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 The History of the Village of Westfield Center.
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The town had its beginnings in 1817 when settlers from New England
homesteaded by the side of Camel Creek. Their neighbors included the
Wolf and Chippewa Indians. Henry Thorndyke and James Fowler became the
first landowners of the 25 square miles of the newly formed township.
Fowler named the new territory after his home, Westfield,
Massachusetts.
Westfield Center, located in southern Medina County, was
established in 1826. The village was laid out as a typical New England
settlement with a central four acre green. The village hall facing the
commons was built two years later and was soon joined by two churches,
a general store and an inn. The post office came in 1836 and the
village somehow became known as LeRoy. The name problem was resolved in
1971 when the village was once again named Westfield Center.
 A new village hall, housing the municipal government offices, the
police department and the post office, was dedicated in 2001.
Immediately to the north is the village's unique park offering picnic
tables and a ten station exercise trail.
No historical sketch, however brief, can ignore the impact of
the Westfield Group. The presence of "The Company" put the tiny village
"on the map." Chartered by the Ohio legislature in 1848, the Ohio
Farmers' Insurance was founded by local farmers. In 1971, in
conjunction with the village name change, the Ohio Farmers' Insurance
became the Westfield Companies. A company that critics said could not
succeed celebrated 150 years of success in 1998. Its 1800 employees in
Westfield Center contribute to the financial stability of the village.
The Westfield Group is a recognized good citizen of the community |
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