When was Westerville, Ohio, Founded?

What many don’t know about Westerville, Ohio.

What is so special about some little city in the middle of Ohio, and why should you care about how or when it came to be? This is a thought that many of you may have when you click on this page. I might be thinking the same thing if I were you. As foreign as some cities may be to us, they all hold unique histories and stories. As you continue reading, you will learn more about when Westerville, Ohio, a city between Franklin and Delaware counties, was founded and how this city came to be.

The History of Westerville, OH

Let’s discuss a little more about when Westerville, OH was founded and why we should care!

When was Westerville, Ohio, founded?

How things in Westerville used to be.

Like many cities and states around the country, Westerville was founded back in 1858 by individuals looking for the ability to do as they pleased and not be forced to live one way or another.  The land was initially looked at by the two Westervelt brothers, Peter and Matthew, in 1814-1816. After the brothers had settled here in 1820, an individual named Gideon Hart established his own home on what is known today as Hempstead road. 

His home is one of a dozen to remain a private place to live and is the oldest home still standing in the area. As time continued to pass over the next twenty years, the town's population slowly began to increase in size, eventually hitting a size of nearly seven hundred. At the same time that this was occurring, the city earned its name Westerville in honor of the generous amount of donations that the Westervelt family made over years.

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Unlike many cities in the midwest during this time, Westerville stood out as unique due to its acknowledgment of equality and education provided to people before the American Civil War in 1861. For example, in 1847, the United Brethren was not only the first to admit women into their program but also to include them on their faculty. Another thing that can be mentioned about this institution is that they were one of the first schools “to admit children of color.” Again, this was essentially unheard of before the war.

Another thing that made Westerville unique was that a couple of years before the Civil War, they outlawed the selling of alcohol. This prohibition led to what became known as the “Westerville Whiskey Wars,” no matter how much people had tried to get around it, in the end, they were caught and punished if they tried to sell whiskey in or around the area. As a result, it wasn’t until 2006, that a pizzeria called Michael’s Pizza served the first beer in over seventy years.

Westerville Ohio Today

Activities and restaurants to enjoy after a day of play.

When visiting a new area, two essential things people tend to look for ,activities to do, and places to eat. Below you will find out more information about each of these topics, allowing you and your family to plan what you would like to eat and do on your visit here.

Activities

Here’s just a couple of the activities that one can go out and do when in the Westerville area. For more ideas click on the link above.

Sharon Woods Metro Park

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6911 Cleveland Avenue| Westerville Ohio, 43081|b metroparks.net/parks-and-trails/sharon-woods/

If you and your family enjoy the outdoors then visiting Sharon Woods park is a great place for you. Not only does it provide picnic and outdoor play areas for your little ones but there are great paths for biking around and enjoy the beauty around you. If biking isn’t your niche you should take time to check out the eleven acre lake and nature reserves located here. One popular activity individuals tend to enjoy at the lake is fishing. Another great feature of this park is that during the winter months it is a great place to come out to, and enjoy the snow. Along with the typical activities of making snow angels and having snowball fights you will find yourself with an opportunity to dust off your sled and enjoy sledding the hills.

Westerville Mini Golf

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450 W Shrock Rd| Westerville Ohio, 43801| www.yellowpages.com/westerville-oh/

Who doesn’t enjoy a little friendly competition? If you and your friends are looking for a fun activity to do, then you need to come try your luck at Westerville’s Mini Golf. Will you get lucky and get that hole in one? Or loose points do to having taken too many strokes? Along with being your typical eighteen hole course, to make it more challenging it is built along an 80 gallon pond that also has two water falls. Another thing that is great about this Mini golf course is that there are also a couple batting cages on site.This is perfect for if you have someone in your party who doesn’t want to play the course with everyone else or for your group to go check out after your game is finished.

Westerville Recreation Center

350 Cleveland Ave| Westerville Ohio, 43802| parks.westerville.org/facilities

No matter the time of year you can’t go wrong by stopping in at Westerville Parks and Recreation center. Here there are activities that will fit everyone in your families needs. From a day care center where you can drop your young ones while you work out, to having an indoor track for you to walk or run on this facility has it all. A few amenities to highlight within the center include the competition pool with diving boards as seen above along with a lazy river that you can just sit back and float in circles. One of the major highlights of the center especially if you have kids is the pools with slides. Who doesn’t enjoy the rush of adrenaline that you receive as water forces you down at high speed and you anticipate holding your breathe at the end as you make the final descend into the water below.

Restaurants

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Pasquale’s Pizza and Pasta House

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Are you tired of being unable to decide what to do for dinner? Then here is a solution for you. A great go to when you and your family can’t agree on something is pizza. By getting this it allows you to top it with whatever you please and is easy to remove items that those who are picker may not want. Not in the mood for pizza? Then here is some good news for you, along with pizza Pasquale’s Italian Restaurant also offers salads, sandwiches, calzones as well as pasta option. You are bound to find something for you and everyone in your party here.

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Kicks Bar & Grill

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8333 Market Exchange Dr| Westerville OH, 43081|dinerank.com

If you are of twenty one years of age or older OR just want a night out away from the kids then Kicks is a great place for you. Along with having a wide selection of beer, wine and spirits they also have a full menu. This is a great places to grab a drink as well as listen to music performed by local artists. 

Now that you have learned about some of the history behind when Westerville being founded as well as about some different activities and restaurants to go to it is time for you to plan your next visit to Westerville. Let us know in the comments where you think others should go see or do next time they are in the city.

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