East Liverpool is a city in southeastern
Columbiana County
Columbiana County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 101,877. The county seat is Lisbon, Ohio, Lisbon and its largest city is Salem, Ohio, ...
, Ohio, United States. The population was 9,958 at the
2020 census.
It lies along the
Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
within the
Upper Ohio Valley
Upper may refer to:
* Shoe upper or ''vamp'', the part of a shoe on the top of the foot
* Stimulant, drugs which induce temporary improvements in either mental or physical function or both
* ''Upper'', the original film title for the 2013 found fo ...
and borders
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
to the east and
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
to the south. East Liverpool is included in the
Salem micropolitan area, about from both
Youngstown
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County. At the 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of the Youngstown–Warren metropolitan area, which ...
and downtown
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
.
East Liverpool is notable for its pottery industry, founded in the 1880s. Changes in the ceramics industry led to a decline, with two potteries remaining.
Holly Black
Holly Black (''née'' Riggenbach; born November 10, 1971) is an American writer and editor best known for her children's and young adult fiction. Her most recent work is the ''New York Times'' bestselling young adult ''Folk of the Air'' series. ...
's ceramic-themed novel ''
Doll Bones'' is set in East Liverpool.
History
Native American petroglyphs
A petroglyph is an image created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions ...
exist in the area surrounding East Liverpool, including on
Babbs Island and near the
Little Beaver Creek
Little Beaver Creek is a wild and scenic area in Ohio. The Little Beaver Creek watershed is located primarily in Columbiana County in eastern Ohio, and in portions of Carroll County, Mahoning County, and western Pennsylvania, draining approxim ...
. Before the arrival of
European Americans
European Americans (also referred to as Euro-Americans) are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes people who are descended from the first European settlers in the United States as well as people who are descended from more recent Eu ...
,
Mingo
The Mingo people are an Iroquoian group of Native Americans, primarily Seneca and Cayuga, who migrated west from New York to the Ohio Country in the mid-18th century, and their descendants. Some Susquehannock survivors also joined them, and ...
,
Lenape
The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory includ ...
, and
Wyandot
Wyandot may refer to:
Native American ethnography
* Wyandot people, also known as the Huron
* Wyandot language
Wyandot (sometimes spelled Wandat) is the Iroquoian language traditionally spoken by the people known variously as Wyandot or Wya ...
peoples lived in the area until the
Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Battle of Fallen Timbers (20 August 1794) was the final battle of the Northwest Indian War, a struggle between Native American tribes affiliated with the Northwestern Confederacy and their British allies, against the nascent United States ...
led to the
Ohio Country's settlement. The
Public Land Survey System
The Public Land Survey System (PLSS) is the surveying method developed and used in the United States to plat, or divide, real property for sale and settling. Also known as the Rectangular Survey System, it was created by the Land Ordinance of 178 ...
of the United States was established by Congressional legislation in 1785, in order to provide an orderly mechanism for opening the
Northwest Territory
The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was formed from unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolutionary War. Established in 1 ...
for settlement. The ordinance directed the Geographer of the United States,
Thomas Hutchins, to survey an initial east–west base line. Hutchins began in 1786, using as his starting point a stake on north bank of the
Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
placed by a 1785 survey team from
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
and
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
to fix their common north–south boundary. Hutchins' work, completed in 1787, established the
Seven Ranges
The Seven Ranges (also known as the Old Seven Ranges) was a land tract in eastern Ohio that was the first tract to be surveyed in what became the Public Land Survey System. The tract is across the northern edge, on the western edge, with the sou ...
, with a baseline about line. This survey is believed to be "the first mathematically designed system and nationally conducted
cadastral
A cadastre or cadaster is a comprehensive recording of the real estate or real property's metes-and-bounds of a country.Jo Henssen, ''Basic Principles of the Main Cadastral Systems in the World,'/ref>
Often it is represented graphically in a cad ...
survey in any modern country."
East Liverpool traces its founding to 1798, when
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
immigrant Thomas Fawcett purchased 1,100 acres of land along the Ohio River in what was then
Jefferson County. In 1802, he platted the town of St. Clair, named for Governor
Arthur St. Clair of the
Northwest Territory
The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was formed from unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolutionary War. Established in 1 ...
