Recognition of Wood County, Ohio's 200th Anniversary

Floor Speech

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Mr. LATTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Bicentennial of Wood County, Ohio. This Crossroad of America was established by the Ohio State Legislature on February 12, 1820. Wood County has historical ties to the earliest days of Ohio history, gaining its name from Colonel Eleazer D. Wood, the planning engineer of Fort Meigs in 1813.

Wood County was once home to the Great Black Swamp. This made settlement of the area extremely difficult, but the pioneering spirit of early residents produced an extensive system of ditches which drained the swamp and revealed the rich farmland beneath. There are still more than 3,000 miles of drainage ditches keeping the county dry to this day.

The oil and natural gas industries were the first to enter Wood County in the late 1800s. This caused a large spike in population as people migrated to the county in hopes of obtaining riches. Wood County currently covers nearly 620 square miles of land and water which provides evidence of the rural traditions and history of the area, while fostering agricultural ingenuity, manufacturing developments, and educational success.

The celebration of the 200th Anniversary of Wood County is a meaningful reminder of the hard work, grit, and pioneering attitude upon which Wood County, Ohio and the United States of America were founded. Congratulations to Wood County in celebration of its Bicentennial Year.

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