Decorative drawing: a small American settlement seen from a low hill. Not a photograph of this place.

Norwalk, Ohio

12 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1915 and the latest in 1986. It stands in Norwalk City. It lies in ZIP code area 44857. The Survey maps it on the Norwalk quadrangle. 17,068 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 719 feet above sea level.

Research this city

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Norwalk within Huron County

Population over time

2 figures

Norwalk grew from 17,012 to 17,068 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

Year	People	Change
2010	17,012
2020	17,068	+56 (+0%)

Then and now

1915 to 1986

The same ground, surveyed 71 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.

Topographic sheet of Norwalk, surveyed 1986

Topographic sheet of Norwalk, surveyed 1915

Topographic sheets covering this place

12 sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

In the county-history sources

23,684 words on this township

Picturesque Huron; or Huron County, Ohio As Seen Through a Camera, published 1896 names this settlement in its chapter on Norwalk Township. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.

In 183:2, Henry W^. Shaw entered college at Hamilton, X. V.. and remained one year, when he returned home to spend his vacation. When oTi his return trip to college, on a canal boat between Alb.iny an>l Utica. he met as passengers, two adventurers on their wa\ to St. Louis, and their stories of the wild west .so captured the student that college was left in the rear, and he coninned his journey until he reached St. Louis, where he joined a bauil of adventurers who were going across the plains to the Pacific, but owing to troubles with the Indians, the party broke up, leaving young Shaw a tramp in the .streets of St. Louis, from which city he wandered east, arriving in Norwalk, sometime in the winter of l,S:;.')-0, where his brother Robert was then engaged in mercantile business.

Passage source: Picturesque Huron; or Huron County, Ohio As Seen Through a Camera, published 1896.

A representative business man of Norwalk, was born at Wilkesbarre. Penua.. March -!!. IS-IV In IS 17 his parents removed to Huron county Ohio. The subject was educated at the Huron Institute at Milan, an:l in youth taught scIuxjI in this county. Later he devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits, .stone ((uarryinj;, and dealing in real estate. He assisted in laying out the route of the Wheeling and Lake Rrie Railway.

Passage source: Picturesque Huron; or Huron County, Ohio As Seen Through a Camera, published 1896.

Eldest son of Rufus and Mary Griffin Sheldon, was Ijorn in Greenwich township. He passed his early years upon a farm. At quite a juvenile age he commenced teaching .school, and fin' .several years divided his lime between teaching and going to .school at Oberlin. He graduated at the Cleveland Medical College, and practiced medicine, until in 1SS4. I'e became connected with tile Lauing I'rinting Co., and took up his home in Norwalk. His affable ways made him many friends, and in IS'.'ii he was elected Auditor of Huron county. He has been a very popular official, and was re-elected in IMI-J.

Passage source: Picturesque Huron; or Huron County, Ohio As Seen Through a Camera, published 1896.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Norwalk Township - it names this place 47 more 47 times.

Photographs

2 photographs,

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.

Dr. P. H. Fulstow House, 99 West Main Street, Norwalk, Huron County, OH
Unattributed, . Library of Congress

E. G. Martin House, 54 West Main Street, Norwalk, Huron County, OH
Unattributed, . Library of Congress

Specimens collected near this place

12 of 845 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 845 specimens collected within 10 miles of Norwalk between 1893 and 1975: 466 Plantae, 314 Animalia, 64 Fungi, 1 Protozoa. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A. Woolman, B Zahuranec & party, Baumgartner, L. and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.

Species	Year	Collected by	Where, as recorded
Rumex verticillatus L.	1896	Stair, L. D.
Enallagma exsulans (Hagen, 1861)	1898	[Not Stated]	[Not Stated]
Campostoma anomalum (Rafinesque, 1820)	1893	A. Woolman	Ohio, Huron River, Monroeville
Dryopteris carthusiana (Vill.) H.P.Fuchs	1893	Collector(s): Edwin Lincoln Moseley	Milan, Huron River
Etheostoma caeruleum Storer, 1845	1893	not recorded	Ohio, Monroeville, Huron River
Etheostoma flabellare Rafinesque, 1819	1893	not recorded	Ohio, Monroeville, Huron River
Etheostoma nigrum Rafinesque, 1820	1893	not recorded	Ohio, Monroeville, Huron River
Hypentelium nigricans (Lesueur, 1817)	1893	not recorded	Ohio, Monroeville, Huron River
Lithobates pipiens (Schreber, 1782)	1893	not recorded	Monroeville, Huron River
Notropis whipplei (Girard, 1856)	1893	A. Woolman	Ohio, Huron River, Monroeville
Noturus flavus Rafinesque, 1818	1893	A. Woolman	Ohio, Huron River, Monroeville
Bidens laevis (L.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb.	1894	Collector(s): Edwin Lincoln Moseley	Huron River, Milan

