Fostoria Downtown Historic District

Downtown Fostoria, in Seneca County, Ohio, is a roughly three-block-long commercial district along Main Street, covering about 14 acres. It holds 56 buildings, mostly one to three stories and built of brick with stone, terra cotta, architectural glass and pressed metal trim. Most date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries and sit close to the sidewalk, forming a continuous wall of facades. Italianate blocks such as the Quinn Block of 1884 and the Andes Opera Block of 1878 stand beside a terra cotta Weller Building, an Art Deco black-and-white brick building from the 1930s, and a curved glass storefront. The district was recognized for its architecture and its role in local commerce between 1870 and 1951. Its growth followed the arrival of five railroad lines by the 1880s, which made Fostoria a busy junction. A former Lake Erie & Western depot and a 1950s City Hall are also included.