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Van Wert

City · Van Wert County · 11,092 residents · 1.72% municipal income tax

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Van Wert County

Local events in Van Wert

4 events in the next 90 days from 3 public calendars. All local events in Van Wert

  1. Trick or Treat 2026

    5 to 7 p.m. · From City of Van Wert

  2. 2026 Salute to Small Business Awards

    11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. · Walnut & Main Event Space · From Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce

  3. D3 Honors Festival Concert

    3 to 5 p.m. · Van Wert, OH 45891, USA · From Bluffton Exempted Village School District

Checked October 20; the events page is refreshed daily.

History from Van Wert

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

How Van Wert began

Van Wert, the county seat, was platted in stages between 1835 and 1837 on land donated to Van Wert County by its founding proprietors -- James Watson Riley (son of the shipwrecked mariner and surveyor Capt. James Riley), Peter Aughenbaugh and George Marsh -- in exchange for the county seat being fixed there. Built on the edge of the Great Black Swamp and named, like the county, for Revolutionary War figure Isaac Van Wart, the town grew slowly through pioneer decades of malaria and mud before rail lines, oil, and the Liederkranz cheese plant carried it to a 20th-century population near 11,000, and later gave it, briefly, one of the strangest food-industry distinctions in the country.

Settled by 1835, platted first plat May 26, 1835; 236-lot 'Original Plat' filed May 25, 1837, incorporated incorporated as a town in 1848; city status in 1903, by James Watson Riley, Peter Aughenbaugh and George Marsh.

Where the name comes from

Named, like the county, for Isaac Van Wart, one of three militiamen who captured British Major John Andre in 1780 and exposed Benedict Arnold's plot to surrender West Point; Van Wart never visited Ohio.

Before the town

No Native village, mound or treaty site has been documented within the city's own footprint. The region has a Miami, Wyandot and Shawnee history, and an 1818 land cession opened this ground to survey and settlement. One specific, dated point of contact is recorded here: in 1840 a Native man the county's 1906 history calls Solomons (American rendering of the name Tawohesackwaugh) was tried for murder at Van Wert, among the last documented mentions of a named Native individual associated with the young county seat before Ohio's remaining tribes were removed west in the 1830s-40s.

Timeline

  1. — The first plat of Van Wert is filed in Mercer County (Van Wert County not yet being organized for government), laying out 78 lots between Water and Jackson, Cherry and Jefferson streets.
  2. — The 236-lot 'Original Plat of Van Wert' is filed May 25, dedicating the commons that later became the city's parks; proprietors James Watson Riley, Peter Aughenbaugh and George Marsh deed the county its odd-numbered lots to secure the county seat.
  3. — Van Wert incorporates as a town.
  4. — The Brumback Library is built with a bequest from John Sanford Brumback and dedicated January 1, 1901 -- the first county library established anywhere in the United States, its creation pushed through the state legislature after Grange discussions among county farmers.
  5. — Van Wert achieves city status.
  6. — A Borden Company plant in Van Wert becomes the only place in the world producing Liederkranz cheese.
  7. — An F4 tornado strikes Van Wert, killing two people; advance warning is credited with limiting casualties despite significant destruction, including at a local theater.
  8. — Ohio EPA places the city's water system under Findings and Orders after total trihalomethanes exceed the federal standard for four consecutive quarters; the city retains an engineering firm and, that same year, council approves a 10% water-only rate increase.

Stories

The first county library in America

When John Sanford Brumback, a Van Wert banker, died in December 1897, he left a bequest that eventually topped $50,000 toward a library -- money that landed at a moment when the Van Wert Library Association, founded by local women in 1890, had already been agitating for a public library the whole county could use, not just the town. The idea of a library funded and run at the county level, rather than by a single municipality, was considered close to impossible under Ohio law at the time, but the proposal found an unlikely engine: county Grange meetings, where farmers debated and ultimately backed the concept, helping push an enabling law through the state legislature. Architect David L. Stine designed a Richardsonian Romanesque building of rough-faced sandstone, with a corbeled round tower and battlements that still dominate its downtown corner, and the Brumback Library was dedicated on January 1, 1901, opening to the public four weeks later as the first county library ever established in the United States -- a model since copied nationwide, born from a small-town bequest and an argument among farmers about who a library was for.

