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Fostoria

City · Seneca County · 13,195 residents · 2% municipal income tax

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Seneca County

Local events in Fostoria

67 events in the next 90 days from 5 public calendars. All local events in Fostoria

  1. 3774111 - Rotary

    11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. · 1001 Park Avenue, Fostoria, Ohio 44830, United States · From Fostoria City School District

  2. Harvest Your Backyard

    5 to 6 p.m. · Fruth Wetland Nature Preserve · From Seneca County Park District

  3. NHS Mtg Room N121

    7 to 8 a.m. · From Fostoria City School District

Checked October 20; the events page is refreshed daily.

History from Fostoria

People and inventions tied to this place, each with its sources. All people · All inventions

How Fostoria began

Fostoria was formed in 1854 when the neighboring towns of Rome and Risdon merged, uniting their Methodist congregations on land donated by Charles W. Foster; the new town was named for Foster in gratitude, and his son, also Charles Foster, went on to serve as Ohio's governor (1880-1884) and US Treasury Secretary (1891-1893). Sitting at the junction of what is now Seneca, Wood and Hancock counties, Fostoria boomed after a natural-gas discovery in the 1880s drew glass manufacturers, including the Fostoria Glass Company, Seneca Glass Company and Novelty Glass Company, and grew further as railroads converged downtown at what locals call the Iron Triangle. Like many natural-gas boomtowns, Fostoria peaked in population around 1970 and has declined gradually since as the gas ran out and factories closed or moved on.

Platted 1854 (merger of Rome and Risdon), by residents of Rome and Risdon, on land donated by Charles W. Foster.

Where the name comes from

Named for Charles W. Foster, who donated the land on which the merged Methodist church, and the new town, were built, as a mark of the community's gratitude. His son, Charles Foster Jr., grew up in the western Seneca County boomtown of Rome before it became part of Fostoria, and later served as Ohio's governor and as US Treasury Secretary under President Benjamin Harrison.

Before the town

No Native American village, camp, mound, or trail sited within present-day Fostoria is documented in the sources checked. The town did not exist as a settlement until 1854, over two decades after the Seneca of Sandusky reservation in eastern Seneca County had already been ceded and its people removed in 1831-32; Fostoria's own ground lay outside that reservation, in the county's western townships. For the county's Native history generally, including the Seneca reservation, its leaders, and the 1831 removal treaty.

Timeline

  1. — The towns of Rome and Risdon merge to form Fostoria, named for Charles W. Foster, who donated the land uniting their Methodist congregations.
  2. — Charles Foster Jr., who grew up in Rome before its merger into Fostoria, is elected governor of Ohio, serving two terms through 1884.
  3. — Discovery of natural gas near Fostoria, combined with railroad access, draws a wave of glass manufacturers to the city, including the Fostoria Glass Company, Seneca Glass Company and Novelty Glass Company.
  4. — President Benjamin Harrison appoints Charles Foster Jr. US Secretary of the Treasury, a post he holds through the end of Harrison's term in 1893.
  5. — A published bird's-eye postcard view shows Fostoria's residential section along Fremont Street as seen from the town's water tower.
  6. — Fostoria's population peaks; it has declined gradually since as the natural gas that drew its glass industry was exhausted and factories closed or relocated.
  7. — The Fostoria Downtown Historic District, roughly bounded by North and South Streets and the alleys east and west of Main Street, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 28.

Stories

Two rival towns, one gift of land

Before 1854, Rome and Risdon were separate, competing towns sitting close together in western Seneca County, each with its own small Methodist congregation. When local landowner Charles W. Foster donated the land to unite the two churches, it gave the towns' residents a reason to merge outright rather than keep competing, and the new combined town took Foster's name as thanks. It proved a fitting honor: Foster's own son, born and raised in Rome before the merger, would go on to become governor of Ohio and the US Treasury Secretary, carrying the family name from a small crossroads town to the highest levels of national government.

Gas, glass, and the Iron Triangle

Fostoria's real growth came a generation after its founding, when natural gas was struck near the city in the 1880s. Cheap fuel and eager local boosters drew glass manufacturers from across the region, and companies including the Fostoria Glass Company, the Seneca Glass Company, and the Novelty Glass Company set up works fed by the new gas wells, producing window glass and tableware through processes where a gatherer pulled molten glass from a furnace on a blowpipe for a glassblower to shape into cylinders. At the same time, railroads converged on the town from several directions, crossing downtown in a pattern still known locally as the Iron Triangle. The combination of cheap gas and rail access made Fostoria, for a few decades, a genuine industrial boomtown, a story that played out across dozens of small Ohio and Indiana towns in the same gas-boom years before the wells ran dry.

