancock
- Hardin
- Henry
- Huron
- Logan
- Lorain
- Lucas
- Mercer
- Morrow
- Ottawa
- Paulding
- Putnam
- Richland
- Sandusky
- Seneca
- Shelby
- Van Wert
- Williams
- Wood
- Wyandot
In 1832 by most historical accounts, Elisha Martindale became the first white settler to arrive in what would one day be known as Bowling Green. He arrived by walking along an old Native American trail. He claimed 40 acres of land near the site of the current Conneaut School on Haskins Road.
During that first season he camped on the land and was able to cut and stack two ricks of prairie hay. At the end of the summer months Elisha returned home and the following spring came back to build a cabin. Elisha found his hay burned by some natives that he claimed inhabited the area, but he couldn't identify them by nationality or in reality, if it was even burned by the natives.
Despite his misgivings during that first season, Elisha Martindale remained and became a permanent resident of the area and over the next decade more settlers arrived and built dwellings. In 1835 the first school was built. Regular commerce had become established which consisted mainly of farming, fur trading and lumbering.
The village of Bowling Green received its name in 1834 from postal carrier Joseph Gordon. Before coming to the area, Gordon had lived in Bowling Green, Kentucky and liked the name Bowling Green. So without any other suggestions, he decided that Bowling Green, Ohio would be a good name for his new hometown.
The current downtown commercial center originated in 1846 when L. C. Locke purchased land (today's 139 S. Main St.) to establish his home and a store, and he also built the area's first factory, an ashery (a factory that converted wood ash to lye used for producing soap on the frontier). Other merchants opened establishments nearby to create the early business district of Bowling Green.
In 1855 the settlement was officially incorporated as a village; John C. Wooster was elected its first mayor in 1856. In the mid-1870's the community received the sought-after designation of county seat for Wood County after a prolonged battle with neighboring Perrysburg. With the dawn of the 20th Century Bowling Green officially received city status in 1901.
The community gained prominence as an educational center when Ohio's legislature established the State Normal College (now Bowling Green State University) in 1910. Today's thriving community prides itself on a high quality-of-life for its residents, reflective of the hard work of our early pioneers who recognized the area's potential.
The Black Swamp was located in the northwestern part of Ohio. Native Americans refused to live in this foreboding region. It consisted of dense forests, and for much of the year, the land was flooded. This became a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other nasty insects. All combined it made traveling nearly impossible, much less farming. By 1820, most of Ohio was settled and no longer part of the frontier. The one exception: the Black Swamp area. Later in the 19th Century, Ohioans drained the swamp. This area now consists of some of the most fertile agricultural land in the entire United States.
Snooks Dream Cars : Automobile history with cars from 1930s, 40s, 50s and 60s displayed in period scenes.
Every September the Black Swamp Arts Festival takes place in Bowling Green. The Black Swamp Arts Festival is a community partnership, a collaboration that brings together artists and art patrons each September for a celebration of the arts in Downtown Bowling Green.
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