Local events in Kalida
Nothing is posted for Kalida itself yet; here is what is on within 20 miles. All local events in Kalida
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Checked October 20; the events page is refreshed daily.
History from Kalida
People and inventions tied to this place, each with its sources. All people · All inventions
How Kalida began
Kalida, founded and named -- Greek for "beautiful" -- in 1834, was Putnam County's first seat of government, holding that role from the county's organization until the seat moved to Ottawa in 1866. The village incorporated in 1839 and today houses the Putnam County Historical Society Museum. South of the village, the Mat Unverferth Round Barn of 1910 once stood as a National Register listing before its destruction.
Platted 1834, incorporated 1839.
Where the name comes from
Kalida is a name derived from Greek meaning "beautiful."
Before the town
No Native American site or village specific to Kalida is recorded. Kalida lies in Union Township, outside the former Blanchard's Fork Ottawa Reserve that centered on the Blanchard River near modern Ottawa.
Timeline
- — Kalida is founded and named, and a post office opens the same year; it becomes the first Putnam County seat.
- — At its first session the Court of Common Pleas appoints Abraham Sarber town director; with the commissioners and the county surveyor he lays out Kalida on the southeast quarter of canal-land section 5, and the court meets first at his house.
- — Guthrie & Sarber build a grist mill on Hog Creek at Kalida, the second and then most important water mill in Putnam County.
- — Kalida incorporates as an Ohio village.
- — The legislature incorporates Kalida and a mayor and council are elected; the act is repealed on March 14, 1843, with the council kept in office to 1847 to settle the town's business.
- — A second, brick court house is completed at Kalida about 1839 or 1840, replacing a temporary frame one of about 1835.
- — The first issue of the Kalida Venture, the county's first newspaper, appears under editor Francis Gillette; later editors include Horace Knapp, James McKenzie and John Dixon.
- — A fire in the recorder's office at Kalida damages and destroys many county records.
- — The court house at Kalida burns entirely in the winter of 1864-65; county offices move into small brick buildings on the grounds until the seat is moved to Ottawa.
- — The Kalida Sentinel is established by Elam Day; it moves to Ottawa with the county seat as the Putnam County Sentinel.
- — The Putnam County seat transfers from Kalida to Ottawa.
- — The People's Bank Company of Kalida is organised.
- — The Mat Unverferth Round Barn is built on Road 17N south of Kalida.
- — The census counts 1,031 residents in Kalida.
- — The census counts 1,542 residents in Kalida.
- — The census counts 1,455 residents in Kalida.
Stories
The County Seat That Lost Its Seat
For thirty-two years, Kalida was the seat of Putnam County government -- founded, named, and platted in 1834 for that exact purpose, its Greek name chosen to advertise a beauty its founders hoped would draw settlers to a young village in recently drained swamp country. Incorporation followed in 1839, and for a generation Kalida functioned as the county's administrative and legal center, the place where deeds were filed and disputes settled. What Kalida kept was its identity as the county's memory-keeper: the village today houses the Putnam County Historical Society Museum, a fitting role for the place that once held the county's official records before it held only its history.
The county's money in a skirt
When the Kalida court house burned in the winter of 1864-65, county treasurer Nelson Howard McCracken and a Mr. Maple made strenuous efforts to get the county's safe out of the building. They could not move it, and had nothing to carry its contents in, until Mrs. McCracken, with ready presence of mind, gathered her dress skirt into a sack and had them throw the money into it. She carried the funds across to the McCracken house, where they were kept until a safe place was found, and not a dollar was missing. McCracken, who had served as treasurer from 1863 and was elected again in 1875 and 1877, was remembered by the county as a quick figure man and a man of integrity.
Photographs
Photo: Nyttend, public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Local history sources: en.wikipedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · archive.org · archive.org
Water
Groundwater wells (3 wells) The water here
- Kalida Village100% of residentsGroundwater wells (3 wells)
Hospitals, fire stations and more
Inside Kalida's boundary: 1 nursing home, 1 fire or EMS station, 2 public schools, 1 library, 1 museum, 2 Toxics Release Inventory facilities and 2 spill cases. Press a pin or a name for its whole record and its source.
