Ohio got loads of surprises for people coming to the city for the first time.
I was told we have many black communities in Ohio, and I found more communities than I remember.
Does Ohio have a large German population?
Ohio has a large community of German ancestry.
As a result, Ohio has become one of the most diverse cities in the United States.
How did Germans come to Ohio?
In this article, I will discuss how Germans made their way to Ohio and had a flourishing community.
Does Ohio Have a Large German Population?
Yes, Ohio has the largest concentrations of German ancestry in its cities.
For instance, Delphos, Harrison, and Cheviot have the highest number of Germans in the state.
Do you know that numerous Ohioans are of German ancestry?
Today, German Ohioans are found in different parts of Ohio, enhancing the social and cultural landscape.
The Migration
The eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries witnessed a massive influx of immigrants to the United States.
These immigrants wanted to experience the American dream and have a better work-life balance.
Before the infamous Civil War, America saw immigrants coming from Germany, Ireland, and Great Britain.
Then, new immigrants from Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland started arriving in the country by the 1880s.
However, German ancestors had taken their place in Ohio before many other communities made their presence.
Many Germans came from Pennsylvania and along Zane’s Trace.
When the Ohio stated building canals during the early 1880s, more Germans arrived as constructors.
Within a short period, they established themselves in many places, especially Portage, Jefferson, Auglaize, Columbiana, Hamilton, Stark, Perry, Fairfield and Mercer counties.
It may surprise you to know that many Ohioans are German descent, followed by Irish descent, especially if you head to Cuyahoga County.
The Reason for Migrating
German immigrants were running from their country’s economic depression, religious persecution, and political oppression.
They found the United States as a liberal country where they can live their lives without interferences.
In addition, they wanted a country that has a flourishing economy, which made America their dream destination.
Ohio was appealing because the route to Cleveland became easier when the Ohio Canal was opened in 1833.
Years later, the state built railroads and many Germans found themselves setline in Parma, Newburgh, and Independence as farmers.
The German population grew in Ohio, and many became merchants, public servants, craftsmen, businessmen, and bankers.
The expansion brought institutions of higher learning like the German Wallace College, and religious houses like the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cleveland.
Coming to Cleveland offers you many German relics in form of buildings and culture.
The German descents have built communities in different parts of Ohio.
Meanwhile, the city of Milwaukee has more German immigrants than any other city in the country.
If you want to see more Germans in the United States, you can visit Cincinnati, St.
Louis, New York City, Baltimore, and Milwaukee.
Finally, German-Americans make up the largest self-reported ancestry group with around 49 million people in the USA.
German Communities in Ohio
You can find German concentrations in the following places:
- Western Cuyahoga County – Fairview Park
- Bay Village
- Rocky River
However, the largest concetrations of German ancestry can be found in
- Delphos
- Harrison
- Cheviot
- Marys
- Celina
German Village
I found a historic neighborhood when I visited Columbus called the German Village.
A large number of Germans settled here in the 19th century and have become a popular place to see German culture.
It became a Preserve America Community in 2007 and has grown into a flourishing German community.
German Village is a residential area with sturdy and red-brick houses.
Most houses have wrought iron fences and are lined with trees and brick-paved streets.
The New York Post, St Louis Post Dispatch, The Plain Dealer, The Tennessean, and the Washington Post have positively reviewed this village.
Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest is an annual German festival held in different parts of the world.
Since many cities have German communities, Oktoberfest has become an annual event in these communities.
The Schmidt and Cox families have kept the festival running yearly in Ohio.
You can attend any Oktoberfest festival if you want to explore German culture and tradition, music, drink, and food.
German pacifists
Germans didn’t participate in the Revolutionary War that started in 1775, which was why they didn’t construct a massive settlement.
Thus, Germans found homes in Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland.
Columbus downtown houses many Germans and has become a popular destination for people who want to experience the German lifestyle.
Since the German Village was founded in the 1960s, local homeowners have privately financed the area.
Meanwhile, the village has strict regulations on how to construct houses.
The exterior design follows the typical northern European design and the historic facades.
Beer, Schnitzel, &Sauerkraut
The Schmidt’s have a Schnitzel restaurant at the center of the neighborhood, where you can enjoy typical German meals.
You will not want to miss any meal when coming to this part of Ohio.
You can mingle with the locals while you eat Sauerkraut.
Today, the authentic neighborhood has become a protective place that guards its features.
I was expecting a small village when I came here.
However, the place is massive and beautiful, mixing German and European house designs.
The houses are smaller than what you see in any United State city because of limited space.
The construction of these houses with bricks and limestone makes them exceptional in their appearance.
FAQs
What percentage of Ohio is German?
The German people accounted for 40% of Ohio’s population.
Why did German immigrants come to Ohio?
The state of Ohio witnessed a massive influx of Germans who relocated to America because of their country’s political oppression, economic depression, and religious persecution.
In addition, they discovered that the route to Cleveland was more accessible for them to use.
Why are there so many Germans in Ohio?
The German people were among the first immigrants who settled in Ohio.
Many of them came from Pennsylvania during the l1700s and 1800s, whereas others came to build the numerous canals in the state.