Photographs

Bird's-eye postcard view of Fostoria's residential section along Fremont Street, seen from the town water tower.
Bird's-eye postcard view of Fostoria's residential section along Fremont Street, seen from the town water tower. (1912)
Photo: Columbus Metropolitan Library, via Digital Public Library of America / Ohio Digital Network, public domain · Wikimedia Commons
A generic illustration of the window-glass gathering and blowing process, the kind of work Fostoria's gas-boom glass factories employed in the 1880s and 1890s; not a photograph of Fostoria itself.
A generic illustration of the window-glass gathering and blowing process, the kind of work Fostoria's gas-boom glass factories employed in the 1880s and 1890s; not a photograph of Fostoria itself. (1906 (illustration); depicts 1880s process)
Photo: Scientific American, December 1, 1906, public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Local history sources: en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org

Historic places

3 places in Fostoria on the National Register of Historic Places. Press a pin or a name for its whole record.

  1. Cory, Ambrose, HouseBuilding · Fostoria · listed 1979
    Address
    957 N. Union St.
    Where
    Fostoria, Seneca County · ZIP 44830
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1979
    NRIS reference number
    79001942
    Coordinates
    41.16890, -83.41898

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  2. Dana, Marcus, HouseBuilding · Fostoria · listed 1980
    Address
    707 N. County Line St.
    Where
    Fostoria, Hancock County · ZIP 44830
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1980
    NRIS reference number
    80003095
    Coordinates
    41.16579, -83.42125

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  3. Fostoria MausoleumBuilding · Fostoria · listed 1978
    Address
    702 Van Buren St.
    Where
    Fostoria, Hancock County · ZIP 44830
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1978
    NRIS reference number
    78002085
    Coordinates
    41.16413, -83.42739

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

Source: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places point file. The listing year is shown where NPS's certification date agrees with the listing's reference number. Listing recognizes significance; it does not restrict a private owner.

Every historic place in Seneca County on the full map

Water

Water drawn from the East Branch Portage River and stored across six upground reservoirs, with three groundwater wells as backup. The water here

Hospitals, fire stations and more

Inside Fostoria's boundary: 1 hospital, 1 health center, 3 nursing homes, 1 fire or EMS station, 1 power plant, 3 high-hazard dams, 2 public schools, 1 library, 3 museums, 1 police station, 2 public charging sites, 6 Superfund sites, 18 Toxics Release Inventory facilities and 9 spill cases. Press a pin or a name for its whole record and its source.

Hospitals (1)

  1. Fostoria Community HospitalGeneral hospital · Fostoria
    What it is
    General hospital
    Address
    501 Van Buren Street, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Hancock County
    Beds
    25
    Helipad
    Yes
    Ownership
    Non-profit
    Medicare overall rating
    4 of 5 stars
    Emergency department (Medicare)
    No
    Phone
    (419) 435-7734
    Medicare ID
    361318

    Medicare Care Compare ↗ Where HIFLD got this record ↗ HIFLD hospitals (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: HIFLD hospitals inventory via FEMA (closed hospitals it still lists left out, hospitals opened since added), with Medicare Care Compare ratings matched by name and address.

Community health centers (1)

  1. Community Health Services - FostoriaHealth center · Fostoria
    Run by
    a federally qualified health center
    Setting
    Clinic
    City
    Fostoria
    Coordinates
    41.16374, -83.42388

    Find a Health Center (HRSA) ↗ HRSA data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: HRSA health center service delivery sites, active, September 2026 (school-based sites left out). Health centers see patients whether or not they have insurance, with fees on a sliding scale.

