canal winchester was founded in 1828 by reuben dove and john colman. when construction of the ohio & erie canal came through dove's wheat field, he wanted to sue the state. the canal workmen instead convinced him that he would be better off laying out a town, because the area was midway between columbus and lancaster. on november 4, 1828, reuben dove and john colman recorded the first plat for winchester, ohio, in violet township, fairfield county. dove named the village after his father's hometown of winchester, virginia.