Fostoria dates to 1854, and 41% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 85% of U.S. towns · #232 of 993 in Ohio. What drives it
4 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 52 buildings. Below: 12 old photos and papers, maps from 1901 on, and the census since 1860.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1837.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Fostoria’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Fostoria is more historic than 85% of U.S. towns, #232 of 993 in Ohio. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Fostoria’s overall grade.
Ohio towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Ohio town has 2.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Fostoria’s 44.6 sits above most of its state (88% of Ohio towns have fewer) while its 55 historic buildings outnumber those of 86% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.2 points). Two sources give 1854.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Fostoria’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Fostoria was created in 1854 with the merger of the communities of Rome and Risdon. The combination of both communities' Methodist churches, on land donated by Charles W. Foster, led to the merger. To show their appreciation for Mr. Foster's generosity, the new community was named Fostoria. Charles W. Foster's son, Charles, became one of Fostoria's most famous citizens—becoming the 35th governor of Ohio and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury under President Benjamin Harrison.
Passages that mention Fostoria, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Seneca County, Ohio, containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages ... portraits of early settlers and prominent men1886 · page 615Read the page →
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Fostoria Acadeniy. — Fostoria Academy may be said to have had its beginning in a movement to establish a school there under the name, ' 'Northwestern Normal School of Fostoria." November 6, 1875, an association was formed at Fostoria for the purpose of establishing a normal school, and the same day signed articles of incorporation. The members were Michael Beilger, A. J.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Seneca County, Ohio1886 · page 618Read the page →
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By an act of the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, passed February lit, A. D. 1885, entitled ' ' An act to authorize the village of Fostoria. Ohio, to purchase the gi'ounds, improvements and property of the Fostoria Cemetery Association, and to levy a tax to pay therefor," the village council of Fostoria, was authorized to piu'chase the grounds, improvements, property and assets of the Fostoria Cemeteiy Association, and to issue the village bonds in amount not to exceed §3.(M)(t, in denominations of S'yOO each, bearing (\ per cent interest.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Seneca County, Ohio, containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages ... portraits of early settlers and prominent men1886 · page 618Read the page →
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By an act of the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, passed February 19, A. D. 1885. entitled "An act to authorize the village of Fostoria, Ohio, to purchase the grounds, improvements and property of the Fostoria Cemetery Association, and to levy^ a tax to pay therefor. " the village council of Fostoria, was aiithorized to pui-chase the grounds, improvements, property and assets of the Fostoria Cemetery Association, and to issue the village bonds in amount not to exceed $3,000, in" denominations of JgoOO each, bearing 0 per cent interest.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A centennial biographical history of Seneca County, Ohio1902 · page 746Read the page →
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For twenty years Mr. Schatzd has served as notary public, and for five years he was secretary of the gas board. For seventeen years he has held the position of clerk of Loudon township and for eighteen years he has been city clerk of Fostoria, having first been chosen to the office in 1884, when Fostoria was but a village, and after its incorporation, in February, 1889, he was continued in the position in which he is now serving with marked credit to himself and the c\X\. He \\-as president of the Fostoria Library Association, to which he was elected
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Fostoria, 1837 to 1990
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1854, according to Wikidata. Fostoria’s post office opened in 1837, and the census of 1860 counted 1,027 people here.
How does Fostoria rank for history?
Fostoria is more historic than 85% of U.S. towns, #232 of 993 in Ohio. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Fostoria?
4 listings: 3 buildings, among them the Fostoria Mausoleum (listed 1978, the first), and 1 historic district, the Fostoria Downtown Historic District, with 52 contributing buildings. 55 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Fostoria?
41% of Fostoria’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.2 points), against a typical 15% for an Ohio town; the median home was built in 1952.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (9), the Library of Congress (3), the National Register of Historic Places (4), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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