72 topographic sheets and 39 fire insurance atlases across 6 places.
This curated hub for Ottawa County, Ohio brings together the page's documented record links, visible map or image evidence where published, and routes to related local records.
Use the page's provenance and linked records to distinguish the source material from the site's navigation and summaries.
Open the original record, preserve its repository and identifier, then use the citation tool for this page as a path back to the source.
Follow the county or state hub for related places and records, then use the guide for a source-aware research sequence.
21 National Register listings · 64 businesses named in the fire insurance atlases from 1893 to 1948 · the 1918 county history tells 0 stories and names 0 people.
Sources: the county history on the Internet Archive · the National Register database, National Park Service
Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.
Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.
| Photograph | Property | Type | Listed | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andres, Charles, House | building | 1995 | 95001196 | |
 | Carroll Township Hall | building | 1990 | 90000385 |
 | Catawba Island Wine Company | building | 1983 | 83002019 |
 | Clemons, Alexander, House | building | 1987 | 87001628 |
| East Point Manor | district | 1990 | 87000804 | |
 | First Congregational Church | building | 2000 | 00001161 |
| Foster--Gram House | building | 1992 | 92000175 | |
 | Genoa Town Hall | building | 1976 | 76001504 |
 | Gill--Luchsinger--Bahnsen House and Barn | building | 1992 | 92000888 |
 | Inselruhe | building | 1976 | 76001506 |
 | Island House | building | 2008 | 08000623 |
| Marblehead Lighthouse | structure | 1969 | 69000148 | |
| Mo-John, Betsy, Cabin | building | 1976 | 76001505 | |
| Ohio State Route 51 Bridge Over the Portage River | structure | 1994 | 94000239 | |
 | Old School Privy | building | 1975 | 75001515 |
 | Ottawa County Courthouse | building | 1974 | 74001588 |
 | Port Clinton City Hall | building | 2000 | 00000096 |
 | South Bass Island Light | structure | 1990 | 90000473 |
 | St. Thomas Episcopal Church | building | 1999 | 99000845 |
| War Of 1812 Battle Site | structure | 1972 | 72001038 | |
 | Wolcott, Benajah, House | building | 1991 | 91000251 |
Ottawa County holds 0 covered bridges on the National Register, more than any other property type here. Each is a listed structure with a federal nomination on file.
Sampled issues, machine-read from the Library of Congress scan and published page by page, so every headline and column is searchable text.
Port Clinton, Ohio, 1931 to 1956. Machine-read from the Library of Congress scan.
Drawn when these were printed as single large sheets: the town seen from the air, and the county divided into its farms with every owner named. Each opens the original at the Library of Congress.
Selected from the Digital Public Library of America's 3 image records catalogued for this county. Every one shown here carries a public-domain status or a licence that permits reuse on a site that carries advertising; non-commercial, share-alike and restricted images are excluded. The selection is spread across the county's towns (at most eight per town), so no single institution's bulk upload crowds out the rest. Each opens the holding library's record, and the complete set at the Digital Public Library of America is one click away.
Flown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. 1,178 frames touch this county; the selection below spreads across the decades of flights (at most four per year), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.
The "who lived here, by year" answer: pre-1929 public-domain directory volumes naming the county's people, machine-read and searchable as text.
The thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that watched its rivers, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.
Who lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.
Every Sanborn volume opens with a printed index naming the town's mills, tanneries, hotels and works by proprietor. Those indexes were read off the scanned sheets by machine and then matched to each other, so a business surveyed four times appears here once, with the years it survived. 15 of these 64 were named in more than one atlas. Each carries a crop of the line it was read from: the spelling is the recogniser's and the 1880s lithographer's, and the scan behind it is the proof.
Church
1899 to 1910, named in 3 atlases
Read elsewhere as Catholic Church; Greek Catholie Church, -_.
Church
1904 to 1920, named in 3 atlases
Read elsewhere as Disciple Church, __; Disciple Church.
Saw Mill
1893 to 1904, named in 3 atlases
Read elsewhere as Frese, L, Saw Mill; Frese, L., Saw Mill.