The world's only Liederkranz cheese, and a debt repaid in stone

In 1926 the Borden Company opened a plant in Van Wert to produce Liederkranz, a soft, strong-smelling cheese invented around 1892 by a New York delicatessen clerk named Emil Frey, who was trying and failing to reproduce a German import and instead created something new, naming it for the German singing society (Liederkranz Club) whose members were his taste-testers. For decades Van Wert's Borden plant was the only place on earth making it, shipping a cheese so pungent it earned a devoted, slightly rueful following and sold for as much as eight dollars a pound before the plant eventually closed and production moved on. Decades later, several hundred Van Wert residents -- who had taken to calling themselves the town's 'Cheesemakers' -- raised money to help restore a war-damaged statue in Vimoutiers, France, the birthplace of Marie Harel, credited with inventing Camembert; it was a small, deliberate gesture from one cheese town to another, across an ocean, decades after the shelling that had knocked the original statue down in World War II.

Photographs

A real-photo postcard of commercial buildings on South Washington Street, Van Wert.
A real-photo postcard of commercial buildings on South Washington Street, Van Wert. (1909)
Photo: unknown photographer, postmarked postcard, public domain · Wikimedia Commons
A postcard of the Public Library (Brumback Library) in Van Wert.
A postcard of the Public Library (Brumback Library) in Van Wert. (1907)
Photo: Columbus Metropolitan Library, via Ohio Digital Network / Digital Public Library of America, public domain · Wikimedia Commons
A postcard of the Van Wert Water Works, built not long after the city's 1891 waterworks began drawing from Town Creek, its source to this day.
A postcard of the Van Wert Water Works, built not long after the city's 1891 waterworks began drawing from Town Creek, its source to this day. (1909)
Photo: Columbus Metropolitan Library, via Ohio Digital Network / Digital Public Library of America, public domain · Wikimedia Commons

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

Historic places

4 places in Van Wert on the National Register of Historic Places. Press a pin or a name for its whole record.

  1. Brumback LibraryBuilding · Van Wert · listed 1979
    Address
    215 W. Main St.
    Where
    Van Wert, Van Wert County · ZIP 45891
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1979
    NRIS reference number
    79001973
    Coordinates
    40.86893, -84.58379

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

  2. Kauke and McCurdy BlockBuilding · Van Wert
    Address
    Roughly bounded by Jackson St., Town Creek, Central Ave., and Cherry St.
    Where
    Van Wert, Van Wert County · ZIP 45891
    What it is
    Building
    Latest NPS certification action
    2021
    NRIS reference number
    100006140
    Coordinates
    40.86987, -84.58267

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

  3. Van Wert BandstandStructure · Van Wert · listed 1982
    Address
    Van Wert County Fairgrounds, OH 127
    Where
    Van Wert, Van Wert County · ZIP 45891
    What it is
    Structure
    Listed on the National Register
    1982
    NRIS reference number
    82001493
    Coordinates
    40.85637, -84.58614

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

  4. Van Wert County CourthouseBuilding · Van Wert · listed 1974
    Address
    121 E. Main St.
    Where
    Van Wert, Van Wert County · ZIP 45891
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1974
    NRIS reference number
    74001639
    Coordinates
    40.86997, -84.58185

    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 Van Wert County on the full map

Water

Town Creek via off-stream impounding reservoirs (1.01 billion gallons combined) The water here

  • Van Wert City100% of residentsTown Creek via two impounding reservoirs

Hospitals, fire stations and more

Inside Van Wert's boundary: 1 hospital, 1 health center, 1 dialysis center, 1 nursing home, 1 fire or EMS station, 1 college, 2 high-hazard dams, 5 public schools, 1 private school, 1 library, 1 museum, 2 police stations, 2 public charging sites, 1 Superfund site, 13 Toxics Release Inventory facilities and 9 spill cases. Press a pin or a name for its whole record and its source.

