London

City · Madison County · 10,284 residents · 1.5% municipal income tax

Madison County

Local events in London

49 events in the next 90 days from 7 public calendars. All local events in London

  1. Gymkhana

    All day · From Madison County Fair

  2. Read, Watch, Listen, Play, WIN

    All day · My London Library · Free · From London Public Library

Checked October 20; the events page is refreshed daily.

History from London

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

How London began

London was laid out in 1811 by surveyor Patrick McLene on land owned by John Murfin to serve as the seat of newly formed Madison County, and was named, without a recorded reason, after the English capital. It grew slowly as a courthouse and market town on the stagecoach routes of central Ohio, then faster after the railroad and the National Road-era Red Brick Tavern trade; its Second Empire courthouse (1890-92) and several Italianate merchant houses survive from that boom. London is now Madison County's county seat and largest city, with a population of about 10,300.

Settled 1811, platted 1811, by Patrick McLene, surveyor, on land owned by John Murfin.

Where the name comes from

London was named for the English capital; no reason for the choice survives in the official record of the 1811 town commission.

Before the town

No Native American site, village, or trail specific to the town plat of London itself is recorded in the sources checked. The county as a whole was Mingo, Shawnee, and Wyandot country before 1795: Jonathan Alder, Madison County's first Euro-American settler, was captured by a Shawnee party in Virginia in 1782 and adopted by Mingo chief Succohanos on the Mad River drainage, and after the 1795 Treaty of Greenville he settled on Big Darby Creek in what is now Canaan Township, a few miles from London. Nothing site-specific to the London plat itself has been found.

Nations recorded here: Shawnee, Mingo (Seneca-Cayuga), Wyandot.

Timeline

  1. — Madison County is organized (established March 1, 1810) and named for President James Madison.
  2. — Patrick McLene lays out London on land owned by John Murfin as the new county seat; the plat is certified before Associate Judge Samuel Baskerville on September 13, 1811.
  3. — First United Methodist Church's congregation builds London's first church, a log building.
  4. — London's population is recorded at 132.
  5. — Jeriah Swetland, who had settled in London in 1856 and prospered in business, purchases and plats undeveloped land southeast of downtown for resale.
  6. — The Swetland House, one of London's leading Italianate residences, is completed at 147 E. High Street for Jeriah Swetland.
  7. — Construction of the present Second Empire Madison County Courthouse begins, designed by architect George H. Maetzel; it is completed in 1892.
  8. — The Madison County Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (reference 73001504).
  9. — The April 3-4 Super Outbreak tornado that devastated Xenia also strikes London, toppling the Lady Justice statue atop the courthouse dome.
  10. — The Swetland House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (reference 83002007).
  11. — Nike features London's water tower, fire department, and high school in a national commercial promoting the Olympic Games.

Stories

A courthouse dome loses its Lady

On April 3, 1974, one of the largest tornado outbreaks in U.S. history tore through Ohio, flattening much of Xenia and killing more than 30 people statewide. The same system reached London, where the Second Empire-style Madison County Courthouse had stood since 1892 with a statue of Lady Justice atop its clock tower. The storm's winds toppled the statue from its perch, a small but visible mark of how far the outbreak's damage reached beyond Xenia. The courthouse itself, built of stone and finished with a mansard roof and glass ceiling inside, survived and remains the county's working courthouse today.

Six presidents at the Red Brick Tavern

A few miles east of London on the National Road, Stanley Watson built the Red Brick Tavern in 1836-37 on land given him by his father-in-law, leasing it to innkeeper John McMullen. Twenty-four guest rooms and a ground-floor kitchen and dining room served travelers on what was then the country's main east-west highway; over the years the tavern is said to have hosted six U.S. presidents, including John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Warren G. Harding. When the railroads drew traffic away from the National Road in the 1850s, the tavern's trade collapsed and it closed in 1859. The rise of the automobile brought travelers back to the old road, and in 1924 the Red Brick reopened as a restaurant, a use it has kept since.

