PUTNAM COUNTY
County Offices
419-523-8700
www.putnamcountyohio.gov
Chamber of Commerce
419-523-3141
www.ottawachamber.org
Picturesque Putnam County is a primarily agricultural center that also supports a number of thriving industries. The county seat of Ottawa is a friendly village with a centralized location and easy access to major highways that enable it to serve as a commercial hub as well as a government center. Several cities including Lima, Findlay, Delphos, and Van Wert are easily accessible for expanded attractions and amenities while the metropolitan advantages of Toledo are only an hour’s drive from home. Interstate 75 is located near the southern border of the county to ensure quick trips to regional destinations.
Services
Scenic Ottawa County provides the serenity and rural beauty of country living in close proximity to a number of bustling small cities. First-response healthcare is available close to home at the Putnam County Ambulatory Care Center in the Village of Glandorf, including 24-hour emergency services, laboratory, and advanced imaging. Air ambulance transport to St. Rita’s Medical Center in Lima is available for more advanced care. St. Rita’s is the largest hospital within a 70-mile radius of Lima, which is also home to a specialty hospital, the Institute for Orthopedic Surgery. Lima Memorial Health System is another option for more specialized care, providing a full range of services that include a long list of Centers of Excellence, from the Heart and Vascular Institute and Cancer Institute to the Family Birth Center and the Women’s Health Center. Nearby Bluffton is home to the award-winning Bluffton Hospital, recognized first in patient satisfaction among 164 Ohio hospitals and listed as a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital by Health Strong. Blanchard Valley Hospital in Findlay welcomes Putnam County residents to a full-service, 150-bed facility with a Level 2 Special Care Nursery and Cycle II Chest Pain Center. Air evacuation services are also available to regional trauma centers like Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo or the Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Highly respected public schools underline the educational system in Putnam County, with options for a private education close to home. Area schools are a focal point of community life, adding widespread support for educational programs and drawing standing-room only crowds to sports events. Opportunities for higher education are abundant in nearby cities. Lima is home to the private University of Northwestern Ohio as well as a campus for Ohio State University and Rhodes State College. The recently completed $17.7 million campus for Owens Community College in Findlay and the private institutions of Bluffton University and the University of Findlay are available within a 30-minute drive. The latter ranks in the top tier of US News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” in the Midwest and is recognized as a “Best in the Midwest” by the Princeton Review. Other options within a reasonable commuting distance include Bowling Green State University and the University of Toledo, a nationally ranked institution that offers more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in 17 colleges that include law, medicine, and pharmaceutical.
Lifestyle
Every day is like a Sunday drive in panoramic Putnam County, where the Old Mill Stream Scenic Byway stretches across Ohio’s picturesque landscape and links with the Lincoln Highway National Historic Byway in the village of Ottawa. Residents of all ages have the benefit of local recreational facilities, from the Ottawa Senior Citizens Center to the Putnam County YMCA with indoor swimming, land and water exercise programs, and state-of-the-art fitness center and gymnasium. Youth sports are especially popular over the summer months, although Ottawa provides a gymnastics center for year-round enjoyment and competitive team play. Golfing enthusiasts will find more than a dozen golf courses in the surrounding area while anglers enjoy excellent fishing in Ottawa Reservoir, numerous streams or even Lake Erie. Those who love watching stock, sprint and midget car racing will be frequent visitors at Limaland Motorsport Park. The vast Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District in nearby Lima also provides 1,200 acres of preserved natural resources for hiking, picnicking, swimming, fishing, boating, horseback riding, bicycling, and interpretive programs.
In addition to opportunities to enjoy dance instruction and other performance art instruction in Putnam County centers, regional cultural attractions are remarkably well developed. Downtown Lima is home to the remarkable Veterans Memorial Civic & Convention Center while Van Wert features the $9.9 million Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio—both venues showcasing national headliners and Broadway shows. The two cities also provide exceptional visual art centers at Artspace/Lima and Van Wert’s Wassenberg Art Center, featuring exhibits that have been favorably compared with upscale urban galleries. The award-winning Van Wert Civic Theater is also recognized among Ohio’s premier community theatres. Regional historic attractions include the Delphos Postal Museum, the Delphos Canal Museum, and the Central Mutual Antique Fire Equipment Museum. The architectural jewel of Brumbeck Library in Van Wert boasts 670,000 holdings and is recognized among America’s Star Libraries. Newcomers will want to take the time to explore the hidden treasures and welcoming communities that dot the Putnam County landscape. Wherever you choose to settle, Putnam County offers a truly idyllic lifestyle that blends country charm and the luxury of spacious residential lots with local conveniences and easy access to a world of expanded amenities.
Columbus Grove
Village Offices
419-659-2982
www.columbusgrove.org
Chamber of Commerce
419-302-2258
www.columbusgroveoh.com
Located near the southern boundary of Putnam County in close proximity to Interstate 75, the Columbus Grove Village provides commercial conveniences to those who live in the surrounding agricultural area. The village is about 65 miles from both Toledo, Ohio and Fort Wayne, Indiana metropolitan centers for a world of first-class amenities and attractions. This small community is home to more than 100 local businesses and professional services as well as a local library, good schools, and wonderful places for sports activity or family recreation. The Columbus Grove Municipal Pool and Park complex stretches over five acres to offer opportunities for swimming, fishing and picnicking. The home choices in and around the community are diverse and attractive, with many offering spacious lots and expansive country views.
Ottawa
Village Offices
419-523-5020
www.ottawaohio.us
Chamber of Commerce
419-523-3141
www.ottawachamber.org
The county seat of Ottawa enjoys a centralized location and the convenience of State Routes 65 and 12. Interstate 75 and US Highway 30 are less than 10 minutes from the village to the east and south, respectively. The village serves as a commercial center for the surrounding agricultural community, with government offices, retail shops, and convenient services that include medical and dental professional offices. Expanded amenities are available close to home in the nearby cities of Findlay and Lima or about an hour’s drive in Toledo. Local recreational facilities are anchored by the Ottawa Park System with 40 acres of shaded picnic areas, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, an Olympic size pool, volleyball and basketball courts, disc golf, and walking paths. Summer park programs are well attended by area youth, while adults take advantage of tennis leagues and the golf courses that grace the area.
Putnam County Townships
Welcoming newcomers to country living in close proximity to expanded amenities, Putnam County is covered by rural townships that rely on nearby village centers for basic commercial conveniences. Residential settings in the townships and villages range from well-kept older homes to rustic farmhouses, handsome new construction and beautiful country estates on multi-acre lots. Good schools, local libraries, civic groups, parks and recreation programs, and basic services are all hallmarks of Putnam County communities. At the same time, urban advantages such as shopping centers, performing arts venues, fine museums, visual art centers, golf courses, country clubs, medical centers and college campuses are accessible within a few minutes’ commute from most county addresses.
