Galion, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Settlers arrived in the area as early as 1817. The location was at the crossroads of a north-south road from Columbus
to Portland
(now known as Sandusky), and the east-west route that later became (part of) the Lincoln Highway
and subsequently the Harding Highway.
The name Galion was suggested in 1824 by a postmaster as a unique name when the city first obtained a post office, because the name that was originally proposed would have duplicated the names of other requested Ohio post offices. It is not known for certain whether the name was intended to have any particular meaning otherwise, although several possible etymologies have been posited. The first plat of the settlement, recorded in Richland County, actually gave the community's name as "Greensburg."
A date often given for the founding of the city is 1831.
Galion was the birthplace of Orville J. Nave
in 1841. Nave was a chaplain in the United States Army
and the editor of Nave's Topical Bible
, a widely-used reference work first published in 1896.
Galion was also home to William Montgomery Brown
, a bishop of the Episcopal Church
who was tried by the church and convicted of heresy
. The first northerner elected as a bishop in a former Confederate state after the Civil War
, Brown was, according to his obituary, "the first Bishop of his communion to be tried for heresy since the Reformation, and the first of any creed in America to be disposed for heretical teachings." His house, Brownella Cottage, is owned and operated by the Galion Historical Society, and the Galion History Museum is located in the carriage house on the Brownella grounds.
The Erie Railroad
also ran through Galion and established large rail yards here, making the city an important rail center.
In April, 1851 the Cleveland Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad, later known as the "Big Four" and eventually the New York Central
, began operating regular service between Columbus
and Cleveland
, stopping at Galion along the way. Prior to the end of the 19th century, Galion became a division headquarters for the line.
Galion boasted two large railroad depots, the Big Four Depot on Washington Street, and the Erie Depot (now demolished) on South Market Street. With the move of the Erie yards to Marion in the 1910s, the railroads declined, although the city remained a passenger rail center into the 1960s. The Big Four Depot was abandoned; however, it has since been acquired by the City of Galion and is undergoing a slow but thorough restoration.
From 1915 to 1923, Galion was on the original route of the Lincoln Highway
, America's first coast-to-coast route. In later years, however, the northern route was improved and became US30North, although until approximately 1970 the route through Galion was designated as US30South. The new, four-lane US30 opened in 2005, and passes just north of town, giving the community excellent transportation access.
State routes in Galion include 309
, which connects Marion
to the southwest with Ontario
to the east; 598, which originates in Galion and stretches northward; 19
, which heads westward toward the county seat
and also south toward Williamsport; 61, which goes south towards Morrow and Delaware Counties and north to Lake Erie, and 97, which goes east through Lexington
.
, later purchased by Dresser Industries
and then by Komatsu. As of 2000, the plant in Galion operated with a reduced work force, and products manufactured there are no longer branded with the Galion name.
Galion was once home to North Electric Company, a prime supplier of telephone switching systems for government and international markets. It was also producer of the Ericofon
, the first ever one-piece telephone designed by Ralph Lysell and Hugo Blomberg. Founded in 1884 by Charles N. North, the company became part of Ericsson
in 1951. It was purchased by ITT
in the mid 1970s and operated as ITT PowerSystems until the late 1980s, when it was sold to a private consortium. The company exists in Galion today as Peco II. The name is derived from North Electric Company's purchase of Power Equipment Company (PECO) in 1960. Peco II purchased the telecommunications product line and associated assets from ITT
in 1988.
Perfection Cobey was a manufacturer of dump truck bodies and other truck components.
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
to Portland
Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Erie County. It is located in northern Ohio and is situated on the shores of Lake Erie, almost exactly half-way between Toledo to the west and Cleveland to the east....
(now known as Sandusky), and the east-west route that later became (part of) the Lincoln Highway
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
and subsequently the Harding Highway.
The name Galion was suggested in 1824 by a postmaster as a unique name when the city first obtained a post office, because the name that was originally proposed would have duplicated the names of other requested Ohio post offices. It is not known for certain whether the name was intended to have any particular meaning otherwise, although several possible etymologies have been posited. The first plat of the settlement, recorded in Richland County, actually gave the community's name as "Greensburg."
A date often given for the founding of the city is 1831.
Galion was the birthplace of Orville J. Nave
Orville Nave
Orville James Nave was an American Methodist theologian and chaplain in the United States Army. He is best known for compiling Nave's Topical Bible, an index of topics addressed in the Christian Bible.-Early life:...
in 1841. Nave was a chaplain in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and the editor of Nave's Topical Bible
Nave's Topical Bible
Nave's Topical Bible is a book written by Orville James Nave and published by Thomas Nelson Publishers. Nave was a chaplain in the United States Army and referred to his work as "the result of fourteen years of delight and untiring study of the Word of God." It is a topical concordance of the...
, a widely-used reference work first published in 1896.
