Incorporated in 1832, the historic City of Waterville boasts an authentic historic downtown with individual buildings and an entire business district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Columbian House, a former stagecoach inn, is considered one of the finest examples of Federalist architecture in the former “Northwest Territory.” The charming downtown has many restaurants and unique shops. Additionally, two lifestyle malls, The Shops at Fallen Timbers and Levis Commons, are just 3 and 5 miles, respectively, from downtown Waterville.
Located on the Maumee River, the largest tributary of the Great Lakes, Waterville is a small, safe, and family-oriented city, but with the advantage of close proximity to the larger metropolitan area of Toledo with its expanded cultural, recreational, and educational offerings. After evaluating schools, crime rates, cost of living, recreational and cultural offerings, Waterville was named number nine out of fifty “Best Places to Raise a Family” by Bloomberg’s Business Week Magazine.
Housing
Waterville has a variety of homes and condos in many price ranges and neighborhoods. 95.5% of homes are owner-occupied.
Schools
Waterville has 2 commercial day care/pre-school centers with certified Kindergarten.
Waterville public school students attend the Anthony Wayne Local School District which has an enrollment of 4,395 for 2013. The district has 3 elementary schools, one in Waterville, and one each in the neighboring Village of Whitehouse and in Monclova Township. Beyond the fourth grade, students attend middle school, junior high, and high school in separate buildings on the Anthony Wayne campus in Whitehouse, 2.7 miles to the west of Waterville. The school district provides transportation. Anthony Wayne School District has outstanding parent involvement and support and the district has consistently ranked in the Ohio Department of Education’s Excellent category. Anthony Wayne Local School District was ranked 7th in the Midwest Region and in the top 20 nationally, for “2013 Best Schools for Your Housing Buck,” a report by Forbes Magazine. www.a.wayne.k12.oh.us
Waterville elementary, with an enrollment of 457 in 2013, is housed in a beautiful and spacious building in the heart of Waterville and serves students in Kindergarten through 4th grade. Technology, including SMART boards, computer lab, and laptop carts, are used consistently to engage students in worthwhile learning endeavors. Sara, a therapy dog, is very visible throughout the school to interact with the students in a fun and relaxing manner.
Waterville Primary was recognized in 2013 as a National Blue Ribbon School.
The Toledo area also has many private elementary and high schools with and without religious affiliation.
Parks & Recreation
Waterville has seven parks with something to offer every age group. Residents and visitors may enjoy sitting by the river reading a good book, playing on a variety of playground equipment, walking a trail, viewing area wildlife, having a picnic with the family, fishing in a stocked pond, playing tennis or basketball, or watching aspiring young athletes compete on soccer or baseball fields.
Additionally, Farnsworth Metropark, one of the many Toledo area Metroparks, is located along the river in Waterville. Farnsworth overlooks three islands and the banks of these islands make ideal places to explore by canoe or kayak. Farnsworth is at one end of a Towpath Trail and has a Maumee River boat launch and fishing access. The 8-mile long Towpath Trail connects Farnsworth with 2 other Metroparks. www.metroparkstoledo.com
The Interurban Bridge, which crosses the river at Farnsworth, is partially built atop Roche de Bout, a large, protruding rock in the river that served as an early landmark for native people, European explorers, and armies. The abandoned span, once the world’s largest earth-filled, concrete reinforced bridge, was part of a commuter railway system. The old bridge is now considered Waterville’s own “Roman Ruins” and is regularly painted and photographed by artists. The rapids at Farnsworth offer frequent sightings of Eagles, Herons, Egrets, Osprey. Fishermen from many states line the Maumee River during the annual Walleye run when the fish come up the river from Lake Erie to spawn.
Finally, the YMCA & JCC has 12 locations in the Toledo MSA; the Anthony Wayne branch is located in Waterville.
Health & Safety
With a very low crime rate and a very low probability of natural disaster, Waterville is a very safe place to live. But accidents do happen and when they do, it is comforting to know that St. Luke’s Hospital with a full range of medical services is just 4.7 miles east of Waterville. St. Luke’s Hospital also has a satellite lab and rehab facility in Waterville. Additionally, there are six family medicine physicians, 2 dentists, and an optometrist in Waterville.
Civic/Business Organizations
Waterville is fortunate to have many active civic and business organizations such as Waterville Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, Waterville Historical Society, Waterville Art Commission, The Waterville Community Foundation, Scouting, Masons, Friends of the Library, etc.
Regional Treasures
The Toledo MSA is home to the highly acclaimed Toledo Museum of Art, The Toledo Symphony, Toledo Opera, The Ballet Theater of Toledo, The Toledo Ballet, and the Toledo Repertoire. In addition, the University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, Lourdes University, and the Toledo School for the Arts offer many wonderful performing and fine arts programs. Waterville Playshop is the oldest, continuously-operating, community theater group in Ohio.
The acclaimed Toledo Zoo is an irreplaceable treasure to generations of area residents and visitors. The quality of its zoological and botanical exhibits, outdoor concerts, and educational programming is unsurpassed. The Toledo Botanical Garden is a 60-plus acre gem with a resident artist village where painters, photographers, glass blowers, etc. find a home in an idyllic and communal setting. Budding scientists thrive at Imagination Station in downtown Toledo.
The Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, with a Hennen’s rating of 8th best public library in America, provides information, education, and inspiration at its historic main building in downtown Toledo and at its 19 neighborhood branches, including the very busy Waterville Branch.
Metroparks of Toledo Area is comprised of 11 parks that offer walking, biking, skiing, and horseback riding trails, picnicking, boat launching, fishing, sledding, ice skating, riding on an authentic mule-driven canal boat, visiting an historic grain mill, paddle boating, playing tennis, viewing historic battlefields and monuments, and more. Many of the Metroparks have historic WPA shelters and buildings.
Sports enthusiasts enjoy professional baseball with the Toledo Mud Hens at Fifth Third Field and professional hockey with the Toledo Walleye at Huntington Center. The Toledo MSA has many public and private golf courses and tennis clubs as well.
Of course, Yacht Clubs and Marinas are abundant on the shores of Lake Erie and the Maumee River. Boats of all shapes, size, and purpose fill the slips of these facilities; power boats, sail boats, pontoon boats, canoes, kayaks, and racing shells provide hours of fun and competition for enthusiasts. Sailing and rowing regattas, as well as Dragon Boat races, entertain spectators as well. The Boat House at International Park in downtown Toledo is home to adult rowers as well as rowing teams from 5 area high schools, some of which are regulars at the annual, invitation only, Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston and the Scholastic Championship Finals in Camden, New Jersey.
Gambling enthusiasts take their luck to the Hollywood Casino along the south side of the Maumee River near downtown Toledo.
Additionally, there are many opportunities for shopping, dining, and pub crawling in the Toledo MSA. Opportunities abound as well for historic building and site tours in authentic and preserved historic neighborhoods and battlefields.
Toledo is also a mere hour’s drive to Cedar Point, voted the Best Amazing Amusement Park in the World 15 years in a row, and to Kalahari Resorts Water Park, both in Sandusky, Ohio on the southern coast of Lake Erie. Sandusky, Port Clinton and Catawba are home to a high-speed ferry boat lines that will deposit you on one or more of the Lake Erie Islands for superb adventuring.
