Welcome to Wauseon

Wauseon is a cheerful, quiet city with a number of strengths: diverse industry, a strong local business community,fine schools, well-kept homes, extensive parks system and a record of strong, steady growth.  It is a city that is proud of its past, yet eager to grow and move forward to face new challenges.  Residents enjoy the blessings of a peacefully paced life in a community that promotes family-centered living.

Our thriving city has two main shopping areas:  Fulton Street and North Shoop Avenue.  Visitors to Wauseon should be able to fulfill nearly every need with a visit to one of the city’s  retail establishments.  Wauseon is the birthplace of the famed Barney Oldfield, turn-of-the century auto racing great.

 The fine people of Wauseon hope you enjoy your stay here—whether you stay a few days or a lifetime.  We’re sure you will like what you find.

Fulton County Historical Museum

The Fulton county Historical Museum, at 229 Monroe St., is located three blocks west of North Fulton Street across from North Park in Wauseon.  The museum is housed in an 1868 Romanesque Revival two-story brick building.  The building was Wauseon’s first public high school from 1868 to 1897.  From 1903 to 1930 it served as Fulton County’s first hospital, and from 1945 to 1969 it was used as apartments.  In 1969, Ruth Brown Campbell donated the building to the historical society for use as a museum.

The museum’s collection contains mid-to-late Victorian furniture, Civil War and Spanish-American War artifacts, Native-American artifacts, medical equipment, early horse-drawn farm equipment, clothing & textiles and other artifacts.  The museum has an archive collection dating from 1832 to 1976.

The Fulton County Historical Society also manages an 1896 depot, an 1865 blacksmith shop and an 1836 log cabin.  These historical sites are within a five-mile driving distance from the museum and have limited hours.

The Fulton County Historical Museum is open from April through October,  Monday-Thursday from 1p.m.- 4 p.m.  It is closed on holidays.  Group and individual tours are available anytime by appointment.  For tours, contact Gene Vanderbunt at 419-335-0406, or Henry Pelton at 419-875-6892.  The museum’s number is 419-337-7922.

 Recreational and Community Activities

Wauseon has eight parks with more than 73 acres of parkland.  The newest park, Homecoming Park, was developed in the southwest section of the city and boasts 35 acres of parkland.  Facilities in the parks system include a swimming pool, five shelter houses, picnic grounds, tennis courts, children’s play areas, basketball courts, ball diamonds, a fishing pond, soccer fields, bike paths, a walking trail, ice skating rink and sledding hill.  The city has a full-time recreation director and a recreation coordinator.

 Harrison Lake State Park is a few miles northwest of Wauseon and has extensive recreational facilities.  Ironwood, an 18-hole golf course, is located within the corporation limits of Wauseon.  A nine-hole course is located 6 miles north of Wauseon.  Professional sports franchises are located in the nearby cities of Toledo, Detroit, and Cleveland. 

The Wauseon Public Library has approximately 40,000 volumes covering a broad spectrum of interests.  The library is connected to Upland Ohio Public Libraries Information Network.   

Active service and fraternal organizations include: Rotary, Lions Club, American Legion, Elks Club, Masons, Chamber of Commerce, VFW, Fulton County Senior Center, United Way and two C.C.L. Chapter.

General Information    

Financial

Complete banking service is provided in Wauseon by 7 financial institutions that are branches or affiliates of large area banks.  They are:  Farmer and Merchants State Bank, Sky Bank, State Bank & Trust, National City Bank, and First Federal Bank, and Fifth Third Bank

 Medical

A twice-weekly newspaper, the Fulton County Expositor, is published in Wauseon and a daily newspaper, The Toledo Blade, is available from Toledo.  Television stations are received directly from Toledo, Detroit, Fort Wayne and Bowling Green.  Adelphia Communications is the local cable television provider.  Several AM and FM radio stations with a variety of programming are received in Wauseon.

Government Services

A mayor and six councilpersons govern Wauseon.  Thirteen full-time and three part-time police officers operating six patrol cars provide police protection.  Two full-time clerks and three crossing guards support them. 

The Wauseon Police Department hosts an annual “Citizens Police Academy”  which is open to all Wauseon resident who are at least twenty-one years of age.  Visit their web site at www.wauseon.com/police or you can e-email us at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  .

The Wauseon Fire Department consists of a full-time Fire Chief, a full-time Advanced Life Support crew, and 42 volunteer firefighters who are paid per call.  The fire department operates ten pieces of equipment including three engines, one tanker, a 100’ aerial platform, a 4X4 grass vehicle, a heavy rescue vehicle, two ambulances and an equipment truck that carries scuba equipment for the dive team.  All equipment is radio equipped and personnel are alerted through enhanced 911 systems at the Sheriff’s office.  The city’s fire insurance rating is a class 4.

