Delaware Ohio: Home of the Little Brown Jug

Delaware is a city in and the county seat of Delaware County, Ohio, United States. Delaware was founded in 1808 and was incorporated in 1816. It is located near the center of Ohio, is about 30 miles north of Columbus, and is part of the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area. 

The population was 41,270 at the 2020 census.

The Delaware downtown is the epicenter of the city. It boasts The Strand Theatre, the longest continually operating movie theater in Ohio, many restaurants, most with outdoor eating spaces. Quaint boutiques, antique shops, breweries, wineries, bookstores, yoga and dance studios are located amid floral shops, a record shop, cycling store, coffee shops, commercial banks, salons and spas. Downtown Delaware has a main branch library, city hall, municipal courthouse and the county tourism bureau.

The life of the city

Delaware has many businesses characteristic of American university towns: a historical cinema, coffee shops, organic food stores, and local restaurants. The Arts Castle, home to the Delaware County Cultural Arts Center, offers classes ranging from ballet to fiber arts. The Boardman Arts Park is the outdoor art exhibit and event space, and includes the Delaware Beer & Wine Festival.

Delaware residents support a popular farmer's market[1], professional theaters,[19] the Ballet Met, the Central Ohio Symphony Orchestra, Columbus Symphony, Opera Columbus, Contemporary American Theater Company, the Columbus Museum of Art, the Delaware Community Chorus and many theater opportunities. The city also hosts one of the main flea markets in the area every Sunday from 5am to 1pm. It is held at the Delaware County fairgrounds starting on April 1 and running every weekend until the end of October.

Economy

There is a true economic mix in the area. The economic mix of the county reveals a balance of the following main economic activities: Manufacturing (18%), Trade (27%), Government (15%), and Service (23%) according to statistics published by Delaware Area Chamber of Commerce. The largest employers are in automobile coatings, plastics, copper products, education, insurance, automobile parts and distribution, sports apparel, retail, services, and government. Delaware County is a net importer of workers from throughout Ohio.

Law & Government

The City of Delaware operates under a council-manager form of government. Council, as the legislative body, represents the entire community and is empowered by the City Charter to formulate policy. City Council has seven members: three elected at-large by all city residents, and four representing the four city wards and elected only by those ward residents. All council members serve four-year terms. The mayor and vice mayor are selected by Council from among the at-large members and serve two-year terms.  Council members are part-time civil servants who do not maintain offices at City Hall but, rather, serve their constituency through personal contact.

The City Manager handles the day-to-day administration of the city and is appointed by the City Council.

Schools

College

• Ohio Wesleyan University

Ohio Wesleyan is a private independent liberal arts college located in the heart of Delaware. Ohio Wesleyan University enrolls approximately 1,950 students from 40 states and more than 50 countries. The level of academic excellence has placed Wesleyan among the 80 top liberal arts colleges in the annual rankings published by the US News and World Report. According to the same magazine, the university was recognized as one of the Best College Values among the top 40 in the United States. Students live in residence halls and benefit from a large campus providing academics, athletics and services. There is a traditionally positive town-government relationship, with Wesleyan student volunteers in the Delaware community and coordination of institutional and cultural interests with the city. Due to high enrollment of minority and international students at the University, it has influenced the international, ethnic and religious diversity of Delaware.

Delaware Joint Vocational School District

Delaware Area Career Center

Delaware City School District

The Delaware City School District, which encompasses Delaware and the surrounding area, enrolls about 5,700 PreK-12 students. Frank B. Willis Education Center (formerly the Intermediate School and High School) is home to the administrative offices of the district.

High school

• Rutherford B. Hayes High School 

Middle school

• John C. Dempsey Middle School

Elementary schools

• Ervin Carlisle Elementary
• James A. Conger Elementary
• Robert F. Schultz Elementary
• David Smith Elementary
• Laura Woodward Elementary

Private schools, K-12

• Delaware Christian School
• St. Mary School

Popular Neighborhoods

To Name a few:

• Springer Woods
• The Ravines of Olentangy
• Woods of Dornoch 
• Carson Farms
• Kensington Place
• Lantern Chase

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