Church
1893 to 1910, named in 2 atlases
Read elsewhere as United Brethren Church.
Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 15 of them, burning about 14 acres. 0 started naturally and 1 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 9 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 1 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 1 |
The five largest, by the area the report gives. One of them was set deliberately.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 April 2013 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 10 acres | Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge | BURMIESTER FIRE |
| 7 November 2020 | Debris and open burning | 2.0 acres | Ohio Department of Natural Resources | 15891 |
| 22 April 2013 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge | POACHER HIGHWAY FIRE |
| 2 March 2019 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge | KONST FIRE |
| 14 October 2020 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Ohio Department of Natural Resources | 15852 |
| 10 October 2019 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Ohio Department of Natural Resources | 15321 |
| 22 April 2020 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Ohio Department of Natural Resources | 15677 |
| 25 June 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Ohio Department of Natural Resources | 15763 |
Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.
The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 402 reports for this county, causing 0 deaths, 27 injuries and about $70,870,750 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 236 |
| Hail | 114 |
| Tornado | 15 |
| Flash Flood | 14 |
| Flood | 7 |
| Storm Surge/Tide | 6 |
| Lightning | 4 |
| Waterspout | 3 |
| Heavy Rain | 1 |
| Seiche | 1 |
| Winter Weather | 1 |
The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 1998 | Tornado (F2) | Port Clinton | 13 hurt, $20,000,000 | A tornado touched down approximately 10 miles west of Port Clinton and just west of the Davis Bessie power plant. Winds were between 113 and 157 miles per hour. Considerable damage occurred, with some barns completely destroyed and an apartment complex heavily damaged. Sixty three homes were destroyed, 63 sustained major damage, 238 had minor damage, semi trucks and mobile homes were overturned and trees and utility poles were downed. Loss of power lines outside Davis Bessie triggered a shutdown and a second stage alert; power was out for several days in places. A state of emergency was declared and all roads were closed in the county. Many buildings were destroyed and trees were downed at Camp Perry. A tree containing an eagle's nest with 2 eaglets was blown down. One of the eaglets survived. |
| May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Port Clinton | 5 hurt, $20,000 | Damaging thunderstorm winds hit the area during the Annual Walleye Festival. Thunderstorm winds downed a large entertainment tent in Port Clinton. Between 25 and 30 people were trapped beneath the collapsed tent. The incident resulted in a total of five people sustaining minor injuries. Three individuals were transported to Magruder Hospital, while two others walked to the hospital. |
| November 2002 | Tornado (F2) | Port Clinton | 4 hurt, $13,500,000 | A tornado touched down south of Port Clinton and then moved northeast entering the city just west of the intersection of Wilcox Road and Fulton Road. The tornado moved through the heart of the city reaching Lake Erie at Lakeview Park. From there, the tornado moved northeast over Lake Erie to Catawba Island where it finally dissipated after a ten mile long damage path. Four people suffered minor injuries as a result of the tornado. Hardest hit was the Lakeview Park area where two condominiums were blown off their stilts into Lake Erie and many other structures where destroyed. The initial storm damage in Port Clinton occurred along 11th Street where several homes were heavily damaged or destroyed. Significant damage also occurred near 8th and Fulton Streets. As the tornado moved through the city, it damaged the local high school and a hospital. Significant damage also occurred on Catawba Island with several homes damaged and destroyed before the tornado finally dissipated. A total of 24 homes and 16 apartments were destroyed along the damage path with approximately 60 additional homes damaged enough to be deemed uninhabitable. Another 80 structures sustained minor to moderate amounts of damage. The damage path was typically no more than 50 yards in width. Dozens of vehicles were damaged or destroyed by the tornado and hundreds of trees and power poles were toppled. |
| June 1987 | Hail | not stated | 3 hurt | no account filed |
| January 1998 | Winter Weather | Countywide | 2 hurt | no account filed |
