Lucas County, Ohio

Lucas County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. It is bordered to the east by Lake Erie, and to the southeast by the Maumee River, which runs to the lake. As of the 2010 census, the population was 441,815.[2] Its county seat is Toledo, located at the mouth of the Maumee River on the lake.[3] The county was named for Robert Lucas, 12th governor of Ohio, in 1835 during his second term.[4] Its establishment provoked the Toledo War conflict with the Michigan Territory, which claimed some of its area.

Not to be confused with Lucas, Ohio.
Lucas County
U.S. county
The Lucas County Courthouse in Toledo
Flag
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Ohio
Ohio's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°41′N 83°30′W
Country United States
State Ohio
FoundedJune 20, 1835[1]
Named forRobert Lucas
SeatToledo
Largest cityToledo
Area
 • Total596 sq mi (1,540 km2)
 • Land341 sq mi (880 km2)
 • Water255 sq mi (660 km2)  43%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
428,348
 • Density1,296/sq mi (500/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts5th, 9th
Websitewww.co.lucas.oh.us

Lucas County is named after Robert Lucas, 12th Governor of the State of Ohio and the winning governor of the Toledo War, and is the central county of the Toledo Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Lucas County Courthouse, 1910s

On August 20, 1794, near the site of the present-day town of Maumee, American forces led by General Anthony Wayne won a decisive victory over allied Indian forces at the Battle of Fallen Timbers after years of conflict in what was known as the Northwest Indian War. The defeat of the Native forces resulted in the opening of the entire Northwest Territory for white settlement. Northwest Ohio was occupied chiefly by villages and bands of the Odawa people, who had trading relations with the French at Fort Detroit since 1701. Other Odawa were located in southeast Michigan and further north on the peninsula. They ceded much of that territory in the Treaty of Greenville but retained control of lands along the Maumee River until after the War of 1812. The last Odawa band, that of Ottokee, grandson of Chief Pontiac, left the Maumee River area for Kansas in 1839.[5][6]

The disputed portion of Michigan Territory claimed by the state of Ohio known as the Toledo Strip.

Lucas County was established in 1835. At that time, both Ohio and Michigan Territory claimed sovereignty over a 468-square-mile (1,210 km2) region along their border (see Toledo War). When Michigan petitioned Congress for statehood in 1835, it sought to include the disputed territory within its bounds. In response, the Ohio General Assembly formally organized part of the area as Lucas County, naming it after the incumbent governor of Ohio, Robert Lucas.

Geography
Devonian shell of Sylvania

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 596 square miles (1,540 km2), of which 341 square miles (880 km2) is land and 255 square miles (660 km2) (43%) is water.[7] It is the fourth-smallest county in Ohio by land area. Much of the county lies within what was at the time of its establishment, a vast network of forests, wetlands, and grasslands known as the Great Black Swamp.

Rivers

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Major highways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18409,382—
185012,36331.8%
186025,831108.9%
187046,72280.9%
188067,37744.2%
1890102,29651.8%
1900153,55950.1%
1910192,72825.5%
1920275,72143.1%
1930347,70926.1%
1940344,333−1.0%
1950395,55114.9%
1960456,93115.5%
1970484,3706.0%
1980471,741−2.6%
1990462,361−2.0%
2000455,054−1.6%
2010441,815−2.9%
2019 (est.)428,348[8]−3.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11]
1990-2000[12] 2010-2019[2]

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 455,054 people, 182,847 households, and 116,290 families living in the county. The population density was 1,337 people per square mile (516/km2). There were 196,259 housing units at an average density of 576 per square mile (223/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 77.50% White, 16.98% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.21% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.86% from other races, and 2.16% from two or more races. 4.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 182,847 households, out of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.70% were married couples living together, 14.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.40% were non-families. 30.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.30% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 29.10% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 13.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 92.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,004, and the median income for a family was $48,190. Males had a median income of $39,415 versus $26,447 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,518. About 10.70% of families and 13.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.70% of those under age 18 and 8.70% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 441,815 people, 180,267 households, and 111,016 families living in the county.[13] The population density was 1,296.2 inhabitants per square mile (500.5/km2). There were 202,630 housing units at an average density of 594.5 per square mile (229.5/km2).[14] The racial makeup of the county was 74.0% white, 19.0% black or African American, 1.5% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 2.0% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.1% of the population.[13] In terms of ancestry, 29.8% were German, 13.2% were Irish, 9.7% were Polish, 8.0% were English, and 3.8% were American.[15]

Of the 180,267 households, 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.0% were married couples living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.4% were non-families, and 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.01. The median age was 37.0 years.[13]

The median income for a household in the county was $42,072 and the median income for a family was $54,855. Males had a median income of $46,806 versus $33,394 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,981. About 14.0% of families and 18.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.4% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.[16]

Politics

Lucas County is a strongly Democratic county. The only Republicans to win a majority or plurality in the county since 1932 have been Thomas E. Dewey in 1944, Dwight D. Eisenhower in both 1952 and 1956, and Ronald Reagan in 1980 (plurality) and 1984.[17]

Unlike most counties in northwest Ohio, Lucas County is strongly Democratic. Although Ronald Reagan carried the county twice, no other Republican has won the county in the last 50 years.[18] In 1972, for instance, it was one of only two counties in the entire state that supported George McGovern.

