Fulton County, Ohio

Not to be confused with Fulton, Ohio.

Fulton County
County
Fulton County Courthouse
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Ohio
Ohio's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°36′N84°07′W / 41.6°N 84.12°W / 41.6; -84.12
Country	United States
State	Ohio
Founded	April 1, 1850 [1]
Named for	Robert Fulton
Seat	Wauseon
Largest city	Wauseon
Area
• Total	407 sq mi (1,050 km2)
• Land	405 sq mi (1,050 km2)
• Water	1.8 sq mi (5 km2)  0.4%
Population  (2020)
• Total	42,713
• Density	100/sq mi (40/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	9th
Website	www.fultoncountyoh.com

A rural road in Fulton County

Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio west of Toledo. As of the 2020 census, the population was 42,713. ^[2] Its county seat and largest city is Wauseon. ^[3] The county was created in 1850 with land from Henry, Lucas, and Williams counties ^[4] and is named for Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat. ^[5] Fulton County is a part of the Toledo metropolitan area.

History

The first seat of justice in Fulton County was Ottokee, located there because of its central location in the county. A wooden courthouse was built in 1851. ^[6]

However, a railroad was built further south. Wauseon sprung up in 1854 when the railroad was extended to that point, and incorporated in 1859. ^[7] With the commercial success that the railroad brought to Wauseon, the citizens of the county voted to move the county seat to Wauseon in 1871. ^[6] The Fulton County Courthouse was built in 1872. ^[8]

• 
  1851 Railroad map: Ottokee is the county seat of justice. ^[9]
• 
  1890 Railroad map: Wauseon is now the county seat. ^[10]

Geography

The Tiffin River near Goll Woods State Nature Preserve

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 407 square miles (1,050 km²), of which 405 square miles (1,050 km²) is land and 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²) (0.4%) is water. ^[11]

Adjacent counties

• Lenawee County, Michigan (north)
• Lucas County (east)
• Henry County (south)
• Williams County (west)
• Hillsdale County, Michigan (northwest)

Protected areas

• Goll Woods State Nature Preserve
• Harrison Lake State Park
• Maumee State Forest
• Tiffin River Wildlife Area
• Wabash Cannonball Trail

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	7,781		—
1860	14,043		80.5%
1870	17,789		26.7%
1880	21,053		18.3%
1890	22,023		4.6%
1900	22,801		3.5%
1910	23,914		4.9%
1920	23,445		−2.0%
1930	23,477		0.1%
1940	23,626		0.6%
1950	25,580		8.3%
1960	29,301		14.5%
1970	33,071		12.9%
1980	37,751		14.2%
1990	38,498		2.0%
2000	42,084		9.3%
2010	42,698		1.5%
2020	42,713		0.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [12] 1790-1960 [13] 1900-1990 [14] 1990-2000 [15] 2020 [2]

2000 census

As of the census ^[16] of 2000, there were 42,084 people, 15,480 households, and 11,687 families living in the county. The population density was 104 inhabitants per square mile (40/km²). There were 16,232 housing units at an average density of 40 units per square mile (15/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.65% White, 0.24% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.31% from other races, and 1.08% from two or more races. 5.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 15,480 households, out of which 37.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.20% were married couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.50% were non-families. 21.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.30% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 28.70% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 12.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,074, and the median income for a family was $50,952. Males had a median income of $36,180 versus $25,137 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,999. About 4.00% of families and 5.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.10% of those under age 18 and 4.60% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 42,698 people, 16,188 households, and 11,942 families living in the county. ^[17] The population density was 105.3 inhabitants per square mile (40.7/km²). There were 17,407 housing units at an average density of 42.9 units per square mile (16.6 units/km²). ^[18] The racial makeup of the county was 94.9% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 2.4% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 7.8% of the population. ^[17] In terms of ancestry, 45.5% were German, 11.9% were Irish, 10.7% were English, 6.9% were Polish, and 6.2% were American. ^[19]

Of the 16,188 households, 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 26.2% were non-families, and 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.05. The median age was 39.9 years. ^[17]

The median income for a household in the county was $50,717 and the median income for a family was $59,090. Males had a median income of $42,561 versus $30,070 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,804. About 8.5% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over. ^[20]

Politics

For over 80 years, Fulton County has regularly voted for Republican candidates for president. The only Democrats to win Fulton were Franklin Pierce in 1852 and Franklin D. Roosevelt in his 1932 election.^{[ citation needed ]}

