Union County
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 county was named because it was formed from a union from parts of surrounding counties.
Reuben Partridge mural in downtown Marysville pays homage to the covered bridge builder that built over 125 bridges during his long career.
Marysville
When Union County was formed from portions of Delaware, Franklin Madison and Logan Counties in 1820, and a year later as they were drawing up the townships, it was decided that Marysville would become the new County Seat.
Like another famous Ohioan who would later live down the road in Dublin that decided to name his new restaurant after his daughter Wendy, Marysville was named after Samuel Cuthbertson's daughter Mary. Cuthbertson was the founder of Marysville which was first laid out in 1816.
When William Henry Harrison made his run for President in 1840, he got the nickname as a log cabin hick. Well Harrison knew a gift when he saw it and he ran with that intended slight and he became known as the "log cabin" president. During the campaign Harrison visited Marysville where a miniature log cabin was built upon a wagon and paraded through the streets of Marysville before the long procession to Columbus for the state's political convention. To accompany the float, a song was created by Otway Curry of Marysville. (Ohio's Buckeye Cabin Song) He even played the song as he sat on the front porch of the float's cabin. That song became one of two Harrison's theme songs that helped him win the election.
Union County Big Business
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.
Milford Center
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 recreation of that first court house on display just a block north of the main intersection.
The All Ohio Balloon Fest
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
Union County Covered Bridge Festival
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
Union County Personalities
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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.
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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.
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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.
- Jonathan Alder -- born in Maryland, Jonathan Alder and his brother were captured by a group of Native Americans. His brother was killed, and to the best of his knowledge, his entire family had been slaughtered. The young Alder impressed a Mingo chief that he adopted him and raised him as his own. During his life, he survived numerous threats and attacks, and when he became an adult, he left his Mingo family to set out on his own, building a small cabin in Union County where he lived for several years before completely giving up his Native American life and divorcing his Indian wife. In his later years, Jonathan dictated his life story and gave American's an inside look at what life was like among Native Americans living in Central Ohio. He established a home along the Big Darby Creek and died at the age of 76.