| June 2006 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $8,000,000 | Thunderstorms dumped very heavy rains on Ottawa County during the evening hours of June 21st. The rain began around 7 pm with rainfall rates later in the evening exceeding three inches per hour. Rainfall totals from the storm ranged from 6 to 8 inches in the Port Clinton area with slightly lesser amounts further east and south. Widespread flash flooding occurred across the county. The flooding was especially bad in Port Clinton where firefighters rescued 15 motorists from their stranded vehicles between 10:30 and 11:30 p.m. Floodwaters over three feet deep were reported in many locations in the city. At the peak of the event, flood waters on Buckeye Boulevard were over four feet deep. Extensive flooding occurred on the ground floor of a local hospital. Several apartment buildings were also flooded in the city requiring the evacuation of dozens of residents. Flooding elsewhere in the county closed a couple dozen roads. Dozens of homes and businesses sustained significant damage from flooding that made it into their ground floors. Several hundred more homes sustained lesser damages, mainly from basement flooding. Local officials stated that this was the worst flooding seen in the county since the historic flood and severe weather episode of July 4th, 1969. |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $3,000,000 | Most of the damage in Ottawa County was caused by straight line winds. A gust of 92 miles per hour was measured in Erie Township. Sustained winds of 70 miles per hour were measured at Port Clinton. Many trees and power lines were downed, blocking several roads. Mobile homes were flipped over, some with people inside them in Oak Harbor, and roofs were blown off of barns. |
| August 2011 | Flood | Port Clinton | $2,500,000 | An official NWS observer measured 6.58 inches over Port Clinton on the 14th. Emergency Management estimates at least half the town experienced some form of flooding as storm sewer systems were overwhelmed. The H.B. Magruder Hospital was inundated with ankle deep flood waters. Many homes and businesses in Port Clinton observed water in their basements, garages, or into their first floors. Many residents report this to be the worse flooding since the July 4-5th storm of 1969. EMA estimated a lot of property was affected with minor flooding, very few major, and no destroyed. |
| July 1992 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| June 1986 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| June 2010 | Tornado (EF3) | Clay Center | $2,400,000 | A strong tornado moved into western Ottawa County from Wood County during the late evening hours of June 5th. The tornado entered the county at 11:30 pm EDT as a weak EF3 or strong EF2 tornado. A couple homes on Trowbridge Road just east of the county line were heavily damaged. The tornado then continued east northeast to just north of the intersection of Billman and Trowbridge Roads where a few more homes were significantly damaged. After crossing Billman Road, the tornado took a turn to the right and intensified back to EF3. The tornado crossed Reiman Road just south of Trowbridge Road and finally lifted just before reaching Bolander Road. Around a dozen homes near the intersection of Trowbridge Road and Reiman Road were damaged. In Ottawa County, a total of 11 homes were destroyed with another 14 homes sustaining major damage from the tornado. Around 20 additional homes sustained lesser damages. This tornado was on the ground in Ottawa County for just over two and a quarter miles and had a maximum width of around 200 yards. Two injuries were reported. |
| June 2019 | Flood | Isle St George | $2,000,000 | The mean level of Lake Erie rose 4 inches from May to June to a level of 574.61 ft. This monthly mean level broke the record high June level and it is the lakes highest recorded monthly level mean since 1918, the beginning of its period of record. Lake Eries monthly mean level was 10 inches above its level of a year ago. Flooding impacted the western Lake Erie shoreline with most of the impact along the Islands and Ottawa and Erie Counties where homes, businesses, and parks took on high water. Area beaches were underwater and many marinas were in accessible due to high water levels. During periods of high wind South Bass Island was temporarily divided into two islands notably on the 8th and 15th. Ferries to the islands were temporarily grounded. |
| May 2009 | Flash Flood | Port Clinton | $2,000,000 | Slow moving, training thunderstorms produced torrential rainfall in Port Clinton, flooding nearly every street in town. Basement flooding was common due to the high water in the streets. The hospital lobby experienced flooding starting around 2:33pm local time, with water one to two feet deep just outside the main entrance. The foundation of a bank building at East 2nd and Madison collapsed around 3:55pm. 3.75 inches of rain fell in one hour at the sewage treatment plant between 1:30pm and 2:30pm. Storm total rainfall of 5.1 inches was measured in Port Clinton, with 4.5 inches measured on Harbor Road just east of town. |
