Growing up in North Olmsted, Ohio, was amazing. North Olmsted is a great town located west of Cleveland and a town that I'm proud to be from. It is the best place to grow up and the people are great. These are 11 fun facts about North Olmsted.

1. North Olmsted was founded in 1815

My hometown is 200 years old and still going strong! It used to be farm lands and a few homes but it has grown into a bustling suburb.

2. We are the eagles

Eagle pride runs deep. Our school system mascot is the eagle and we love to soar high, and achieve great things.

3. All of the elementary schools are named after trees

A lot of city's have their schools named after presidents, but in North Olmsted, the elementary schools are named after local trees. The schools are Forest, Chestnut, Pine, Maple, Birch, Spruce and Butternut.

4. North Olmsted has the coolest water tower

The water tower is so incredibly unique. The base and the legs of the tower are painted a greenish color. The top of the water tower is white and red checkered. I don't know exactly why the water tower is like that but the suggestion is that it is checkered because of how close the city is to the airport.

5. Black and Orange

Black and Orange is not just for Halloween around North Olmsted. The district colors are black and orange, so it is for all year.

6. The Deer

North Olmsted has a lot of deer, and the residents love them. For the past several springs I alone have had fawns raised in my backyard. The deer are always fun to watch, but be careful driving at night.

7. The Valley

The valley is the city's name for the Rocky River Metropark. The valley is extremely beautiful in the fall. Climb up the cliff and see the most amazing view of the fall reds, oranges, yellows, and the river below. It is a great place to hike, bike, fish and horseback ride.

8. The best ice cream stand

May through September if anyone wants the best ice cream, head to Dairy King. They have the best milk shakes in flavors like vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter, and my personal favorite- blueberry.

9. Lorain Road

Lorain Road is the ultimate idea of a main road in any town in America. Along Lorain Road anyone passing through will find a variety of car dealerships, churches, and almost any fast food restaurant.

10. The annual fair

Every August, around the time school starts, the fair comes to the local park. That Friday and Saturday night everyone goes to the fair to hangout with friends and family, ride rides, eat food, and make memories.

11. The Future

North Olmsted is ready for the future. The mall was recently renovated and it added a movie theatre. The rec center also recently under went a renovation. The old middle school was recently torn down in preparation to build a brand new middle school and high school complex. The city is preparing for the future generations that will live there and I am excited to see what the city does in the future. Go Eagles!