Nursing homes (3)

  1. Good Shepherd Home4 of 5 stars · Fostoria
    Address
    725 Columbus Ave, Fostoria, OH 44830
    Certified beds
    95
    Residents on an average day
    85
    Medicare overall rating
    4 of 5 stars
    Health inspections
    3 of 5 stars
    Staffing
    4 of 5 stars
    Quality measures
    5 of 5 stars
    Penalties since 2023
    none
    Ownership
    Non profit - Corporation
    Continuing care retirement community
    Yes
    Takes
    Medicare and Medicaid
    Phone
    (419) 937-1801
    Medicare ID
    365963

    Medicare Care Compare ↗ CMS nursing home data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Independence House4 of 5 stars · Fostoria
    Address
    1000 Independence Rd, Fostoria, OH 44830
    Certified beds
    50
    Residents on an average day
    31
    Medicare overall rating
    4 of 5 stars
    Health inspections
    4 of 5 stars
    Staffing
    3 of 5 stars
    Quality measures
    4 of 5 stars
    Penalties since 2023
    none
    Ownership
    Non profit - Corporation
    Takes
    Medicare and Medicaid
    Phone
    (419) 435-8505
    Medicare ID
    365860

    Medicare Care Compare ↗ CMS nursing home data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. St Catherine's C C of Fostoria3 of 5 stars · Fostoria
    Address
    25 Christopher Dr, Fostoria, OH 44830
    Certified beds
    56
    Residents on an average day
    46
    Medicare overall rating
    3 of 5 stars
    Health inspections
    3 of 5 stars
    Staffing
    3 of 5 stars
    Quality measures
    4 of 5 stars
    Penalties since 2023
    1 fine totalling $14,433 (latest 2024-02-05)
    Ownership
    For profit - Corporation
    Chain
    HCF MANAGEMENT
    Takes
    Medicare and Medicaid
    Phone
    (419) 435-8112
    Medicare ID
    365575

    Medicare Care Compare ↗ CMS nursing home data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: CMS Care Compare nursing home provider and penalties files; Medicare star ratings run 1 to 5.

Fire and EMS stations (1)

  1. Fostoria Fire DepartmentFostoria
    Address
    233 West South Street, Fostoria, OH 44830
    Coordinates
    41.15519, -83.41742

    USGS National Map structures (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: USGS National Map structures (most Ohio records last updated 2019 to 2022), checked against the Columbus and Cleveland station lists. The department that answers a call is set by jurisdiction and mutual aid, not by distance.

Power plants (1)

  1. POET Biorefining - FostoriaNatural gas · 4 MW
    Capacity
    4 MW
    Main source
    Natural gas
    Technology
    Natural Gas Steam Turbine
    Operator
    Fostoria Ethanol
    Sector
    Industrial CHP
    Where
    Fostoria, Seneca County
    Generating units
    1
    Built
    2017
    EIA plant code
    63920

    EIA plant page ↗ EIA-860 (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: EIA-860 power plant inventory via HIFLD (February 2025), with plant codes, units and years from EIA-860 2025.

High-hazard dams (3)

  1. Lake Lamberjack Upground Reservoir PoorTributary To East Branch Portage River - Offstream · condition: poor
    Hazard class
    High: a failure would probably cost a life
    Condition
    Poor (assessed 06/24/2021)
    River or stream
    Tributary To East Branch Portage River - Offstream
    Purpose
    Water Supply;Recreation
    Type
    Earth
    Height
    19 ft
    Storage
    390 acre-feet
    Completed
    1919
    Owner type
    Local Government
    County
    Hancock County
    Nearest town (NID)
    Fostoria
    Last inspection
    06/24/2021
    Emergency action plan
    Yes
    NID ID
    OH00785

    National Inventory of Dams record ↗ National Inventory of Dams (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Lake Mosier Upground Reservoir PoorEast Branch Portage River - Offstream · condition: poor
    Hazard class
    High: a failure would probably cost a life
    Condition
    Poor (assessed 06/24/2021)
    River or stream
    East Branch Portage River - Offstream
    Purpose
    Water Supply;Recreation
    Type
    Earth
    Height
    25 ft
    Storage
    1,207 acre-feet
    Completed
    1941
    Owner type
    Local Government
    County
    Hancock County
    Nearest town (NID)
    Fostoria
    Last inspection
    06/24/2021
    Emergency action plan
    Yes
    NID ID
    OH00784

    National Inventory of Dams record ↗ National Inventory of Dams (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Lake Mottram Upground ReservoirEast Branch Portage River - Offstream · condition: fair
    Hazard class
    High: a failure would probably cost a life
    Condition
    Fair (assessed 06/24/2021)
    River or stream
    East Branch Portage River - Offstream
    Purpose
    Water Supply
    Type
    Earth
    Height
    20 ft
    Storage
    297 acre-feet
    Completed
    1891
    Owner type
    Local Government
    County
    Hancock County
    Nearest town (NID)
    Fostoria
    Last inspection
    06/24/2021
    Emergency action plan
    Yes
    NID ID
    OH00787

    National Inventory of Dams record ↗ National Inventory of Dams (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Inventory of Dams, August 2026. "High hazard" rates what a failure would cost downstream, not how likely one is; the condition is the state's assessment.