| April 1998 | Storm Surge/Tide | Port Clinton | $2,000,000 | no account filed |
| June 2018 | Flash Flood | Oak Harbor | $1,250,000 | Three rounds of torrential rain moved across Ottawa County on the evening of June 12th between 8 pm and midnight. The heaviest rain occurred around 1030 pm with rainfall rates estimated at over 5 inches per hour lasting for 45 minutes. Unofficial rain gauges in the area reported storm total rainfall amounts of 5 to 6 inches between Oak Harbor and Port Clinton, with one cocorahs station reporting 5.50 inches over Port Clinton. A rain gauge in Catawba Island reported as much as 8 inches, though this cannot be verified. Though a lakeside and relatively flat terrain the area is flood prone. Flooding was notable in this event due the intensity of the rainfall which overwhelmed storm drainage systems. The Portage River, which flows through Ottawa County to its mouth at Sandusky Bay, was elevated but did not flood. Lake Erie, another source for storm water output, was elevated at the time of the rainfall contributing to poor storm drainage. |Local officials declared a State of Emergency for Port Clinton and Oak Harbor due to extensive flooding. The primary impacts were widespread basement flooding and road closures. Hardest hit in Port Clinton were Madison, Lee, Taft, and Columbia Streets. Flood waters reached the front doors of many homes as neighborhood storm drains were overwhelmed. At least one basement wall collapsed. Following a CERT survey, there were at least 6 homes with major damage, 51 with minor damage, and 134 affected. The area hospital flooded with 2-3 inches in the lobby, gift shop, and radiology department, along with the south parking lot. In Port Clinton alone up to 35 roads were either closed or had reports of high water between 2 and 3 feet deep. In Oak Harbor Ohio 19 between Ohio 163 and Ottawa Street was flooded. The primary impacts in Oak Harbor was flooded basements. Total damages estimated around $1.25 M. |
| August 2023 | Flash Flood | Put In Bay Arpt | $750,000 | Extensive flash flooding on South Bass Island, with widespread street flooding and widespread basement flooding. Flooding of airport runway on the island. Radar estimated 6.5 to 7 inches of rainfall in a 4.5 hour period ending around 400 AM EDT on August 24, 2023, with 4 to 4.5 inches of rain falling in roughly 2.5 hours. |
| July 2012 | Hail | Catawba Is | $750,000 | Golf ball to tennis ball sized hail pummeled much of Danbury Township. The hail was accompanied by strong winds which led to considerable damage. All of the Danbury Township Police Department vehicles were damaged too much to be driven. Around six permanent homes and nearly two dozen trailers were damaged by the hail. Most of the damage was to vinyl siding. The hail lasted for several minutes and also damaged many vehicles. A soybean field was heavily damaged by the hail. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Catawba Is | $600,000 | A strong thunderstorm moved across Catawba Island from Lake Erie. Thunderstorm downburst winds estimated at 75 mph caused considerable damage from the west shore all the way to Marblehead. Over 250 trees were toppled or snapped in Danbury Township. Several homes sustained damage from fallen trees. Other homes lost roofing or siding and two vehicles were crushed by fallen trees. Large hail accompanied the strong winds and also caused extensive damage. Danbury Township Police were unable to conduct a storm survey because all of the departments police cruisers were damaged by the hail. Funnel clouds were reported in the area but there was no evidence of a touchdown. |
| June 2006 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $500,000 | Thunderstorms redeveloped along the south shore of Lake Erie during the afternoon of June 22nd and dumped a second round of heavy rain on portions of Ottawa County. With streams and rivers already full and the ground saturated from earlier rains, flash flooding resumed in the county. One to three inches of additional rainfall was reported during the afternoon bringing 24 hour totals to around 10 inches in Port Clinton and 6 inches in Elmore. Streets and roads in the county once again became impassable in many areas. Two adults and a child had to be rescued from a stranded vehicle. In addition to the substantial propertly losses across the county, significant crop damage also occurred. Initial estimates indicate that as much as 20 percent of the soybean crop In Ottawa County was destroyed by the flooding on the 21st and 22nd. |
