Norton Township was plotted into lots half a square mile after being surveyed by Joseph Darrow.

The first two people to settle on this land, in 1810, were James Robinson and John Cahow.

The first marriage in the township was in the fall of 1814 between James Robinson and Lois Bates.

Norton Township consisted of seven small villages: Loyal Oak (also known as Bates' Corners, located at 261 & Cleveland-Massillon Rd), Western Star (Greenwich and Medina Line Roads), Sherman (Originally known as Dennison located at Hametown Rd & Sherman St), Johnson's Corners (31st St and Wooster Rd W), Norton Center (Cleveland-Massillon & Greenwich Rd & Norton Ave), Hametown (Hametown and Wooster Roads), and New Portage (Wooster Rd N & Norton Ave.).

The Seiberling farm is still in operation today on Greenwich Road at Knollbrook Drive.

In 1890, Ohio Columbus Barber, Charles Baird, Albert T. Paige and John K. Robinson purchased a number of farms adjacent to New Portage.

The Ohio & Erie Canal ran through the southeastern part of the township from 1827–1913.

The General Election of November 1968, brought Norton to a City status.

Norton's current government consists of Mayor Mike Zita and council members: Doug DeHarpart, Jamie Lukens, Don Harbert, Paul Tousley, Judith Lynn Lee, Bill Mowery, and Paul Eader.

Begun by the Lions Club in 1988, the family members thought about starting an Octoberfest, but decided that since the Lions were known for selling cider in the Loyal Oak area of the City, that a Cider Festival would best suit the residents of that area.

On September 23 and 24, 1989, the first Cider Festival was held as a local community event.

For the 20th Anniversary in 2008, the location of the Festival was changed to be held closer to the City center at the Columbia Woods Park complex.

The City is also home to the Wolf Creek Players, a local, community theater group that presents three productions per season.