Brimfield Township, Portage County, Ohio

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Brimfield Township, Portage County, Ohio
Township
Interstate 76 passes through the wooded hills of Brimfield Township
Interstate 76 passes through the wooded hills of Brimfield Township
Location within Ohio.
Location within Ohio.
Location of Brimfield Township in Portage County with Brimfield CDP outlined in gray
Location of Brimfield Township in Portage County with Brimfield CDP outlined in gray
Coordinates: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Country United States
State Ohio
County Portage
Area
 • Total 21.4 sq mi (55.3 km2)
 • Land 20.5 sq mi (53.2 km2)
 • Water 0.8 sq mi (2.1 km2)
Elevation[1] 1,148 ft (350 m)
Population (2000)
 • Total 7,963
 • Density 387.7/sq mi (149.7/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes 44240, 44260, 44278, 44266
Area code(s) 330, 234
FIPS code 39-08840[2]
GNIS feature ID 1086823[1]
1826 map of Portage County with Brimfield labeled by its former name "Thorndike."

Brimfield Township is one of the eighteen townships of Portage County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 7,963 people in the township.[3]

Geography

Located in the southwestern part of the county, it borders the following townships and cities:

The census-designated place of Brimfield is located in the center of the township.

In addition, parts of two neighboring cities overflow into land that was once part of the township:

  • Part of the city of Kent, in the north
  • Part of the city of Tallmadge, in the west

Formed from Town 2, Range 9 of the Connecticut Western Reserve, Brimfield Township covers a total area of 21.4 sq mi.

Name and history

Named for the town of Brimfield, Massachusetts, it is the only Brimfield Township statewide. It was known by a succession of different names early in its existence, due mostly to the swampy land within its borders. It was known as Swamptown, Beartown, Greenbriar, and Wylestown, before town leaders agreed to name it "Thorndike" at the establishment of the township government in 1818 after Israel Thorndike, one of the original proprietors (along with John Wyles), who had agreed to donate land for a town square. Thorndike never followed through on his agreement, so residents petitioned to have the name changed to "Brimfield" in honor of John Wyles, Jr., who had inherited his father's land interests and at the time resided in Brimfield, Massachusetts.[4]

Government

The township is governed by a three-member board of trustees, who are elected in November of odd-numbered years to a four-year term beginning on the following January 1. Two are elected in the year after the presidential election and one is elected in the year before it. There is also an elected township fiscal officer,[5] who serves a four-year term beginning on April 1 of the year after the election, which is held in November of the year before the presidential election. Vacancies in the fiscal officership or on the board of trustees are filled by the remaining trustees.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. Portage County, Ohio — Population by Places Estimates Ohio State University, 2007. Accessed 15 May 2007.
  4. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. §503.24, §505.01, and §507.01 of the Ohio Revised Code. Accessed 4/30/2009.

External links