| August 2023 | Flash Flood | Port Clinton | $400,000 | Reports of widespread flash flooding in Port Clinton. Multiple flooded and impassable roadways reported along with widespread basement flooding. Radar estimated around 4 inches of rainfall in just under a 3 hour period ending 300 AM EDT on August 24, 2023, with total rainfall of 5 to 5.5 inches ending 500 AM EDT on August 24, 2023. |
| April 2020 | Flood | Trowbridge | $400,000 | Record lake levels continued to lead to flooding along lakeshore locations from the Islands to Vermilion. Beach erosion, flooded marinas, and a few flooded local roads was ongoing throughout April impacting businesses. With north to northeast winds, wind-fueled waves crashed over break walls along the lakeshore surrounding some homes and closing additional roads including State Route 2. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $350,000 | A train derailed causing approximately sixteen cars to come off the track. A large tree was also reported down. |
| June 2023 | Tornado (EF2) | Strongs Ridge | $255,000 | A tornado began about three miles south of Oak Harbor and tracked east-northeastward before ending about three miles east-southeast of Oak Harbor. Five homes were damaged along the tornado's path and several of these homes lost their roofs. The tornado also destroyed seven barns and ten cattle fatalities were reported. This tornado received a peak rating of EF2 with estimated peak winds of 130 mph. |
| August 2023 | Flash Flood | Catawba Is | $250,000 | Widespread roadway and basement flooding across Catawba Island. One water rescue was reported at a campground in Catawba Island. Radar estimated 5.5 to 6 inches of rainfall in a four hour period ending around 400 AM EDT on August 24, 2023, with a bulk of the rain falling in roughly 2.5 hours. |
| June 2006 | Flood | Countywide | $250,000 | Thunderstorms dumped as much as 8 to 10 inches of rain on portions of Ottawa County on June 21st and 22nd. Widespread flooding occurred across the county as runoff from this heavy rain made it into area streams and rivers. At the peak of the flooding, much of the county was under standing water. Numerous roads had to be closed because of flooding. Hundreds of homes sustained damage during this event. Initial estimates indicate that as much as 20 percent of the soybean crop in the county was destroyed by flooding. Local officials stated that flood damage in the county was the worst since July 4th, 1969. |
| May 1974 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| April 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $200,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed many trees across the county. Several buildings were also damaged. An automobile dealership near Oak Harbor lost part of it's roof and had several vehicles damaged. Two barns were heavily damaged along State Route 19 north of Oak Harbor and a third barn was damaged near Rocky Ridge. Over 2500 customers, most of them in Carroll Township and on Catawba Island, were without electricity during the peak of the storm. |
| June 1997 | Storm Surge/Tide | Lake Erie Lakeshore | $200,000 | no account filed |
| June 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oak Harbor | $150,000 | Ottawa County Emergency Management, Sheriff Dispatch, and several trained spotters reported widespread wind damage across Ottawa County. Tree damage and downed power poles and lines were reported in Oak Harbor, Port Clinton, Catawba Island, and Marblehead in the mainland portions of the county. Several of the downed trees were quite large, as much as three and a half feet in diameter, and several were reported to be snapped. Outside of a few trees falling onto structures, some homes reported wind damage with a roof removed from a garage and others having miscellaneous roof and shingle damage. An automated wind sensor at Carl R Keller Field reported a 60 mph wind gust during the event. Power outages in the area lasted several days. |
| May 2011 | Hail | Catawba Is | $150,000 | Thunderstorms produced golf ball size hail. Vehicles and homes were damaged during this event. |
| September 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lakeside | $150,000 | A thunderstorm downburst caused a quarter mile long damage path near Marblehead. Many trees were downed and at least a couple homes sustained structural damage from downed trees and limbs. Several other homes and cottages lost windows or siding. At least four vehicles were damaged by fallen trees. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Williston | $150,000 | A thunderstorm downburst with winds estimated to be at least 60 mph downed dozens of trees across the northern third of Ottawa County during the early morning hours of June 6th. A few homes and buildings sustained minor damage, mainly from lost roofing or siding. |