Photographs

Madison County Courthouse, London, Ohio
Madison County Courthouse, London, Ohio (2005)
Photo: Derek Jensen (Tysto), public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Local history sources: en.wikipedia.org · heritagepursuit.com · touringohio.com · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · blog.jimgrey.net · en.wikipedia.org · madison.ohgenweb.org · commons.wikimedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org

Historic places

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

  1. First United Methodist ChurchBuilding · London · listed 1996
    Address
    52 N. Main St.
    Where
    London, Madison County · ZIP 43140
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1996
    NRIS reference number
    96000930
    Coordinates
    39.88725, -83.44978
  2. Madison County CourthouseBuilding · London · listed 1973
    Address
    Public Sq.
    Where
    London, Madison County · ZIP 43140
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1973
    NRIS reference number
    73001504
    Coordinates
    39.88672, -83.44909
  3. Swetland HouseBuilding · London · listed 1983
    Address
    147 E. High St.
    Where
    London, Madison County · ZIP 43140
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1983
    NRIS reference number
    83002007
    Coordinates
    39.88936, -83.44401

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 Madison County on the full map

Water

Local glacial sand-and-gravel wells (Madison County) The water here

Hospitals, fire stations and more

Inside London's boundary: 1 hospital, 1 health center, 1 dialysis center, 1 nursing home, 2 fire and EMS stations, 4 public schools, 1 private school, 1 library, 1 museum, 2 police stations, 2 public charging sites, 6 Toxics Release Inventory facilities and 2 spill cases. Press a pin or a name for its whole record and its source.

Hospitals (1)

  1. Madison County HospitalGeneral hospital · London
    What it is
    General hospital
    Address
    210 N Main Street, London, OH 43140
    County
    Madison County
    Beds
    78
    Helipad
    Yes
    Ownership
    Non-profit
    Medicare overall rating
    3 of 5 stars
    Emergency department (Medicare)
    Yes
    Medicare reports it as
    Madison Health
    Phone
    (740) 845-7000
    Medicare ID
    360189

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. Rocking Horse Center - Madison CountyHealth center · London
    Run by
    a federally qualified health center
    Setting
    Clinic
    City
    London
    Coordinates
    39.89418, -83.45427

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.

Dialysis centers (1)

  1. Fmc Dialysis Services Of LondonDialysis · London
    Address
    306 Lafayette St. Suite J, London, OH 43140
    Dialysis stations
    13
    Medicare star rating
    3 of 5 stars
    Services
    in-center hemodialysis
    Ownership
    for profit
    Chain
    Fresenius Medical Care
    Medicare certified since
    2002-02-11
    Phone
    (740) 845-1594
    Medicare ID
    362638

Source: CMS dialysis facility list, September 2026, geocoded with the Census Bureau batch geocoder (an address it could not place sits at its ZIP center).

Nursing homes (1)

  1. London Health & Rehab Center3 of 5 stars · London
    Address
    218 Elm St, London, OH 43140
    Certified beds
    78
    Residents on an average day
    73
    Medicare overall rating
    3 of 5 stars
    Health inspections
    3 of 5 stars
    Staffing
    2 of 5 stars
    Quality measures
    4 of 5 stars
    Penalties since 2023
    none
    Ownership
    For profit - Limited Liability company
    Chain
    SABER HEALTHCARE GROUP
    Takes
    Medicare and Medicaid
    Phone
    (740) 852-3100
    Medicare ID
    365241

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

Fire and EMS stations (2)

  1. London Fire Department and EMS Station 360London
    Address
    103 East High Street, London, OH 43140
    Coordinates
    39.88808, -83.44673
  2. London Fire Department and EMS Station 361London
    Address
    40 East Center Street, London, OH 43140
    Coordinates
    39.88353, -83.44301

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 (4)

