Founded in 1817, Bainbridge Township was named for Commodore William Bainbridge, commander of the USS Constitution during the War of 1812. The unincorporated hamlet of Bainbridge Center became both the geographic and historic center of the township, where the town hall, churches, stores, shops, a school, and post office were established. Houses in the area, especially those built during the Greek revival period, reflect the community’s agricultural past and its development in the twentieth century. Citizens gathered in The Center to attend church and school, shop, and participate in social and political functions.