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With the passing of an act by the Legislature on February 27, 1834, Mechanicsburg was incorporated. On April 5 of that year the first election was held. Joseph S. Rathburn became the first Mayor; Isaac Putnam, clerk; Ebenezer Owen, J. H. Spain, William Neal, David L. Tullis and Isaiah R. Ware, Trustees (Council). The trustees elected John Shepherd as Marshal and Street Commissioner; Dr. E. Owen, Treasurer; and William Kelley, Assessor. In July William Kelley was named Constable.

Mechanicsburg became a hub for railroad commerce in the 1850’s, with farmers and manufacturers shipping products over the entire country. Well before that the Underground Railroad was active in the area, as antislavery sympathizers helped fugitive slaves escape to freedom. One of those fugitives, Addison White, played an important role in the history of Mechanicsburg when U. S. Marshals rode up from Cincinnati to arrest him and take him back to his “owner” in Kentucky. Mechanicsburg citizens rallied, armed with weapons of all sorts, and turned the posse back. They took up a collection to reimburse the slave owner, thus buying Addison White’s freedom. In return, White decided to settle in Mechanicsburg. The Addison White case received national attention in the newspapers and was a factor in bringing about the Civil War.

Addison White fought with the 54th Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry, the regiment portrayed in the movie Glory. After the war, he returned to Mechanicsburg to marry. Addison and his wife, Amanda, are buried in Mechanicsburg’s Maple Grove Cemetery (Section B, Lots 2 & 3).

With the growth of industry and agriculture after the War, Mechanicsburg’s Goshen Park became the site of the Central Ohio Fair, an association formed in 1868, joining Champaign, Clark, Union and Madison Counties in an effort to promote and celebrate agricultural achievements. The Central Ohio Fair expanded to include Logan, Greene, Delaware and Franklin Counties in 1878 and was the forerunner of today’s Ohio State Fair. In-fighting and economic decline led to the dissolution of the association after 18 years and the last Central Ohio Fair was held in 1896, in what is known today as Goshen Township Memorial Park.

At the turn of the century, culture and entertainment came to Mechanicsburg with the annual Chautauqua, summer circuits of lectures and music in the park. Around 1910 it became known as Matinee Park where many exciting trotting and pacing races were held. Famed speakers such as Mark Twain, Billy Sunday and William Jennings Bryan traveled the Chautauqua circuits, giving rural Americans the chance to hear from the outside world in the days before radio, TV, and the internet.

With the advent of radio, the Chautauqua soon became less popular, and hard economic times brought an end to the big horse racing events. During the 30’s and 40’s the center of the old race track was plowed up for “Victory Gardens” and the rest of the park was neglected.

In 1944, with veterans returning from the war, about 125 citizens decided to take on the renovation of the park. The 26-acre parcel was turned over to the Goshen Township Trustees and the park officially became the Goshen Township Memorial Park, dedicated to the memory of local soldiers. With continued support from the Village, the park has been improved with shelter houses, a community building, ball diamonds, and beautiful Christmas light displays. Goshen Township Memorial Park has again become a center for outdoor community and family events.

Today’s Mechanicsburg has maintained an old-fashioned small-town lifestyle, while a downtown renovation/restoration project guided by Our Towne – Mechanicsburg (previously known as Main Street -  Mechanicsburg) is dedicated to preserving historic architecture and National Historic Landmarks, while drawing new businesses and services to the village. Where livery stables and blacksmith shops once flourished, auto dealerships now grow and gift shops, antique shops, and boutiques fill the spaces once occupied by tinsmiths, harness-makers, and millinery shops. The public library, founded in 1934, now provides not only books and magazines, but videos, CD’s, DVD’s software, and a high-speed Internet connection to their computers for public use.

The population of the village proper has decreased to 1,744, according to the 2000 census, yet more and more families are moving to the area seeking a simpler way of life in a quiet community with old-fashioned values. The task for today’s leaders in the village affectionately called “The Burg” involves an often difficult balancing act: maintaining that old-fashioned simplicity and comfort level that today’s families expect, and at the same time provide up-to-date support services, well-funded schools, and trained fire and safety personnel. There are no magic bullets and no quick fixes, but those who value quality small town life continue to struggle toward workable solutions and hope for a brighter future for Mechanicsburg.

Information was provided by the Mechanicsburg Public Library