  1. Buckeye Community School - LondonLondon
    Address
    177 W High St, London, OH 43140
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    230
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    5
    NCES school ID
    390163206181
  2. London Elementary School4 of 5 stars · London
    Address
    380 Elm St, London, OH 43140
    School district
    London City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    943
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    31
    Report card, 2025-26
    4 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    74.5%
    Ohio building IRN
    089599
    NCES school ID
    390442504216
  3. London High School4.5 of 5 stars · London
    Address
    336 Elm St, London, OH 43140
    School district
    London City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    650
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    31
    Report card, 2025-26
    4.5 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    80.1%
    Four-year graduation rate
    99.4%
    Ohio building IRN
    021287
    NCES school ID
    390442501182
  4. London PreschoolLondon
    Address
    510 Elm St, London, OH 43140
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    26
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    1
    NCES school ID
    390442506042

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 (1)

  1. St Patrick SchoolPrivate, Catholic · London
    Address
    226 Elm St, London, OH 43140
    Kind
    Catholic
    Students, 2023-24
    101
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    9
    Students per teacher
    11.2222
    Phone
    (740) 852-0161
    NCES private school ID
    01059676

Source: NCES Private School Survey 2023-24.

Public libraries (1)

  1. London Public LibraryCentral library · London
    Address
    20 E First St, London, OH 43140
    What it is
    Central library
    Library system
    London Public Library
    Open
    3,068 hours a year, 52 weeks
    Building
    12,500 sq ft
    System's visits, FY2024
    117,884
    System's loans, FY2024
    151,398
    People the system serves
    14,421
    Phone
    (740) 852-9543

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)

  1. Madison County Historical SocietyHistorical society · London
    What it is
    Historical society
    City
    London
    Coordinates
    39.89077, -83.43726

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

Source: IMLS Museum Data Files, 2018.

Police stations (2)

  1. London Police DepartmentLondon
    Address
    10 East 1st Street, London, OH 43140
    Coordinates
    39.88505, -83.44629
  2. Madison County Sheriff's OfficeLondon
    Address
    23 West High Street, London, OH 43140
    Coordinates
    39.88633, -83.44978

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. City of London6 Level 2 · London
    Address
    186 N Main St, London, OH 43140
    Ports
    6 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    AMPUP
    Hours
    Contact station for hours of availability
    Phone
    740-852-3243
  2. City of London - Cowling Park2 Level 2 · London
    Address
    175 N Main St, London, OH 43140
    Ports
    2 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    AMPUP
    Hours
    Contact station for hours of availability

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

Facilities reporting toxic releases (6)

  1. Armaly Brands Llc London PlantToxics Release Inventory · London
    Address
    110 W 1St St, London, OH 43140
    County
    Madison County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    43140THDLC110WE
    EPA registry ID
    110001619641
  2. Capitol Wood Preserving CoToxics Release Inventory · London
    Address
    138 South Maple Street, London, OH 43140
    County
    Madison County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    43140CPTLW138SO
    EPA registry ID
    110000382112
  3. Intelligrated Products, LlcToxics Release Inventory · London
    Address
    475 E High St, London, OH 43140
    County
    Madison County County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory
    EPA program ID
    4314WNTLLG475EH
    EPA registry ID
    110069992081
  4. Nissen Chemitec AmericaToxics Release Inventory · London
    Address
    350 E High St, London, OH 43140
    County
    Madison County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    43140LNDNN350EH
    EPA registry ID
    110000893551
  5. Stanley ElectricToxics Release Inventory · London
    Address
    420 E High St, London, OH 43140
    County
    Madison County County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory
    EPA program ID
    4314WSTNLY42EHI
    EPA registry ID
    110070790660
  6. Stanley Electric Us CompanyToxics Release Inventory · London
    Address
    420 E. High St., London, OH 43140
    County
    Madison County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    43140STNLY1627S
    EPA registry ID
    110000382121

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)

  1. Lime Sludge / Lime Slurry Reached water2024-11-08 · London
    Reported
    2024-11-08
    What spilled
    Lime Sludge / Lime Slurry
    Reached a waterway
    99 - Unnamed
    Where
    London, Madison County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2411EPA0001857
  2. Oil Petroleum Not Otherwise Specified (Nos)2023-03-09 · London
    Reported
    2023-03-09
    What spilled
    Oil Petroleum Not Otherwise Specified (Nos)
    Largest amount reported
    55 gallons
    Where
    London, Madison County
    Ohio EPA district office
    CDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2303EPA0000365

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 London, with the share of its residents who live here and the same headline figures as the ZIP page.

