About the year 1816, Job McNamee, an early settler in southern Walnut Township, gave two small tracts of land on which churches were to be erected. The southern tract he gave to the primitive Baptist's, the Northern tract was presented to the Methodist's. Log churches were erected on these adjoining tracts, the first of which was the Primitive Baptists. In the year 1849 the community in the neighborhood of these churches became known as Hitedale. In 1869 the Atlantic and Lake Erie Railroad was extended from Toledo to Pomeroy, the name was changed to Ohio Central Railroad with a branch extending to Columbus and completed in 1880, at the junction of this branch with the main line was the territory that is now Thurston, with the depot being called Bush Station. This territory was once completely owned by George Bush, and knows as Bush's Corners. In 1878 the Atlantic and Erie Railroad system ran a line thru the community north to Millersport and thus calling it Bush City. In 1880 the railroad lines were laid from Columbus. This railroad division proceeded to change part of the town to Hadley Junction, presumably in honor of a railroad official. Petitions of both names Hadley Junction and Bush city were rejected as town names in recognition of a Post Office because of the similarity to other town names already incorporated.

In the early 1900's Thurston had a large brick yard. They also had 2 livery stables, one run by Ed Snyder, where Mr. Joe Jenks later had a blacksmith shop, and one in the north end of town run by Adam and Bill Crawford. They also had an icehouse in behind what is now Bope Broyles Barber shop. The ice was brought from Buckeye Lake and packed in sawdust.

The officials of Thurston at this time are Clinton Ballmer, Mayor and Joanne Harter is clerk. In the very near future these officials hope the first shovel of dirt will be turned for a water system for Thurston.