Marysville is a city in Union County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 25,571 at the 2020 census. It is a suburb approximately northwest of Columbus. Marysville's longtime slogan is "Where the Grass is Greener". In 2008, the city was designated as a "Preserve America Community" by U.S. First Lady Laura Bush.

History Origins Marysville was originally part of Northwest Territory, and then became part of the Virginia Military District within that territory, and eventually became part of the state of Ohio. One of the original surveyors of the area was James Galloway, Jr., who first visited in 1805. Marysville was founded in 1819 by Samuel W. Culbertson, who named the town after his daughter Mary, along the small waterway of Mill Creek.

County seat designation

After the organization of the county by the Ohio Legislature, Marysville was designated as the seat of Union County.Durant, p. 313 The first recorded meeting of the commissioners was in 1820.Durant, pp. 342 & 347 Between 1835 and 1840, a courthouse was constructed.Durant, p. 318 Eventually, a new dedicated courthouse would be built in Marysville on January 27, 1883, which is also presently in use.Durant, p. 319

In 1849, a county infirmary was authorized. The first county jail was a log structure that sat on the south side of East Center street, in the rear of the courthouse. Eventually a new jail was authorized by the commissioners and built in the 1870s. In 1878 the county purchased a 10-ton safe for the treasury, that eventually was moved into courthouse.Durant, pp. 323-324

The first county fair was held in 1847 in Marysville, in the public square. In 1852, the Agriculture Society moved the fair to the current location, on the north side of town.Durant, p. 328

Early development Marysville was originally laid out in 1820. The first permanent settlement was made by Abraham Amrine, of Swiss descent, in 1817, two miles north of the city.Durant, "Township Histories- Chapter 1" p.64 Today the main road leading to the high school is named Amrine-Mill Rd. Amrine was an American Revolution veteran, having served in the Continental Army as a ranger."Revolutionary War Patriots Buried in Ohio", Ohio History Connection. October 25, 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2026

In 1824, the first post office was established. At this time, there were only four families in the village.Durant, "Township Histories- Chapter 1", p.8 In 1828, Marysville's first school was established in the east side of town using a log cabin as its building structure. By 1839, there were already three schools operating in the town. In 1843, the first high school was opened by Caroline Humphrey, and by 1850 there was a Board of Education making annual reports to the voters.History, Paris Township, p.43,44

In 1837, the Ohio Gazetteer published that Marysville was a small post town consisting of a court house, a jail, forty-five dwelling houses, one tavern, three stores, one practicing physician, two attorneys and about 250 inhabitants.Durant, "Township Histories- Chapter 1", p.31 By 1846, Marysville had 360 inhabitants, three small dry goods stores, two churches (Presbyterian and Methodist), a private school, and a newspaper office.Durant, p. 347

Early Marysville businesses during this period included McClouds Drug Store on the south side of the square, the Cheap Cash Store, the American Hotel, the W.W. Woods store, and Hare and Hughes, a hat business located on the southwest corner of the square. Several locals ran personal unnamed businesses. The village was incorporated in 1840, with Otway Curry elected as the first mayor.Durant, "Township Histories- Chapter 1", pp.32 & 48

Ladders were first purchased for a fire department in 1845, and by 1865 the village had purchased its first fire engine. The commissioners petitioned for a fire house, but it would not be built until 1906 (a two-level brick building).Durant, "Township Histories- Chapter 1", p.53

A census in 1859 showed that the village had 981 residents. By 1865, Marysville had six dry goods stores, one hardware store, nine or ten groceries, a mill, a woolen factory, and most of the trades and professions. It was growing steadily by this point.Durant, "Township Histories- Chapter 1", p.32

In 1877, the town council decided to build a city hall on the southeast corner of Main and South. It would be completed in 1878, and house the council rooms, public library, fire department rooms, and city prison.Durant, "Township Histories- Chapter 1", p.54 An opera house would be constructed as well. In 1877, a fine building was erected on the eastside of town for education. It had ten rooms for educational purposes, other rooms for various purposes, and an exhibition hall on the upper floor. The Agassiz Scientific, Archaeological and Historical Society of Marysville was organized in 1879, and placed in the East school building, their museum was also placed in the same building.Durant, "Township Histories- Chapter 1", pp.47 & 62

By 1888, Marysville had earned itself the title of "the Shaded City" because of its tree-lined streets, and by 1890, its population increased to 2,832 residents.Durant, "Township Histories- Chapter 1"