United States presidential election results for Fulton County, Ohio ^[21]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	15,893	70.44%	6,374	28.25%	297	1.32%
2020	15,731	68.98%	6,664	29.22%	411	1.80%
2016	13,709	64.20%	6,069	28.42%	1,575	7.38%
2012	11,738	55.08%	9,073	42.58%	499	2.34%
2008	11,689	53.10%	9,900	44.97%	424	1.93%
2004	13,640	62.13%	8,224	37.46%	90	0.41%
2000	11,546	61.10%	6,805	36.01%	545	2.88%
1996	8,703	48.60%	6,662	37.20%	2,542	14.20%
1992	8,358	44.45%	5,576	29.65%	4,870	25.90%
1988	10,230	66.31%	5,076	32.90%	122	0.79%
1984	11,412	72.55%	4,217	26.81%	101	0.64%
1980	9,519	64.72%	3,972	27.01%	1,216	8.27%
1976	7,891	60.94%	4,850	37.45%	208	1.61%
1972	8,387	68.55%	3,615	29.55%	232	1.90%
1968	7,817	64.14%	3,338	27.39%	1,033	8.48%
1964	5,973	51.59%	5,604	48.41%	0	0.00%
1960	9,695	74.76%	3,274	25.24%	0	0.00%
1956	9,030	77.50%	2,622	22.50%	0	0.00%
1952	9,191	78.18%	2,565	21.82%	0	0.00%
1948	6,523	70.67%	2,672	28.95%	35	0.38%
1944	8,258	79.37%	2,147	20.63%	0	0.00%
1940	8,653	77.38%	2,530	22.62%	0	0.00%
1936	6,152	60.17%	3,582	35.04%	490	4.79%
1932	4,487	48.02%	4,673	50.01%	184	1.97%
1928	6,416	77.74%	1,788	21.66%	49	0.59%
1924	4,951	69.56%	1,333	18.73%	834	11.72%
1920	6,111	73.88%	2,049	24.77%	111	1.34%
1916	2,933	52.97%	2,507	45.28%	97	1.75%
1912	929	17.64%	1,805	34.28%	2,531	48.07%
1908	3,608	61.24%	2,131	36.17%	153	2.60%
1904	3,593	69.12%	1,448	27.86%	157	3.02%
1900	3,457	59.49%	2,262	38.93%	92	1.58%
1896	3,227	55.99%	2,464	42.75%	73	1.27%
1892	2,808	55.34%	1,919	37.82%	347	6.84%
1888	2,901	55.72%	1,997	38.36%	308	5.92%
1884	2,848	56.90%	1,904	38.04%	253	5.05%
1880	2,912	60.65%	1,787	37.22%	102	2.12%
1876	2,697	61.99%	1,597	36.70%	57	1.31%
1872	2,210	71.57%	826	26.75%	52	1.68%
1868	2,171	65.37%	1,150	34.63%	0	0.00%
1864	1,953	66.86%	968	33.14%	0	0.00%
1860	1,629	61.63%	984	37.23%	30	1.14%
1856	1,098	56.77%	772	39.92%	64	3.31%

Transportation

Airport

Fulton County Airport is a public use airport located four  nautical miles (5  mi, 7  km) north of the central business district of Wauseon, Ohio. It is owned by the Fulton County Commissioners. ^[22]

Highways

• Ohio Turnpike
  • I-80
  • I-90
• US 20
• US 20A
• US 127
• SR 2
• SR 64
• SR 66
• SR 108
• SR 109
• SR 120

Communities

Map of Fulton County, Ohio with Municipal and Township Labels

City

• Wauseon (county seat)

Villages

• Archbold
• Delta
• Fayette
• Lyons
• Metamora
• Swanton

Census-designated places

• Ai
• Pettisville
• Tedrow

Unincorporated communities

• Advance
• Assumption
• Burlington
• Denson
• Elmira
• Inlet
• Lytton
• Oakshade
• Ottokee
• Winameg
• Zone

Government

Certain aspects of county government are managed through subdivisional townships.

Townships

• Amboy
• Chesterfield
• Clinton
• Dover
• Franklin
• Fulton
• German
• Gorham
• Pike
• Royalton
• Swan Creek
• York

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Fulton County, Ohio

References

1. "Ohio County Profiles: Fulton County" (PDF). Ohio Department of Development. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 21, 2007. Retrieved April 28, 2007.
2. 2020 census
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. "Old Historical City, County and State Maps of Ohio". Archived from the original on March 28, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
5. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  133.
6. Aldrich, Lewis Cass (1888). History of Henry and Fulton counties, Ohio : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers. Syracuse, N. Y.: D. Mason & Co., Publishers. pp. 288–289.
7. Reighard, Frank H. (1920). A Standard History of Fulton County, Ohio (Volume 1). Lewis Publishing Company. p. 209.
8. Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 876. ISBN   978-1135948597 . Retrieved November 30, 2013.
9. Railroad & township map of Ohio (Map). Library of Congress. 1851. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
10. J. A. Norton, Ohio commissioner of railroads & telegraphs (1890). Railroad map of Ohio (Map). Retrieved April 11, 2016.
11. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
12. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
13. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
14. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
15. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
16. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
17. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
18. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
19. "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
20. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
21. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
22. FAA Airport Form 5010 for USE PDF . Federal Aviation Administration. effective May 31, 2012.

External links

• Fulton County Government's website

41°36′N84°07′W / 41.60°N 84.12°W / 41.60; -84.12