All 845 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Mines and quarries near this place

4 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 4 workings within 5 miles of Norwalk: 3 past producers, 1 producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Crushed/Broken. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Site	Commodity	Status	Recorded
Price Sand and Gravel Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer	Sedimentary
Price Sand and Gravel Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Riley Stone Quarry	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Past Producer	Sedimentary
Riley Stone Quarry	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Past Producer

Every working recorded in Huron County

Storms near this place

60 of 96 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Norwalk in 96 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 58 thunderstorm wind, 28 hail, 6 flash flood, 2 tornado. The reports record 1 death. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
February 2011	Flash Flood	Norwalk	1 killed	A motorist on South Norwalk Road entered flooded waters of a tributary of the Huron River, Cole Creek, in the town of Norwalk. The car was washed into the creek where the driver was killed. Witness report water depths of 2 to 3 feet over the bridge at time of incident.
July 2000	Flash Flood	Norwalk	$500,000	Thunderstorms dumped torrential rain on Norwalk during the late afternoon and early evening hours. 4.87 inches of rain was measured in Norwalk with 3 inches of that total falling in a 20 minute period around 530 pm. All streets in downtown Norwalk had to be closed because of water up to three feet deep. A car was washed off of a road in Lemar Lake Park. The vehicle became submerged in 5 feet of water. The driver of the car was rescued by fire fighters. Several roads in Norwalk were washed out. Many cars and homes sustained flooding damage.
November 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$250,000	Thunderstorms wind gusts in excess of 60 mph caused considerable damage in Norwalk. Dozens of trees were downed and at least one home sustained structural damage. Over half of the city lost power from the storm.
June 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$250,000	Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 to 70 mph caused extensive damage in Norwalk. Dozens of trees were downed in the city. Several homes sustained damage, mainly from fallen trees and limbs. A few utility poles were snapped caused scattered power outages.
July 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$125,000	Thunderstorm downburst winds estimated to be at least 60 mph downed many trees and limbs in Norwalk. A vehicle accident on Washington Street was caused by one of the fallen trees. The driver was transported to a local hospital. Scattered power outages were reported in the city.
July 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$125,000	Thunderstorm winds downed dozens of trees and large limbs in and around Norwalk. At least four homes were damaged by trees.
January 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$100,000	A report was received from the Emergency Manager of wind damage to sevral homes in a neighborhood from this event. A survey was conducted and it was noted that several homes in the area lost shingles. One house that had nearly half the shingles blown off actually damaged the house next to it. The severe winds were strong enough to cause the shingles to break through the vinyl siding and plywood exterior of the neighboring house. Shingles were actually found in the attic of the neighboring home. Law enforcement reports from that evening also indicate that several trees were down across the City of Norwalk.
June 1997	Lightning	Norwalk	$100,000	no account filed
July 2013	Flash Flood	Norwalk	$75,000	The Norwalk Creek exceeded its banks as it was overwhelmed by runoff from torrential rain. The creek rose quickly and thretened a few homes and businesses which were inundated to their first level. A woman was rescued from her vehicle as the flowing creek overran Lover's Lane Road.
July 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$75,000	Thunderstorm winds toppled two large cinder block walls at a school construction site.
September 1994	Tornado (F1)	Norwalk	$50,000	A small tornado touched down for a short time in an wooded area and flattened a number of trees.
August 1994	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$50,000	no account filed
August 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$45,000	Thunderstorm winds downed many large trees in Norwalk. At least one home was damaged by a fallen tree.
October 2012	Flood	Norwalk	$40,000	The Norwalk Reservoir located in Norwalk covers 8.6 square mile drainage area into the Norwalk Creek. The reservoir does not control outflow but does have a spillway on the west side when the reservoir is overtopped. Early Tuesday morning the reservoir filled and the water coming out of the spillway caused the Norwalk Creek to flood. One home on Elm Street flooded though several more were evacuated. Five businesses on Water Street were flooded with as much as 2 feet of water. Once driver was rescued after he drove his car into Water Street. Other local roads in Norwalk were flooded with no property damage.
August 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$30,000	A tree was downed on a house.
June 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$25,000	Several large trees and numerous utility poles were reported down.
July 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$25,000	A 59 mph wind gust was measured in Norwalk and several large trees were downed. A roof of a house and a car were damaged by falling trees. Several trees were also reported down in Willard and Bellevue.
