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Brimfield Township, Portage County, Ohio facts for kids

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Brimfield Township
Interstate 76 passes through the wooded hills of Brimfield Township
Interstate 76 passes through the wooded hills of Brimfield Township
Motto(s): 
Pathway to Portage County
Location within Ohio.
Location within Ohio.
Location of Brimfield Township in Portage County with Brimfield CDP outlined in gray
Location of Brimfield Township in Portage County with Brimfield CDP outlined in gray
Country United States
State Ohio
County Portage
Settled 1816
Established 1818
Named for Brimfield, Massachusetts
Government
 • Type Civil township
Area
 • Total 21.4 sq mi (55.3 km2)
 • Land 20.5 sq mi (53.2 km2)
 • Water 0.8 sq mi (2.1 km2)
Elevation
1,148 ft (350 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 11,352
 • Density 531.9/sq mi (205.4/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
44240, 44260, 44278, 44266
Area code(s) 330, 234
FIPS code 39-08840
GNIS feature ID 1086823

Brimfield Township is one of the eighteen townships of Portage County, Ohio, United States. The 2010 census found 10,376 people in the township. Was also the hometown of, rock singer, guitar player, songwriter John Oswald, better known as Jani Lane... 1964-2011.

Geography

Located in the southwestern part of the county, it borders the following townships and cities:

The census-designated place of Brimfield is located in the center of the township.

In addition, parts of two neighboring cities cover land that was once part of the township:

  • Part of the city of Kent, in the north
  • Part of the city of Tallmadge, in the west

Brimfield Township covers a total area of 21.4 square miles (55 km2) of which 20.5 square miles (53 km2) is land.

Name and history

Portage County 1826
1826 map of Portage County with Brimfield labeled by its former name "Thorndike."

The township is named after the town of Brimfield, Massachusetts, and is the only Brimfield Township in Ohio. It was formed from survey township Town 2, Range 9 of the Connecticut Western Reserve. The original proprietors were Israel Thorndike of Boston and John Wyles of Hartford, Connecticut, both of whom came to the area in 1816 to view their land and divide it. While neither settled in Brimfield, Thorndike sent his nephew Henry Thorndike to act as his agent and settle in the township. Brimfield was known by a succession of different names during the first few years, mostly in reference the swampy land within its borders. It was first known as "Swamptown", followed by "Beartown", "Greenbriar", and "Wylestown", before town leaders agreed to name it "Thorndike" at the establishment of the township government in 1818 after Thorndike had agreed to donate land for a town square. Thorndike never followed through on his agreement, so residents petitioned to have the name changed to "Brimfield" in honor of John Wyles, Jr., who had inherited his father's land interests and at the time resided in Brimfield, Massachusetts. A post office called Brimfield was established in 1834, and remained in operation until 1907.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Municipio de Brimfield (Ohio) para niños

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