Fremont is a city in Sandusky County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located along the Sandusky River about 35 miles (56 km) southeast of Toledo and 25 miles (40 km) west of Sandusky. The population was 15,930 at the 2020 census.
The city was the home of Rutherford B. Hayes, who served as President of the United States from 1877 to 1881. The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center was the first presidential library and is one of the focal points of the city. The National Arbor Day Foundation has designated Fremont as a Tree City USA since 1986.
At a Glance
- County: Sandusky County
- County seat of Sandusky County
- State: Ohio
History of Fremont
Fremont is located on the former site of Junquindundeh, a historic Wyandot village on the west bank of the lower Sandusky River, near the falls and about 15 miles (24 km) upstream from its mouth at Sandusky Bay. French merchants established a trading post there in the 1750s, but British forces took over the trading post and rest of the area after their victory in the French and Indian War.
In 1787, the newly independent United States created the Northwest Territory to include all land west of the Ohio River. In 1803 the southeastern portion of the Northwest Territory was admitted to the Union as the new state of Ohio. Under the terms of Ohio’s statehood, the area of Lower Sandusky was defined as Indian Territory. American settlers who entered the area were in violation of the 1795 Treaty of Greenville, which was meant to preserve at least some land for the Native Americans. During the War of 1812 the United States Army considered removing by force the white settlers who were violating the Treaty of Greenville, but they did not carry out the threat.
Tensions with Great Britain increased in the early 1800s, and the United States government declared a boycott on all trade with the British, including those in Canada. In 1812, war was declared, and the U.S. Army built Fort Sandusky near the river to protect supply depots further upriver. The post was expanded in early 1813 and the name was changed to Fort Stephenson. In August 1813, British forces attacked and the Battle of Fort Stephenson took place. Major George Croghan and his garrison of 160 men successfully fought off the invaders.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article Fremont, Ohio, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.