Hospitals (1)

  1. Van Wert County HospitalGeneral hospital · Van Wert
    What it is
    General hospital
    Address
    1250 South Washington Street, Van Wert, OH 45891
    County
    Van Wert County
    Beds
    111
    Helipad
    Yes
    Ownership
    Non-profit
    Medicare overall rating
    5 of 5 stars
    Emergency department (Medicare)
    No
    Phone
    (419) 238-2390
    Medicare ID
    360071

    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. Family Health Care of Northwest Ohio, Inc.Health center · Van Wert
    Run by
    a federally qualified health center
    Setting
    Clinic
    City
    Van Wert
    Coordinates
    40.85311, -84.59544

    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.

Dialysis centers (1)

  1. Fmc - Rcg Van WertDialysis · Van Wert
    Address
    140 Fox Rd Suite 405, Van Wert, OH 45891
    Dialysis stations
    12
    Medicare star rating
    3 of 5 stars
    Services
    in-center hemodialysis
    Ownership
    for profit
    Chain
    Fresenius Medical Care
    Medicare certified since
    2002-02-09
    Phone
    (419) 238-9333
    Medicare ID
    362639

    Medicare Care Compare ↗ CMS dialysis facility list (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

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. Van Wert Manor5 of 5 stars · Van Wert
    Address
    160 Fox Rd, Van Wert, OH 45891
    Certified beds
    62
    Residents on an average day
    52
    Medicare overall rating
    5 of 5 stars
    Health inspections
    4 of 5 stars
    Staffing
    4 of 5 stars
    Quality measures
    5 of 5 stars
    Penalties since 2023
    1 fine totalling $25,490 (latest 2025-05-08)
    Ownership
    For profit - Corporation
    Chain
    HCF MANAGEMENT
    Takes
    Medicare and Medicaid
    Phone
    (419) 238-6655
    Medicare ID
    365246

    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. Van Wert Fire DepartmentVan Wert
    Address
    515 East Main Street, Van Wert, OH 45891
    Coordinates
    40.87006, -84.57602

    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.

Colleges (1)

  1. Vantage Career CenterPublic career school · Van Wert
    What it is
    Public career school
    City
    Van Wert
    Students, 2023-24 (12-month count)
    247
    IPEDS unit ID
    418278

    College Navigator (NCES) ↗ IPEDS data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NCES IPEDS 2024 directory, 2023-24 enrollment and tuition, graduation rates for the 2017 (four-year) and 2020 (two-year) entering classes.

High-hazard dams (2)

  1. Van Wert Upground Reservoir No. 1Town Creek - Offstream · condition: fair
    Hazard class
    High: a failure would probably cost a life
    Condition
    Fair (assessed 04/30/2023)
    River or stream
    Town Creek - Offstream
    Purpose
    Water Supply;Recreation
    Type
    Earth
    Height
    22 ft
    Storage
    1,350 acre-feet
    Completed
    1949
    Owner type
    Local Government
    County
    Van Wert County
    Nearest town (NID)
    Van Wert
    Last inspection
    05/04/2022
    Emergency action plan
    No
    NID ID
    OH00768

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

  2. Van Wert Upground Reservoir No. 3Town Creek - Off Stream · condition: satisfactory
    Hazard class
    High: a failure would probably cost a life
    Condition
    Satisfactory (assessed 04/28/2023)
    River or stream
    Town Creek - Off Stream
    Purpose
    Water Supply;Recreation
    Type
    Earth
    Height
    26 ft
    Storage
    2,397 acre-feet
    Completed
    2007
    Owner type
    Local Government
    County
    Van Wert County
    Nearest town (NID)
    Van Wert
    Last inspection
    05/04/2022
    Emergency action plan
    Yes
    NID ID
    OH03144

