Findlay had its humble beginnings as an agricultural region and remains a primarily agricultural region today. The early settlers cleared the land, built cabins, and began farming the land. Prior to human settlement, Findlay resided in what is known as the Great Black Swamp. The swamp covered almost all of the Maumee River Watershed. The Blanchard River, which runs through Findlay, is a tributary within the watershed. In order to farm the land, early settlers had to drain parts of the swamp. Surface water was drained via ditches to nearby streams, and subsurface water had to be drained as well. Most drainage tiles were locally produced after a large amount of clay was found below the swamp. Before too long, ditches were dug to connect swampier areas to the rivers, and the swamp was entirely drained, leaving behind fertile land. After the swamp was drained, the land was mainly used for crop production. All of these crops needed to be processed, so many grinding mills popped up along the river.
Flash forward to the late 19th century, and Findlay was put on the map overnight. What was a small unknown farming town became the center of a gas boom. The first gas well was built in the mid 1880s, and within 10 years the population had nearly quadrupled to 18,000. In 1887, more than 20 different manufacturing companies built in or relocated to Findlay. One of the more notable companies was the Dalzell, Gilmore & Leighton Glass Company. As part of their relocation, the company was given a free lot to build a factory as well as five years of free gas. The plant manufactured a wide variety of products, including lamps, tableware, vases, and globes. The glassware was shipped throughout the country and also to other countries including Mexico and Australia. In the early 1900s, the company was purchased by the National Glass Company, and the corporation was dissolved.
Findlay also had its share of unique factories, including the American Mask Manufacturing Company. The company was established in 1884 by German immigrants Oscar Kirsten and Christian Heyn. For a long time, the company was the only mask making factory in the United States. The first products of the factory included papier mache masks, dominoes, masks of linen and wax, masks of comic characters and noes. Masks were even made for the competing parties in a presidential election. Both Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison had masks made for their respective campaigns. One of the company's largest buyers was the New Orleans Mardi Gras. Around the same time, the company was selling many masks that would be offensive today. The company stopped producing masks in the 1960s, however some of the masks made are still in circulation today.
In the second half of the 19th century, many railroads were built in the county, including in Findlay. These railroads connected a large number of cities including Akron, Canton, Chicago, Fort Wayne, Hamilton, New York, Toronto, and Youngstown. Nowadays, many of these railroads are abandoned, but were major arteries of travel back in the day. In addition to railroads, Findlay also had a streetcar system, but the building of the system was delayed as councilmen of the city did not think the city needed them. Once they were installed, they proved to be popular. Streetcars were also expanded beyond the city, and connected Fostoria, Arcadia, Mount Cory, and Bluffton. A line had also been established between Findlay and Toledo. In 1905, a golden spike was driven into the track at the intersection of Lima Street and Lima Avenue to mark the connection of the streetcar across Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. The streetcars ran successfully for many years, but eventually closed due to the widespread manufacturing of the automobile. In 2017 during a revitalization project in downtown Findlay, the streetcar tracks were uncovered again.
Findlay and the surrounding towns also boasted numerous opera houses. The halls hosted lectures, concerts, graduations, and other social events. In Findlay, the Marvin Opera House opened downtown in 1893. The venue could accommodate 1500 people and boasted many concerts and performances. One of the more unique events to happen there were boxing matches. Train cars full of people would arrive from surrounding towns to watch the matches. Famous French actress Sarah Bernhardt also performed in the venue. Another theater, the Majestic Theater, opened its doors in 1906. Originally the theater hosted many types of live entertainment, but not even a decade later, movies had taken hold. The theater hosted some unique events, such as milk bottle day where the payment for a movie was two empty milk bottles. Today, the theater is gone, and in its place is the parking lot of WIlson’s Sandwich Shop. Another theater, the State Theater, operated from 1937 until 1976 when it was consumed by fire.
Although many of these businesses and buildings do not exist today, they have a big part in making Findlay the city it is today. All of this information and more can be found in the book Lost: Hancock County Ohio by Teresa Straley Lambert.
Flash forward to the late 19th century, and Findlay was put on the map overnight. What was a small unknown farming town became the center of a gas boom. The first gas well was built in the mid 1880s, and within 10 years the population had nearly quadrupled to 18,000. In 1887, more than 20 different manufacturing companies built in or relocated to Findlay. One of the more notable companies was the Dalzell, Gilmore & Leighton Glass Company. As part of their relocation, the company was given a free lot to build a factory as well as five years of free gas. The plant manufactured a wide variety of products, including lamps, tableware, vases, and globes. The glassware was shipped throughout the country and also to other countries including Mexico and Australia. In the early 1900s, the company was purchased by the National Glass Company, and the corporation was dissolved.
Findlay also had its share of unique factories, including the American Mask Manufacturing Company. The company was established in 1884 by German immigrants Oscar Kirsten and Christian Heyn. For a long time, the company was the only mask making factory in the United States. The first products of the factory included papier mache masks, dominoes, masks of linen and wax, masks of comic characters and noes. Masks were even made for the competing parties in a presidential election. Both Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison had masks made for their respective campaigns. One of the company's largest buyers was the New Orleans Mardi Gras. Around the same time, the company was selling many masks that would be offensive today. The company stopped producing masks in the 1960s, however some of the masks made are still in circulation today.
In the second half of the 19th century, many railroads were built in the county, including in Findlay. These railroads connected a large number of cities including Akron, Canton, Chicago, Fort Wayne, Hamilton, New York, Toronto, and Youngstown. Nowadays, many of these railroads are abandoned, but were major arteries of travel back in the day. In addition to railroads, Findlay also had a streetcar system, but the building of the system was delayed as councilmen of the city did not think the city needed them. Once they were installed, they proved to be popular. Streetcars were also expanded beyond the city, and connected Fostoria, Arcadia, Mount Cory, and Bluffton. A line had also been established between Findlay and Toledo. In 1905, a golden spike was driven into the track at the intersection of Lima Street and Lima Avenue to mark the connection of the streetcar across Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. The streetcars ran successfully for many years, but eventually closed due to the widespread manufacturing of the automobile. In 2017 during a revitalization project in downtown Findlay, the streetcar tracks were uncovered again.
Findlay and the surrounding towns also boasted numerous opera houses. The halls hosted lectures, concerts, graduations, and other social events. In Findlay, the Marvin Opera House opened downtown in 1893. The venue could accommodate 1500 people and boasted many concerts and performances. One of the more unique events to happen there were boxing matches. Train cars full of people would arrive from surrounding towns to watch the matches. Famous French actress Sarah Bernhardt also performed in the venue. Another theater, the Majestic Theater, opened its doors in 1906. Originally the theater hosted many types of live entertainment, but not even a decade later, movies had taken hold. The theater hosted some unique events, such as milk bottle day where the payment for a movie was two empty milk bottles. Today, the theater is gone, and in its place is the parking lot of WIlson’s Sandwich Shop. Another theater, the State Theater, operated from 1937 until 1976 when it was consumed by fire.
Although many of these businesses and buildings do not exist today, they have a big part in making Findlay the city it is today. All of this information and more can be found in the book Lost: Hancock County Ohio by Teresa Straley Lambert.