VAN WERT COUNTY
County Offices
419-238-6159
www.vanwertcounty.org
Chamber of Commerce
419-238-4390
www.vanwertchamber.com
Located in the heart of northwest Ohio’s rich agricultural countryside along the Ohio-Indiana border, scenic Van Wert County is recognized as a growing business center and regional hub for cultural attractions and healthcare services. Major communities in close proximity to this area include the vibrant small city of Lima just 20 miles to the east and Fort Wayne, Indiana just 30 miles to the west. The bright lights of both Dayton and Toledo are approximately 80 miles away.
Services
Van Wert County is known for a high quality of life that blends community pride and hometown charm with a progressive educational system and outstanding healthcare facilities. For more than a century, Van Wert County Hospital has served the healthcare needs residents in local and surrounding areas. The hospital provides comprehensive care including cardio pulmonary services, state-of-the-art lab and advanced imaging, outpatient injections and infusions, pediatrics, obstetrics, surgical services, a specialty clinic, a sleep center, and the Gaylord E. Leslie Wellness Center. Affiliations with resources like the West Central Ohio Regional Health Alliance and the Cancer Network of West Central Ohio enhance the delivery of quality care and create opportunities for joint ventures. Nearby Lima offers two regional healthcare centers, including Lima Memorial Health System with a Level II Trauma Center and Level II Neonatal Nursery that is an extension of Toledo’s Children’s Hospital. St. Rita’s Medical Center is the largest hospital within a 70-mile radius of Lima, and the city is also home to the Institute for Orthopedic Surgery.
Access to first-rate educational opportunities begin on the elementary level in Van Wert County, where public school districts are served by dedicated teachers in classrooms with favorable student/teacher ratios. Those who prefer a parochial or private school education will find a number of quality options close to home in both Indiana and Ohio communities. Nearby Lima is home to a campus for Ohio State University, a private university, and Rhodes State College. The University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima is a private institution with five colleges that provide a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The Lima campus for Ohio State University provides regional access to bachelor degree programs in science and the liberal arts, while Rhodes State College focuses on career training and associate degree programs. Other colleges and universities are available within a reasonable commuting distance from home in nearby Fort Wayne, Indiana, as well as in the major metropolitan cities of Dayton and Toledo in Ohio.
Lifestyle
Van Wert County excels in providing outstanding cultural attractions and preserving the region’s past in fine museums and grand architecture. The Wassenberg Art Center, which has been favorably compared to major metropolitan galleries, presents celebrated exhibits each year and hosts local arts groups. Another treasure is the award-winning Van Wert Civic Theater, recognized among Ohio’s premier community theatres. The Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio is the most recent addition, debuting in 2007 as a $9.9 million state-of-the-art entertainment facility that supports regional educational opportunities while it showcases stellar entertainment including Broadway shows. The Community Concert Series delivers Carnegie Hall quality musical entertainment, Off Stage Productions presents a dinner theater season, and warm weather brings the Fountain Park Summer Music Series. Historic attractions include the Central Mutual Antique Fire Equipment Museum, the Van Wert Historical Museum, and the Van Wert County Court House. The magnificent Brumbeck Library is distinguished as the first county library in the nation, its turreted towers and Ludowici tile roof shaded by grand old trees. With 670,000 holdings, the library was recently honored by Library Journal among America’s Star Libraries.
An active YMCA and YWCA have been serving the community since the early 1900s with recreational facilities and programs for all ages as well as facilities that welcome visitors. Sports enthusiasts and families will appreciate the area’s golf courses and country clubs, tennis courts, roller skating rinks, campgrounds, and cinemas. Cyclists will find a primarily flat terrain that is ideal for long rides through panoramic country byways. Fishing is available in reservoirs, rivers, and in smaller stocked ponds surrounded by picturesque farmland. Church, school and civic organizations play an active role in daily life, giving newcomers a chance to settle in quickly and engage with the community. Lovely parks and gardens, tree-lined neighborhoods, specialty shopping, dining options, and a calendar filled with annual events crown Van Wert County as a cherished home that manages to harmonize rural charm with modern advantages.
Van Wert
City Offices
419-238-2999
www.vanwert.org
Chamber of Commerce
419-238-4390
www.vanwertchamber.com
Few communities in the nation can rival Van Wert for dramatic architectural preservation, cultural amenities, good schools, advanced healthcare, family attractions, and small-town charm. The city is dotted with beautiful parks, including Fountain Park with a band shell that features summer concerts. Other parks are filled with recreational amenities including sports fields and courts, picnic areas with tables and grills, and children’s playgrounds. The city serves as the county seat and cultural center, showcasing historic jewels from the grand Van Wert County Court House to a remarkable, nationally recognized library. Specialty shops along with restaurants and cafes welcome residents and visitors alike to explore a truly charming downtown district accented by unique gardens. Smiley Park features the Children’s Garden & Butterfly House, while the Garden of the Senses enhances downtown Van Wert with trees, flowers, herbs, and shrubs in raised beds accented by brick walkways and benches.
Delphos
City Offices
419-695-4010
www.cityofdelphos.com
Chamber of Commerce
419-695-1771
www.delphoschamber.com
“America’s Friendliest City” actually stretches between Van Wert and Allen counties, dividing parts of Delphos into Van Wert and Lima metropolitan statistical areas. Residents of Delphos benefit from the highly developed cultural and historic attractions in both Van Wert and Lima, including Broadway shows and national headliners showcased at Van Wert’s Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio and Lima’s Veterans Memorial Civic & Convention Center. However, Delphos has a few calling cards of its own, including the preservation of a proud heritage that can still be seen in the historic charm of the downtown district, the landmark of St. John’s Catholic Church, the Delphos Postal Museum, and the Delphos Canal Museum. For more than 55 years, the city has drawn regional crowds to its colorful four-day Canal Days festival. Delphos welcomes newcomers to a friendly, active, family-oriented community with award-winning schools, options for a private education, a full-service library, and abundant opportunities for outdoor enjoyment and recreation.
Van Wert Townships
Twelve rural townships cover the expanse of Van Wert County, providing a wealth of additional options for residential development in the heart of the countryside. Newcomers can choose from older homes nestled in small, historic communities or vibrant new construction on generous acreage. Each township claims distinctive features and a proud history. Just minutes outside the hub city of Van Wert, the small community of Venedocia celebrates its Welsh heritage with a Gymanfa Ganu. This Welsh festival of song dating back to 1915 is so popular that the village swells to accommodate throngs of visitors from across Ohio and neighboring states over Labor Day weekend.