    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)

  1. Van Wert Early Childhood Center4 of 5 stars · Van Wert
    Address
    1120 Buckeye Dr, Van Wert, OH 45891
    School district
    Van Wert City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    361
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    16
    Report card, 2025-26
    4 of 5 stars
    Ohio building IRN
    012905
    NCES school ID
    391002305672

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

  2. Van Wert Elementary School3 of 5 stars · Van Wert
    Address
    10992 State Route 118, Van Wert, OH 45891
    School district
    Van Wert City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    719
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    45.33
    Report card, 2025-26
    3 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    75.6%
    Ohio building IRN
    018135
    NCES school ID
    391002301884

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

  3. Van Wert High School3 of 5 stars · Van Wert
    Address
    10708 State Route 118, Van Wert, OH 45891
    School district
    Van Wert City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    585
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    28.34
    Report card, 2025-26
    3 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    72.1%
    Four-year graduation rate
    96.6%
    Ohio building IRN
    038265
    NCES school ID
    391002301888

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

  4. Van Wert Middle School4 of 5 stars · Van Wert
    Address
    10694 State Route 118, Van Wert, OH 45891
    School district
    Van Wert City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    373
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    30.33
    Report card, 2025-26
    4 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    73.7%
    Ohio building IRN
    020594
    NCES school ID
    391002301885

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

  5. Vantage Career CenterVan Wert
    Address
    818 N Franklin St, Van Wert, OH 45891
    Kind (NCES)
    Career and Technical School
    Students, 2023-24
    496
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    43
    NCES school ID
    390516704093

    NCES school record ↗ 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 (1)

  1. St Mary of The Assumption SchoolPrivate, Catholic · Van Wert
    Address
    611 Jennings Rd, Van Wert, OH 45891
    Kind
    Catholic
    Students, 2023-24
    78
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    9
    Students per teacher
    8.66667
    Phone
    (419) 238-5186
    NCES private school ID
    01061787

    NCES private school record ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NCES Private School Survey 2023-24.

Public libraries (1)

  1. Brumback LibraryCentral library · Van Wert
    Address
    215 W. Main St., Van Wert, OH 45891
    What it is
    Central library
    Library system
    Brumback Library
    Open
    2,366 hours a year, 52 weeks
    Building
    29,010 sq ft
    System's visits, FY2024
    52,000
    System's loans, FY2024
    103,639
    People the system serves
    24,724
    Phone
    (419) 238-2168

    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)

  1. Van Wert County Historical SocietyHistorical society · Van West
    What it is
    Historical society
    City
    Van West
    Coordinates
    40.87744, -84.58295

    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 (2)

  1. Van Wert County Sheriff's OfficeVan Wert
    Address
    113 North Market Street, Van Wert, OH 45891
    Coordinates
    40.87034, -84.58104

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

  2. Van Wert Police DepartmentVan Wert
    Address
    515 East Main Street, Van Wert, OH 45891
    Coordinates
    40.87017, -84.57635

    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. LEE KINSTLE CHEVROLET GMC 650 W Ervin Rd DC fast1 DC fast · 1 Level 2 · Van Wert
    Address
    650 W Ervin Rd, Van Wert, OH 45891
    Ports
    1 DC fast · 1 Level 2
    Plugs
    CCS, 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. Lee Kinstle GM1 Level 2 · Van Wert
    Address
    650 E Ervin Rd, Van Wert, OH 45891
    Ports
    1 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    Non-Networked
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Price
    Free
    Phone
    877-466-2189

    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 (1)

