History

Long before fur traders, soldiers and settlers came to the Maumee Valley, the river and its banks were studded with Indian villages. In 1794, General Anthony Wayne marched his legion down along the river to the site the French called Roche de Boeuf, a large island outcropping of natural limestone where the Ottawa Indians held their councils. Opposite it on the west bank Wayne constructed Fort Deposit in preparation of an encounter with the Indians, which became known as the battle of Fallen Timbers. For three days following his victory, Wayne sent his troops all along the river burning Indian settlements and cornfields. At the Treaty of Greenville in 1795 twelve tribes signed their submission and the Ohio territory opened to white settlement.

Like many other towns, modes of transportation have played a major role in the evolution of Waterville. With the completion of the Route 24 Bypass in the year 2012, the village landscape will be transformed again. Without truck traffic congestion, the restored historic downtown downtown will prosper, while new commercial development will locate near the bypass. Waterville honors its colorful past, but looks toward a bright future.