A pioneer from Connecticut became the first school teacher in the Westerville area in 1808 by teaching her nephews and neighbors in a barn. Then after the danger of the War of 1812 passed, pioneer families converted a log fort into a schoolhouse.
By 1827, there were six one-room schoolhouses in Blendon Township, with as few as five families and as many as 25 in attendance. Early schools included the 1913 Harbor Road School (located on Cleveland Avenue where Sharon Woods Metro Park is today) and the Vine Street school that opened in 1896 (Emerson Elementary in 2018).
Students of today would not recognize these early schools, where simple rice meals were cooked by the teachers for lunch, paper and books were rare, and mornings at home began with chores on the farm.
Learn more about the history of education in Westerville using the resources below.
Timeline
This is a timeline of education in Westerville, from 1808 to 1931.
