Richland County History

SPACE TO THRIVE.

Many respected figures throughout history have called Richland County home, including:

• Jedediah Smith, who led some of the earliest expeditions into California and helped pioneer the Santa Fe Trail • Jarred Mansfield, a U.S. Surveyor General and director of the county’s planning (also who the city of Mansfield was named after when it was first settled in 1808) • John Chapman, more commonly known as “Johnny Appleseed”, who traveled the area planting apple trees that served the needs of new settlers. He is also known for his 26 mile run through the forest to Mt. Vernon in efforts to recruit help and warn other settlers of invasion. • Senator John Sherman, who served in both houses of Congress, as Secretary of State, and as Secretary of

Treasury (also the father of the Sherman Anti-trust Act and brother of General William Tecumseh Sherman) • Mathias Day, the founder of Daytona Beach, Florida • General Frank P. Lahm, one of the very first pilots trained by the Wright Brothers • Charles Follis, the first professional black football player (now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH) • Several writers including historian, Paul Angle and Shelby’s Dawn Powell • Louis Bromfield, who won a Pulitzer Prize in the 1920’s (Bromfield’s gift to Richland County was his home at Malabar Farm which is now a unique combination of farm and state park, and also where his good friend Humphrey Bogart married actress Lauren Bacall)

History is abundant in the area! During the Civil War, Richland County provided many officers and soldiers to the Union cause. The most famous unit was the Sherman Brigade which fought in many major battles. After the Civil War, the area turned to industry, producing buggies, steam tractors, stoves, and later, major appliances - including the first microwave oven manufactured for home use! The area continues to be the center of industrial production and technical innovation in areas such as steel, pumps, plastics, sensors, and even hydrogen fuel cells. Items produced in Richland County routinely supply both U.S. and foreign markets.

The Richland County area was also used by Hollywood directors for several big-budget movies, including, The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Escape Plan 3: The Extractors (2019), Tango & Cash (1989), and Air Force One (1997) using area sites including the Ohio State Reformatory, a historic prison built between 1886 and 1910.

The area continues to have much to celebrate, including the 120,000-plus people who call the area home, the beautiful location in the Appalachian foothills, and a blend of one-of-a-kind attractions ranging from the state’s finest gardens to a trail of classic movie scenes. Many consider the area “The Heart of Ohio”, referring to the fact that Mansfield, the county seat, is the largest city in the Mid-Ohio region. Richland County is also referred to as the “Racing Capital of Ohio” (based on a nationwide reputation of premier racing) and “Carrousel Capital of Ohio” (based on a history of carrousel making and enjoyment).

Richland County continues to be an energetic and collaborative community. The cost of living is well below average, making it affordable to buy a home or start a business. The county provides diverse cultural, recreational and social offerings. It also has easy access to surrounding areas because of the eight major highways that pass through the county, including Interstate 71 and US-30. Not only is this convenient for travelers, it also provides local businesses with ready access to their suppliers and positions them for wide-ranging connections to their customers. The fact that traffic jams are never an issue is also a huge benefit to the many people who live and do business in the Richland County area.