Nursing homes (1)
-
Meadows of Kalida5 of 5 stars · Kalida
- Address
- 755 Ottawa Street, Kalida, OH 45853
- Certified beds
- 62
- Residents on an average day
- 54
- Medicare overall rating
- 5 of 5 stars
- Health inspections
- 5 of 5 stars
- Staffing
- 2 of 5 stars
- Quality measures
- 4 of 5 stars
- Penalties since 2023
- none
- Ownership
- For profit - Corporation
- Chain
- TRILOGY HEALTH SERVICES
- Continuing care retirement community
- Yes
- Takes
- Medicare and Medicaid
- Phone
- (419) 532-2961
- Medicare ID
- 365407
- Map point
- the ZIP's center (the address did not geocode)
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)
-
Kalida Volunteer Fire DepartmentKalida
- Address
- 108 South Broad Street, Kalida, OH 45853
- Coordinates
- 40.98261, -84.20092
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.
Public schools (2)
-
Kalida Elementary School4 of 5 stars · Kalida
- Address
- 208 North Fourth Street, Kalida, OH 45853
- School district
- Kalida Local School District
- Kind (NCES)
- Regular School
- Students, 2023-24
- 242
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 16.22
- Report card, 2025-26
- 4 of 5 stars
- Performance index
- 91.8%
- Ohio building IRN
- 018598
- NCES school ID
- 390493403565
NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Kalida High School4.5 of 5 stars · Kalida
- Address
- 301 N Third St, Kalida, OH 45853
- School district
- Kalida Local School District
- Kind (NCES)
- Regular School
- Students, 2023-24
- 365
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 23.31
- Report card, 2025-26
- 4.5 of 5 stars
- Performance index
- 92.3%
- Four-year graduation rate
- 97.8%
- Ohio building IRN
- 018606
- NCES school ID
- 390493403566
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)
-
Kalida BranchBranch · Kalida
- Address
- 301 North 3Rd Street, Kalida, OH 45853
- What it is
- Branch
- Library system
- Putnam County District Library
- Open
- 1,404 hours a year, 52 weeks
- Building
- 800 sq ft
- System's visits, FY2024
- 103,896
- System's loans, FY2024
- 236,789
- People the system serves
- 34,378
- Phone
- (419) 532-2129
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 (1)
-
Putnam County Historical SocietyHistorical society · Kalida
- What it is
- Historical society
- City
- Kalida
- Coordinates
- 40.98185, -84.20233
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.
Facilities reporting toxic releases (2)
-
Kalida Manufacturing IncToxics Release Inventory · Kalida
- Address
- 801 Ottawa St, Kalida, OH 45853
- County
- Putnam County
- Status
- Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
- EPA program ID
- 45853KLDMN81TTA
- EPA registry ID
- 110037144364
EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Unverferth Manufacturing Co IncToxics Release Inventory · Kalida
- Address
- 18107 Us Route 224 West, Kalida, OH 45853
- County
- Putnam County
- Status
- Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
- EPA program ID
- 45853NVRFR18107
- EPA registry ID
- 110000395750
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 (2)
-
Atrazine (C8H14Cln5)2025-03-13 · Kalida
- Reported
- 2025-03-13
- What spilled
- Atrazine (C8H14Cln5)
- Largest amount reported
- 200 gallons
- Where
- Kalida, Putnam County
- Ohio EPA district office
- NWDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2503EPA0000342
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Antifreeze Vehicle Cooling2022-01-20 · Kalida
- Reported
- 2022-01-20
- What spilled
- Antifreeze Vehicle Cooling; Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Largest amount reported
- 50 gallons
- Where
- Kalida, Putnam County
- Ohio EPA district office
- NWDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2201EPA0000058
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 Kalida, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45853 Kalida | 100% | Groundwater wells (3 wells) | Too few radon tests | Median year built 1979 | Kalida Local · 5 stars overall | 12% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
Local government
Who holds office in Kalida, how its elections and ballot issues came out, and the state auditor's record.
Money issues on the ballot since 2019: 2 of 2 passed; of those asking for new or higher taxes, 1 of 1.
