Canal Winchester is a city in Fairfield and Franklin counties in the U.S. state of Ohio.

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.

[6] On November 4, 1828, Dove and Colman recorded the first plat for Winchester, Ohio, in Violet Township, Fairfield County.

The Ohio and Erie Canal brought passengers, freight and a means to transport grain to market.

On Halloween, October 31, 1841, two teenage boys, as a prank, hooked two horses up to the foundation of the post office of the town of Waterloo and then pulled it across the street to Winchester.

[citation needed] In May 1866, the Ohio Secretary of State granted incorporation papers for the Village of Canal Winchester.

[citation needed] In 1869, the railroad came to Canal Winchester, causing economic growth.

The first weekend in December the city hosts Christmas in the Village, a Holiday themed festival with food, choirs, a gingerbread house contest, ice sculptors, family activities and horse-drawn buggy rides.

Highlights of the area include Historic Downtown Canal Winchester, The National Barber's Museum and National Barber Hall of Fame, Slate Run Vineyard and Winery, the US headquarters of Scottish brewing company BrewDog, the BrewDog beer hotel, and the many antique shops in the Village.

Canal Winchester High School's mascot is the Indians, and their colors are maroon and white.

The school is best known for its football, wrestling, basketball, cross country, cheerleading, track, and volleyball teams, all of which compete at the Division 1 level.