Galion was also home to William Montgomery Brown
William Montgomery Brown
William Montgomery Brown , sometimes called "Bad Bishop" Brown, was an Anglican clergyman and author. Brown, of Galion, Ohio was consecrated a Bishop of the Episcopal Church, but is best remembered as the first Anglican Bishop to be tried for heresy since the Reformation, and the first of any creed...
, a bishop of the Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
who was tried by the church and convicted of heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
. The first northerner elected as a bishop in a former Confederate state after the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Brown was, according to his obituary, "the first Bishop of his communion to be tried for heresy since the Reformation, and the first of any creed in America to be disposed for heretical teachings." His house, Brownella Cottage, is owned and operated by the Galion Historical Society, and the Galion History Museum is located in the carriage house on the Brownella grounds.
Transportation
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
also ran through Galion and established large rail yards here, making the city an important rail center.
In April, 1851 the Cleveland Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad, later known as the "Big Four" and eventually the New York Central
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
, began operating regular service between Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
and Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, stopping at Galion along the way. Prior to the end of the 19th century, Galion became a division headquarters for the line.
Galion boasted two large railroad depots, the Big Four Depot on Washington Street, and the Erie Depot (now demolished) on South Market Street. With the move of the Erie yards to Marion in the 1910s, the railroads declined, although the city remained a passenger rail center into the 1960s. The Big Four Depot was abandoned; however, it has since been acquired by the City of Galion and is undergoing a slow but thorough restoration.
From 1915 to 1923, Galion was on the original route of the Lincoln Highway
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
, America's first coast-to-coast route. In later years, however, the northern route was improved and became US30North, although until approximately 1970 the route through Galion was designated as US30South. The new, four-lane US30 opened in 2005, and passes just north of town, giving the community excellent transportation access.
State routes in Galion include 309
Ohio State Highway 309
State Route 309 is an east–west highway in central Ohio. Its western terminus is at its interchange with U.S. 30 near Delphos, Ohio, and its eastern terminus is at its interchange with U.S. 30 in Mansfield, Ohio...
, which connects Marion
Marion, Ohio
Marion is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Marion County. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio, approximately north of Columbus....
to the southwest with Ontario
Ontario, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,303 people, 2,186 households, and 1,554 families residing in the city. The population density was 485.7 people per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 92.36% White, 4.11% African American, 0.04% Native American, 1.58% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander,...
to the east; 598, which originates in Galion and stretches northward; 19
Ohio State Highway 19
State Route 19 is a north–south route in northern and central Ohio. Its southern terminus is at U.S. Route 42 in the unincorporated village of Williamsport, and its northern terminus is at State Route 2 north of Oak Harbor.-History:...
, which heads westward toward the county seat
Bucyrus, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,224 people, 5,559 households, and 3,552 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,812.0 people per square mile . There were 5,955 housing units at an average density of 816.0 per square mile...
and also south toward Williamsport; 61, which goes south towards Morrow and Delaware Counties and north to Lake Erie, and 97, which goes east through Lexington
Lexington, Ohio
Lexington is a village in Richland County in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is part of the Mansfield, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,822 at the 2010 census, an increase from 4,165 in 2000....
.
Industry
The Galion brand of heavy equipment (such as road graders, road rollers, and earthmovers) was manufactured in Galion Iron WorksGalion Iron Works
Galion Iron Works is the name of the company that build Galion brand construction equipment. World famous for their graders that shaped the roads of the world, a saying emerged that "All roads lead to Galion." They also manufactured rollers, cranes, asphalt millers and even riding sqeegees among...
, later purchased by Dresser Industries
Dresser Industries
Dresser Industries was a multinational corporation headquartered in Dallas, Texas, United States, which provided a wide range of technology, products, and services used for developing energy and natural resources...
and then by Komatsu. As of 2000, the plant in Galion operated with a reduced work force, and products manufactured there are no longer branded with the Galion name.
Galion was once home to North Electric Company, a prime supplier of telephone switching systems for government and international markets. It was also producer of the Ericofon
Ericofon
The Ericofon, or Cobra Phone is a plastic one-piece telephone created by the Ericsson Company and marketed throughout the second half of the 20th century. It was the first commercially marketed telephone design to incorporate the dial and handset into a single unit...
, the first ever one-piece telephone designed by Ralph Lysell and Hugo Blomberg. Founded in 1884 by Charles N. North, the company became part of Ericsson
Ericsson
Ericsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...
in 1951. It was purchased by ITT
ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation is a global diversified manufacturing company based in the United States. ITT participates in global markets including water and fluids management, defense and security, and motion and flow control...
in the mid 1970s and operated as ITT PowerSystems until the late 1980s, when it was sold to a private consortium. The company exists in Galion today as Peco II. The name is derived from North Electric Company's purchase of Power Equipment Company (PECO) in 1960. Peco II purchased the telecommunications product line and associated assets from ITT
ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation is a global diversified manufacturing company based in the United States. ITT participates in global markets including water and fluids management, defense and security, and motion and flow control...
in 1988.
Perfection Cobey was a manufacturer of dump truck bodies and other truck components.