Lafayette Village Hall is located at 211 North Church Street, Lafayette, OH 45854.
Phone: 419‑649‑8801.
Beginnings [1]
According to local historian Lee Yoakam the history of Lafayette is strongly tied to that of Jackson Township. Before the Civil War, not much was recorded of the history of Lafayette.
The Village was surveyed by John Jackson and platted by Barnett Weyer in 1835. The first post office was started in 1848. That same year, the Ohio and Indiana Railroad began to buy land for the rail line that would later serve the Village. By 1854, the Village began to expand on both sides of the rail line. Lafayette was incorporated in 1868, and prior to this, no records were kept of town meetings and other Village activities. M.C. Mumaugh was the Village's first mayor, elected in 1896, and Lafayette Rosecrans was a member of Lafayette's first Village council.
Though the official town name was Lafayette, correspondence to residents in the Village would be addressed to Herring, Ohio. This was done to avoid confusion due to several towns in Ohio also named Lafayette. In 1910, the address of Herring or Herring Station was changed to Lafayette Rural Station. The Town Hall was established in 1899, distinguishing Lafayette as a progressive and growing community.
In 1903, a fire nearly destroyed the downtown area. What may have been a disaster that caused a complete setback in the Village became a major opportunity. Lafayette was rebuilt much larger and grander by the end of the year. Lafayette continued to grow throughout the early twentieth century. A high school was built in 1906 with an enrollment of 508 students.
From 1899 to 1933, the Town Hall was a focal point in the Village. The town clock was said to be a proud part of the community's history. Many local events were held in the Town Hall, but the advancement of industry and larger towns began to create challenges for small towns like Lafayette. Cheaper gas and improved roads made it much easier to travel farther for shopping and entertainment, and minimizing the market share in small towns.
In 1968, Lafayette celebrated its centennial, marking one hundred years incorporated Village.