| June 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Port Clinton | $125,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed at least a dozen trees. Three of the trees damaged houses. Three cars were also damaged. |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Catawba Is | $120,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed over 30 trees on Catawba Island and several others in Marblehead. A 70 mph thunderstorm wind gust was measured at the Coast Guard Station in Marblehead. Several homes were damaged by fallen trees and a car was crushed by a tree in Marblehead. A garage was also crushed on Catawba Island and a nearby home lost much of its roof. |
| May 2020 | Flood | Catawba Is | $100,000 | Ongoing record Lake Erie water levels persist in impacting businesses, recreational boaters, and some property owners along the lakeshore. The most impacts continue to be along the more shallow western basin and islands which include flooded marinas, beach erosion, loss of business for tourism, and continued damage to properties along the lake. |
| April 2011 | Tornado (EF0) | Lacarne | $100,000 | An EF0 tornado touched down around four miles southwest of Port Clinton in Bay Township. The Initial touchdown occurred just east of the intersection of Paulsen Road and Little Portage Road East. The tornado then moved northeast for about a mile an a half before lifting along Darr Hopfinger Road. The damage path was about 30 yards in width. Damage consisted of mainly downed trees. Several outbuildings lost sections of roofing. A couple homes also sustained minor roof damage. Maximum winds were estimated to be around 75 mph. No injuries were reported. |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Genoa | $100,000 | Numerous trees, power lines, and power poles downed from thunderstorm winds. One tree was reported to have fallen on a house. Two semi trucks were also blown over. |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Port Clinton | $100,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed trees and power poles along Lake Erie from Long Beach to Port Clinton. A 64 mph thunderstorm wind gust was measured in Port Clinton by an observer. Also in Port Clinton, a roof was torn off of a building and at least one car was damaged by trees. Many trees were also downed on Catawba Island. |
| May 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $100,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed trees throughout the county. A barn was blown down just north of Elliston. A nearby house also sustained minor roof damage. Trees and a two car garage were blown down northeast of Graytown. Trees were also knocked down in Oak Harbor, Genoa and Benton Township. |
| March 1998 | Storm Surge/Tide | Port Clinton | $100,000 | no account filed |
| February 1998 | Storm Surge/Tide | Port Clinton | $100,000 | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $90,000 | no account filed |
| June 2025 | Tornado (EF0) | Elliston | $85,000 | An EF0 tornado with estimated peak winds of 80-mph impacted the Elmore area and moved east-northeastward during its lifespan. The tornado began near the northwest corner of OH Route 163 and Elliston Trowbridge Road before damaging a metal outbuilding and destroying a grain silo. After the tornado crossed Elliston Trowbridge Road, it damaged the roof of a residence and snapped a couple trees. Debris settled in a field beyond the residence before the tornado dissipated before reaching Graytown Road. |
| June 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $80,000 | Severe thunderstorms moved across Ottawa County during the evening hours of June 21st. A camper with two people inside was overturned in Port Clinton. No significant injuries were reported. Numerous trees and large limbs were reported down across the county. A mobile home was crushed by a fallen tree and a car was also destroyed by a tree. In Benton Township, several buildings lost portions of their roofs. |
| June 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Put In Bay | $75,000 | Extensive tree damage occurred across South Bass Island and Put-In-Bay. Some trees fell onto power lines and homes, causing minor damage to a few structures. An automated wind sensor at South Bass Island measured a 76 mph wind gust. |
| May 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Port Clinton | $75,000 | Thunderstorm winds tore a section of roofing off of a auto parts store in Port Clinton. No injuries were reported. |
| August 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Elmore | $75,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed numerous large tree limbs onto power lines. Widespread power outages resulted in the eastern portion of Elmore. |