In the last five Presidential elections the Democratic candidate's margin of victory has ranged from 18% to 30.5% in the case of Barack Obama.[19] The eastern portion of Lucas County, including Toledo lies in Ohio's 9th congressional district, and it is represented by Marcy Kaptur, who is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. The western portion, however, lies in Ohio's 5th congressional district, and is represented by Bob Latta.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[20][21]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 40.7% 81,763 57.4% 115,411 1.9% 3,933
2016 38.1% 75,698 55.7% 110,833 6.2% 12,299
2012 33.2% 69,940 64.9% 136,616 1.9% 4,065
2008 33.4% 73,706 64.8% 142,852 1.8% 3,899
2004 39.5% 87,160 60.2% 132,715 0.3% 555
2000 39.2% 73,342 57.8% 108,344 3.0% 5,664
1996 32.0% 58,120 57.7% 104,911 10.3% 18,716
1992 31.2% 63,297 49.3% 99,989 19.6% 39,733
1988 45.3% 83,788 53.9% 99,755 0.8% 1,552
1984 50.3% 100,285 48.8% 97,293 1.0% 1,976
1980 45.3% 86,653 44.6% 85,341 10.1% 19,304
1976 41.4% 76,069 56.4% 103,658 2.3% 4,180
1972 48.4% 88,401 49.3% 90,142 2.3% 4,166
1968 39.0% 69,403 51.3% 91,346 9.7% 17,288
1964 31.1% 57,782 68.9% 128,110
1960 47.9% 94,679 52.1% 102,825
1956 53.2% 100,501 46.9% 88,598
1952 51.7% 97,490 48.3% 91,043
1948 46.8% 66,798 51.9% 74,064 1.4% 1,991
1944 50.4% 77,247 49.6% 76,109
1940 49.5% 76,405 50.5% 77,948
1936 34.5% 45,853 55.8% 74,155 9.8% 12,971
1932 40.8% 47,796 55.4% 64,902 3.7% 4,362
1928 63.2% 78,435 36.3% 44,977 0.5% 669
1924 55.4% 53,670 12.3% 11,948 32.3% 31,284
1920 59.1% 52,449 34.3% 30,452 6.6% 5,868
1916 33.0% 16,711 60.8% 30,779 6.2% 3,136
1912 15.0% 5,622 37.2% 13,999 47.8% 17,989[22]
1908 48.5% 18,715 42.0% 16,208 9.6% 3,697
1904 67.3% 22,924 24.3% 8,259 8.4% 2,862
1900 51.2% 17,128 46.0% 15,390 2.8% 932
1896 54.5% 16,758 44.7% 13,759 0.8% 259
1892 52.0% 11,211 45.8% 9,860 2.2% 481
1888 51.3% 9,443 46.9% 8,638 1.8% 331
1884 51.9% 8,341 45.9% 7,384 2.2% 360
1880 52.7% 7,157 44.0% 5,985 3.3% 447
1876 54.6% 6,524 43.1% 5,155 2.4% 281
1872 62.7% 5,253 36.8% 3,083 0.6% 48
1868 61.2% 4,873 38.8% 3,087
1864 64.4% 3,790 35.6% 2,095
1860 58.8% 2,889 37.1% 1,820 4.1% 200
1856 41.1% 1,639 46.8% 1,866 12.1% 486

Government
See also: Ohio county government

County officials
Office Name Party
Commissioner Gary L. Byers Democrat
Commissioner Peter L. Gerken Democrat
Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak Democrat
Prosecutor Julia R. Bates Democrat
Sheriff John P. Tharp Democrat
Clerk of Courts J. Bernie Quilter Democrat
Recorder Phillip D. Copeland Democrat
Treasurer Lindsay Webb Democrat
Engineer Mike Pniewski Democrat
Coroner Diane Scala-Barnett Democrat
Auditor Anita L. Lopez Democrat

[23]

Communities
Map of Lucas County, Ohio with Municipal and Township labels
Historical map of Lucas County, 1899

Cities

Villages

Townships

Census-designated places

Unincorporated Communities

Ghost towns

See also

References
  1. "Ohio County Profiles: Lucas County" (PDF). Ohio Department of Development. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 21, 2007. Retrieved April 28, 2007.
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 6, 2011. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. "Lucas County data". Ohio State University Extension Data Center. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  5. Helen Hornbeck Tanner, ed., Atlas of Great Lakes Indian History (University of Oklahoma Press: Norman, 1986) pp. 3, 58–59
  6. Larry Angelo (2nd chief of the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma), The Migration of the Ottawas from 1615 to Present, (1997), pp. 3-6
  7. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  8. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  9. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  11. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  12. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  13. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  14. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  15. "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  16. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  17. Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
  18. "David Leip's Presidential Atlas (Maps for Ohio by election)". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  19. "President Map - Election Results 2008 - The New York Times". elections.nytimes.com. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  20. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  21. "Ohio Historical Election Results". Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  22. The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 12,442 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 5,173 votes, Prohibition candidate Eugene Chafin received 216 votes, and Socialist Labor candidate Arthur Reimer received 158 votes.
  23. "Lucas County elected officials". lucas.oh.us. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  24. https://web.archive.org/web/20160715023447/http://www.ohiotownships.org/township-websites. Archived from the original on 2016-07-15. Missing or empty |title= (help)

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