August 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$20,000	A tree fell on a sheriff vehicle.
May 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$15,000	A three foot diameter tree was uprooted and another tree fell on a house in Norwalk.
May 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$15,000	Several large trees were snapped or uprooted.
July 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$15,000	Thunderstorm winds downed several trees.
July 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$15,000	Thunderstorm winds downed several trees and large limbs.
June 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$12,000	Large limbs were downed, at least one damaging a house.
November 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$10,000	The Sheriff reported several trees down brought down by thunderstorm winds in Norwalk.
May 2007	Hail	Norwalk	$10,000	Quarter size hail was observed.
June 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$10,000	A trained spotter estimated winds at 60 mph, with several trees and powers lines down.
April 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$10,000	Thunderstorm winds downed several trees around Norwalk.
July 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$10,000	Thunderstorm winds downed several trees and many large limbs.
July 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$10,000	Thunderstorm winds downed trees south of Norwalk and near Wakeman.
June 2009	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$8,000	Several trees and many large limbs were reported down.
May 2011	Hail	Norwalk	$5,000	Thunderstorms produced quarter sized hail.
August 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$5,000	Thunderstorm winds downed two trees.
May 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$5,000	A few large limbs and power lines were reported down.
June 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$5,000	Thunderstorm winds downed several large tree limbs.
November 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$5,000	Thunderstorm winds downed several road signs south of Norwalk.
June 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$5,000	Thunderstorm winds downed several trees just east of Norwalk.
June 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$5,000	Large trees downed.
May 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$4,000	Several trees were reported down, along with power lines.
December 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$3,000	A line of showers and thunderstorms downed a couple of trees as it moved through the Norwalk area.
July 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$3,000	The public reported a couple small trees down on a golf course in Norwalk.
July 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$3,000	Thunderstorm winds downed two trees in Norwalk and a large limb in Wakeman.
August 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$3,000	A tree and large limb was reported down.
August 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$2,000	A tree was blown down on a power line. A utility pole was snapped.
June 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$2,000	Thunderstorms winds downed a couple of trees.
July 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$2,000	Thunderstorm winds downed several large tree limbs.
November 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$2,000	Several large limbs were reported down.
July 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$2,000	Thunderstorm winds downed one tree and a large limb east of Norwalk.
July 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$2,000	no account filed
May 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$2,000	no account filed
August 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$1,000	Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 mph downed a couple large tree limbs.
May 2011	Hail	Norwalk	$1,000	Thunderstorms produced penny to nickel sized hail.
May 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$1,000	Thunderstorm winds downed a large tree.
June 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$1,000	A few large limbs were reported down.
April 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	$1,000	Four trees were downed.
May 2025	Hail	Norwalk	-	Hail up to penny-size on the southwest side of Norwalk.
May 2025	Hail	Norwalk	-	Hail up to quarter-size on the south side of Norwalk.
August 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	-	Two trees downed in Norwalk.
May 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Norwalk	-	Large tree limbs downed along western side of Norwalk.
August 2023	Flash Flood	Norwalk	-	Widespread road closures due to flooding across Norwalk, Wakeman, and Townsend Township. This includes Wakeman Towline Road at Chappel Creek, Greenwich Milan Townline Road North near Union Road, Lehigh Road south of US-20, and Elm and Water Streets in Norwalk. Radar estimated 2.5 to 4.75 inches of rainfall across this area in a three hour period ending 100 AM EDT August 24, 2023.
June 2023	Flash Flood	Norwalk	-	Multiple road closures reported across the southern portion of Norwalk, including Christie Avenue, Shady Lane Drive, Water Street, and Benedict Avenue. Sewer backups reported in Norwood Avenue. Radar estimated 2 to 2.5 inches of rain fell in one hour.

Every storm recorded in Huron County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Place	Distance	Sheets
Key Estates	1.0 miles	13
East Norwalk	3.1 miles	13
Monroeville	4.3 miles	12
West Hartland	4.8 miles	12
Standardsburg	5.0 miles	12
Peru	5.2 miles	12
East Townsend	6.6 miles	10
Collins	6.7 miles	14

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on Norwalk	An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q388091	The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1044003. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.