Wooster, a city and the county seat of Wayne co., Ohio, on Killbuck creek, a tributary of the Muskingum river, and on the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago railroad, 80 m. N. E. of Columbus; pop. in 1850, 2,797; in 1860, 3,361; in 1870, 5,419; in 1876, locally estimated at 7,000. It is finely situated on high ground, in the midst of a rich agricultural district, and is compactly built. It has considerable trade, and manufactories of agricultural machinery, engines, straw board, whips and lashes, furniture, organs, flour, etc. There are two national banks, a high school, four ward schools, two weekly newspapers, and 13 churches. The university of Wooster (Presbyterian) was chartered in 1866 and organized in 1870. It comprises preparatory, collegiate, and medical departments, the last being at Cleveland. The collegiate and preparatory departments have classical, philosophical, and scientific courses, and admit both sexes. In 1875-6 they had 18 instructors (13 in the college) and 266 students (100 preparatory and 166 collegiate). The library contains about 3,000 volumes.

The grounds and building are valued at $150,000.