Findlay

Findlay is a city of 41,000 people (2018) in Northwest Ohio. This former oil and gas town is the seat of Hancock County, and home to the University of Findlay. The city has a distinct mix of amenities aimed at the working class and academics, almost universally housed in historic architecture.

History
Findlay started as an American military outpost during the War of 1812. After the war Findlay began growing into a town, and was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Findlay became a booming city on its ties to the natural gas boom in the late 1880s. During this time Findlay became a manufacturing hub for glass and other energy intensive manufacturing. Late in the boom, Tell Tailor wrote the song Down By the Old Mill Stream while in Findlay, which became a barbershop quartet hit. While heavy industry and the gas itself went up in smoke, the legacy of the boom is felt in the institutions and architecture it left behind. Findlay Ohio has a large number of Victorian era buildings, and most of its public buildings and prominent institutions hail from that era as well. Now Findlay is a city with a few industries that survived, bolstered by its cultural amenities and educational assets to provide services to nearby rural communities.

Culture
Because of its location in Ohio, Findlay has strong agricultural and equestrian traditions, especially among those living on the outskirts of the city. Even today the Sheriff has a horse mounted posse, and the University of Findlay operates an equestrian program that has separate farms for western riding and English riding styles. While it's uncommon to see horse drawn carriages on the road as in Amish country, it's fairly common as a leisure activity, and competitions can be a big deal at the county fair. In the summer locals frequent country produce stands and the farmers market for fresh goods.

Downtown is more cosmopolitan. Artists tend to live or set up studios in the Jones block and other lofts. Socializing over food and drink is big, and it can be difficult to find a place to sit in popular downtown restaurants during the lunch rush despite Findlay's relatively small size.

The American flag is widely flown in Findlay from commercial buildings to private homes due to efforts from John B. Cooke, who purchased thousands of flags for people to fly in Findlay. Eventually, Findlay became known as Flag City USA.

By car

 * I 75 N/S is the main highway cutting through west Findlay, with access from Toledo and Detroit to the north, or Dayton and Cincinnati to the south. There are two main exits to Findlay.
 * SR 224 E/W is a state highway that eventually reaches Akron to the east.

By car
Findlay can easily be navigated by car, and parking outside the downtown core is rarely an issue. There is a parking garage downtown for when extended parking is needed.

By bus
HATS runs a public shuttle that runs for limited hours on weekdays, as well as shuttles with more flexible hours to anywhere in the county if pre-arranged.

By bike
Biking in Findlay is possible, if a bit treacherous. Motorists in Findlay don't like to share the road, so ride defensively.

On foot
Downtown Findlay and the University of Findlay campus are both very walkable, and have shady sidewalks with ample crossings. The outskirts can be hit or miss - You might be walking on a nice sidewalk, the shoulder of the road, or in a ditch. Going from one side of the city to another can take hours, but is doable.

Architecture
Findlay has some of the highest concentration of Victorian architecture in the United States. While most Victorian houses are still in private use, all can be observed quite well from the street or sidewalk, and many offer occasional tours or dinners.

Parks
Parks in the area are either managed by the City of Findlay, or Hancock County.

Confections, coffee, & tea




Pubs




Stay safe
Findlay is generally a safe city and most crimes that do occur are minor. If a phone is available and an emergency occurs, call 911 for assistance.



Weather
Every so often, the Blanchard river floods Findlay with some floods being flash floods. If a flood occurs, don't panic but be sensible and avoid contact with floodwater directly, as it may contain untreated sewage. In a particularly bad flood there are portions of I-75 may become unusable. Major Floods can downscale or close Findlay's public services and business for months after they occur, especially if that service or business is located downtown.

Connect
Many businesses, especially coffee shops and restaurants, have public Wi-Fi Hotspots.

The local area codes for Findlay are 419 and 567. Most cellular carriers have 4G coverage in Findlay.



Villages and hamlets

 * McComb - A quaint village in Northwest Hancock county. Their public library houses two of the earliest Medals of Honor issued to American Soldiers from the area for a daring raid that occurred during the American Civil War.
 * Bluffton - A small college town
 * Van Buren - A quaint village next to a large state park.
 * Houcktown An unassuming hamlet at a crossroads. Was the birthplace of William "Dummy" Hoy, who is credited with coming up with many of the hand signals used in baseball due to his deafness.

Cities

 * Fremont
 * Lima
 * Marion
 * Sandusky
 * Bowling Green
 * Toledo