. It was called Fawcettstown for a time, before being renamed Liverpool in 1816, after
Liverpool, England
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...
. Over its first few decades, a grist mill, multiple stores, and wharves opened in the town.
The first schoolhouse opened in 1820, and the first religious center opened in 1834 when the
Episcopalians
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
erected a building on a 4th Street site provided by town developers.
Liverpool was incorporated as East Liverpool in 1834 when
Liverpool Township in
Medina County objected to possible confusion.
![C](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/C.C._Thompson_Pottery_Co._%2816255673816%29.jpg)
Although
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
-based entrepreneurs invested in the town, it was smaller during this period than nearby
Wellsville and
New Lisbon. The arrival of
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
potter James Bennett in 1839 brought the establishment of the first
bottle kiln
A bottle is a narrow-necked container made of an impermeable material (such as glass, plastic or aluminium) in various shapes and sizes that stores and transports liquids. Its mouth, at the bottling line, can be sealed with an internal Stoppe ...
site in East Liverpool, launching the town's largest industry and bringing in multiple waves of
Western European
Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context.
The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean ...
immigration throughout the late 19th century.
Another large employer outside of that industry was the
Crucible Steel Company in nearby
Midland, Pennsylvania
Midland is a borough located along the Ohio River in western Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, the borough population was 2,430. It is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Founded in 1906, it was initially a ...
. By 1880, East Liverpool had grown to be the largest city in the county.
In 1905, the first city hospital opened. As of 1914, East Liverpool was served by the
Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
. On October 22, 1934, local police and FBI agents led by
Melvin Purvis
Melvin Horace Purvis II (October 24, 1903 – February 29, 1960) was an American law enforcement official and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent. Given the nickname "Little Mel" because of his short, frame, Purvis became noted for leadi ...
shot and killed notorious bank robber
Pretty Boy Floyd
Charles Arthur Floyd (February 3, 1904 – October 22, 1934), nicknamed Pretty Boy Floyd, was an American bank robber. He operated in the West and Central states, and his criminal exploits gained widespread press coverage in the 1930s. He was s ...
in a cornfield going toward
Clarkson, Ohio
Clarkson is an unincorporated community in southwestern Middleton Township, Columbiana County, Ohio, United States, clustered around the intersection of Clarkson and Sprucevale roads. For most of the 19th century, until the founding of Negley and ...
, after Floyd fled East Liverpool, and his body was returned to the town for embalming.
In the 1960s, much of the downtown area was cleared to make way for the 4-lane expansion of
Ohio State Route 11. The city reached its peak population of more than 26,000 in 1970, but its pottery industry had already begun to decline by the mid-1960s. As with other industries, production moved to developing countries where labor costs were cheaper. This cost many jobs and, ultimately, population in the
Upper Ohio Valley
Upper may refer to:
* Shoe upper or ''vamp'', the part of a shoe on the top of the foot
* Stimulant, drugs which induce temporary improvements in either mental or physical function or both
* ''Upper'', the original film title for the 2013 found fo ...
area, as people moved away in search of work. Furthermore, many of the city's downtown businesses withdrew to
strip mall
A strip mall, strip center or strip plaza is a type of shopping center common in North America where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front. ...
s in nearby
Calcutta
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...
or left the area outright.
![Museum of Ceramics, East Liverpool, Ohio July 2022](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Museum_of_Ceramics%2C_East_Liverpool%2C_Ohio_July_2022.jpg)
In 1963, a toxic waste incinerator was erected at an S. H. Bell Company warehouse in East Liverpool. Local investors believed the incinerator could be an alternative to the declining ceramics industry. In 2008, concerns were raised about toxic particles affecting East Liverpool residents' health,
particularly manganese,
which was found in high concentrations.
East Liverpool residents were found to have higher than normal levels of manganese, cadmium, and lead in their blood, and the community was considered to be in a health crisis due to the presence of these toxic elements. Government agencies worked with S. H. Bell to decrease the toxic metals being released into the surrounding air and land, and from 2006 to 2013 air quality improved. In 2014, hazardous and toxic particles in air quality assessments increased. Activism to reduce the toxic waste began.
