Local events in Salem Township, Shelby County
Nothing is posted for Salem Township itself yet; here is what is on within 10 miles. All local events in Salem Township, Shelby County
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Checked October 20; the events page is refreshed daily.
How Salem Township, Shelby County began
Salem Township was set off from Perry Township on June 5, 1826, taking the land northwest of the Miami River in the eastern part of Shelby County. Charles Weeks, its first settler, arrived about 1810-1811, and the township filled in over the following decade. Its one incorporated village, Port Jefferson, was platted in 1836 on the Miami and Erie Canal and briefly thrived as a canal warehouse and cooperage town before the railroad era passed it by. Today the township is farm country, with the unincorporated community of Maplewood in its north.
Settled 1810, incorporated 1826, by set off from Perry Township on June 5, 1826; first settler Charles Weeks, c. 1810-1811.
Where the name comes from
The township was formed from the portion of Perry Township lying north of the Miami River and was given the name Salem when it was set off in 1826; no source consulted explains why 'Salem' specifically was chosen.
Before the town
No mounds, earthworks, named villages, or treaty lines specific to Salem Township were found in the sources consulted. The township lies in the upper Great Miami and Mad River drainage that was Shawnee and Miami hunting ground before cession under the Treaty of Greenville (1795) and subsequent treaties.
Nations recorded here: Shawnee, Miami.
Timeline
- — Charles Weeks becomes the first settler in what will become Salem Township.
- — By this year the Hathaway, Gilbert, Jesse and Alexander Jackson, Elisha Kirtland and Caleb Goble families have all settled in the township.
- — Salem Township is created on June 5 from the part of Perry Township lying northwest of the Miami River.
- — Jonathan Counts surveys and plats Port Jefferson on August 11 with 93 lots.
- — Port Jefferson incorporates as a village, with E. H. West as its first mayor.
- — The Miami Christian Church organizes under Rev. James Skillen.
- — Port Jefferson organizes as a special school district.
- — The current Methodist Episcopal Church building at Port Jefferson is dedicated, its congregation's records predating 1830.
- — A brick schoolhouse is built at Port Jefferson at a cost of $7,745.
Stories
Port Jefferson's canal boom and quiet bust
For a couple of decades after its 1836 platting, Port Jefferson was a genuine canal town: five warehouses handled grain and goods moving on the Miami and Erie Canal, a grist mill and two potash-producing asheries ran alongside five general stores, and cooper shops making barrels and casks for the canal trade employed more than 150 workers. When railroads bypassed the village in favor of other routes, that trade dried up, and by the time the 1913 county history was written the population had settled at a modest 233. The 1862 Methodist church and 1877 brick schoolhouse that survive from the boom years are the clearest physical reminders of Port Jefferson's canal-era prosperity.
Photographs
Photo: Nyttend, public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Local history sources: ohiogenealogyexpress.com · ohiogenealogyexpress.com · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org
Water
Mostly private wells The water here
- Sidney City98% of residentsGroundwater wells (Great Miami River valley + Washington Twp) with Tawawa Creek/Miami R. backup
- Shelby County Water and Sewer2% of residentsGroundwater wells (2 wells)
- Anna Village0% of residentsGroundwater wells (3 wells)
Hospitals, fire stations and more
Inside Salem Township, Shelby County's boundary: 1 fire or EMS station and 1 spill case. Press a pin or a name for its whole record and its source.
Fire and EMS stations (1)
-
Maplewood Volunteer Fire DepartmentMaplewood
- Address
- 21421 Maplewood Road, Maplewood, OH 45340
- Coordinates
- 40.37662, -84.02944
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.
Spills reported since 2021 (1)
-
Oil Hydraulic Fluid(S)2024-01-08 · Salem Twp
- Reported
- 2024-01-08
- What spilled
- Oil Hydraulic Fluid(S)
- Largest amount reported
- 25 gallons
- Where
- Salem Twp, Shelby County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SWDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2401EPA0000036
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 Salem Township, Shelby 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45340 Salem Township and Maplewood | 80% | Mostly private wells | 0.6 pCi/L average radon | Median year built 1978 | Sidney City · 3 stars overall | 0.0% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
| 45365 Sidney | 4% | Primarily groundwater wells in the Great Miami River valley and Washington Township, with Tawawa Creek and Great Miami River surface intakes as backup supply | 5.2 pCi/L average radon | Median year built 1967 | Sidney City · 3 stars overall | 3.4% of residents in the 1% floodplain |
Local government
Who holds office in Salem Township, Shelby County, how its elections and ballot issues came out, and the state auditor's record.
Money issues on the ballot since 2023: 2 of 2 passed.
Ballot issues
| Date | Issue | For | Against | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-07 | Issue: Proposed Tax Levy (Renewal) - Roads Salem Township -No Village | 418 | 340 | Passed (55.15% for) |
| 2023-11-07 | Issue: Proposed Tax Levy (Renewal) - Fire Salem Township -No Village | 458 | 299 | Passed (60.5% for) |
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-07 | Township Trustee | Daniel A. Knoop 707, 100.0% |
| 2023-11-07 | Township Fiscal Officer | Kelly M. Cook 339, 46.0%; Beverly Gehle 398, 54.0% |
| 2019-11-05 | Township Trustee (unofficial count) | Daniel A. Knoop 428, 100.0% |
| 2019-11-05 | Township Fiscal Officer (unofficial count) | Catherine D. Platfoot 410, 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 2026-03-31
The county
Shelby County: 11 ZIP codes, 21 cities, villages and townships, 45,735 people.
Nearby places
Quick answers
What county is Salem Township, Ohio in?
Salem Township, Shelby County is a township in Shelby County, Ohio, with 1,768 residents.
When was Salem Township, Ohio founded?
Salem Township, Shelby County was settled 1810; incorporated 1826. Founders on record: set off from Perry Township on June 5, 1826; first settler Charles Weeks, c. 1810-1811. Source
How did Salem Township, Ohio get its name?
The township was formed from the portion of Perry Township lying north of the Miami River and was given the name Salem when it was set off in 1826; no source consulted explains why 'Salem' specifically was chosen. Source
What ZIP code is Salem Township, Ohio?
Salem Township, Shelby County is served by ZIP codes 45340 and 45365; 45340 holds the largest share of its residents.
Where does Salem Township, Ohio get its water?
The main water source for Salem Township, Shelby County (Sidney City): Mostly private wells.
Cite this page
Cite this page as:
Cracked Buckeye, "Salem Township, Shelby County", https://crackedbuckeye.com/place/salem-township-shelby-county/, built 2026-10-31, accessed [date].
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