Amlin, Ohio

Amlin is a small rural area in the southern portion of Wash­ington Township. It has been said that was once known as Savannah in the mid 1800s, but it was never proven according to some historians.

Zaloria and Hester Amlin, both Ohio natives, settled in the area in the 1870s and raised their family of two sons and three daughters. The family lived in the area at least until 1885 when their sixth child was born. It is unknown when they left the area but their old homestead is still standing at the end of Rings Road and Cosgray Road.

The Train Depot

amlin main streetBy 1894 a depot and railroad was constructed on the land the Amlin family previously owned. The railroad needed a name for the depot and thus named it “Amlin.” A post office was established and a town developed.

Business

A store was built in town in 1887. John H. Sheir was the owner.  He also had the postal service operat­ing out of the store. It changed owners in late years.

The Amlin Grocery Store was the only retail busi­ness in the village in 1934. It was also a post office with about 2,000 post office boxes.

ray patch storeRay M. Patch was the operator of the grocery store which was opened from 8 A.M. until 11P.M. and needed four people to operate during those hours. Mr. Patch be­gan in the post office on April 6, 1925, and served 278 area families. The Patch family donated the original wall mounted post office box unit to the Northwest Franklin County Historical Society.

Patch's Grocery was a favorite meeting place for many years. It was a center of activity for many years for families as they gathered around the pot bellied stove and enjoyed each other's company.

amlin school

Life

Spiritual needs were tended to by revivals in the 1860s. On September 4, 1868, the Reverend S. M. Bright of the Hilliard church and John F. Ball, a circuit rider who was by trade a carpenter began a revival in the Churchman's Schoolhouse.  By 1879 a new church had to built due to the windstorm that destroyed the Churchman’s School where people were meeting. By February 1, 1880, a frame church was built and ready to open. By 1921 a vestibule was added for people to stand out of the weather during the interim services. The church held a fundraising campaign in 1972 and added an addition for classes and social functions. On May 20, 1980, Pastor Cecilia M. Reed conducted a rededication Sunday afternoon service. A guest book was displayed that showed the original founding members of the Amlin Methodist Church.

A ground breaking was held in November 1979 for a Community Center for Washington Township. The 2,600 square foot and one floor building was located east of Avery Road on Cara Road on a five acre parcel of land. The plans were for three meeting roomsand a kitchen.

Amlin consisted of about 691 families and 46 businesses in 1986. The town currently has three trailer parks, four churches and a long list of businesses.

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References

Article Adapted by Rich Boettner
Original article written by Patricia L Garbrandt

Photos used by permission: Columbus Library

Main Street in Amlin
Courtesy of Betty Patch and David Patch

Grocer Ray Patch and his delivery truck on Main Street in Amlin
Courtesy of Betty Patch and David Patch

Amlin School
Courtesy of Northwest Franklin County Historical Society & Museum, Inc.
Amlin, Zeloria (1847 - 7/22/1919)
Franklin County Commissioner Zeloria E Amlin, of Washington Township, began his term in 1896.