Local events in Genoa Township, Delaware County
6 events in the next 90 days from 1 public calendar. All local events in Genoa Township, Delaware County
Checked October 20; the events page is refreshed daily.
Lakes near Genoa Township, Delaware County
The history under the water: the valley before, the dam, the stories. All Ohio lakes
How Genoa Township, Delaware County began
Genoa Township was set off from Harlem Township on June 4, 1816, and named -- unusually for Ohio, since it is the only township in the state to carry the name -- for Genoa, Italy, Christopher Columbus's birthplace, at the suggestion of settler Elisha Bennett. Jeremiah Curtiss, arriving from Connecticut around 1806, is remembered as its first settler, building a sawmill, gristmill and still on Big Walnut Creek; his brother Marcus built the brick inn and post office at Galena that still stands. The Stephen Sharp House on Africa Road later became a documented stop on the Underground Railroad. Today the township holds Hoover Reservoir along its Big Walnut Creek and has grown into a populous Columbus suburb.
Settled c. 1806, incorporated June 4, 1816 (set off from Harlem Township), by Jeremiah Curtiss (first settler); Elisha Bennett (proposed the name).
Where the name comes from
Genoa Township was named by early settler Elisha Bennett for Genoa, Italy, the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. Unlike the Italian city's pronunciation, the township's name stresses its second syllable, 'ge-NO-a.' It is the only township in Ohio to carry the name, though a separate village called Genoa exists in Ottawa County.
Before the town
The area that became Genoa Township was used for centuries before white settlement, with Wikipedia's township article citing Adena and Hopewell mound-building cultures, followed by the Lenape (Delaware), Miami, Mingo, Ottawa, Shawnee and Wyandot peoples, the Wyandot said to be 'among the last to remain until forced out in 1843.' The 1880 county history gives specific, local texture to this: it says the Big Walnut Creek valley, alive with fish and game, was a place 'the Indians held ... in high favor,' and that after the treaty line moved and Native families were required to withdraw, they nonetheless 'would avail themselves of every opportunity to come down and hunt' in their old territory. No source consulted names a specific village, mound, or named leader located inside the township's own boundaries.
Nations recorded here: Adena culture, Hopewell culture, Lenape (Delaware), Miami, Mingo (Seneca-Cayuga), Ottawa, Shawnee, Wyandot.
Timeline
- — The first deeds to land within what becomes Genoa Township are granted under the U.S. Military District system, under President John Adams.
- — Jeremiah Curtiss, of Connecticut, becomes the township's first settler, building a sawmill, gristmill and still along Big Walnut Creek.
- — Joseph Latshaw arrives from New England, settling first in Berkshire Township before relocating to the northern part of Genoa near Galena.
- — Marcus Curtiss, Jeremiah's brother, arrives in Genoa Township.
- — Hezekiah Roberts arrives from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, buys out Latshaw's claim, and begins farming the cleared bottomland; supplies run short and he walks the Indian trail to Zanesville and back for provisions.
- — Genoa Township is set off from Harlem Township on June 4 and named for Genoa, Italy at Elisha Bennett's suggestion.
- — The Marcus Curtiss Inn is built (or rebuilt) in brick near Galena, serving as an inn, the township's first post office, and one of its first brick buildings; Marcus Curtiss serves as first postmaster.
- — Diadatus James Keeler, who had arrived from Vermont in 1819 and become a prominent sheep and hog farmer, builds a one-and-a-half-story house southeast of Galena with a tiger-maple staircase exceptional for its era.
- — Stephen Sharp, son of early Westerville settler Garrit Sharp, builds a house on Africa Road that later becomes documented as part of one of the largest concentrations of Underground Railroad family stations in Ohio outside Ashtabula County's John Brown family houses.
- — In September, one of the worst floods in local memory overflows the Big Walnut Creek bottoms, drowning livestock and destroying haystacks and buildings.
- — Passenger rail service begins through Genoa Township, continuing until 1950; freight service on the same line lasts until 1982 and the corridor is later repurposed as the Genoa Trail.