Public schools (2)

  1. Fostoria Elementary School3 of 5 stars · Fostoria
    Address
    1202 H L Ford Dr, Fostoria, OH 44830
    School district
    Fostoria City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    1,066
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    68
    Report card, 2025-26
    3 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    61.2%
    Ohio building IRN
    031757
    NCES school ID
    390439900961

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Fostoria Junior/Senior High School3 of 5 stars · Fostoria
    Address
    1001 Park Ave, Fostoria, OH 44830
    School district
    Fostoria City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    769
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    50
    Report card, 2025-26
    3 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    59.5%
    Four-year graduation rate
    93.9%
    Ohio building IRN
    012039
    NCES school ID
    390439900957

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NCES EDGE public school locations 2024-25 and Common Core of Data 2023-24 (type, students, teachers); Ohio School Report Cards 2025-26 (Department of Education and Workforce), matched by name within the district.

Public libraries (1)

  1. Kaubisch Memorial Public LibraryCentral library · Fostoria
    Address
    205 Perry St., Fostoria, OH 44830
    What it is
    Central library
    Library system
    Kaubisch Memorial Public Library
    Open
    2,392 hours a year, 52 weeks
    Building
    23,172 sq ft
    System's visits, FY2024
    109,148
    System's loans, FY2024
    110,136
    People the system serves
    13,046
    Phone
    (419) 435-2813

    IMLS Public Libraries Survey (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: IMLS Public Libraries Survey FY2024 (outlets and their systems). Any Ohio resident can get a free card at any Ohio public library.

Museums, historical societies, gardens and zoos (3)

  1. Fostoria Area Historical Society & MuseumHistorical society · Fostoria
    What it is
    Historical society
    City
    Fostoria
    Coordinates
    41.16209, -83.41229

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

  2. Fostoria Historical MuseumHistorical society · Fostoria
    What it is
    Historical society
    City
    Fostoria
    Coordinates
    41.15842, -83.41457

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

  3. Fostoria Rail Preservation SocietyHistorical society · Fostoria
    What it is
    Historical society
    City
    Fostoria
    Coordinates
    41.15860, -83.41444

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

Source: IMLS Museum Data Files, 2018.

Police stations (1)

  1. Fostoria Police DepartmentFostoria
    Address
    213 South Main Street, Fostoria, OH 44830
    Coordinates
    41.15632, -83.41480

    USGS National Map structures (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: USGS National Map structures, police stations, corrected and completed by hand (September 2026). The department that answers a call is set by jurisdiction, not by distance.

Public EV charging (2)

  1. 97742 Level 2 · Fostoria
    Address
    255 W. SOUTH ST., Fostoria, OH 44830
    Ports
    2 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    EV Connect
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    866-816-7584

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. S MAIN FOSTORIA FOSTORIA DC fast1 DC fast · Fostoria
    Address
    110 S Main St, Fostoria, OH 44830
    Ports
    1 DC fast
    Plugs
    CCS, CHAdeMO
    Network
    ChargePoint Network
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    888-758-4389

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NREL Alternative Fuels Data Center station list (May 2026), public and open stations, the posts at one address counted as one site.

Superfund sites (6)

  1. Bendix Autolite CorpSuperfund program · Fostoria
    Address
    1600 North Union Street, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County
    Status
    Superfund program site, not on the National Priorities List
    EPA program ID
    OHD066046228
    EPA registry ID
    110039013661

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Dollar General StoreSuperfund program · Fostoria
    Address
    1515 N Countyline St, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Wood County
    Status
    Superfund program site, not on the National Priorities List
    EPA program ID
    OHN000510280
    EPA registry ID
    110034191292

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Former Fruth's LaundrySuperfund program · Fostoria
    Address
    1601 North Countyline Road, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Wood County
    Status
    Superfund program site, not on the National Priorities List
    EPA program ID
    OHN000521831
    EPA registry ID
    110071264045

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  4. Fostoria City DumpSuperfund program · Fostoria
    Address
    1301 Perrysburg Road, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Wood County
    Status
    Superfund program site, not on the National Priorities List
    EPA program ID
    OHN000510571
    EPA registry ID
    110002321103

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  5. Fostoria Industries SiteSuperfund program · Fostoria
    Address
    1200 N Main St, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County
    Status
    Superfund program site, not on the National Priorities List
    EPA program ID
    OHN000510314
    EPA registry ID
    110001623850

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  6. National Electrical Carbon CorporationSuperfund program · Fostoria
    Address
    200 N Town St, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County County
    Status
    Superfund program site, not on the National Priorities List
    EPA program ID
    OHD004167219
    EPA registry ID
    110000391558

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: EPA Facility Registry Service, Superfund (SEMS) and National Priorities List sites. Many program sites were assessed and needed no cleanup.

