What is the history of Belle Center, Ohio?
Historically, some areas in what is now northern Richland Township, Logan County, OhioRichland Township were covered by swamp. During the 1840s, however, settlers moved in, and a town was platplatted around 1846, by which time a small town named Richland had become well established in the southern part of what is now Richland Township. In this year, the Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad began to plan for a Rail transportrailroad line through the area. A competition developed between the two towns for the location of a Water tankwater stop for the railroad (essentially requiring the basics of a Train stationstation), which eventually was won by the upstart town. Five years later, the village of Belle Center was officially incorporated by the Ohio General Assembly. The presence of the railroad led to growth for Belle Center but decline for Richland (since renamed New Richland). This railroad origin is responsible for Belle Center’s “diagonal” street layout. For many years, many businesses
