Cardington, a tranquil village of 2,000 residents, is intersected at its one stop light square by two highways, State Route 529 and U S Highway 42. Paralleling Main Street (Highway 42) is the Whetstone River where in 1824 two businessmen, Peleg Bunker and Horton Howard, developed the carding mill business at the end of Fourth Street on the river - a business for fulling and dressing cloth - and thus was born the name “Cardington”.

Business has been the back bone of the village throughout its almost two hundred year history, from a Handle factory, fireworks, the Peck Furniture Factory, a cabinet shop, etc. among the dozens functioning from the village.  With easy access for shipping and receiving on the highway and the railroad garnered by the village in 1854, it was a hub of employment.

With those manufacturing concerns came grocery stores, clothing stores, shoe stores, drug stores, doctors, lawyers and dentists to meet the needs of its citizens. The townspeople showed their grittiness when following tragedies, they regrouped and rebuilt.  Tragic railroad accidents, blizzards and floods, were overcome by residents as they moved forward. The June 13, 1981 tornado which tore a path through the village’s Main Street leveling century old buildings, the most calami-tous event to strike the village, brought residents to a standstill but only for a few hours.  Soon after clean-up, the Tree Committee was busy replacing the 800 trees destroyed, and a Beautification Committee was organized and was soon planting flowers and greenery throughout the village.  The village council and economic director began plans for business development and the Cardington Industrial Park was established. This is now the location for Cardington Yutaka Technologies. A focal point since the village was founded has always been the school with loyalty shown through the public support of school levies and events at the K-12 school.

The village, with a first class volunteer fire department, EMS Squad and police department and a dedicated village council, offers a tranquil and friendly environment and the Friends of Cardington, an energetic organization of residents and business people, is sparking new interest with their Christmas in Cardington, Memorial Day parade and events, the Street Fair and the Halloween party, all combined to make Cardington one great place to live and work.