West Chester Township marks bicentennial with Founders' Day weekend celebrations.

Sue Kiesewetter
Updated ·5 min read
West Chester Township celebrates its bicentennial with a weekend-long Founders' Day celebration. The community began its history as Union Township, but residents voted to change the name, which became official in 2000.
West Chester Township celebrates its bicentennial with a weekend-long Founders' Day celebration. The community began its history as Union Township, but residents voted to change the name, which became official in 2000.

WEST CHESTER TWP. – It was 200 years ago that a group of Liberty Township residents petitioned the Butler County commissioners to split the township.

That petition was granted June 2, 1823, and Union Township was created. The community was christened West Chester Township 23 years ago when residents voted to change the name.

The Founders’ Day bicentennial celebration begins Thursday with the opening of the summer music series, The Takeover at The Square @Union Centre with The Remains. The weekend also features a Food Truck Rally and a drone light show Friday, the inaugural Olde West Chester Founders’ Festival Saturday and ends with Voice of America Days on Sunday.

“It really is unbelievable that it’s been 200 years – 1823. We were Liberty Township before we became Union Township,’’ said Trustee Mark Welch. “When we split from Liberty, we got 35 square miles and they ended up with about 27, so geographically we’re a larger township.”

The township has had steady growth since 45-50 families settled in the township around 1805. The population rose steadily from 1900 – when there were 1,743 residents – to 1950 when 2,545 people called the township home.During the next 50 years, the population exploded, particularly between 1980 and 2000 when it more than doubled, from 23,553 to 54,895. Today the township has about 66,000 residents.

West Chester's police department was founded April 17, 1967.
West Chester's police department was founded April 17, 1967.

“The fabric of our community has that historical context that we’re going to explore this weekend in Olde West Chester,” said Trustee Ann Becker. “What I’m most looking forward to this Founders’ Day is to really show the community that rich history that we have.”

The township’s history will be showcased with Saturday’s grand opening of the West Chester History Center as part of the inaugural Olde West Chester Founders’ Festival, which runs from 2 to 6 p.m. along Cincinnati-Dayton Road.For the past four years, volunteers with the West Chester-Union Township Historical Society have been renovating the 100-plus-year-old, two-room, brick, West Chester School – also known as the Station Road School – into a museum.

“It’ll be a great moment for our community for our 200-year anniversary to do that ribbon-cutting and open it up for the community,’’ Becker said.

The two-room Station Road school house is the new home of the West Chester History Center.
The two-room Station Road school house is the new home of the West Chester History Center.

The museum includes collected artifacts of West Chester along with information and displays from the neighborhoods and regions that make up the township. Many areas developed along commerce routes along the canal and railroad.

As part of the Founders’ Day celebration, the Food Truck Rally organized by the Union Centre Boulevard Merchant Association has been moved from its regular August date to Friday on The Square @ Union Centre. Nearly 40 food and drink vendors will be at The Square, 9285 Centre Pointe Drive., for the rally, which runs from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

“We really wanted to be part of it,’’ said Denise Reier, president of Adago Marketing, and business association member. “Usually, we get about 10,000 people but this year we’re (expecting) about 12,000.”

Along with the food, there will be live music, with Noah Smith taking the stage at 6 p.m., and headliner Blessid Union of Souls at 8:30 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the historical society.

Ending the Food Truck Rally will be a 200-drone light show sponsored by the township, launching from the Midpointe Library’s West Chester branch.

“You’ll see 200 drones doing some incredible formations over the food truck rally,” Reier said. “It’s going to be pretty cool.”

Events

Thursday, June 1: The Takeover concert, 6-9 p.m., The Square @ Union Centre, 9285 Centre Pointe Drive, The Remains, food and beverage vendors.

Friday, June 2: Food Truck Rally, The Square @ Union Centre, 9285 Centre Pointe Drive; 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; 40 food trucks/vendors; free music, 6 p.m., Noah Smith, 8:30 p.m., Blessid Union of Souls; drone light show, 10 p.m., flying over the Food Truck Rally.

The West Chester Founders Day logo. This year the community celebrates its bicentennial.
The West Chester Founders Day logo. This year the community celebrates its bicentennial.

Saturday, June 3: West Chester Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., parking lot, MidPointe Library West Chester branch, 9363 Centre Pointe Drive, Olde West Chester Founders’ Festival, 2-6 p.m., along West Chester Road in Olde West Chester, firefighter’s chili cookoff at the West Chester fire headquarters, kite making, petting zoo, axe throwing, bouncy house, corn hole, giant Jenga, trolly rides, dunk tank, and the grand opening of the West Chester History Center.

Sunday, June 4: Voice of America Days, 8070 Tylersville Road, noon to 4 p.m.

West Chester Township by the numbers

  • Today about 66,000 people call West Chester home, making it the largest township in the state by population. They live in 26,063 housing units and account for about 17% of Butler County’s 390,234 residents.

  • There are 3,653 businesses employing 58,852 that work for Fortune 500 companies, healthcare, information technology, corporate headquarters, and healthcare. Among those are 16 international companies. The township’s unemployment rate is 2.1%, lower than Butler County’s 3.1%, Ohio’s 3.6% and the national 3.3%.

  • At $2,450,558,050, West Chester has the second-highest assessed value in southwest Ohio, behind only Cincinnati.

  • About 74% of those 25 years or older have some college education, with half earning a bachelor’s degree or higher

  • Average household income is $130,364, projected to increase to $156,869 by 2027.

  • The median home value is $246,032 with the average selling price of homes on the market at $363,682. The average sale time is 15 days on the market.

Source: West Chester Township

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: West Chester Twp. turns 200 and celebrates with Founders' Day weekend