- — Construction begins on Hoover Reservoir, later covering a significant portion of the township along Big Walnut Creek; sources disagree on the completion year, Wikipedia giving 1958 and the township's own history page giving 1955.
Stories
Named for Columbus's Birthplace
Most Ohio townships took their names from New England hometowns, Revolutionary War figures, or plain description. Genoa Township took a more unusual path: early settler Elisha Bennett proposed naming it for Genoa, Italy, the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, when the township was set off from Harlem Township on June 4, 1816. The choice stuck, and Genoa Township remains the only township of that name in Ohio -- a small linguistic quirk survives too, since local usage stresses the name's second syllable, 'ge-NO-a,' unlike the Italian city itself.
Two Brothers on the Big Walnut
Jeremiah Curtiss came from Connecticut around 1806 and is remembered as the first white settler in what became Genoa Township, building a sawmill, a gristmill and a still along the banks of Big Walnut Creek. His brother Marcus followed in 1808. It was Marcus, not Jeremiah, who left the more lasting mark: around 1822 he built or rebuilt in brick an inn near Galena that also served as the township's first post office, with Marcus himself as postmaster. That building, the Marcus Curtiss Inn, still stands on Sunbury Road and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1976.
A Family of Underground Railroad Stations
Garrit Sharp settled near what became Westerville and helped build an early Methodist church there; several of his children built homes of their own nearby, including his son Stephen, who put up a house on Africa Road in rural Genoa Township around 1857. According to local history research, each of the Sharp family's houses served as an Underground Railroad station, together forming possibly the largest concentration of family Underground Railroad stations anywhere in Ohio outside the John Brown family's houses in Ashtabula County. People escaping slavery reportedly moved from the Sharp House along Alum Creek to the Patterson House, then north again toward Marengo. The Stephen Sharp House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
Photographs
Photo: Nyttend, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Ken Lund, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Local history sources: archive.org · en.wikipedia.org · genoatwp.com · 1808delaware.com · 1808delaware.com · commons.wikimedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org
Historic places
2 places in Genoa Township, Delaware County on the National Register of Historic Places. Press a pin or a name for its whole record.
-
Curtiss, Marcus, InnBuilding · Galena · listed 1976
- Address
- E of Galena at 3860 Sunbury Rd.
- Where
- Galena, Delaware County · ZIP 43021
- What it is
- Building
- Listed on the National Register
- 1976
- NRIS reference number
- 76001415
- Coordinates
- 40.19169, -82.87384
National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map
-
Keeler, Diadatus, HouseBuilding · Galena · listed 1979
- Address
- SE of Galena at 4567 Red Bank Rd.
- Where
- Galena, Delaware County · ZIP 43021
- What it is
- Building
- Listed on the National Register
- 1979
- NRIS reference number
- 79001826
- Coordinates
- 40.17924, -82.86375
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.
Water
Alum Creek Reservoir intake at the Scott plant, Lewis Center Rd at Africa, Orange Township The water here
- Del-co Water Company, Inc.77% of residentsOlentangy River, O'Shaughnessy and Alum Creek reservoirs, plus Knox County wells
- Westerville City23% of residentsAlum Creek + wells
- Columbus Public Water System1% of residentsScioto River (Griggs & O'Shaughnessy), Hoover Reservoir on Big Walnut Ck, plus wells
Hospitals, fire stations and more
Inside Genoa Township, Delaware County's boundary: 1 fire or EMS station, 2 high-hazard dams, 5 public schools, 2 private schools, 1 police station and 13 spill cases. Press a pin or a name for its whole record and its source.
Fire and EMS stations (1)
-
Genoa Township Fire DepartmentGalena
- Address
- 7049 Big Walnut Road, Galena, OH 43021
- Coordinates
- 40.18055, -82.91184
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.
