Vandalia, Ohio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vandalia, Ohio
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Aerial view of Vandalia, with Dayton International Airport to the north
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Location in Montgomery County and the state of Ohio
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| Country | United States | ||||
| State | Ohio | ||||
| County | Montgomery | ||||
| Area | |||||
| • Total | 12.39 sq mi (32.09 km2) | ||||
| • Land | 12.35 sq mi (31.98 km2) | ||||
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.11 km2) | ||||
| Elevation | 955 ft (291 m) | ||||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 15,209 | ||||
| • Density | 1,231.80/sq mi (475.60/km2) | ||||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | ||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | ||||
| ZIP code |
45377
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| Area code(s) | 937, 326 | ||||
| FIPS code | 39-79492 | ||||
| GNIS feature ID | 1086680 | ||||
Vandalia is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb of Dayton. In 2020, about 15,209 people lived there.
Vandalia is special because it's very close to Dayton International Airport. It's also located where two major highways meet: I-75 and I-70. This makes it an important travel spot.
Contents
History of Vandalia
How Vandalia Started
On August 17, 1838, a person named Benjamin Wilhelm came from Pennsylvania. He settled near where U.S. Route 40 and US Route 25-A are today. He built a home and a small general store. This store was a place for travelers heading west to stop and rest.
More travelers and business people started coming. On February 7, 1848, the town officially became "The Village of Vandalia". Benjamin Wilhelm was its first mayor. The village had 38 lots, including a church, hotels, and shops. It was named after Vandalia, Illinois.
Growing into a City
By 1959, Vandalia was growing too big to be just a "village". Its citizens voted to change its government. On January 2, 1960, Vandalia officially became a Charter City of Ohio. This means it had its own special rules for how it was run.
A large manufacturing plant, Delphi Automotive, opened in Vandalia in the 1930s. It was later bought by Mahle Behr in 2015.
Until 2005, Vandalia was home to the Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA). This group moved to Sparta, Illinois, after the Dayton International Airport expanded.
Why the Name Vandalia?
There are a few ideas about how Vandalia got its name. Some records say that Benjamin Wilhelm, the founder, was on his way to Vandalia, Illinois. But he stopped here instead and named his new town after his original destination.
Other stories say the town was named Vandalia because the National Road was supposed to go all the way to Vandalia, Illinois. But for a while, it seemed like it might not. So, the name was used for a town along the road in Ohio.
Vandalia's Location
Vandalia is about 10 miles (16 km) north of Dayton. It sits between the Great Miami River and the Stillwater River. People sometimes call Vandalia the "Crossroads of America." This is because it's located on the historic National Road and the Dixie Highway.
These old roads are now modern highways: U.S. Route 40 (east-west) and former U.S. Route 25 (north-south). These have been replaced by two major expressways: Interstate 70 and Interstate 75.
The city covers about 12.41 square miles (32.14 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.
People of Vandalia
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 228 | — | |
| 1870 | 313 | — | |
| 1880 | 315 | 0.6% | |
| 1890 | 265 | −15.9% | |
| 1900 | 284 | 7.2% | |
| 1910 | 221 | −22.2% | |
| 1920 | 257 | 16.3% | |
| 1930 | 331 | 28.8% | |
| 1940 | 378 | 14.2% | |
| 1950 | 927 | 145.2% | |
| 1960 | 6,342 | 584.1% | |
| 1970 | 10,796 | 70.2% | |
| 1980 | 13,161 | 21.9% | |
| 1990 | 13,882 | 5.5% | |
| 2000 | 14,603 | 5.2% | |
| 2010 | 15,246 | 4.4% | |
| 2020 | 15,209 | −0.2% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 15,090 | −1.0% | |
| Sources: | |||
Vandalia is part of the larger Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area. This means it's connected to the economy and community of Dayton.
Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 15,246 people living in Vandalia. There were 6,571 households and 4,166 families. The city had about 1,235 people per square mile (477 per square kilometer).
Most people in Vandalia were White (91.5%). Other groups included African American (4.1%), Asian (1.4%), and Native American (0.1%). About 1.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 30% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.30 people. The average family had 2.88 people. The average age in the city was 40.6 years old.
Fun Events in Vandalia
Vandalia hosts many fun festivals and events throughout the year.
- The annual Oktoberfest happens in the autumn.
- The Homecoming parade takes place in the fall.
- The Air Show & Parade is a big summer event.
- The Star-Spangled Celebration is a firework show.
- "Taste of Vandalia" is a food event.
- The Vandalia Corporate Challenge is a team competition.
Parks and Outdoor Fun
Vandalia is known for its great parks and recreation. There are over thirty parks in the area.
- Helke Park is one of the larger parks.
- The Vandalia Sports Complex offers many sports fields.
- Taylorsville Metropark is home to the historic village of Tadmor.
- The Bruce Sucher Recreation Center is a very popular place for activities.
Education in Vandalia
The Vandalia-Butler City School District is highly rated. It has received an "excellency" rating almost every year since 2005. The schools are always working to get better.
The school district built a new middle school. They also updated and made Butler High School larger.
Vandalia also has a public library. It is a branch of the Dayton Metro Library.
Local News
Vandalia has its own weekly newspaper called the Vandalia Drummer. The city's news is also covered by the Dayton Daily News. This is the main daily newspaper for the Dayton area.
Famous People from Vandalia
Many notable people have connections to Vandalia:
- Josh Betts, a former CFL quarterback.
- Roger Clemens, a famous baseball pitcher who won the Cy Young Award seven times. He lived in Vandalia until he was 15.
- Taylor Decker, a football player for the Detroit Lions.
- Matt Lepay, a sports broadcaster.
- Cory Vance, a former Major League Baseball player for the Colorado Rockies.
Sister Cities
Vandalia has special connections with cities in other countries:
