When was the name change and
what was its name prior to Beaver Dam?
If you’ve ever wondered when and how Beaver Dam officially became Beaverdam, here’s the answer. In the July 25, 1895, Bluffton News comes this brief announcement:
The Post Master General has issued an order changing the name “Beaver Dam” to “Beaverdam,” all one word.
Short and sweet. We are aware that the change did not take place immediately as references to “Beaver Dam” continued for several years after 1895. In fact the following account from a history of Allen County published after 1906 referred to the village as Beaver Dam.
From that history of Allen County we learn the village was laid out in 1853 by Frederick Shull. Orginally, the village was known as Shulltown. Perhaps a bigger mystery is when did Shulltown become Beaver Dam? One guess is when the community eventually became incorporated, but we aren't certain of that date.
July 1895 Bluffton News notice
According to Daniel Milliken, an old resident, the legend connected with the village is, that “originally beavers that were found there by the Indians had built two dams, one east and the other west of the present site of the town, so as to cause waters to become accumulated to enable them to use the flood for a sort of dam.
The town is located between the ancient dams. The Lake Erie and Western Railroad and the Lina & Findlay traction line pass through the village.
There are four teachers in the Beaver Dam schools, viz.: • J.L. Steiner, superintendent and principal of the high school; • E.A. Miller, in charge of the grammar department; • Erna (sic) E. Conrad, in charge of the intermediate department; and • Helen Huber, in charge of the primary department.
The schools have an enrollment of 181 pupils. C. Frank Troxel is president and J.W. Manges is clerk of the Board of Education.
Early Beaver Dam map
Enlargement of Main Street
July 1895 Bluffton News announcement
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