  1. Van Wert Mercury SiteSuperfund program · Van Wert
    Address
    412 East Main Street, Van Wert, OH 45891
    County
    Van Wert County
    Status
    Superfund program site, not on the National Priorities List
    EPA program ID
    OHSFN0507957
    EPA registry ID
    110009348107

    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 (13)

  1. Aeroquip CorporationToxics Release Inventory · Van Wert
    Address
    1225 West Main Street, Van Wert, OH 45891
    County
    Van Wert County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory
    EPA program ID
    45891RQPCR1225W
    EPA registry ID
    110000396027

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

  2. Braun Industries, Inc.Toxics Release Inventory · Van Wert
    Address
    1170 Production Dr, Van Wert, OH 45891
    County
    Van Wert County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (***unchanged***)
    EPA program ID
    4589WBRNND117PR
    EPA registry ID
    110012567187

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

  3. Federal Mogul CorpToxics Release Inventory · Van Wert
    Address
    150 Fisher Ave., Van Wert, OH 45891
    County
    Van Wert County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45891FDRLM150FI
    EPA registry ID
    110000396009

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

  4. Gkn Sinter MetalsToxics Release Inventory · Van Wert
    Address
    1180 Kear Road, Van Wert, OH 45891
    County
    Van Wert County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (closed)
    EPA program ID
    45891VNWRT1180K
    EPA registry ID
    110000396045

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

  5. Greif PackagingToxics Release Inventory · Van Wert
    Address
    975 Glenn St, Van Wert, OH 45891
    County
    Van Wert County County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory
    EPA program ID
    4589WGRFPC975GL
    EPA registry ID
    110070244459

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

  6. Greif Packaging Llc (0381020108)Toxics Release Inventory · Van Wert
    Address
    975 Glenn Street, Van Wert, OH 45891
    County
    Van Wert County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45891SNCFB975GL
    EPA registry ID
    110010296795

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

  7. Harter GroupToxics Release Inventory · Van Wert
    Address
    1255 Indl. Ave., Van Wert, OH 45891
    County
    Van Wert County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (closed)
    EPA program ID
    45891HRTRG1255I
    EPA registry ID
    110002114186

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

  8. Harter GroupToxics Release Inventory · Van Wert
    Address
    1220 E. Jackson, Van Wert, OH 45891
    County
    Van Wert County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45891THHRT1220E
    EPA registry ID
    110002114202

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

  9. Kennedy Manufacturing - Facility #1Toxics Release Inventory · Van Wert
    Address
    520 E Sycamore St, Van Wert, OH 45891
    County
    Van Wert County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45891KNNDY520EA
    EPA registry ID
    110038999769

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

  10. Kennedy Manufacturing Co.Toxics Release Inventory · Van Wert
    Address
    1266 Industrial Dr., Van Wert, OH 45891
    County
    Van Wert County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45891KNNDY1266I
    EPA registry ID
    110002114195

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

  11. Metals Recycling TechnologyToxics Release Inventory · Van Wert
    Address
    7680 Us Rt. 127N, Van Wert, OH 45891
    County
    Van Wert County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory
    EPA program ID
    TRI_OFFSITE_1344
    EPA registry ID
    110070690020

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

  12. Teijin Automotive Technologies, Inc. (0381020017)Toxics Release Inventory · Van Wert
    Address
    1276 Industrial Drive, Van Wert, OH 45891
    County
    Van Wert County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45891THBDD1276I
    EPA registry ID
    110000396036

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

  13. V-P BuildingsToxics Release Inventory · Van Wert
    Address
    1202 Industrial Dr, Van Wert, OH 45891
    County
    Van Wert County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45891VRCPR1202I
    EPA registry ID
    110042013308

    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. Paint Nos / Lacquer (Not Specified)2025-05-21 · Van Wert
    Reported
    2025-05-21
    What spilled
    Paint Nos / Lacquer (Not Specified)
    Where
    Van Wert, Van Wert County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2505EPA0000815