High-hazard dams (2)
-
Horace Troop Pond Dam PoorTributary To Alum Creek · condition: poor
- Hazard class
- High: a failure would probably cost a life
- Condition
- Poor (assessed 12/16/2020)
- River or stream
- Tributary To Alum Creek
- Purpose
- Recreation
- Type
- Earth
- Height
- 21 ft
- Storage
- 36 acre-feet
- Completed
- 1956
- Owner type
- Private
- County
- Delaware County
- Nearest town (NID)
- Westerville
- Last inspection
- 12/16/2020
- Emergency action plan
- No
- NID ID
- OH01522
National Inventory of Dams record ↗ National Inventory of Dams (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Westerville Reservoir DamTributary To Alum Creek · condition: satisfactory
- Hazard class
- High: a failure would probably cost a life
- Condition
- Satisfactory (assessed 12/03/2020)
- River or stream
- Tributary To Alum Creek
- Purpose
- Water Supply
- Type
- Earth
- Height
- 47 ft
- Storage
- 1,258 acre-feet
- Completed
- 1960
- Owner type
- Local Government
- County
- Delaware County
- Nearest town (NID)
- Westerville
- Last inspection
- 12/03/2020
- Emergency action plan
- Yes
- NID ID
- OH00748
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 (5)
-
Alcott Elementary School4 of 5 stars · Westerville
- Address
- 7117 Mount Royal Ave, Westerville, OH 43082
- School district
- Westerville City School District
- Kind (NCES)
- Regular School
- Students, 2023-24
- 528
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 27.3
- Report card, 2025-26
- 4 of 5 stars
- Performance index
- 92.1%
- Ohio building IRN
- 146175
- NCES school ID
- 390450404565
NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fouse Elementary School4.5 of 5 stars · Westerville
- Address
- 5800 S Old 3c Hwy, Westerville, OH 43082
- School district
- Westerville City School District
- Kind (NCES)
- Regular School
- Students, 2023-24
- 483
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 26.8
- Report card, 2025-26
- 4.5 of 5 stars
- Performance index
- 84.6%
- Ohio building IRN
- 146167
- NCES school ID
- 390450404564
NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Genoa Middle School3.5 of 5 stars · Westerville
- Address
- 5948 S Old 3c Hwy, Westerville, OH 43082
- School district
- Westerville City School District
- Kind (NCES)
- Regular School
- Students, 2023-24
- 712
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 47.7
- Report card, 2025-26
- 3.5 of 5 stars
- Performance index
- 86.2%
- Ohio building IRN
- 135327
- NCES school ID
- 390450401362
NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Walnut Creek Elementary4.5 of 5 stars · Galena
- Address
- 5600 Grand Oak Blvd, Galena, OH 43021
- School district
- Olentangy Local School District
- Kind (NCES)
- Regular School
- Students, 2023-24
- 591
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 31.37
- Report card, 2025-26
- 4.5 of 5 stars
- Performance index
- 91.4%
- Ohio building IRN
- 146886
- NCES school ID
- 390467604602
NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Westerville Central High School3 of 5 stars · Westerville
- Address
- 7118 Mount Royal Ave, Westerville, OH 43082
- School district
- Westerville City School District
- Kind (NCES)
- Regular School
- Students, 2023-24
- 1,500
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 92.23
- Report card, 2025-26
- 3 of 5 stars
- Performance index
- 80.2%
- Four-year graduation rate
- 91.5%
- Ohio building IRN
- 146183
- NCES school ID
- 390450404566
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.
Private schools (2)
-
All the Children of The World AcademyPrivate, religious, independent · Westerville
- Address
- 6841 Freeman Rd, Westerville, OH 43082
- Kind
- religious, independent
- Students, 2023-24
- 71
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 3.9
- Students per teacher
- 18.2051
- Phone
- (614) 890-8985
- NCES private school ID
- A0108599
-
Genoa Christian AcademyPrivate, conservative Christian · Westerville
- Address
- 7562 Lewis Center Rd, Westerville, OH 43082
- Kind
- conservative Christian
- Students, 2023-24
- 495
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 35.4
- Students per teacher
- 13.9831
- Phone
- (740) 965-5433
- NCES private school ID
- A0302463
Source: NCES Private School Survey 2023-24.
