Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

Cuyahoga Falls (/ˌkaɪəˈhoʊɡə/ KY-ə-HOH-gə) is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 49,652.[6] It is the second-largest city in Summit County. The city was founded in 1812 by William Wetmore and was originally named Manchester, but renamed for the Cuyahoga River and the series of waterfalls that run along the southern boundary of the city.

Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
City
Downtown Cuyahoga Falls (2012)
Seal
Location in Summit County and the state of Ohio.
Coordinates: 41°8′44″N 81°29′48″W
CountryUnited States
StateOhio
CountySummit
Government
 • MayorDon Walters (D)
Area
 • Total25.92 sq mi (67.14 km2)
 • Land25.80 sq mi (66.81 km2)
 • Water0.13 sq mi (0.33 km2)
Elevation
1,024 ft (312 m)
Population
 • Total49,652
 • Estimate 
(2019)[3]
49,106
 • Density1,903.63/sq mi (734.99/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
44221 and 44223
Area code(s)330 and 234
FIPS code39-19778[4]
GNIS feature ID1048646[5]
Websitehttps://www.cityofcf.com/

History

Cuyahoga Falls was formed in 1812[7] near the junction of what was then Northampton, Stow, Tallmadge, and Portage townships. The focus was the series of Cuyahoga River waterfalls that provided power for manufacturing.

In 1812, Kelsey and Wilcox built a dam on the Cuyahoga River at a place where a railroad bridge crossed it in 1876. They then built a flour mill, an oil mill, and a saw mill. This led to the construction of a number of houses. This area was known as the old village. Development moved downstream, though, when the power was discovered to be better there. The old village was eventually destroyed in 1826, when a dam built by William Wetmore flooded the dam at the old village and its mills were torn down.[8]

The earliest settlers of Cuyahoga Falls included Joshua Stow and William Wetmore. In 1815, a saw mill was operating near Gaylord's Grove, using power generated by a dam on the Cuyahoga River there.[9]

The town was initially called Manchester, but was renamed Cuyahoga Falls at the request of the Post Office since several other Manchesters were already in Ohio.[10]

The village proper was first laid out in 1826 by Judge Richardson.[10]

The town was incorporated in 1836, occupying 240 rods from Stow and Tallmadge townships. In 1853, seeing that the village and township of Cuyahoga Falls occupied the same territory, the village council disbanded and the community was only a township until 1868.[10]

In 1841, the Summit County Board of Commissioners named Cuyahoga Falls the county seat. The state legislature then intervened and put the location of the county seat up to a popular vote. Akron won and has been the county seat ever since. In spite of being named the county seat, Cuyahoga Falls never really functioned as such.[9]

In March 1851, the township of Cuyahoga Falls was created out of the village limits. They covered the same territory, so the village council voted to adjourn sine die, letting the village be run under township jurisdiction until June 3, 1868, when the municipal government returned.[10]

In 1939 the first Lawson Convenience Store was established in Cuyahoga Falls.[11]

On July 3, 1940, the Doodlebug Disaster train wreck killed 43 people, the worst disaster in the history of the city.[12]

In 1985, a referendum of merger between the city and neighboring Northampton Township was approved by local voters. In 1986, Cuyahoga Falls merged with Northampton Township, the first merger of a city and township in Ohio.[13]

Cuyahoga Falls had been founded as an industrial city, taking advantage of the river power. By the 1970s, though, it had become a residential community. This changed when Don Robart became mayor. He had been in favor of the merger with Northampton Township because of the additional land that could be used for development. Parts of that area have since been used for industrial development. Commercial development has also picked up, especially in the Howe Avenue area at the southern border of the city.

The city had one professional sports team, the Cuyahoga Falls Cougars, of the International Basketball League. They moved to Akron in 2006 and became the Akron Cougars.

The Cathedral of Tomorrow, founded by televangelist Rex Humbard in 1958, is in Cuyahoga Falls. It is now the church of pastor/evangelist Ernest Angley and was renamed Grace Cathedral.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 25.75 square miles (66.69 km2), of which 25.65 square miles (66.43 km2) is land and 0.10 square miles (0.26 km2) is water.[14]

Cuyahoga Falls is bordered by Akron to the south and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to the northwest.

