Minster

History

Founded in 1832 as Stallostown (for its founder Francis J. Stallo), the village changed its name to Minster in 1836 (after the heavily Roman Catholic region of Münster in Westphalia, from which many of the settlers came). Minster was founded as part of Mercer County, but it was given to Auglaize County when it was created in 1848. It was mostly comprised from the beginning by German settlers coming from Cincinnati by way of the Miami-Erie Canal bringing their farming skills and Catholic faith with them. One of the early benefits of locating in Minster was the Miami-Erie Canal, which was expected to decrease transportation costs for agricultural produce and finished goods. Located between Cleveland Street and Frankfort Street, the canal and footpaths on either side are still visible reminders. Located southeast of Minster, the Loramie Creek was expanded for use by the canal system as Lake Loramie reservoir about 1847. In 1949 its management was transferred to the Ohio DNR. Lake Loramie State Park offers fishing, boating, camping and cabins. The canals of Ohio were overshadowed by the efficiency of railroads. A branch line was completed through Minster around 1878, connecting to the north with St. Marys and the Lake Erie and Western Railroad mainline. In 1922 the Nickel Plate Road gained control. The branch line served as a freight and passenger route until its decline, with final passenger service in the 1930s when automobiles became preferred. The branch line continued to be a profitable nine-mile stretch serving local industries, active until around the late 1960s when a weak bridge halted service and modern semi-trucks became the lower-cost freight method. Most of the roads in Minster were originally named after places in Germany and surrounding areas. For…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,351
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,140
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,111
• Great Blue/Cocoi Heron

  Ardea herodias Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,091
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  1,089
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  964
• Killdeer

  Charadrius vociferus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  917
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  884

Most recent

• M 2.9 — 2023-12-09
  5 km W of Jackson Center, Ohio
• M 2.6 — 2015-06-12
  6 km NW of Convoy, Ohio
• M 2.8 — 2008-09-30
  5 km SW of Kettlersville, Ohio
• M 2.5 — 2006-08-15
  3 km NE of Fort Shawnee, Ohio
• M 2.8 — 2006-05-12
  2 km E of Lima, Ohio
• M 2.5 — 2004-01-30
  2 km S of Rockford, Ohio