Police stations (1)
-
Genoa Township Police DepartmentGalena
- Address
- 6921 Big Walnut Road, Galena, OH 43021
- Coordinates
- 40.18068, -82.91345
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.
Spills reported since 2021 (13)
-
Oil Hydraulic Fluid(S)2025-11-14 · Genoa Twp
- Reported
- 2025-11-14
- What spilled
- Oil Hydraulic Fluid(S)
- Largest amount reported
- 40 gallons
- Where
- Genoa Twp, Delaware County
- Ohio EPA district office
- CDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2511EPA0001863
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Propylene Glycol (C3H8O2)2025-09-04 · Genoa Twp
- Reported
- 2025-09-04
- What spilled
- Propylene Glycol (C3H8O2)
- Where
- Genoa Twp, Delaware County
- Ohio EPA district office
- CDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2509EPA0001494
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2024-12-05 · Genoa Twp
- Reported
- 2024-12-05
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Where
- Genoa Twp, Delaware County
- Ohio EPA district office
- CDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2412EPA0001972
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2024-09-06 · Genoa Twp
- Reported
- 2024-09-06
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Largest amount reported
- 50 gallons
- Where
- Genoa Twp, Delaware County
- Ohio EPA district office
- CDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2409EPA0001540
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Material Unknown2024-03-19 · Genoa Twp
- Reported
- 2024-03-19
- What spilled
- Material Unknown
- Where
- Genoa Twp, Delaware County
- Ohio EPA district office
- CDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2403EPA0000431
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Oil Hydraulic Fluid(S)2023-10-11 · Null
- Reported
- 2023-10-11
- What spilled
- Oil Hydraulic Fluid(S)
- Where
- Null, Delaware County
- Ohio EPA district office
- CDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2310EPA0001753
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Material Undetermined / Other2023-08-29 · Berkshire Twp
- Reported
- 2023-08-29
- What spilled
- Material Undetermined / Other
- Where
- Berkshire Twp, Delaware County
- Ohio EPA district office
- CDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2308EPA0001527
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Oil Motor / Lube Oil / Vehicle2023-03-29 · Genoa Twp
- Reported
- 2023-03-29
- What spilled
- Oil Motor / Lube Oil / Vehicle
- Where
- Genoa Twp, Delaware County
- Ohio EPA district office
- CDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2303EPA0000473
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2022-12-08 · Null
- Reported
- 2022-12-08
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road); Oil Hydraulic Fluid(S)
- Where
- Null, Delaware County
- Ohio EPA district office
- CDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2212EPA0001826
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2022-06-29 · Genoa Twp
- Reported
- 2022-06-29
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Largest amount reported
- 60 gallons
- Where
- Genoa Twp, Franklin County
- Ohio EPA district office
- CDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2206EPA0000979
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Asphalt / Bitumen2021-10-19 · Genoa Twp
- Reported
- 2021-10-19
- What spilled
- Asphalt / Bitumen
- Largest amount reported
- 100 gallons
- Where
- Genoa Twp, Delaware County
- Ohio EPA district office
- CDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2110EPA0001639
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2021-04-25 · Genoa Twp
- Reported
- 2021-04-25
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Largest amount reported
- 15 gallons
- Where
- Genoa Twp, Delaware County
- Ohio EPA district office
- CDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2104EPA0000564
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Oil Motor / Lube Oil / Vehicle2021-04-19 · Genoa Twp
- Reported
- 2021-04-19
- What spilled
- Oil Motor / Lube Oil / Vehicle
- Largest amount reported
- 2 gallons
- Where
- Genoa Twp, Delaware County
- Ohio EPA district office
- CDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2104EPA0000541
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 Genoa Township, Delaware County, with the share of its residents who live here and the same headline figures as the ZIP page.
