History
In 1852,
John Reed Hilliard bought ten acres of farmland in western
Franklin County from Hoseah High and Abraham Wendell. Geographically,
the Hilliard area is between Big Darby Creek on the west and
the Scioto River on the east. Originally called Hilliard’s
Station, the town grew around the railroad route of the Piqua
and Indiana Railroad station, which bisected the former Hilliard
farmland. Hilliard’s Station served as an ideal shipping point
for agricultural products going to market and supplies coming
to the farmers in the area. The original Hilliard area was
platted by John Hilliard on September 1, 1853. Until the mid
20th century, the railroad station and Main Street were the
town center. In 1854, a post office was established in Hilliard’s
Station and the word Station was dropped from the town name.
The Village of Hilliard became incorporated on July 13, 1869
with a population of 280 residents. In 1886 the first railroad
station was located on the north side of the tracks, west
of Main Street, and remained there until 1962 when all railroad
services ceased. The original train station has been restored
and remains in Hilliard’s historical Weaver Park. The original
platted area contained a mix of residences and businesses
of varying ages and architecture. The construction of three
large residential subdivisions in the 1950’s brought explosive
growth to Hilliard. The connection to the Columbus regional
sewer and water systems in the 1960’s opened up the area to
development. The Village of Hilliard gained city status officially
from the Secretary of State of Ohio, by attaining a population
of 5,633 on December 12, 1960. With the completion of the
I-270 outerbelt in the 1980’s, a second wave of explosive
growth came to the area. Land uses in Hilliard continue to
be a mix of residential and commercial development. A rich
heritage of residential structures and architectural styles
can be found in the historic district along Norwich Street.
The City of Hilliard looks towards the future by continuing
its economic development efforts with commercial growth while
retaining the charm of its historic district and continuing
to maintain the friendly atmosphere that make Hilliard a great
place to live, work, and raise a family. For further
information on the history of Hilliard contact Northwest Franklin
County Historical Society, 4162 Avery Road, 777-4852
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