Electricity Rates in Van Wert, OH

History of Van Wert

Van Wert was surveyed in 1824 by Captain James Riley, who was contracted by the government to survey lands purchased from Native Americans under a treaty in 1818. It was incorporated as a town in 1848 and was chartered as a city in 1903.The town is located in an area originally known as the Black Swamp. Early pioneers had to deal with swampy ground, mud, and malaria. They persevered, draining the swamp for agriculture and eventually reclaiming enough dry land to establish the town. Van Wert was the birthplace of aviation pioneer Walter Hinton and the famous baritone Charles W. Clark.At one point, Van Wert was the only place in the world producing Liederkranz cheese. Beginning in 1926, this pungent dairy product was manufactured at the now-closed Borden plant. At the time of the closure, Liederkranz cheese was selling for $8 per pound. The people of Van Wert (400 of which called themselves "Cheesemakers") contributed to the town of Vimoutiers, Orne, Lower Normandy, France with help in the costs of reconstruction and reparation of the town after it was mistakenly bombed by the US Air Force during World War II. They volunteered to pay for the replacement of Marie Harel's statue in 1953. This is recorded by a plaque in the market square of Vimoutiers. Vimoutiers is a centre for local making of Camembert, Livarot and Pont-l'Évêque cheeses.On November 10, 2002, an F4 tornado struck the town, killing two people.

Van Wert by the Numbers

Population

15,522

Median Age

41.7 yrs

Median Household Income

$62,944/yr

Median Home Value

$143,100

Homeownership Rate

76%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)