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

  2. Oil Petroleum Not Otherwise Specified (Nos) Reached water2024-12-09 · Van Wert
    Reported
    2024-12-09
    What spilled
    Oil Petroleum Not Otherwise Specified (Nos)
    Reached a waterway
    81 - Town Creek
    Where
    Van Wert, Van Wert County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2412EPA0001990

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

  3. Sewage Human2024-09-23 · Van Wert
    Reported
    2024-09-23
    What spilled
    Sewage Human
    Where
    Van Wert, Van Wert County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2409EPA0001641

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

  4. Sheen Rainbow / Hydrocarbon Reached water2024-03-27 · Van Wert
    Reported
    2024-03-27
    What spilled
    Sheen Rainbow / Hydrocarbon
    Reached a waterway
    81 - Town Creek
    Where
    Van Wert, Van Wert County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2403EPA0000477

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

  5. Material Unknown2024-01-26 · Van Wert
    Reported
    2024-01-26
    What spilled
    Material Unknown
    Where
    Van Wert, Van Wert County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2401EPA0000136

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

  6. Concrete2021-02-15 · Van Wert
    Reported
    2021-02-15
    What spilled
    Concrete
    Largest amount reported
    50 gallons
    Where
    Van Wert, Van Wert County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2102EPA0000203

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

  7. Mercury / Quicksilver (Hg)2021-02-10 · Van Wert
    Reported
    2021-02-10
    What spilled
    Mercury / Quicksilver (Hg)
    Where
    Van Wert, Van Wert County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2102EPA0000183

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

  8. Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2021-01-31 · Van Wert
    Reported
    2021-01-31
    What spilled
    Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
    Largest amount reported
    100 gallons
    Where
    Van Wert, Van Wert County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2101EPA0000135

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

  9. Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2026-07-02 · Van Wert
    Reported
    2026-07-02
    What spilled
    Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
    Largest amount reported
    70 gallons
    Where
    Van Wert, Van Wert County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2607EPA0001184

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

ZIPShareWaterRadon Home valueSchoolsFlood
45891 Van Wert 71% Town Creek via off-stream impounding reservoirs (1.01 billion gallons combined) 4.7 pCi/L average radon Median year built 1949 Van Wert City · 3.5 stars overall 4.1% of residents in the 1% floodplain

Local government

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

Ballot issues

DateIssueForAgainstResult
2021-11-02 Issue: Proposed Charter Commission Ballot City of Van Wert 539677Failed (44.33% for)
2020-11-03 Issue: Proposed Charter Commission Ballot City of Van Wert 2,0892,249Failed (48.16% for)