Facilities reporting toxic releases (18)

  1. Adm FostoriaToxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    608 Findlay Road, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (open)
    EPA program ID
    44830RCHRD608FI
    EPA registry ID
    110002319982

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Airfoil Textron IncToxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    Ct. Pl., Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    44830RFLTXCOURT
    EPA registry ID
    110008057681

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Alpha Coatings IncToxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    622 S Corporate Dr, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory
    EPA program ID
    4483WLPHCT622SC
    EPA registry ID
    110015323657

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  4. Alpha Coatings, Inc.Toxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    1100 N. Main St., Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    44830LPHCT1100N
    EPA registry ID
    110000391549

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  5. Autolite (0374010117)Toxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    1600 North Union Street, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (open)
    EPA program ID
    44830LLDSG1600N
    EPA registry ID
    110000391530

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  6. Boc GasesToxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    405 East Zeller Road, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    44830RCNDS405EZ
    EPA registry ID
    110000391576

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  7. Countrymark Inc Fertilizer PlantToxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    602 Findley Rd, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Hancock County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    44830CNTRY602FI
    EPA registry ID
    110002112393

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  8. Filmtec Fabrication LlcToxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    1120 Sandusky, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    44830NWDPR1120S
    EPA registry ID
    110001628971

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  9. Indalex IncToxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    930 Sandusky Street, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    44830NDLXN930SA
    EPA registry ID
    110000815226

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  10. Kohart Recycling of FostoriaToxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    634 Spruce St, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory
    EPA program ID
    TRI_OFFSITE_1160
    EPA registry ID
    110067427136

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  11. Material Processing and Handling CoToxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    1150 State St, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (closed)
    EPA program ID
    44830NTRMT1150S
    EPA registry ID
    110000493564

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  12. Mennel Milling CoToxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    320 Findlay Street, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Hancock County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    44830THMNNFINDL
    EPA registry ID
    110000391601

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  13. National Electrical Carbon CorporationToxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    200 N Town St, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    44830NTNLL200NO
    EPA registry ID
    110000391558

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  14. Nox UsToxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    931 S Springville Ave, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory
    EPA program ID
    4483WNXSXX931SS
    EPA registry ID
    110069715464

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  15. Poet Biorefining-FostoriaToxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    2111 Sandusky Street, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (open)
    EPA program ID
    4483WPTBRF2111S
    EPA registry ID
    110056959929

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  16. Roppe Corporation (0374010077)Toxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    1602 N Union St, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    44830RPPRB1602N
    EPA registry ID
    110000391585

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  17. Seneca Wire & Mfg Co *Toxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    319 S. Vine St., Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Hancock County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (closed)
    EPA program ID
    44830SNCWR319SO
    EPA registry ID
    110000391594

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  18. Thyssenkrupp Crankshaft Co LlcToxics Release Inventory · Fostoria
    Address
    901 Springville Avenue, Fostoria, OH 44830
    County
    Seneca County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    44830TLSCR901SP
    EPA registry ID
    110000391610

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: EPA Facility Registry Service, Toxics Release Inventory reporters. Reporting a release is required of large users of listed chemicals; it is not by itself a violation.

Spills reported since 2021 (9)

  1. Other / All Other / Trade Name / Mixture / Solution Etc2025-05-02 · Fostoria
    Reported
    2025-05-02
    What spilled
    Other / All Other / Trade Name / Mixture / Solution Etc
    Where
    Fostoria, Seneca County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2505EPA0000688

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Fish Kill2025-04-28 · Fostoria
    Reported
    2025-04-28
    What spilled
    Fish Kill
    Where
    Fostoria, Hancock County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2504EPA0000657

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Sewage Human2025-03-21 · Fostoria
    Reported
    2025-03-21
    What spilled
    Sewage Human
    Where
    Fostoria, Seneca County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2503EPA0000413

