In 1850, the area of land now known as Grove City was part of an old-growth forest featuring the new Columbus and Harrisburg Turnpike cutting a path through the wilderness with scattered homes. Two years later, 15 acres were subdivided into parcels for a town by a group led by William Foster Breck. Now 170 years later, that town has flourished into a premier central Ohio suburb.

The City of Grove City and the Southwest Franklin County Historical Society honor early farmers and business visionaries who established the community at the annual Heritage Celebration, noon to 4 p.m., Saturday, June 4, at Century Village in Fryer Park, 4185 Orders Road.

The Heritage Celebration encourages visitors to witness how early Grove City citizens experienced daily life in the mid- to late-1800s by touring historic buildings including log cabins, traditional farm buildings, relocated Orders Road schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop, and the community’s original relocated and renovated train depot, as well as reenactors manning a general store and farm buildings, working metal, pumping water, tending the garden and “picking” music. Also onsite is a reenactment unit from Grove City representing the 113th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company C, from the Civil War that originally mustered in at Camp Chase on Oct. 24, 1862, and included soldiers from the Jackson Township. Throughout the day, reenactments include soldiers representing the War of 1812, WWI, and WWII.

As in years past, a highlight of the Heritage Celebration is a visit from vintage “base ball” players from Ohio History Connection’s Ohio Village. The Ohio Village Muffins will take on a team of local ball players in the field behind Century Village in the style of play from the 1890s including underhand pitching, bare-hand catching and playing among the natural obstacles such as an unmanicured field of play.

The city is also spotlighting its 170th anniversary throughout the year, and in coordination with the Ohio History Connection’s Ohio Open Doors, events and activities celebrating Grove City history are planned in September.

For more information, call 614-277-3050.