As new high school graduates prepare for the next phase of their future, Lancaster Mayor Don McDaniel recently encouraged some students to think about living their future lives in their own hometown. In a recent visit to the LHS journalism class, McDaniel spoke to the Eye of the Gale writing staff about the positive aspects of the city and its surrounding area. He addressed the areas of technology, new business, family recreation, and improved city and county emergency and health services.
McDaniel said that, rooted in historical significance and rapidly growing, Lancaster, Ohio, offers a unique blend of small-town charm and accessibility to big-city amenities.
“Lancaster itself has a lot of history here; we are the third-fastest-growing county in the state. And we are thirty-five minutes from a major metropolitan area,” said Mayor McDaniel.
Mayor McDaniel said, Energized by booming tech industries and extraordinary growth, Columbus, only thirty minutes from Lancaster, is quickly becoming a Midwest hub, attracting major tech players and even extending its influence to nearby cities.
“Columbus is not just the fastest-growing city in Ohio but the fastest-growing city in the Midwest. It’s also one of the fastest-growing tech centers in the United States. Google’s here, and Microsoft’s here. Amazon is here, and Apple is here. We have a Google facility in Lancaster, Ohio. Who would have thought?” he said.
Exciting developments are on the horizon as a popular restaurant chain chooses a challenging piece of land, but after some strategic planning, they’re promising locals a taste of their menu in 2026.
“We are getting Chick-Fil-A. Chick-Fil-A selected a piece of property where the old highway patrol station used to be. And the property has some challenges. A month ago I sat our engineer down, their engineer down, their property owner down, and myself. We negotiated what we hope is the final settlement, and you should see some movement pretty soon. And you’ll be eating chicken sometime in 2026,” said Mayor McDaniel.
Lancaster benefits from its proximity to Hocking Hills, a major draw for families nationwide who come to explore its trails and natural beauty, making it the “second most visited park in the United States,” said Mayor McDaniel.
“Hocking Hills, we take it for granted. It is the second most visited park in the United States. Thousands and thousands of people are here every summer. And they come to Lancaster. Lots of them down, U.S. 33. And they visit the Hocking Hills because of the trails and nature,” he said.
Mayor McDaniel said after he left the police department, he ran the recreational side of the city.
“I thought it’d be a great idea to go work for the parks department, so I did, and I ran the recreational side of the parks department, which is swimming pools, soccer, softball, and everything to do with activities,” said McDaniel.
Following the 2022 approval of income tax designated for police and fire services, Lancaster expanded its resources to include additional canine and officers and added a specialized patrol division, enabling a focused approach to tackling certain issues.
“In 2022, Lancaster passed an income tax specifically for police and fire; as a result, we added dogs, police officers, and a directed patrol department. The directed patrol unit can be directed specifically to a specific problem. and not be worried about getting calls for service. It can be any level of crime, from violent crime to property crime and traffic crime, and we can target those with this unit,” said McDaniel.
McDaniel said people never realize the meaning of something until they go without it.
“Driving down U.S. 33 from the airport and arriving in Fairfield County, it just feels like where I need to be. And there are a lot of reasons for that. Childhood memories, friends, and family. But I also just love this area. And I think until you leave in your way for a while, you don’t realize how much it truly has to offer,” said McDaniel.