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  4. Fish Kill Reached water2024-08-29 · Fostoria
    Reported
    2024-08-29
    What spilled
    Fish Kill
    Reached a waterway
    32 - East Branch Portage River
    Where
    Fostoria, Hancock County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2408EPA0001484

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  5. Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2024-07-16 · Fostoria
    Reported
    2024-07-16
    What spilled
    Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
    Largest amount reported
    58 gallons
    Where
    Fostoria, Seneca County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2407EPA0001209

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  6. Hexane (C6H14)2024-05-03 · Fostoria
    Reported
    2024-05-03
    What spilled
    Hexane (C6H14)
    Largest amount reported
    1,460 gallons
    Where
    Fostoria, Hancock County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2405EPA0000737

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  7. Other / All Other / Trade Name / Mixture / Solution Etc Reached water2023-05-02 · Fostoria
    Reported
    2023-05-02
    What spilled
    Other / All Other / Trade Name / Mixture / Solution Etc
    Reached a waterway
    99 - Unnamed
    Where
    Fostoria, Seneca County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2305EPA0000711

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  8. Sewage Human Reached water2022-12-02 · Fostoria
    Reported
    2022-12-02
    What spilled
    Sewage Human
    Reached a waterway
    Unnamed
    Where
    Fostoria, Seneca County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2212EPA0001784

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  9. Sulfuric Acid (H2S04)2021-08-09 · Fostoria
    Reported
    2021-08-09
    What spilled
    Sulfuric Acid (H2S04)
    Largest amount reported
    105 gallons
    Where
    Fostoria, Seneca County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2108EPA0001211

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: Ohio EPA emergency response spill reports, 2021 to September 2026, one point per case where Ohio EPA placed it. A report is what the caller or responder recorded; amounts are often blank or estimated.

Its ZIP codes

Each ZIP code that touches Fostoria, with the share of its residents who live here and the same headline figures as the ZIP page.

ZIPShareWaterRadon Home valueSchoolsFlood
44830 Fostoria 72% Water drawn from the East Branch Portage River and stored across six upground reservoirs, with three groundwater wells as backup. 4.0 pCi/L average radon Median year built 1930 Fostoria City · 2.5 stars overall 0.6% of residents in the 1% floodplain

Local government

Who holds office in Fostoria, how its elections and ballot issues came out and the state auditor's record.

Who holds office

OfficeNamePartyTerm endsContact
MayorDonald Mennel 419-435-8282

Roster as of 2026 edition (Directory of Officials): official county or city website.

Money issues on the ballot since 2021: 4 of 4 passed.

Ballot issues

DateIssueForAgainstResult
2025-11-04 Issue: Fostoria City Income Tax 236145Passed (61.94% for)
2025-11-04 Issue: Fostoria City Renewal 1 percent Income Tax Streets 10041Passed (70.92% for)
2022-05-03 Issue: 4 Fostoria City Renewal Levy 229177Passed (56.4% for)
2022-05-03 Issue: 5 Fostoria City Form of Government Change 172230Failed (42.79% for)
2022-05-03 Issue: 6 Fostoria City Finance Director 207191Passed (52.01% for)
2022-05-03 Issue: 7 Fostoria City Law Director 205190Passed (51.9% for)
2021-11-02 Issue: #2 Fostoria City Charter Amendment 183208Failed (46.8% for)
2021-05-04 Issue: 1 Fostora City Income Tax 5844Passed (56.86% for)
2019-11-05 Issue: Ordinance Electric for Fostoria City 175108Passed (61.84% for)
2019-11-05 Issue: Fostoria City - Proposed Ordinace for FOSTORIA CITY, Wood County 5425Passed (68.35% for)

