Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio | |
|---|---|
 Downtown Cuyahoga Falls (2018) | |
 Seal | |
 Location in Summit County, Ohio | |
  Cuyahoga Falls  Cuyahoga Falls | |
| Coordinates:41°08′44″N81°29′48″W / 41.14556°N 81.49667°W /41.14556; -81.49667 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Ohio |
| County | Summit |
| Area | |
• Total | 25.92 sq mi (67.14 km2) |
| • Land | 25.80 sq mi (66.81 km2) |
| • Water | 0.13 sq mi (0.33 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,040 ft (320 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 51,114 |
• Estimate (2023)[3] | 50,742 |
| • Density | 1,981.5/sq mi (765.05/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 44221 and 44223 |
| Area codes | 330 and 234 |
| FIPS code | 39-19778[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1087001[2] |
| Website | https://www.cityofcf.com/ |
Cuyahoga Falls (/ˌkaɪəˈhoʊɡə/KY-ə-HOH-gə or/ˌkaɪəˈhɒɡə/KY-ə-HOG-ə) is a city inSummit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 51,114 at the2020 census.[5] The second-largest city in Summit County, it is located directly north ofAkron and is a suburb in theAkron metropolitan area. The city was founded in 1812 byWilliam Wetmore and was originally named Manchester, but renamed for theCuyahoga River and the series of waterfalls that run along the southern boundary of the city.
Cuyahoga Falls was formed in 1812[6] near the junction of what was thenNorthampton,Stow,Tallmadge, andPortage townships. The focus was the series ofCuyahoga 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.[7]
The earliest settlers of Cuyahoga Falls includedJoshua Stow and William Wetmore. In 1815, a saw mill was operating near Gaylord's Grove, using power generated by a dam on theCuyahoga River there.[8]
The town was initially called Manchester, but was renamed Cuyahoga Falls at the request of thePost Office since several other Manchesters were already inOhio.[9]
The village proper was first laid out in 1826 by Judge Richardson.[9]
The town was incorporated in 1836, occupying 240 rods fromStow andTallmadge 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 atownship until 1868.[9]
In 1841, theSummit 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.[8]
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 adjournsine die, letting the village be run under township jurisdiction until June 3, 1868, when the municipal government returned.[9]
In 1939 the firstLawson Convenience Store was established in Cuyahoga Falls.[10]
On July 31, 1940, theDoodlebug Disaster train wreck killed 43 people, the worst disaster in the history of the city.[11]
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.[12]
Cuyahoga Falls had been founded as an industrial city, taking advantage of the river power. By the middle of the twentieth century, it had become largely residential. Don Robart, mayor from 1986 to 2013, promoted the merger with Northampton Township because of the additional land that could be used for development.[citation needed] 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 theInternational Basketball League. They moved to Akron in 2006 and became theAkron Cougars.
TheCathedral of Tomorrow, founded bytelevangelistRex Humbard in 1958, was in Cuyahoga Falls. It is now the church of pastor/evangelistErnest Angley and was renamed Grace Cathedral.
Blossom Music Center, an outdoor concert venue and the summer home of theCleveland Orchestra since 1968, is situated on 800 acres of theCuyahoga Valley National Park in Cuyahoga Falls.
According to theUnited 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.[13]
Cuyahoga Falls is bordered byAkron to the south and theCuyahoga Valley National Park to the northwest.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 1,516 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,861 | 22.8% | |
| 1880 | 2,294 | 23.3% | |
| 1890 | 2,614 | 13.9% | |
| 1900 | 3,186 | 21.9% | |
| 1910 | 4,020 | 26.2% | |
| 1920 | 10,200 | 153.7% | |
| 1930 | 19,797 | 94.1% | |
| 1940 | 20,546 | 3.8% | |
| 1950 | 29,195 | 42.1% | |
| 1960 | 47,922 | 64.1% | |
| 1970 | 49,678 | 3.7% | |
| 1980 | 43,708 | −12.0% | |
| 1990 | 48,950 | 12.0% | |
| 2000 | 49,374 | 0.9% | |
| 2010 | 49,652 | 0.6% | |
| 2020 | 51,114 | 2.9% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 50,742 | [3] | −0.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[14] | |||
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Cuyahoga Falls is part of theAkron, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area and of theCleveland-Akron-Canton Combined Statistical Area.
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 41,759 | 81.7% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 2,423 | 4.74% |
| Native American (NH) | 121 | 0.24% |
| Asian (NH) | 2,565 | 5.02% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 11 | 0.02% |
| Other/mixed | 3,122 | 6.11% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 1,113 | 2.18% |
As of thecensus[16] of 2010, there were 49,652 people, 22,250 households, and 12,693 families living in the city. Thepopulation 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% fromother races, and 1.6% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino 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% weremarried 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.
As of thecensus[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 inhabitants per square mile (746.3/km2). There were 22,727 housing units at an average density of 889.7 per square mile (343.5/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% fromother races, and 0.91% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino 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% weremarried 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. Theper capita income for the city was $22,550. About 4.5% of families and 6.1% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
METRO Regional Transit Authority provides bus service in the city.
Cuyahoga Falls is mainly served by two school districts. The original area of the city makes up nearly all of theCuyahoga Falls City School District; its high school,Cuyahoga Falls High School, is located on Fourth Street in downtown. The neighboring village ofSilver Lake is also part of Cuyahoga Falls City Schools.
The northwest portion of the city (the former Northampton Township) is served by theWoodridge Local School District, which also serves the portions of Akron that lie within the former Northampton Township boundaries, as well as most ofBoston Township (includingPeninsula). That district's high school,Woodridge High School, is also located in Cuyahoga Falls (albeit with a Peninsula mailing address); this makes Cuyahoga Falls one of the few communities in Ohio that is home to the sole high school for two separate school districts.
A small area in the northeast of the city is zoned toHudson City School District, and another small area, in the far northwest of the city, is part of theRevere Local School District.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Cuyahoga Falls History: The Doodlebug
Municipalities and communities ofSummit County, Ohio,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Villages | ||
| Townships | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
