Public Square Wooster, Ohio

General Information

In 1978, Public Square was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places as the Wooster Public Square Historic District. This district was designated as encompassing not only the Square and the addresses directly on it, but also other historic buildings downtown:

The Wooster Public Square Historic District covers portions of eight city blocks within the original 1808 plan of the city. Buildings fronting on the Square and for several blocks along Liberty and Market Streets are included. The Square, a 200 x 480 foot rectangle, lies at the intersection of the two streets and is oriented north-south along the Market Street axis. The northwest quadrant is and has been occupied by the several Wayne County Courthouses thus, causing the Square to have a reversed L plan. The Square is an urban, hard-surfaced space with a strong sense of enclosure. It functions as a commercial space. One recalls Middle Atlantic town squares and European market places when standing in the Wooster Public Square.

Although the national designation apparently was not finalized, the City of Wooster became a "Certified Local Government" in 2014, "thereby aligning itself with State and Federal standards for historic design review and designation of Landmarks and Landmark Districts." Public Square was then designated as a Landmark District, and any proposed changes to the historic buildings within this district must be presented to the City's Design and Review Board for consideration.

Historical Buildings

• Iron Block Building
• Wooster Masonic Lodge
• Wooster Board of Education (formerly Wooster Post Office)
• Downing Block
• Wayne Savings & Loan Company
• Quinby Building (1887)
• Quinby Building (1890)
• Quinby Building (1894)
• Clark Building
• Germania Hall
• Saal Building (South Market St.)
• Faber Building
• Miller Block

Maps

• Public Square 1859-1860 Wooster, Ohio
• Public Square 1894-1895 Wooster, Ohio
• Public Square 1897 Wooster, Ohio
• Public Square 1900 Wooster, Ohio
• Public Square 1908-1909 Wooster, Ohio
• Public Square 1912-1913 Wooster, Ohio
• Public Square 1923 Wooster, Ohio
• Public Square 1925 Wooster, Ohio
• Public Square 1928 Wooster, Ohio
• Public Square 1930 Wooster, Ohio