Early manufacturing and banking Marysville's industrial roots can be traced back to many early companies. Among those were the Marysville Pearlash Factory, an ashery founded in 1848, which by 1874 was the largest in the United States. The first steam-grist mill was erected in 1856 by Saxton and Casil. In 1867, Miller & Snodgrass constructed a flour mill. In 1874, Marysville Butter Tub and Spoke Company was incorporated with $50,000.Durant, "Township Histories- Chapter 1", p.55

A wool company, Woodbury & Welsh, constructed a factory out of brick in the northeast part of town in 1864, and a brewery was built in 1866 on the east side. In 1868, O.M. Scotts and Company was organized. In 1871, the Marysville Cheese Manufacturing Company was built on the east side. Many carriage manufacturing companies operated in Marysville, including Bauer, Schepper & Devine in 1882, City Carriage Works in 1871, and L. E. Helium in 1874.Durant, "Township Histories- Chapter 1", p.56

In 1875, Rice, Fleck & Co. opened a lumberyard. The Marysville Gas Light Company was incorporated in 1878 following almost a decade of the city using kerosene for lighting. The Bank of Marysville was opened in 1854, the Farmer's Bank of Union County in 1868, located on the southeast corner of the square, and the People's Bank in 1874.Durant, "Township Histories- Chapter 1", pp.56- 57

Early culture In 1827, the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized. In 1856, the church dedicated a new building on East Center street. The first Fourth of July celebrations were held in 1828.Durant, "Township Histories- Chapter 1", pp.33-34

In 1840, Otway Curry, a poet of national fame and resident of Marysville, wrote the "Log Cabin Song". It would inspire the Log Cabin Campaign of William Henry Harrison, who would go on to win the Presidential election that year.Durant, p. 402

The Presbyterian Church was organized in the house of Stephen McClain on September 9, 1829. In 1866, a movement was started to construct a new church building; a new building was finally dedicated in 1870, located at the corner of Center and West Streets. The Congregational Church organized in 1864, with a building constructed on the northeast corner of West and South Street.Durant, "Township Histories- Chapter 1", p.35-41

The Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, a Roman Catholic Church, was constructed in 1866 at Water Street near the railroad station. The German Lutheran Church organized in 1875, also operating their own school.Durant, "Township Histories- Chapter 1", p.42

Modern development

Over the next century, Marysville's population would double from its 1890 census. A new high school was built in the West neighborhood behind the courthouse, which would then become a middle school later when a new high school would be built on the north side. The most recent high school went up in the 1990s. At that time, the old high school became the new middle school, and the old middle school became county offices.

In 1948, Nestlé opened a research and development center in the West neighborhood. A new city hall would be constructed on the southeast side of Uptown, which housed the police department. Memorial Hospital of Union County located in the Medical district in 1952. Many other developments took place during this time, including the construction of the Union County Airport on the east side in 1967, as well as numerous manufacturing companies and small housing developments being constructed throughout the city. Timberview, an upscale residential section on the south side, would be constructed, and included a golf course. Greenwood Colony would also be built on the south side.

In 1977, Honda announced plans to construct a motorcycle assembly plant near Marysville and eventually opened manufacturing plants northwest of the town in 1982. This caused the expansion of U.S. Route 33."US-33 Relocation, Logan/Union Counties", United States. Federal Highway Administration. Northwestern University. 1985. Retrieved 1 July 2026

U.S. President George H. W. Bush visited on 26 September 1992 as part of his "whistle stop train tour" re-election campaign. Present on the train were U.S. Congressmen Chalmers Wylie, Paul Gillmor, and John Kasich; future-U.S. Senator Mike Dewine, and Ohio Governor George Voinovich. Bush remarked around Marysville they're known to wear buttons which say "Reelect Barbara Bush's husband", because his wife Barbara had family roots in the city and was known to visit."Remarks to the Community in Marysville, Ohio", George H.W. Bush. University of California-Santa Barbara. 26 September 1992. Retrieved 1 July 2026"Barbara Bush has a long family history in Central Ohio", Rick Reitzel. NBC Columbus. April 18, 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2026 Bush's opponent, U.S. Presidential candidate Bill Clinton, had supporters who disrupted the campaign stop.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Marysville had a population of 25,571. The median age was 35.5 years. 23.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 11.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 79.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 73.4 males age 18 and over.

96.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 3.2% lived in rural areas.

There were 8,783 households in Marysville, of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 53.1% were married-couple households, 16.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 9,327 housing units, of which 5.8% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.8%.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 21,861 85.5% Black or African American 968 3.8% American Indian and Alaska Native 52 0.2% Asian 998 3.9% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.0% Some other race 298 1.2% Two or more races 1,394 5.5% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 833 3.3% 2010 census The median price for a home in Marysville was $168,100 according to Census 2010.City Data