Local government

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

Ballot issues

DateIssueForAgainstResult
2021-11-02 Issue: City of London - Current Expenses 996632Passed (61.18% for)

Elections for office

DateOfficeCandidates and votes
2021-11-02 Treasurer Sue Mosier (REP) 1,191, 100.0%
2021-11-02 President of Council Henry Comer (REP) 1,198, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Member of Council, Ward 4 Bryan Robinson (REP) 276, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Member of Council, Ward 3 David Anthony Smith (REP) 97, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Member of Council, Ward 2 Richard M. Hays (REP) 363, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Member of Council, Ward 1 Andrew A. Hitt (REP) 380, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Member of Council at Large Gregory S. Eades 755, 21.73%; Joshua E. Peters (REP) 1,050, 30.22%; Brenda S. Russell 754, 21.7%; John J. Stahl (REP) 825, 23.74%; Write-In: Carla S. Blazer 80, 2.3%
2021-11-02 Auditor Kenna Combs (REP) 1,143, 100.0%
2021-05-04 Treasurer (REP primary) Sue Mosier 118, 100.0%
2021-05-04 President of Council (REP primary) Henry Comer 114, 100.0%
2021-05-04 Member of Council, Ward 4 (REP primary) Bryan Robinson 31, 100.0%
2021-05-04 Member of Council, Ward 3 (REP primary) David Anthony Smith 17, 100.0%
2021-05-04 Member of Council, Ward 2 (REP primary) Richard M. Hays 28, 100.0%
2021-05-04 Member of Council, Ward 1 (REP primary) Andrew A. Hitt 37, 100.0%
2021-05-04 Member of Council at Large (REP primary) Joshua E. Peters 110, 83.33%
2021-05-04 Auditor (REP primary) Kenna Combs 115, 100.0%
2019-11-05 Treasurer Sue Mosier (REP) 894, 100.0%
2019-11-05 President of Council Henry Comer (REP) 901, 100.0%
2019-11-05 Member of Council, Ward 4 Rex Castle (REP) 197, 100.0%
2019-11-05 Member of Council, Ward 3 David Anthony Smith (REP) 82, 100.0%
2019-11-05 Member of Council, Ward 2 Richard M. Hays (REP) 243, 100.0%
2019-11-05 Member of Council, Ward 1 Andrew A. Hitt (REP) 283, 100.0%
2019-11-05 Member of Council at Large Carla S. Blazier (REP) 672, 25.23%; Joshua E. Peters (REP) 765, 28.73%; Brenda S. Russell 619, 23.24%; John J. Stahl (REP) 607, 22.79%
2019-11-05 Mayor Patrick J. Closser (REP) 922, 100.0%
2019-11-05 Director of Law Jennifer J. Hitt (REP) 852, 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 Health Indicators (the Auditor of State's 17 measures; critical / cautionary / positive): 2020 1 / 3 / 13; 2021 0 / 1 / 16; 2022 0 / 2 / 15; 2023 1 / 1 / 15; 2024 1 / 3 / 13; 2025 1 / 2 / 13.
  • Financial Audit, 2024, released 2026-01-22
  • Financial Audit, 2023, released 2025-05-22

Rain and snow

How much has actually fallen on London, day by day, from 1900 to now. Daily totals, not averages.

