Fostoria (, foss TORR EE ə) is a city located at the convergence of Hancock, Seneca, and Wood counties in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 13,046 at the 2020 census, slightly down from 13,441 at the 2010 census. It is approximately 40 miles (64 km) south of Toledo and 90 miles (140 km) north of Columbus. The community grew substantially during the end of the 19th century, coinciding with the northwest Ohio gas boom. Typical of Rust Belt cities, Fostoria peaked in size in 1970.
At a Glance
- Counties: Seneca County, Hancock County and Wood County
- State: Ohio
History of Fostoria
Fostoria was created in 1854 with the merger of the communities of Rome and Risdon. The combination of both communities’ Methodist churches, on land donated by Charles W. Foster, led to the merger. To show their appreciation for Mr. Foster’s generosity, the new community was named Fostoria. Charles W. Foster’s son, Charles, became one of Fostoria’s most famous citizens, becoming the 35th governor of Ohio and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury under President Benjamin Harrison.
Fostoria is known for its glass heritage and railroads: two CSX main lines and one NS main line intersect in downtown Fostoria, an area called the "Iron Triangle." A natural gas boom in the 1880s, the railroad lines, and recruiting efforts by the community caused Fostoria to become home for numerous glass factories, including the Mambourg Glass Company (the city’s first glass factory), the Fostoria Glass Company, the Seneca Glass Company, the Novelty Glass Company, and others.
Although the boom in gas and glass is long over, railroads continue to be important to the community. More than 100 trains pass through Fostoria each day. The Fostoria Railroad Preservation Society, aided by a $815,760 grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation, completed a train viewing park in 2013 to help capitalize on the thousands of railfans who visit yearly.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article Fostoria, Ohio, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.