Van Wert, Ohio
Van Wert is a city of 10,790 people in Van Wert County, Ohio, founded in 1848.
Why visit Van Wert
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 11 parks and trails, 16 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Van Wert Cinemas, Van Wert Civic Theater, Brumback Library and Van Wert County Courthouse.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 18°F.
Weather in Van Wert
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Van Wert
Van Wert is a city in Van Wert County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in northwestern Ohio approximately 77 miles (124 km) southwest of Toledo and 34 miles (55 km) southeast of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The population was 11,092 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Van Wert micropolitan area, which is included in the Lima–Van Wert–Wapakoneta combined statistical area.
From the Wikipedia article Van Wert, Ohio (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks5
Brumback Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic public library in the city of Van Wert, Ohio, United States
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Van Wert County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Local government building in the United States
Van Wert Bandstand
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Parks, trails and playgrounds11
Franklin Park
Park · 0.5 mi
Site of the former Franklin Elementary School. Features include playgrounds, walking path, basketball court, pickelball courts, shelter...
Memorial Park
Park
2.1 Acres with Veteran Monuments, Beautiful display of gardens and open grassy areas
Restaurants and cafes16
Burger King
Fast food · Burger · 1.0 mi
1101 South Shannon, Van Wert
Mo-Sa 06:00-22:00; Su 07:00-22:00
4 more on the map.
History
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.
From the History section of Van Wert, Ohio on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship20
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 1.3 mi
11239 Van Wert-Decatur Road, Van Wert
Saint Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.1 mi
601 Jennings Road, Van Wert
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries15
Marsh Foundation School
School · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
1229 Lincoln Highway, Van Wert
Saint Mary of the Assumption Catholic School
School · Roman Catholic · 1.2 mi
611 Jennings Road, Van Wert
Northwest State Community College - Van Wert Campus
School · 0.5 mi
520 East Sycamore Street, Van Wert
Healthcare4
Map of Van Wert
84 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 18°F | 2.6 in | 6.2 in |
| Feb | 36°F | 20°F | 2.0 in | 4.5 in |
| Mar | 47°F | 29°F | 2.5 in | 2.5 in |
| Apr | 60°F | 39°F | 3.6 in | 0.4 in |
| May | 72°F | 51°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 61°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 64°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 62°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 77°F | 55°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 64°F | 43°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 50°F | 33°F | 2.9 in | 0.6 in |
| Dec | 37°F | 24°F | 2.6 in | 2.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Van Wert 1 S (1 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
Van Wert 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)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2005-02-15: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Neil Armstrong Airport (AXV) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 30 miles away.
- Celina 22 mi south, about 35 min by car
- Lima 26 mi east, about 42 min by car
- Defiance 31 mi north, about 49 min by car
- Bluffton 32 mi west, about 51 min by car
- Fort Wayne 33 mi northwest, about 53 min by car
- Auburn 42 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Sidney 46 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Findlay 51 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Piqua 53 mi south, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Greenville 53 mi south, about 1 h 30 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
- Main Street, Van Wert - panoramio, Art Anderson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Main Street, Van Wert (Wikivoyage), Art Anderson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fountain Park, Van Wert Ohio - panoramio, Art Anderson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Brumback Library, Van Wert, Nyttend, Public domain
- Van Wert County Courthouse - panoramio, Art Anderson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Van Wert Bandstand, Nyttend, Public domain
- Van Wert-Van Wert Mega Site (JRS) - 8445058480, Ohio Redevelopment Projects - ODSA, CC BY 2.0
- Van Wert-Van Wert Mega Site (JRS) - 8445058552, Ohio Redevelopment Projects - ODSA, CC BY 2.0
- Van Wert-Van Wert Mega Site (JRS), Ohio Redevelopment Projects - ODSA, CC BY 2.0
- Van Wert-Van Wert Mega Site (JRS) - 8445058458, Ohio Redevelopment Projects - ODSA, CC BY 2.0
- Van-wert-ohio-courthouse2, Derek Jensen ( Tysto ), Public domain
- Brumback Library c. 1901 - panoramio, Art Anderson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Vanwert, James E Heath, CC0
- Van-wert-ohio-downtown, Unknown author, Public domain
- Van-wert-ohio-municipal-building, Tysto, Public domain
- George H. Marsh Homestead, Nyttend, Public domain
- Marsh Foundation School, Nyttend, Public domain
- ISS042-E-291704 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS051-E-19766 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS042-E-291703 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-153955 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-153956 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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