Canal Winchester, Ohio
Canal Winchester is a city of 10,170 people in Fairfield County, Ohio, founded in 1828.
Why visit Canal Winchester
Townapedia lists 21 museums and landmarks, 13 parks and trails, 53 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Bergstresser Covered Bridge, O.P. Chaney Grain Elevator, Arendt–Seymour House and Pickerington Ponds Metro Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 19°F.
Weather in Canal Winchester
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Canal Winchester
Canal Winchester is a city in Fairfield and Franklin counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 9,107 at the 2020 census. It is a suburb in the Columbus metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Canal Winchester, Ohio (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks21
O.P. Chaney Grain Elevator
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic structure in Canal Winchester, Ohio
Arendt–Seymour House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
House in Canal Winchester, Ohio
Barnhardt-Bolenbaugh House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic residence in Canal Winchester, Ohio
Bergstresser/Dietz Covered Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Bridge in Franklin County, Ohio
Bruns-Wynkoop House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic residence in Canal Winchester, Ohio
Christian Gayman House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic residence in Canal Winchester, Ohio
Dr. L.W. Beery House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic residence in Canal Winchester, Ohio
Groveport Log House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Historical building in Groveport, Ohio
Groveport School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
National Register of Historic Places listing in Groveport, Ohio
Groveport Town Hall Historic Group
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Historic buildings in Groveport, Ohio
James Griffith House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic residence in Canal Winchester, Ohio
John Rager Farmhouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Historic residence in Madison Township, Franklin County, Ohio
9 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds13
Pickerington Ponds Metro Park
Park · 3.2 mi
Park and nature preserve in Central Ohio, U.S
1 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes53
Roman's Pizza Pub
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.5 mi
17 North High Street, Canal Winchester
Mo-Th 15:00-21:00; Fr 15:00-22:00; Sa 16:00-22:00
Tim Hortons
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.2 mi
6238 Prentiss School Place, Canal Winchester
Mo-We 06:00-19:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-19:00; Su 06:00-16:00
Dragon China
Restaurant · Chinese · 1.3 mi
Tu-Sa 10:30-22:00; Su 11:00-22:00
Das KaffeeHaus von Frau Burkhart
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 2.6 mi
45 East Columbus Street, Lithopolis
The Pump House
Restaurant · Regional, Pizza, Wings · 2.6 mi
17 East Columbus Street, Lithopolis
41 more on the map.
History
Canal Winchester was founded in 1828 by Reuben Dove and John Colman. When construction of the Ohio & Erie Canal came through Dove's wheat field, he wanted to sue the state. The canal workmen instead convinced him that he would be better off laying out a town, because the area was midway between Columbus and Lancaster. On November 4, 1828, Dove and Colman recorded the first plat for Winchester, Ohio, in Violet Township, Fairfield County. Dove named the village after his father's hometown of Winchester, Virginia.
Winchester flourished because of agriculture and transportation. The Ohio and Erie Canal brought passengers, freight and a means to transport grain to market. The first canal boat floated through Winchester in 1831. The village was named Canal Winchester when the post office was established in 1841, because there were five other locations in the state named Winchester.
A local legend explains how Canal Winchester received its post office. On Halloween, October 31, 1841, two teenage boys, as a prank, hooked two horses up to the foundation of the post office of the town of Waterloo and then pulled it across the street to Winchester. With this, the town of Waterloo was no more and Winchester was a legitimate village. The village was annexed to Madison Township, Franklin County, in 1851.
From the History section of Canal Winchester, Ohio on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Best Western Canal Winchester Inn
Motel and hotel · 1.2 mi
6323 Prentiss School Place, Canal Winchester
Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Columbus Canal Winchester
Motel and hotel · 1.3 mi
6349 Winchester Boulevard
Churches and places of worship11
David's Reformed Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places
Groveport United Methodist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging7
Marathon Gas and Carry Out
Gas station · 2.4 mi
197 West Columbus Street, Lithopolis
Schools, colleges and libraries33
Canal Winchester Virtual Learning Academy
School
100 Washington St, Canal Winchester
Healthcare6
Map of Canal Winchester
154 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 19°F | 3.4 in |
| Feb | 43°F | 21°F | 2.6 in |
| Mar | 52°F | 30°F | 3.9 in |
| Apr | 65°F | 40°F | 4.0 in |
| May | 75°F | 51°F | 4.4 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 60°F | 3.9 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 64°F | 4.6 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 61°F | 3.6 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 54°F | 3.6 in |
| Oct | 68°F | 42°F | 2.9 in |
| Nov | 54°F | 32°F | 3.0 in |
| Dec | 43°F | 25°F | 3.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Columbus-Valley Crossing (7 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Fairfield County has had 9 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-03-31: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2012-08-20: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds (Severe Storm)
- 2012-06-30: Severe Storms (Severe Storm)
- 2008-10-24: Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike (Severe Storm)
- 2008-04-24: Record Snow And Near Record Snow (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 6 miles away.
- Pickerington 4 mi northeast, about 7 min by car
- Reynoldsburg 8 mi north, about 14 min by car
- Whitehall 10 mi north, about 15 min by car
- Bexley 11 mi northwest, about 17 min by car
- Pataskala 13 mi north, about 21 min by car
- Columbus 14 mi northwest, about 22 min by car
- Grove City 14 mi west, about 22 min by car
- Lancaster 14 mi southeast, about 22 min by car
- Gahanna 14 mi north, about 22 min by car
- New Albany 17 mi north, about 28 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- O.P. Chaney Grain Elevator, Wdzinc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Groveport United Methodist Church, Nyttend, Public domain
- Bruns-Wynkoop House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Christian Gayman House, Wdzinc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Arendt-Seymour House, Wdzinc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bergstresser Covered Bridge, Wdzinc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Times Building-Lodge Hall, Nyttend, Public domain
- David's Reformed Church Canal Winchester, Wdzinc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Groveport Log House — Groveport, Ohio, Christopher L. Riley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Barnhardt-Bolenbaugh House, Wdzinc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Groveport Town Hall — Groveport, Ohio, Pythaglio, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Groveport School entrance, Nyttend, Public domain
- James Griffith House, Wdzinc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- L.W. Beery House, Nyttend, Public domain
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