Wauseon has a public works department, water and wastewater plant, parks and recreation department and recycling center under the supervision of the public service director.  The city also has a finance department and a department of zoning, housing and building.  The city has an annual budget of approximately $7M, with most revenue coming from an 11/2 percent income tax, water and sewer charges.  The city has 35 miles of paved streets.  A private contractor provides garbage pickup.

Water, Water Reclamation and Utilities

Wauseon’s Water Treatment Plant has a capacity of three million gallons per day.  The current average consumption is 1.2 million gallons per day.  The water system features a finished water connection with the Villages of Delta and Lyons.  A 5 MGD raw water line from the Maumee River supplies our two reservoirs.  The distribution system has two elevated finished water storage tanks with a capacity of 300,000 and 750,000 gallons respectively.

The Water Reclamation Plant has a treatment capacity of 1.5 million gallons per day and a hydraulic capacity of 3 MGD.  Tertiary treatment is provided using covered trickling filters.

 The First Energy Company with a 138,000-volt transmission line and 12,000 volt distribution provides electric service.  The Ohio Gas Company supplies natural gas to the community.  Local phone service is provided by Sprint and Adelphia Communications is the local cable provider.

 Location and Population

Wauseon, the county seat of Fulton County and its largest city, is contained in 4.69 square miles.  Wauseon is located 35 miles west of Toledo, 86 miles southwest of Detroit, 200 miles east of Chicago and 145 miles west of Cleveland.  The population of Wauseon is 7,091.  The population of Fulton County is 42,084.

Housing

There are a total of 2,700 occupied homes in Wauseon with 72 percent being owner-occupied.  Thirty-five percent of the homes have been constructed since 1970.  The median value of a home is $95,000.  At least seven new housing subdivisions are available, providing sites in a wide variety of price ranges for potential buyers.

County Population

Tax Information

The 2000 real estate property taxes payable in 2001 total $62.65 per thousand dollars of valuation based on 35 percent of the property’s market value.  Taxes are distributed from the total as follows:

 The current industrial effective tax rate is 51.804827.  The effective residential rate is 49.726226.  Wauseon has an 11/2 percent income tax on business profits, residents or employees within the corporation.

Fulton County has a 1-percent piggyback sales tax that applies to all items taxable for the state sales tax.  Fulton County also has a $10.00 automobile license fee for road maintenance purposes.

 Education

The Wauseon Exempted Village School system consists of Leggett St. Primary School; grades K-2, Elm Street Schools, grades 3-5; Burr Road Middle School, grades 6-8; and Wauseon High School, grades 9-12. 

The average daily student enrollment is 2068.  The total district valuation is $181,858.460, which equals $87.938 per pupil.  The school district covers approximately 55 square miles and covers a portion of Clinton, Dover, and York townships.

 A separate Four County Career Center supported through the school district offers 28 trade specialties to high school juniors and seniors.  Northwest State Community College, which adjoins the career center campus, offers an associate degree program and continuing education classes.  Other universities within fifty-mile radius include the University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, Defiance College, Sienna Heights College and Adrian College. 

The Fulton County Board of Development Disabilities has a facility on North Ottokee Street to educate pre-school age children with developmental delays.  The Board also operates a sheltered workshop and adult programs.

Industrial Development

The City of Wauseon has industrial sites and buildings available.  A 70-acre industrial park with all major utilities provided is located on the west side of town.  There are also 40 acres available at the Fulton County Industrial Park located two miles north of town.  Financing of sites and buildings can be arranged.  For additional information contact the Wauseon Development Corporation at 419-335-9065 or the Wauseon Chamber at 419-335-9966.

Labor Force

The estimated labor force of Fulton County as of Dec. 2002, based on place of residence, is 24,000 people.

Transportation Facilities

Highways - Wauseon is located on U.S. 20A and state Routes 2 and 108.  Exit #34 of the Ohio Turnpike (Interstate 80 and 90) is just two miles north of Wauseon.

Rail – Wauseon is served by Norfolk Southern

Air - Toledo Express Airport, home to six commercial airlines, two fixed-base operators and a thriving air cargo operation, is located 18 miles east of Wauseon.  An airfreight terminal building is available to expedite air shipments.

Fulton County Airport and Industrial Park, with a paved and lighted 3,884-foot runway, is located 3 miles north of Wauseon.  A fixed-base operation and hanger space is available.  Also, a 2,600-foot grass airstrip for light planes is available south of the Ohio Turnpike interchange #34.

Truck – The city is served by all major truck lines.  United Parcel Service and Federal Express provide daily parcel service to the area.

Port – The Port of Toledo is 35 miles from Wauseon.

Community Service Numbers