By Thomas Palmer
John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, was a frequent visitor to this area. The evidence for his presence in Galion itself is strong and convincing.
His story is one which will be celebrated on Saturday, July 27 from 1 PM to 3 PM at the Gill House during Johnny Appleseed Day. It is, after all, the 250th anniversary of this birth year. It is also appropriate because the Gills were here at the time and were known to have Johnny’s trees on at least three of their properties.
We are, after all, in the middle of Johnny Appleseed country. He lived for some time in Mansfield and the greater Richland County area and he had relatives who lived in the city. The pioneer nurseryman wandered along the pathways and trails west of Mansfield, including traveling often through Crawford County. He was known to have planted a nursery northeast of Bucyrus, for instance.
Johnny Appleseed’s legacy is deeply intertwined with Ohio, where he spent a significant portion of his adult life planting apple nurseries and orchards
The state honors his contributions through the Johnny Appleseed Historic Byway, which spans over 30 miles along State Routes 39 and 603, connecting Loudonville, Mansfield, and Malabar Farm. This scenic route passes by Chapman’s original landholdings, nursery sites, and other historically significant locations associated with his life and work.
During Johnny Appleseed Day next Saturday, visitors will be given a treasure map where are marked locations of known Galion Johnny Appleseed tree plantings. I hope to see you there!
Each Saturday, we post about local history. We call this series “Galion History Corner,” and we will be sharing not only stories about our shared heritage but also updates on history news here in southeast Crawford County.
This series is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Bernard M. Mansfield, whose “Your Historical Galion” was a fixture in weekend editions of the Galion Inquirer. Dr. Mansfield was a friend and family physician, and he inspired the current generation of Galion historians to continue his work.