| March 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Port Clinton | $75,000 | Showers moved across Ottawa County during the evening hours. Although no thunder or lightning was reported, the showers were intense enough to cause some damage in the county. Wind gusts were estimated to be in excess of 50 mph. A few trees and large limbs were downed in Port Clinton. A barn was leveled near Oak Harbor and a nearby house was also damaged by the strong winds. |
| July 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Graytown | $75,000 | Several large trees, branches and power lines were downed, some on houses. |
| February 1998 | Storm Surge/Tide | Port Clinton | $75,000 | no account filed |
| August 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oak Harbor | $70,000 | Thunderstorm winds uprooted a tree measuring four feet in diameter and 70 feet in height. The tree fell onto a house and caused moderate damage. |
| August 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Port Clinton | $50,000 | Thunderstorm down burst winds downed many trees in the Port Clinton area. |
| November 2013 | Tornado (EF1) | Elmore Haar Fld Arpt | $50,000 | An EF0 tornado touched down east of Elmore along West Yeasting Road just to the west of State Route 590. The tornado moved northeast and briefly intensified to EF1 intensity as it crossed State Route 590. A barn near this location was leveled. The tornado continued on the ground for another half mile or so and then lifted. The damage path was around three quarters of a mile in length and no more than 75 yards in width. Damage consisted mainly of a few downed trees and limbs. |
| August 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oak Harbor | $50,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed numerous large trees and power lines. Two trees measuring four feet in diameter and thirty feet tall were uprooted. A vehicle was damaged by one of the trees. |
| May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $50,000 | A line of severe thunderstorms moved across Ottawa County and downed a couple dozen trees. A few power outages were also reported. |
| July 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $50,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed many trees and large limbs across the county. |
| May 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Genoa | $50,000 | Thunderstorm winds destroyed two pole buildings near Genoa in Clay Township. |
| October 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $50,000 | Trees and power poles downed in Danbury, Clay Center, Genoa and Port Clinton. A wall under construction in Port Clinton was toppled by thunderstorm winds. Scaffolding and portions of a fence were destroyed by the wall. |
| July 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Oak Harbor | $50,000 | A barn and trees were downed in Salem Township, south of Oak Harbor. |
| March 1997 | Storm Surge/Tide | Erie Lakeshore | $50,000 | no account filed |
The Survey's mineral resources record lists 17 workings inside this county. 7 still produce and 10 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.
| Commodity | Workings |
|---|---|
| Gypsum-Anhydrite | 5 |
| Stone, Crushed/Broken | 5 |
| Calcium | 3 |
| Limestone, General | 2 |
| Stone | 1 |
| Beryllium | 1 |
The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brush Wellman/ Elmore, Ohio | Beryllium | Past Producer | ||
| Clay Center Plant | Stone | Producer | ||
| Marblehead Stone Quarry | Limestone, General | Past Producer | Sedimentary | |
| Rocky Ridge Quarry | Limestone, General | Past Producer | Sedimentary | |
| Genoa Quarry | Calcium | Past Producer | Calcite | |
| White Rock Quarry | Calcium | Past Producer | Calcite | |
| White Rock Quarry L.P. | Calcium | Producer | ||
| American Mine No 2 | Gypsum-Anhydrite | Producer | ||
| American Mine Number 2 Quarry | Gypsum-Anhydrite | Past Producer | Sedimentary | |
| Geawe Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Lower Mine | Gypsum-Anhydrite | Past Producer | ||
| Marblehead Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Plant | ||
| Ottawa County Hwy Dept. | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| Rocky Ridge Plant | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| U.S. Gypsum Company Genoa Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| U.S. Gypsum Mill | Gypsum-Anhydrite | Past Producer | ||
| United States Gypsum Co. Mine | Gypsum-Anhydrite | Past Producer | Sedimentary |
Museum specimens collected inside this county and catalogued with a date and a place: 13,927 of them, by kingdom 12,173 animalia, 1,581 plantae, 150 fungi, 10 chromista, 7 protozoa. Each is a physical object in a named collection, not a sighting. Held by Ohio State University - Fish Division, Columbus, OH (OSUM), ROM, Ohio State University - Bird Division, Columbus, OH (OSUM), INHS, CM, USNM among others, and each settlement page carries the specimens collected near it.
