Defiance (Ohio)

Defiance County

39-21308

Defiance is a city in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio in Defiance County. At the 2000 census was the county seat of Defiance County 16,465 inhabitants.

Geography and transport

Defiance is located at the confluence of the Auglaize and the Maumee River, about 55 miles southwest of Toledo and 45 miles east of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Due to the location of U.S. Highway 24, which runs with Defiance connects the two cities. The railway line shall be maintained by CSX Transportation. Near the town is the Defiance County Airport.

History

In the area on the edge of the Great Black Swamp, the former large marshes in Northwest Ohio, was in the 18th century a large Indian settlement and a French trading post. The French referred to the place as Auglaize or Grand Glaize. During the Indian Wars General "Mad" Anthony Wayne was built here in August 1794 a fort, which he called Fort Defiance. After the Battle of Fallen Timbers (August 20, 1794) Wayne chose the Fort to the home base for its operations in the surrounding area. Although the Treaty of Greenville in 1795 Defiance slammed the natives, the Indians tolerate the fort and a trading post. The attachment was a ruin at the beginning of the British -American War of 1812. Therefore, General William H. Harrison built a new, larger Fort near the Auglaize and called it Fort Winchester. 1817 were the local tribes the surrounding country finally to the white settlers from.

The city of Defiance instead of the former Fort Benjamin founded Level and Horatio G. Philips 1822 The city grew slowly at first. In 1854, there were only about 700 people. The turning point came with the cultivation of the marsh and the connection of the city to the rail network. 1880 were already 5,907 inhabitants in Defiance resident in 1886 there were four newspapers, 13 churches, and two banks.

Infrastructure

The public school system comprises 3,200 school places through high school. In addition, here four church primary schools and the Defiance College are located, which is operated by the United Church of Christ and about 1000 places offers. Medical care is provided by the Defiance Hospital. The local religious communities hold 21 Protestant and 2 Catholic churches. In the city there is a public library, seven cinemas and a theater group, a golf course and several public swimming pools and parks.

Attractions

Instead of the former Fort Defiance now houses a park, overlooking the confluence of the Auglaize and Maumee offers.
Three miles west of the city the museum village Auglaize Village lies with restored houses and shops from the years 1860 to 1920.
The National Register of Historic Places listed for Defiance 10 entries, including the Holgate Avenue Historic District with town houses dating from the years 1825-1949.

Personalities

Chad Billingsley, baseball player with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Michelle Burke (born 1970 ), actress
Katherine Squire (1903-1995), actress
Wild Bill Davison (1906-1989), jazz musician
Sam Hornish Jr. ( born 1979 ), race car driver
Don Miller (1902-1979), lawyer, American football player and coach
Terry Ryan (1946-2007), writer, wrote The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio an autobiography about her childhood in the city.