Founded in 1852 amid dense forests and the mosquito-infested Great Black Swamp, Wauseon became the county seat of one of the last areas in Ohio to be settled. Named in honor of a local Potawatomi chief, Wauseon is the birthplace of Ohio's last surviving Civil War veteran and early race car legend Barney Oldfield. Wauseon was one of the first communities in the United States to implement rural mail delivery and establish a public phone service. Among its manufacturing operations is a company that made flashlights used on the Apollo moon landings. Wauseon is truly a city people take to heart, reflecting strong Midwestern values.
