Plain City, Ohio

Downtown Plain City, 1906

Dedication of flag pole, 1917

Until about 1800, the Ohio Country was inhabited by Mingo and Wyandot Indians, and there was an Indian village just north of present-day Plain City.[7] After 1795, as white settlers began moving into the region, the area around present-day Plain City was referred to as Pleasant Valley. This name remained in use into the 20th century, appearing in the Ohio Guide of the late Depression era.[8]

In 1814, Isaac Bigelow travelled to the area from Centre County, Pennsylvania to pay for land purchased from his uncle,[9] then returned to Pennsylvania to study medicine with his father. He returned in 1817, and settled in the Pleasant Valley area in 1818. He hired a surveyor named David Chapman, and laid out the town of Westminster on June 11, 1818.[9][10] At the time, Westminster lay wholly within Darby Township in Madison County. In 1820, when Union County was formed, the county line was moved to the middle of Westminster. In 1823, the previous survey was resurveyed, additional territory was incorporated, and the town's name was changed from Westminster to Pleasant Valley.[9][10] From 1832 to 1851, there were six additions to the town limits.[10] In 1851, due to there already being another town in Ohio named Pleasant Valley, the town changed its name to Plain City.[10]

Previous to 1850, Plain City was a smaller trading point than Amity, but after a trunk-line for the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad was laid through its corporation limits, business and manufacturing increased dramatically.[10] The corporation limits were extended in 1868.[11] As of 1875, the town contained five churches, one newspaper, one bank, one brick planing mill, one flour mill, four dry goods stores, three drug stores, three grocery stores, one jewelry store, one hotel, one carriage and wagon store, two harness shops, two wagon shops, two blacksmith shops, and a boot and shoe store.[11]

The Farmers National Bank, a building at the intersection of State Route 161 and Chillicothe Street was built in 1902, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.[12] The town clock, located at the same intersection, was dedicated on November 15, 1902.[10]

An Amish settlement at Plain City, that was founded in 1896, finally dissolved in 2011.[13]

Plain City is located at the juncture of U.S. Route 42 and State Route 161, eight minutes from Dublin and 12 minutes from Marysville.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.40 square miles (6.22 km²), of which 2.38 square miles (6.16 km²) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km²) is water.[14]

Clock tower, 2013

Farmers National Bank building, 2010

Plain City Police vehicle, 2009

The population of Plain City was about 700 in 1875,[11] 1,245 in 1890, 1,432 in 1900, 1,407 in 1910,[16] and about 1,500 in 1915.[10]

Tractors on display at the 2009 Miami Valley Steam Threshers show at Pastime Park

The village's public park is Pastime Park, and features baseball and softball diamonds, camping facilities, a 0.5 miles (0.80 km) nature walking path, two children's play parks, and the village's public pool, Pastime Pool.[17]

Each year, during the month of July, the village hosts the Miami Valley Steam Threshers show at Pastime Park, which showcases antique tractors, steam threshers and other farm equipment.[18]

The village and surrounding area is serviced by the Jonathan Alder Local School District and Jonathan Alder High School.

Plain City is served by the Plain City Public Library, holding over 64,000 volumes with over 125 periodical subscriptions.[19]

• Jonathan Alder - Pioneer
• Israel Beachy - Musician
• James Dillion - 1952 Summer Olympics bronze medalist
• Arnett Howard - Musician
• Herbert Huffman - Musician and choir director, founder of the American Boychoir School
• Donnie Nickey - NFL player

• Official website
• Plain City Public Library