Elections for office

DateOfficeCandidates and votes
2023-11-07 President of Council (unofficial count) Andrew Davis 526, 19.08%; Thad R. Eikenbary 1,672, 60.65%; Kirby R. Kelly 559, 20.28%
2023-11-07 Member of Council, Ward 3 (unofficial count) Julie M. Moore 582, 100.0%
2023-11-07 Member of Council, Ward 2 (unofficial count) Jordan Dettrow 556, 100.0%
2023-11-07 Member of Council, Ward 1 (unofficial count) Jeff Agler 290, 63.32%; Kurt Schalois 168, 36.68%
2023-11-07 Member of Council at Large (unofficial count) Judy Bowers 1,579, 28.38%; Joe Jared 776, 13.95%; Jeff Kallas 1,555, 27.95%; Jana L. Ringwald 1,653, 29.71%
2023-11-07 Mayor (unofficial count) Linda Agler Evans 632, 20.78%; Frederick Fisher 778, 25.58%; Kenneth J. Markward 1,631, 53.63%
2023-11-07 Director of Law (unofficial count) John E. Hatcher 2,388, 100.0%
2023-11-07 Auditor (unofficial count) Erika Blackmore 2,422, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Treasurer Charles A. White (REP) 915, 100.0%
2021-11-02 President of Council Gerald T. Mazur (REP) 868, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Member of Council, Ward 4 Andrew Davis (REP) 382, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Member of Council, Ward 3 Julie M. Moore (REP) 231, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Member of Council, Ward 2 Jordan Dettrow (DEM) 120, 46.15%; David H. Stinnett (REP) 140, 53.85%
2021-11-02 Member of Council, Ward 1 Jeff Agler (DEM) 79, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Member of Council at Large Judy Agler-Bowers (REP) 730, 31.53%; Jeffrey H. Kallas (REP) 779, 33.65%; H. Bill Marshall (REP) 806, 34.82%
2021-11-02 Member of Charter Commission Jon C. Tomlinson 426, 5.87%; Mark Verville 329, 4.53%; Bradley D. Custis 173, 2.38%; Andrew G. Bashore 364, 5.02%; Eric Hurless 464, 6.39%; Dennis K. Williams 140, 1.93%; Hall Block 176, 2.43%; Troy Miller 344, 4.74%; Mitch Price 488, 6.73%; Burdette Bolenbaugh 245, 3.38%; Judith Sampson 240, 3.31%; Martha W. Balyeat 453, 6.24%; Mariea Moreland 285, 3.93%; Krista Somerton 228, 3.14%; Robert Laing 537, 7.4%; Nate Hoverman 500, 6.89%; Pat Crummey 394, 5.43%; Chad Dicke 249, 3.43%; Anthony Adams 287, 3.96%; Veronica Cuevas 296, 4.08%; Kirby R. Kelly 197, 2.71%; Stephen Joseph Jared 132, 1.82%; Linda L. Sidle 309, 4.26%
2021-05-04 Treasurer (REP primary) Charles A. White 479, 100.0%
2021-05-04 President of Council (REP primary) Kirby R. Kelly 275, 45.68%; Gerald T. Mazur 327, 54.32%
2021-05-04 Member of Council, Ward 4 (REP primary) Andrew Davis 223, 100.0%
2021-05-04 Member of Council, Ward 2 (REP primary) David H. Stinnett 98, 100.0%
2021-05-04 Member of Council at Large (REP primary) Judy Agler-Bowers 430, 28.51%; Stephen Joseph Jared 178, 11.8%; Jeffrey H. Kallas 422, 27.98%; H, Bill Marshall 478, 31.7%
2019-11-05 President of Council (unofficial count) Jon Tomlinson (REP) 1,873, 100.0%
2019-11-05 Member of Council, Ward 4 (unofficial count) Andrew Davis (REP) 689, 100.0%
2019-11-05 Member of Council, Ward 3 (unofficial count) Steven Hellman (REP) 461, 100.0%
2019-11-05 Member of Council, Ward 2 (unofficial count) Joi M. Mergy (REP) 394, 100.0%

Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.

Auditor of State record

The county

Van Wert County: 9 ZIP codes, 19 cities, villages and townships, 24,264 people.

Nearby places

Pleasant Township, Van Wert County Ridge Township, Van Wert County Hoaglin Township, Van Wert County Union Township, Van Wert County York Township, Van Wert County Harrison Township, Van Wert County Liberty Township, Van Wert County

Rain and snow

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

rain, last 30 days
0.60 in
2026-09-30 to 2026-10-29
rain so far in 2026
42.4 in
7.7 in above normal for the date
snow so far in 2026
17.2 in
a normal year brings 21.8 in
a normal year
40.4 in
average of 30 years, 1991-2020
The last twelve months
MonthRain (in)Snow (in)Days counted
October 2026 0.60 — 29
September 2026 6.07 — 30
August 2026 9.23 — 31
July 2026 2.55 — 31
June 2026 5.24 — 30
May 2026 3.94 — 31
April 2026 8.90 — 30
March 2026 4.18 — 31
February 2026 0.38 2.0 28
January 2026 1.32 15.2 31
December 2025 1.03 4.0 31
November 2025 1.62 5.5 30
On the record, 1893–2026
Wettest year2015 — 56.3 in
Driest year1953 — 25.2 in
Snowiest year1977 — 62.9 in
Wettest day on record21 August 2007 — 6.35 in
Heaviest snowfall in a day26 January 1904 — 12.01 in
Deepest snow on the ground18 February 2014 — 25.00 in

81% of these days are measurements from a gauge inside Van Wert; the rest are estimated from the nearest gauges around it.