Ballot issues
| Date | Issue | For | Against | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11-05 | Issue: Proposed Tax Levy (Replacement) - Village of Kalida | 572 | 283 | Passed (66.9% for) |
| 2019-11-05 | Issue: Kalida Village Tax Levy - Current Expenses (levy type not on the results report) | 190 | 59 | Passed (76.31% for), unofficial |
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-11-02 | Member of Council | Jason J. Birkemeier 172, 27.22%; Logan Hanneman 162, 25.63%; John J. Hopkins 142, 22.47%; Patrick Trentman 156, 24.68% |
| 2021-11-02 | Member of Board of Public Affairs | Ron Knueve 169, 100.0% |
| 2019-11-05 | Member of Council (unofficial count) | Craig Stechschulte 203, 52.45%; Michael P. Stechschulte 184, 47.55% |
| 2019-11-05 | Member of Board of Public Affairs (unofficial count) | Roger C. Dickman 203, 55.62%; John J. Schimmoeller 162, 44.38% |
| 2017-11-07 | Member of Council (unofficial count) | Jason J. Birkemeier 357, 28.98%; Logan D. Hanneman 319, 25.89%; John J. Hopkins, III 265, 21.51%; Patrick A. Trentman 291, 23.62% |
| 2015-11-03 | Member of Council (unofficial count) | Mike Stechschulte 449, 95.74%; WRITE-IN 20, 4.26% |
| 2015-11-03 | Member of Board of Public Affairs (unofficial count) | Roger C. Dickman 403, 55.74%; John J. Schimmoeller 320, 44.26% |
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 2025-12-02
The county
Putnam County: 13 ZIP codes, 31 cities, villages and townships, 35,849 people.
Nearby places
No nearby place shares a ZIP code with Kalida in the atlas yet.
Rain and snow
How much has actually fallen on Kalida, day by day, from 1893 to now. Daily totals, not averages.
- rain, last 30 days
- 0.86 in
- 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-29
- rain so far in 2026
- 34.9 in
- about normal for the date
- snow so far in 2026
- 16.0 in
- a normal year brings 23.5 in
- a normal year
- 39.0 in
- average of 30 years, 1991-2020
| Month | Rain (in) | Snow (in) | Days counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 0.86 | — | 29 |
| September 2026 | 4.15 | — | 30 |
| August 2026 | 6.01 | — | 31 |
| July 2026 | 3.80 | — | 31 |
| June 2026 | 4.15 | — | 30 |
| May 2026 | 3.87 | — | 31 |
| April 2026 | 6.34 | — | 30 |
| March 2026 | 3.96 | 0.9 | 31 |
| February 2026 | 0.66 | 3.5 | 28 |
| January 2026 | 1.13 | 11.7 | 31 |
| December 2025 | 1.70 | 7.4 | 31 |
| November 2025 | 1.38 | 5.4 | 30 |
| Wettest year | 2011 — 54.2 in |
|---|---|
| Driest year | 1963 — 23.1 in |
| Snowiest year | 2014 — 53.0 in |
| Wettest day on record | 19 August 2007 — 3.08 in |
| Heaviest snowfall in a day | 16 November 1932 — 10.64 in |
| Deepest snow on the ground | 2 March 1912 — 21.61 in |
Estimated, not measured. No rain gauge has ever stood inside Kalida, so every figure here is worked out from the gauges around it - the nearest ones weighted most. Treat them as close estimates rather than readings.
48,879 days of records, 1893-01-01 to 2026-10-29. 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 2026-10-31): correlation 0.9515, median absolute difference 0.217 in a month. Built 2026-10-31 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 Kalida: 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
- 7
- those placed on the map inside Kalida
| Program | Facilities and sites |
|---|---|
| Hazardous waste | 5 |
| Air pollution | 1 |
| Public drinking water | 1 |
| Date | Facility or site | What |
|---|---|---|
| UNVERFERTH MANUFACTURING CO INC | Air pollution permit | |
| SARKA BROTHERS MACHINING INC | Hazardous waste inspection | |
| B K TOOL AND DESIGN INC | Hazardous waste compliance letter | |
| UNVERFERTH MANUFACTURING CO | 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 Kalida, Ohio in?
Kalida is a village in Putnam County, Ohio, with 1,455 residents.
When was Kalida, Ohio founded?
Kalida was laid out 1834; incorporated 1839. Source
How did Kalida, Ohio get its name?
Kalida is a name derived from Greek meaning "beautiful." Source
What ZIP code is Kalida, Ohio?
Most of Kalida is in ZIP code 45853.
Where does Kalida, Ohio get its water?
The main water source for Kalida (Kalida Village): Groundwater wells (3 wells).
Cite this page
Cite this page as:
Cracked Buckeye, "Kalida, Putnam County", https://crackedbuckeye.com/place/kalida/, built 2026-10-31, accessed [date].
How to cite · Report a correction · Built 2026-10-31