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18601,516—
18701,86122.8%
18802,29423.3%
18902,61413.9%
19003,18621.9%
19104,02026.2%
192010,200153.7%
193019,79794.1%
194020,5463.8%
195029,19542.1%
196047,92264.1%
197049,6783.7%
198043,708−12.0%
199048,95012.0%
200049,3740.9%
201049,6520.6%
2019 (est.)49,106[3]−1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]
Akron, Bedford and Cleveland Railroad shops at Cuyahoga Falls, 1899

Cuyahoga Falls is part of the Akron, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area.

2010 census

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 49,652 people, 22,250 households, and 12,693 families living in the city. The population density was 1,935.8 inhabitants per square mile (747.4/km2). There were 23,859 housing units at an average density of 930.2 per square mile (359.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.4% White, 3.3% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 22,250 households, of which 26.1% had children under age 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.0% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.90.

The median age in the city was 39.4 years. 20.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.9% were from 25 to 44; 27.5% were from 45 to 64; and 15.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.

2000 census

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 49,374 people, 21,655 households, and 13,317 families living in the city. The population density was 1,932.9 people per square mile (746.4/km2). There were 22,727 housing units at an average density of 889.7 per square mile (343.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.80% White, 1.87% African American, 0.20% Native American, 1.05% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.15% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.63% of the population.

There were 21,655 households, of which 27.0% had children under age 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $42,263, and the median income for a family was $52,372. Males had a median income of $40,301 versus $28,459 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,550. About 4.5% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Mayors

First incorporation

  • Henry Newberry, 1837
  • Charles W. Wetmore, 1838
  • Hosea Paul, 1839
  • Charles W. Wetmore, 1840 to 1843
  • Birdseye Booth, 1844 to 1845
  • Hosea Paul, 1846
  • Oliver B. Beebe, 1847 to 1848
  • Charles W. Wetmore, 1849 to 1852

Municipal government resumed
(Village of Cuyahoga Falls)

  • William A. Hanford, 1868
  • Richard Blood, 1869
  • C. P. Humphrey, 1870 to 1871
  • Joshua L'Hommidieu, 1872 to 1873
  • Horace B. Camp, 1874 to 1875
  • George W. Rice, 1876 to 1877
  • John I Jones, 1878 to 1879
  • W. A. Hanford, 1880 to 1881
  • J. C. Castle, 1882 to 1883
  • A. B. Curtis, 1884
  • Samuel Higgs, 1885
  • Thomas H. Walsh, 1886
  • John I. Jones, 1887 to 1889
  • Samuel Higgs, 1890 to 1893
  • D. F. Felmly, 1894 to 1899
  • C. N. Russel, 1900 to 1902
  • E. M. Young, 1903 to 1904
  • Charles A. Davis, 1905 to 1908
  • C. N. Russel, 1909 to 1911
  • W. H. Taylor, 1912 to 1921

City of Cuyahoga Falls

  • George Herdman, 1922 to 1923
  • Charles Gray, 1924 to 1927
  • George Porter, 1928 to 1933
  • J. W. Haines, 1934 to 1943
  • Joseph W. Harding, 1944 to 1949
  • George A. Anderson, 1950 to 1951
  • Harding A. Wichert, 1952 to 1953
  • Elmer Wolf, 1954 to 1955
  • Emmet R. Wolfe, 1956 to 1961
  • David Sanders, 1962 to 1965
  • Delbert Ackerman, 1966 to 1968
  • Bruce Thomas, 1968 to 1969
  • William Coleman, 1970 to 1973
  • Robert J. Quirk, 1974 to 1985
  • Don L. Robart, 1986 to 2013
  • Don Walters, 2014 to present

Notable people

References
  1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
  3. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  4. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. "U.S. Census website". Retrieved 2010-03-20.
  7. Information Services Department, City of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (2005). History. Retrieved May 7, 2005.
  8. Fairchild, Rev. T.B. (1876). A History of the Town of Cuyahoga Falls. Akron: The Old Book Store.
  9. Doyle, William B, LL.B. (1908). Centennial History of Summit County, Ohio and Representative Citizens. Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. Akron Map and Atlas Co. Illustrated Summit County, Ohio. Akron: Akron Map and Atlas Co. 1891
  11. "How a small dairy store from Ohio became one of the biggest names in the Japanese convenience store industry". Marketplace. 4 September 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-01-14. Retrieved 2010-06-30.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Cuyahoga Falls History: The Doodlebug
  13. "History". Northamptonhistoricalsociety.com. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  14. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
  15. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
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