Historic roots and plans for future development in New London
The village of New London, located in Ohio's Great Lakes Region, is a small yet well-connected community. It was first settled in 1816, and its growth throughout the decades can be attributed to an abundance of manufacturing and agricultural jobs. “Much of the heavy manufacturing has gone away, so now we’re looking to see what’s next for us. We have a couple of big projects in the works,” says Mayor Toby Thomas, who was born and raised in New London. “Here, it’s not just your family that keeps an eye on you. Your neighbors and your neighbors’ friends will all watch out to make sure you’re doing okay. We want to help improve the village for our people.”
Quiet streets, historic homes and diverse architecture
Most residential areas in New London are bunched together outside of the downtown and recreational areas, with quiet streets, small but well-tended front yards and tall oaks. Along Main Street are some of the community’s oldest homes, primarily Craftsman and National Folk styles dating back to the late 19th century. Most single-family properties hitting the market are renovated early to mid-20th-century homes, spanning a wide range of architectural styles, from ranch to classic split-level. Excluding a few outliers, the sales price range in New London is about $120,000 to $275,000. The village’s CAP Index Crime Score is 2 out of 10, below the national average of 4.
New London blends local flavor with limited commercial options
Centered around Main Street is New London's small downtown area, with independently owned shops and restaurants housed in historic brick buildings. Locals stop in at Your Daily Grind for lattes, browse the thrift finds in Ivy & Bean and meet friends for traditional American diner eats at Wildcat Café. Soon, the downtown area will have an entirely new vibe. “We’ve been working with the state to repave the roads and re-do all the sidewalks and light fixtures,” Thomas says. “It’s been a huge project for us. I think having a new look will be awesome for our village.” While New London has some chains, such as Dollar General and the regional grocer Miller’s, those two stores are about the extent of the commercial activity. Most residents will drive the 17 miles to Norwalk’s north side to shop at Walmart and Aldi.
Over 330 acres of outdoor recreation on the south side
New London has three main areas for outdoor recreation: the New London Recreation Park, the Reservoir Park and New London Campground. When combined, these three green spaces surpass 330 acres of land. Recreation Park is where visitors will find sports courts, playgrounds, walking tracks and more. The park is centered around the New London Upground Reservoir, a hot spot for swimming, fishing and kayaking. “When the reservoir was put in, it was a huge plus for New London,” Thomas says. “Not only does it give people a place to play, but it feeds water to several counties around us. That whole area is a point of pride. We're hoping to put in a cloverleaf baseball complex and turn the old football field into an event space.” Millstone Hills Golf Course, in operation since 1968, is open to the public and offers 18-hole play.
Shared space with New London public schools
The community has three main public schools overseen by the New London Local School District, and kindergarten through 12th grade are taught within the same building. Most children will start at New London Elementary, which gets a C-plus from Niche, before going to C-rated New London Middle. New London High, with a C-plus, has a graduation rate of 94% and 15 sports registered with the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
Summer tunes at Reservoir Park
In the summer, locals gather on Saturdays at Reservoir Park for Rockin’ the Rez, the village’s annual event. Bands of all genres come to perform by the water, and the area is filled with food trucks, artisan vendors and beer tents.
Highways connect New London to nearby towns and services
New London is intersected by Route 60, a north-south highway, and Route 162, which runs east-west. The closest major medical plaza, anchored by the Fisher-Titus Medical Center, is 16 miles away in Norwalk. Railroad tracks cut through the community's center but don’t service commercial trains, so noise isn’t a known issue.