The oldest of them. A specimen proves something was collected on that day; its absence proves nothing.
| Photograph | Year | Species | Kingdom | Where | Collector | Catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1825 | Hygroamblystegium tenax (Hedw.) Jenn. | Plantae | Banks of the Portage River | T. Drummond | F C1068541F |
 | 1828 | Pseudoleskea rigescens Lindb. | Plantae | Banks of the Portage River | Thomas Drummond | PH PH00125292 |
 | 1865 | Hydroprogne caspia (Pallas, 1770) | Animalia | Winous Pt., Bay Twp, Ottawa, Ohio, USA | Trautman, M. B. (Milton Bernard) | Ohio State University - Bird Division, Columbus, OH (OSUM) OSUM Birds B 10592 |
 | 1871 | Carex L. | Plantae | Put-in-bay Island, Lake Erie. | H. Gillman | NY 2333290 |
 | 1872 | Astragalus canadensis var. canadensis | Plantae | Shores of the Is. at Put-in-Bay. Lake Erie | T. Morong | NY 01247200 |
 | 1872 | Mentha arvensis var. glabrata (Benth.) Fernald | Plantae | Put-in-Bay Is. Lake Erie. On the lake shore. | T. Morong | NY 2059759 |
 | 1872 | Solidago hispida Muhl. ex Willd. | Plantae | Put-in-Bay Island, Lake Erie | T. Morong | NY 2352823 |
 | 1878 | Diphasiastrum complanatum (L.) Holub | Plantae | Put-in Bay;;;; | Roberts, Thomas | MIN 55237 |
Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the watercourse or landform it stands on and the survey quadrangle it falls on. The 6 places that were also surveyed for fire insurance come first, with the number of atlases and photographs held for them.
Harris township · 43416 · Elmore quadrangle
12 sheets, 1901 to 1986
Fire insurance: 8 atlases
Danbury township · 43440 · Kelleys Island quadrangle
13 sheets, 1916 to 1986
Fire insurance: 5 atlases
Salem township · 43449 · On Wolf Creek · Oak Harbor quadrangle
13 sheets, 1900 to 1986
Fire insurance: 8 atlases
Port Clinton city · 43452 · On Portage River · Port Clinton quadrangle
11 sheets, 1901 to 1986
Fire insurance: 9 atlases
Catawba Island township · 43452 · On Mouse Island · Gypsum quadrangle
13 sheets, 1901 to 1986
Catawba Island township · 43452 · On Catawba Island · Gypsum quadrangle
13 sheets, 1901 to 1986
Catawba Island township · 43452 · On Catawba Island · Gypsum quadrangle
13 sheets, 1901 to 1986
Danbury township · 43440 · On Catawba Island · Gypsum quadrangle
13 sheets, 1901 to 1986
Put-in-Bay township · 43436 · On North Bass Island · Put-in-Bay quadrangle
11 sheets, 1901 to 1986
Erie township · 43452 · On Little Portage River · Lacarne quadrangle
14 sheets, 1900 to 1986
Carroll township · 43449 · By Locust Point · Lacarne quadrangle
14 sheets, 1900 to 1986
Benton township · 43449 · Oak Harbor quadrangle
13 sheets, 1900 to 1986
No longer a settlement
Put-in-Bay township · 43446 · On Middle Bass Island · Put-in-Bay quadrangle
11 sheets, 1901 to 1986
Danbury township · 43440 · On Johnson Island · Kelleys Island quadrangle
13 sheets, 1916 to 1986
Danbury township · 43440 · On Meadow Brook · Gypsum quadrangle
13 sheets, 1901 to 1986
No longer a settlement
Put-in-Bay township · 43456 · On Gilbraltar Island · Put-in-Bay quadrangle
11 sheets, 1901 to 1986
Benton township · 43445 · On North Branch Turtle Creek · Genoa quadrangle
16 sheets, 1900 to 1986
11 topographic sheets and 9 fire insurance atlases, 1884 to 1959
12 topographic sheets and 8 fire insurance atlases, 1888 to 1948
16 topographic sheets and 8 fire insurance atlases, 1885 to 1939
13 topographic sheets and 8 fire insurance atlases, 1888 to 1945
13 topographic sheets and 5 fire insurance atlases, 1905 to 1946
The complete index, with nothing left out. Each of these is a separate record with its own page: a federal survey report, or the case file that argued a property on to the National Register. Both are public domain and reproduced word for word.
The vanished settlements of Ottawa County, the places these records name that are no longer on the map.
Block