| ZIP | Share | Water | Radon | Home value | Schools | Flood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43082 Genoa Township and Westerville | 61% | Alum Creek Reservoir intake at the Scott plant, Lewis Center Rd at Africa, Orange Township | 6.0 pCi/L average radon | Parcel list only | Westerville City · 3.5 stars overall | 0.5% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
| 43021 Genoa Township and Galena | 35% | Alum Creek Reservoir intake at the Scott plant, Lewis Center Rd at Africa, Orange Township | 6.2 pCi/L average radon | Parcel list only | Olentangy Local · 5 stars overall | 1.6% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
Local government
Who holds office in Genoa Township, Delaware County, how its elections and ballot issues came out, and the state auditor's record.
Money issues on the ballot since 2019: 3 of 4 passed; of those asking for new or higher taxes, 1 of 2.
Ballot issues
| Date | Issue | For | Against | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11-05 | Issue: Genoa Township Unincorporated - Proposed Tax Levy - Replacement and Decrease - Roads and Bridges - 1.89mills/5yrs - Comm 2024 | 9,092 | 7,215 | Passed (55.76% for) |
| 2024-11-05 | Issue: Genoa Township - Proposed Tax Levy - Additional - Fire - 7mills/continuing - Comm 2024 | 7,798 | 8,592 | Failed (47.58% for) |
| 2023-11-07 | Issue: Tax Levy - Renewal - Genoa Township - Parks and Recreation - 0.6 mill/5 yrs - Comm 2023 | 8,173 | 4,550 | Passed (64.24% for) |
| 2019-11-05 | Issue: Genoa Township - Excluding the City of Westerville - Tax Levy - Replacement and Increase - Roads and Bridges - 2.1 mills / 5 years - Commencing 2019 | 4,305 | 3,174 | Passed (57.56% for) |
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-07 | Township Trustee | Deborah Harris 1,099, 10.3%; Steve Mount 2,827, 26.49%; Renee Vaughan 6,747, 63.22% |
| 2023-11-07 | Township Fiscal Officer | Wendell Dalton 4,454, 43.6%; Patrick M. Myers 5,762, 56.4% |
| 2021-11-02 | Township Trustee | Mark Antonetz 3,941, 42.92%; Jed Bressman 2,580, 28.1%; Connie Goodman 2,662, 28.99% |
| 2019-11-05 | Township Trustee | Larry King 1,962, 27.62%; Renee Vaughan 5,141, 72.38% |
| 2019-11-05 | Township Fiscal Officer | Patrick M. Myers 5,663, 100.0% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Auditor of State record
- No fiscal caution, watch or emergency on the Auditor of State's lists.
- Financial Audit, 2023 to 2024, released 2025-12-04
- Compliance Examination, 2024, released 2025-07-24
- Compliance Examination, 2023, released 2025-07-24
The county
Delaware County: 11 ZIP codes, 26 cities, villages and townships, 214,126 people.
Nearby places
Quick answers
What county is Genoa Township, Ohio in?
Genoa Township, Delaware County is a township in Delaware County, Ohio, with 24,806 residents.
When was Genoa Township, Ohio founded?
Genoa Township, Delaware County was settled c. 1806; incorporated June 4, 1816 (set off from Harlem Township). Founders on record: Jeremiah Curtiss (first settler); Elisha Bennett (proposed the name). Source
How did Genoa Township, Ohio get its name?
Genoa Township was named by early settler Elisha Bennett for Genoa, Italy, the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. Source
What ZIP code is Genoa Township, Ohio?
Genoa Township, Delaware County is served by ZIP codes 43082 and 43021; 43082 holds the largest share of its residents.
Where does Genoa Township, Ohio get its water?
The main water source for Genoa Township, Delaware County (Del-co Water Company, Inc.): Alum Creek Reservoir intake at the Scott plant, Lewis Center Rd at Africa, Orange Township.
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Cite this page as:
Cracked Buckeye, "Genoa Township, Delaware County", https://crackedbuckeye.com/place/genoa-township-delaware-county/, built 2026-10-31, accessed [date].
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