Elections for office

DateOfficeCandidates and votes
2025-11-04 School Board Betsy Bringman 181, 45.25%; Thomas M. Wade 192, 48.0%; Carol A. Wines (WRITE-IN) 27, 6.75%
2025-11-04 Council Ward 2 Thomas D. Baker 78, 100.0%
2025-11-04 Council Ward 1 Noah Davoli 9, 34.62%; Amy Mendoza 17, 65.38%
2025-11-04 Council Member, 2nd Ward (this county's part) Thomas D. Baker 275, 100.0%
2025-05-06 Council Ward 2 Thomas D. Baker 39, 100.0%
2025-05-06 Council Ward 1 Noah Davoli 4, 28.57%; Amy Mendoza 10, 71.43%
2025-05-06 Council Member, 4th Ward Gayle D. Guernsey 91, 68.42%; Michael L. Spencer 42, 31.58%
2025-05-06 Council Member, 3rd Ward Sue Lehmann 60, 68.18%; Ranae Cole Vogelsong 28, 31.82%
2025-05-06 Council Member, 1st Ward Amy Mendoza 81, 74.31%; Noah Davoli 28, 25.69%
2023-11-07 School Board Thomas C. Guernsey 360, 36.59%; Nichole Jones 372, 37.8%; Drew Shaver 252, 25.61%
2023-11-07 Mayor (this county's part) Donald L. Mennel 616, 68.44%; Elliott Shaffer 284, 31.56%
2023-11-07 Mayor Donald L. Mennel 175, 61.4%; Elliott Shaffer 110, 38.6%
2023-11-07 Council at Large Gregory Joseph Cassidy 138, 30.67%; Braden A. Hall 144, 32.0%; Robert L. Podach 168, 37.33%
2023-11-07 Council President (this county's part) Brian A. Shaver 735, 100.0%
2023-11-07 Council President Brian A. Shaver 229, 100.0%
2023-11-07 Council Member, At Large (this county's part) Gregory Joseph Cassidy 585, 34.27%; Braden A. Hall 530, 31.05%; Robert L. Podach 592, 34.68%
2023-05-02 Mayor (this county's part) Donald L. Mennel 144, 68.57%; Elliott Shaffer 66, 31.43%
2023-05-02 Mayor Donald L. Mennel 270, 67.67%; Elliott Shaffer 129, 32.33%
2023-05-02 Council President (this county's part) Brian A. Shaver 170, 100.0%
2023-05-02 Council Member, At Large (this county's part) Gregory Joseph Cassidy 131, 23.77%; Braden A. Hall 124, 22.5%; Kristin Van Curen Koester 161, 29.22%; Robert L. Podach 135, 24.5%
2023-05-02 Council Member at Large Kristin Van Curen Koester 267, 27.44%; Robert L. Podach 243, 24.97%; Gregory Joseph Cassidy 232, 23.84%; Braden A. Hall 231, 23.74%
2019-11-05 Mayor (this county's part) Eric Keckler 239, 100.0%
2019-11-05 Law Director (this county's part) Stephanie Kiser 216, 100.0%
2019-11-05 Council President (this county's part) Steve Kauffman 225, 100.0%
2019-11-05 Council Member, At Large (this county's part) Gregory Cassidy 197, 34.81%; Edward Logsdon 177, 31.27%; Brian Shaver 192, 33.92%

Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked. The county's results on file run through 2026-11-03; later elections are not loaded yet.

Auditor of State record

On the November 3, 2026 ballot

Statewide question: State Issue 3: Voter ID

Local questions for Fostoria, Seneca County and its school district:

  • Fostoria City: Renews a 6-mill property tax levy for the current expenses of Fostoria City for 5 years, beginning in 2027.

Races, candidates and every question for an address: your ballot. County offices and judges are on your county board's sample ballot.

The county

Seneca County: 13 ZIP codes, 26 cities, villages and townships with pages here, 54,522 people (Census Bureau estimate, July 2025).

Nearby places

Loudon Township, Seneca County Jackson Township, Seneca County Perry Township, Wood County Washington Township, Hancock County Liberty Township, Seneca County

Rain and snow

How much has actually fallen on Fostoria, day by day, from 1893 to now. Daily totals, not averages.

rain, last 30 days
1.20 in
2026-10-01 to 2026-10-30
rain so far in 2026
31.9 in
about normal for the date
snow so far in 2026
13.4 in
a normal year brings 27.5 in
a normal year
37.0 in
average of 30 years, 1991-2020
The last twelve months
MonthRain (in)Snow (in)Days counted
October 2026 1.20 — 30
September 2026 2.85 — 30
August 2026 5.23 — 31
July 2026 3.64 — 31
June 2026 3.53 — 30
May 2026 4.07 — 31
April 2026 6.15 — 30
March 2026 3.49 0.1 31
February 2026 0.34 1.7 28
January 2026 1.39 11.7 31
December 2025 1.89 7.7 31
November 2025 1.42 4.2 30
On the record, 1893–2026
Wettest year (estimated)2011 — 56.0 in
Driest year (estimated)1963 — 23.2 in
Wettest day (estimated)21 August 2007 — 3.36 in
Heaviest snowfall in a day (estimated)23 December 2004 — 10.77 in
Deepest snow on the ground (estimated)28 January 1978 — 19.32 in

Mostly estimated. Only 2% of these days come from a gauge standing inside Fostoria - the rest are worked out from the nearest gauges around it, so read them as close estimates rather than readings.