47,763 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 Van Wert: 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
59
those placed on the map inside Van Wert
What kind of permits
ProgramFacilities and sites
Hazardous waste21
Wastewater and stormwater discharge11
Air pollution9
State sewer loans6
Voluntary cleanup3
Composting2
Sewer and water-line construction2
Contaminated-site cleanup1
Landfills1
Municipal Solid Waste Transfer Facilities1
Public drinking water1
Wetland and stream fill1
The latest filings
DateFacility or siteWhat
DANFOSS POWER SOLUTIONS II LLC Air pollution report
AKERS PACKAGING SERVICE GROUP Air pollution inspection
DANFOSS POWER SOLUTIONS II LLC Air pollution permit
FEDERAL MOGUL POWERTRAIN LLC Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
DANFOSS POWER SOLUTIONS II LLC Hazardous waste inspection
PIR 2061 - GEORGE AND LYNN Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
BRAUN INDUSTRIES INC Air pollution notice of violation
DANFOSS POWER SOLUTIONS II LLC Air pollution permit
VAN WERT MANUFACTURED GAS PLANT FORMER Voluntary cleanup covenant
YOUNG'S WASTE SERVICE LTD Municipal Solid Waste Transfer Facilities report
BRAUN INDUSTRIES INC Air pollution report
FORTMAN'S CRESENT LINEN SERVICE LLC Air pollution report
CQT KENNEDY LLC Air pollution report
SCOTT EQUITY EXCHANGE CO Air pollution report
VAN WERT COUNTY COMPOSTING FACILITY Composting violation resolved
VAN WERT COUNTY COMPOSTING FACILITY Composting report
CITY OF VAN WERT - CSO IMPROVEMENTS Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
TOWNHOMES AT DICKINSON FARMS Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
HAMPTON INN & SUITES Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
CAMP CLAY NATURE CENTER [YMCA] PWS Public drinking water report
FEDERAL MOGUL POWERTRAIN LLC Wastewater and stormwater discharge inspection
YOUNG'S WASTE SERVICE LTD Municipal Solid Waste Transfer Facilities inspection
WASHINGTON PLACE SUBDIVISION Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
BRAUN INDUSTRIES INC Air pollution permit
VAN WERT WWTP Sewer and water-line construction 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 Van Wert, Ohio in?

Van Wert is a city in Van Wert County, Ohio, with 11,092 residents.

When was Van Wert, Ohio founded?

Van Wert was settled by 1835; laid out first plat May 26, 1835; 236-lot 'Original Plat' filed May 25, 1837; incorporated incorporated as a town in 1848; city status in 1903. Founders on record: James Watson Riley, Peter Aughenbaugh and George Marsh. Source

How did Van Wert, Ohio get its name?

Named, like the county, for Isaac Van Wart, one of three militiamen who captured British Major John Andre in 1780 and exposed Benedict Arnold's plot to surrender West Point; Van Wart never visited Ohio. Source

What ZIP code is Van Wert, Ohio?

Most of Van Wert is in ZIP code 45891.

Where does Van Wert, Ohio get its water?

The main water source for Van Wert (Van Wert City): Town Creek via off-stream impounding reservoirs (1.01 billion gallons combined).

Cite this page as:

Cracked Buckeye, "Van Wert, Van Wert County", https://crackedbuckeye.com/place/van-wert/, built 2026-10-31, accessed [date].

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