Company town

Company town

Defiance

Facts about Defiance, Ohio:

Location: About 50 miles southwest of Toledo in northwest Ohio.

Population: 17,000.

History: Founded at the site of Fort Defiance, which was built by General “Mad” Anthony Wayne.

Economy: Manufacturing and farming drive the economy. General Motors Corp. makes engine blocks, while Johns Manville produces insulation. Other companies make auto parts, tools and electrical equipment.

Notables: Indianapolis 500 winner Sam Hornish calls the area home. The 2005 movie “The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio” told the story of a local housewife who kept her family fed and clothed in the 1950s by winning commercial jingle contests.