48,803 days of records, 1893-02-01 to 2026-10-30. Source: NOAA NCEI GHCN-Daily, 3,240 gauges in and around Ohio. A day is "gauged" when a gauge standing inside the boundary reported it, and the value is the mean of those gauges. Otherwise it is interpolated by inverse distance from every gauge reporting within 50 miles. Nothing is carried forward, back-filled or smoothed. Against NOAA nClimDiv county monthly precipitation over 136,848 complete county-months (checked 2026-11-01): correlation 0.9515, median absolute difference 0.217 in a month. Built 2026-11-01 from the Cracked Buckeye precipitation archive. Snow is the softer number — snowfall is measured by hand with a ruler, no agency publishes a gridded county snowfall series, and blowing snow defeats every observer.

Environmental permits and filings

What Ohio EPA has on file for Fostoria: permits, inspections, violations, cleanups and the state loans behind sewer and water work. Every line links to the agency's own document.

facilities and sites on file
64
those placed on the map inside Fostoria
What kind of permits
ProgramFacilities and sites
Hazardous waste21
Air pollution10
Voluntary cleanup8
Contaminated-site cleanup5
Wastewater and stormwater discharge4
Site assessment3
State sewer loans3
Chemical accident plans2
Scrap tires2
Underground injection wells2
Brownfield1
Composting1
2 smaller programs
The latest filings
DateFacility or siteWhat
INDUSTRIAL DIMENSIONS INC, FOSTORIA Voluntary cleanup inspection
NOX US LLC Voluntary cleanup inspection
MENNEL MILLING CO Air pollution violation resolved
INDUSTRIAL DIMENSIONS INC, FOSTORIA Voluntary cleanup inspection
FOSTORIA WWTP Sewer and water-line construction permit
NOX US LLC Wastewater and stormwater discharge notice of violation
FOSTORIA WWTP Sewer and water-line construction permit
FOUNDATION PARK Scrap tires cleanup response
FOUNDATION PARK Scrap tires cleanup response
MENNEL MILLING CO Air pollution report
FOSTORIA, CITY OF, COMPOST Composting inspection
ADM-FOSTORIA Air pollution permit
MENNEL MILLING CO Air pollution notice of violation
GIBSON ACCUMULATOR LLC Air pollution inspection
POET BIOREFINING - FOSTORIA LLC Air pollution permit
ADM-FOSTORIA Air pollution permit
POET BIOREFINING - FOSTORIA LLC Air pollution permit
ADM-FOSTORIA Air pollution permit
POET BIOREFINING - FOSTORIA LLC (271556) FACILITY PROFILE Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
ADM-FOSTORIA Air pollution permit
POET BIOREFINING - FOSTORIA LLC Air pollution permit
ROPPE CORPORATION Air pollution permit
POET BIOREFINING - FOSTORIA LLC Air pollution permit
NOX US LLC Voluntary cleanup inspection
POET BIOREFINING - FOSTORIA LLC Air pollution permit

Source: Ohio EPA eDocument portal (edocpub.epa.ohio.gov), indexed 2026-10-14. Facilities are placed on the map from Ohio EPA's own map layers, EPA's Facility Registry, coordinates written in the filings, or a geocoded street address. A permit filed under a private person's name (most are household septic systems) is counted but never named, placed or linked; licenses for individual workers and open-burning notices are left out entirely.

Quick answers

What county is Fostoria, Ohio in?

Fostoria is a city in Seneca County, Ohio, with 13,195 residents.

When was Fostoria, Ohio founded?

Fostoria was laid out 1854 (merger of Rome and Risdon). Founders on record: residents of Rome and Risdon, on land donated by Charles W. Foster. Source

How did Fostoria, Ohio get its name?

Named for Charles W. Source

What ZIP code is Fostoria, Ohio?

Most of Fostoria is in ZIP code 44830.

Where does Fostoria, Ohio get its water?

The main water source for Fostoria (Fostoria City): Water drawn from the East Branch Portage River and stored across six upground reservoirs, with three groundwater wells as backup.

Cite this page as:

Cracked Buckeye, "Fostoria, Seneca County", https://crackedbuckeye.com/place/fostoria/, built 2026-10-31, accessed [date].

How to cite · Report a correction · Built 2026-10-31