Why visit Sidney
Townapedia lists 14 museums and landmarks, 19 parks and trails, 44 places to eat, 5 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Sidney Auto-Vue Drive-In, Sidney Walnut Avenue Historic District and Fulton Farm.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 18°F.
Weather in Sidney
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Sidney
Sidney is a city in Shelby County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 20,589 at the 2020 census. It is approximately 36 miles (58 km) north of Dayton and 100 miles (160 km) south of Toledo, and is a part of the Dayton metropolitan area. The city is named after English poet Philip Sidney, and many of Sidney's elementary schools are named after famous writers, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and John Greenleaf Whittier.
From the Wikipedia article Sidney, Ohio (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
The Historic Sidney Theatre
Cinema and theater · 0.6 mi
120 West Poplar Street, Sidney
Museums and landmarks14
Sidney Walnut Avenue Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic district in Ohio, United States
Fulton Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Building in Ohio, United States
People's Federal Savings and Loan Association
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Bank building in Sidney, Ohio
Sidney Waterworks and Electric Light Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Building in Ohio, United States
Whitby Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Building in Ohio, United States
Wilson-Lenox House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.8 mi
Historic house in Ohio, United States
Port Jefferson School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.8 mi
2 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds19
7 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes44
The Waiting Room Coffee House
Cafe · 0.7 mi
Coffee, Boba (Bubble) Tea, Sandwiches, Desserts, Catering, Music, events, game nights, poetry readings, open mic, meeting room/event...
121 East North Street, Sidney
Mo-Th 09:00-17:00; Fr-Sa 08:00-23:00; Su 09:00-15:00
Tim Hortons
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.4 mi
1310 Michigan Street, Sidney
Mo-We 05:00-19:00; Fr-Sa 05:00-19:00; Su 05:00-17:00
Godfather's Pizza Express
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.9 mi
2241 Fair Road, Sidney
10:00-21:30
Hong Kong Buffet & Grill
Restaurant · Chinese · 1.2 mi
2330 West Michigan Street, Sidney
32 more on the map.
History
Sidney, named after Sir Philip Sidney, a well-known poet and member of British Parliament, was originally a 70-acre (280,000 m2) parcel of land located along the west side of the Great Miami River. This land was donated by Charles Starrett to be used as the site of a new town designated to be the county seat of Shelby County. The area around Sidney was once the richly forested hunting ground of the Shawnee and Miami Indian nations. This fertile area was developed as agricultural lands over time.
The construction of the Miami-Erie Canal between 1825 and 1837 connected Sidney in a north–south direction with the major trade centers in Ohio. In addition to opening the first significant "outside" trade for Sidney, the construction of the canal attracted an influx of settlers to the area. From the 1840s to 1913, canal boats carried Shelby County's products to Cincinnati or Toledo. Sidney was crossed by the Miami and Erie Canal's Sidney or Port Jefferson Feeder Branch. Before railroads came to Sidney, the canal provided most transportation, as roads were unpaved and not usable in all seasons. Part of the canal remains south of Water Street.
As the influence of the canal declined, another transportation element, railroads, began to develop in Sidney. East–west rail began to be laid in 1851, followed by north–south rail in 1856. Sidney is still served by these railroad lines.
From the History section of Sidney, Ohio on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay5
Churches and places of worship17
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging14
Schools, colleges and libraries20
Healthcare3
Map of Sidney
144 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 18°F | 2.9 in |
| Feb | 38°F | 20°F | 2.3 in |
| Mar | 49°F | 28°F | 3.2 in |
| Apr | 62°F | 38°F | 4.1 in |
| May | 73°F | 49°F | 4.1 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 59°F | 4.7 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 62°F | 4.6 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 60°F | 3.8 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 52°F | 3.1 in |
| Oct | 65°F | 42°F | 2.9 in |
| Nov | 51°F | 32°F | 3.2 in |
| Dec | 40°F | 24°F | 2.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Sidney 1 S (2 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
Shelby County has had 10 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)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Neil Armstrong Airport (AXV) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 16 miles away.
- Piqua 11 mi south, about 17 min by car
- Troy 17 mi south, about 28 min by car
- Bellefontaine 22 mi east, about 35 min by car
- Tipp City 22 mi south, about 36 min by car
- Urbana 25 mi southeast, about 40 min by car
- Greenville 27 mi southwest, about 44 min by car
- Celina 28 mi northwest, about 45 min by car
- Vandalia 28 mi south, about 46 min by car
- Huber Heights 30 mi south, about 48 min by car
- Springfield 32 mi southeast, about 51 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
- Sidney from the east, Nyttend, Public domain
- Walnut Avenue, Sidney, OH - 52523524818, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52522977581, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52523255619, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52522510527, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52522975356, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52523254979, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52522509412, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52522975976, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52523522298, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52522508487, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52523453295, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52522974251, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52522507397, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue, Sidney, OH - 52522511752, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52523257054, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue, Sidney, OH - 52522506797, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52523455985, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52523263039, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52523462125, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue, Sidney, OH - 52523250389, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sidney Walnut Avenue Historic District, Nyttend, Public domain
- Walnut Avenue, Sidney, OH - 52523449160, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue, Sidney, OH - 52523520178, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Cephas Carey House, Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52523462430, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Cephas Carey House, Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue, Sidney, OH - 52522519777, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue, Sidney, OH - 52522986526, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52522987481, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52522986806, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52523265489, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52523535068, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue and North Street, Sidney, OH - 52523465480, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Bonnyconnellan Castle, Walnut Avenue, Sidney, OH - 52523249779, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Bonnyconnellan Castle, Walnut Avenue, Sidney, OH - 52523518668, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Bonnyconnellan Castle, Walnut Avenue, Sidney, OH - 52523448515, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Bonnyconnellan Castle, Walnut Avenue, Sidney, OH - 52522969941, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Bonnyconnellan Castle, Walnut Avenue, Sidney, OH - 52523518268, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Walnut Avenue, Sidney, OH - 52522988946, w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.