rain, last 30 days
0.69 in
2026-09-30 to 2026-10-29
rain so far in 2026
44.2 in
8.5 in above normal for the date
snow so far in 2026
22.2 in
a normal year brings 20.5 in
a normal year
41.8 in
average of 30 years, 1991-2020
The last twelve months
MonthRain (in)Snow (in)Days counted
October 2026 0.69 — 29
September 2026 5.57 — 30
August 2026 8.17 — 31
July 2026 3.49 — 31
June 2026 3.41 — 30
May 2026 8.76 — 31
April 2026 2.70 — 30
March 2026 6.81 1.9 31
February 2026 2.74 3.9 28
January 2026 1.81 16.4 31
December 2025 2.49 9.0 31
November 2025 2.70 2.2 30
On the record, 1900–2026
Wettest year2011 — 57.8 in
Driest year1987 — 23.4 in
Snowiest year1926 — 55.0 in
Wettest day on record14 September 1979 — 5.15 in
Heaviest snowfall in a day19 March 1906 — 11.84 in
Deepest snow on the ground12 January 1996 — 22.74 in

Mostly estimated. Only 15% of these days come from a gauge standing inside London - the rest are worked out from the nearest gauges around it, so read them as close estimates rather than readings.

45,992 days of records, 1900-09-01 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 London: 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
67
those placed on the map inside London
What kind of permits
ProgramFacilities and sites
Wastewater and stormwater discharge19
State sewer loans10
Hazardous waste7
Public drinking water7
Voluntary cleanup7
Air pollution4
Sewer and water-line construction4
Contaminated-site cleanup2
State water loans2
Wetland and stream fill2
Brownfield1
Cessation Of Regulated Operations1
1 smaller programs
The latest filings
DateFacility or siteWhat
TOLLES TECHNICAL CENTER PWS Public drinking water compliance letter
ERNST ENTERPRISE INC LONDON Air pollution report
CANAAN COMMUNITY MHP PWS Public drinking water inspection
CANAAN COMMUNITY MHP PWS Public drinking water compliance letter
CANAAN COMMUNITY MHP PWS Public drinking water compliance letter
JOHNSON'S CREEK Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
LONDON CITY PWS Public drinking water plan
JOHNSON'S CREEK Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
BP AMOCO OIL CORP BULK PLANT LONDON Voluntary cleanup inspection
CANAAN COMMUNITY MHP PWS Public drinking water notice of violation
BP AMOCO OIL CORP BULK PLANT LONDON Voluntary cleanup notice of violation
MID-OHIO WSD-CHRISMAN AVENUE WTP PWS Public drinking water violation resolved
MID-OHIO WSD-CHRISMAN AVENUE WTP PWS Public drinking water notice of violation
LONDON WTP Wastewater and stormwater discharge report
LONDON CYPRESS CHURCH Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
CANAAN COMMUNITY MHP PWS Public drinking water report
US ROUTE 42 IMPROVEMENTS Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
BP AMOCO OIL CORP BULK PLANT LONDON Voluntary cleanup notice of violation
MID-OHIO WSD-CHRISMAN AVENUE WTP PWS Public drinking water report
ARMALY BRANDS LLC Air pollution report
BP AMOCO OIL CORP BULK PLANT LONDON Voluntary cleanup notice of violation
BP AMOCO OIL CORP BULK PLANT LONDON Voluntary cleanup notice of violation
BP AMOCO OIL CORP BULK PLANT LONDON Voluntary cleanup notice of violation
BUDDYS FLOORING SHOP Brownfield assessment
JOHNSON'S CREEK DEVELOPMENT Wetland and stream fill 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 London, Ohio in?

London is a city in Madison County, Ohio, with 10,284 residents.

When was London, Ohio founded?

London was settled 1811; laid out 1811. Founders on record: Patrick McLene, surveyor, on land owned by John Murfin. Source

How did London, Ohio get its name?

London was named for the English capital; no reason for the choice survives in the official record of the 1811 town commission. Source

What ZIP code is London, Ohio?

Most of London is in ZIP code 43140.

Where does London, Ohio get its water?

The main water source for London (Mid-ohio WSD - Chrisman Avenue WTP): Local glacial sand-and-gravel wells (Madison County).

Cite this page

Cite this page as:

Cracked Buckeye, "London, Madison County", https://crackedbuckeye.com/place/london/, built 2026-10-31, accessed [date].

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