Plain City, Ohio

North Liberty, Ohio
North Liberty was platted by Lucas Sullivant in 1797. It was located on the southern bank of the Big Darby Creek in the south eastern portion of Darby Township. The only settlers to have taken up residence in this village was the Ewing family. They later moved to Westminster (present-day Plain City). Varying accounts place this lost village in either Darby Township or Jerome Township.

According to information from the US Postal Service, prior to the platting of a town in the area, there was a post office established near the town site on January 11, 1811. It is assumed that this is the post office referred to as Darby Creek in local histories. The first postmaster was James Ewing. This post office is also credited with being the first post office in present day Union County, and it was located on the old Post Road (present day SR 161).

The Rise of Plain City, Ohio
Plain City was originally platted as the village of Westminster in 1818 by David Chapman for Dr. Isaac Bigelow on early day Post Road (now SR 161). Upon its founding, the town lay wholly in Madison County. The village was resurveyed in 1823, and the name was changed from Westminster to Pleasant Valley. Dr. Isaac Bigelow was the first mayor of Pleasant Valley upon its incorporation on February 15, 1842. In 1851 the railroad was built through the village. By 1859 the village had "grown" into Union County.

Dr. Isaac Bigelow kept the first store in this village. In 1865 the town paid its final respects to President Abraham Lincoln as his funeral train passed through the town. The Plain City Press printed its first paper on March 11, 1873. The first church built in the village belonged to the Methodist Episcopal congregation. By 1876 the Plain City Methodist Episcopal Church had located into a part of the village in Union County on present day US 42.

The name of the town was again changed in 1877 to Plain City. The town clock was donated to the village by "Uncle Sammy" Samuel Taylor. This center piece to the town was dedicated on November 15, 1902 with a celebration that included an ox roast, speeches by dignitaries (including most notably Dr. W. O. Thompson, President of the Ohio State University), and fireworks.

On June 16, 1912 a tornado tore through Plain City. This tornado blew the roof off the opera house. Another tornado ripped through the village in 1966 toppling many oak trees. In 1913 a devastating flood hit Plain City. A flood also struck the town in 1959. Another flood would hit the village in 1997, closing both of the US 42 bridges over the Big Darby Creek when the creek was cresting. On March 12, 1947 the first plane landed at the Plain City Airport. This airport remained in operation until 1985. Today the railroad no longer goes through the town. However, due to its prime location on the junction of US 42 and SR 161, the town is still growing at a fast rate.