Mechanicsburg was platted on 1814 in the wake of increasing settlement, despite the ongoing war. In its early years, the village grew slowly; the 1830 census found just 99 residents. Mechanicsburg's first two buildings were log structures used for commercial purposes: a small store and the village's first tavern respectively, they were both constructed on what is now the southern corner of Sandusky and Main Streets on the public square.