In 2005, the EPA declared the area surrounding the incinerator a "potential environmental justice area".
[
In the mid-1990s, the city renovated its downtown district. To improve its urban design, it installed Depression-era lightposts, developed a new center called Devon's Diamond, and reconstructed the old high school's clock tower. In 2010, East Liverpool lost its position as the most populous city in the county to Salem after 130 years and was later withdrawn from being a principal city in the micropolitan area.]
Pottery industry
The potteries of East Liverpool became the national center of ceramic
A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcelain ...
toilet and table wares, with 85 firms operating at one time or another making two-thirds of the national output from 1880 to 1950. East Liverpool's pottery district encompasses East Liverpool and the surrounding towns of Wellsville, Ohio
Wellsville is a village in southern Columbiana County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. Its population was 3,113 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Salem micropolitan area, north of Steubenville and south of Youngstown. In its he ...
, and Chester
Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...
and Newell, West Virginia
Newell is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in northern Hancock County, West Virginia, United States, situated along the Ohio River. The population was 1,203 at the 2020 census. It is a part of the Weirton–Steubenville me ...
, directly across the Ohio River. In 1887, East Liverpool had 21 general ware potteries that employed 2,558 operatives. By 1923 the 17 firms had 7,000 employees and operated 270 kilns, with $25,000,000 in annual output.
Englishman James Bennett established the industry in 1839, making use of good transportation and rich local clays. It quickly became the community's leading industry. East Liverpool became known as "The Crockery City." Potters from Staffordshire, England
Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, the West Midlands Cou ...
, began pouring into East Liverpool, attracted by higher wages and the prospect of land ownership. By 1879, there were 24 potteries in East Liverpool, nearly all operated by English immigrants. As late as 1900, East Liverpool remained "essentially a transplanted potting town of Englishmen". Until the turn of the century about 85% percent of the population could trace its heritage to England. After the English, the second largest ethnic group in East Liverpool were German settlers. From 1870 to 1890, the city more than doubled in population each decade as it attracted new industrial workers with the growth of the pottery industry. By 1910, its population exceeded 20,000. At various times, some of the largest potteries included the East Liverpool Pottery, Knowles, Taylor & Knowles; Taylor, Smith & Taylor; The Hall China Company
The Hall China Company was an American ceramics manufacturer located in East Liverpool, Ohio, United States, known for pioneering the single-fire glazing process. At the time of its closure, Hall China was one of two potteries under the HLC Inc. ...
, and Homer Laughlin China Company
The Fiesta Tableware Company (formerly The Homer Laughlin China Company) is a ceramics manufacturer located in Newell, West Virginia, United States. Established in 1871, it is widely known for its Art Deco glazed dinnerware line, Fiesta. In 2002 ...
.
Of these potteries, two continue to operate in the area: the American Mug & Stein Company and the Fiesta Tableware Company
The Fiesta Tableware Company (formerly The Homer Laughlin China Company) is a ceramics manufacturer located in Newell, West Virginia, United States. Established in 1871, it is widely known for its Art Deco glazed dinnerware line, Fiesta. In 2002 ...
, formerly Homer Laughlin. In the mid-19th century, East Liverpool also produced most of the yellowware pottery used in the United States. Among the most famous of East Liverpool's ceramics was the porcelain known as Lotus Ware
Lotus Ware is a type of porcelain produced from approximately 1892 to 1896 at the Knowles, Taylor & Knowles (KT&K) pottery of East Liverpool, Ohio, East Liverpool, Ohio, United States. It is thought that the name may have originated from a comme ...
. Produced by Knowles, Taylor & Knowles in the 1890s, this Moorish
The term Moor, derived from the ancient Mauri, is an exonym first used by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages.
Moors are not a distinct or se ...
- and Persia
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
n-influenced artware swept the competition at the 1893 World's Fair
A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition or an expo, is a large international exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specif ...
in Chicago. The Museum of Ceramics in downtown East Liverpool has the world's largest public display of Lotus Ware.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water.
Neighborhoods include:
* Beechwood
* Downtown
* East End
* Fisher Park
* Klondyke
* Pleasant Heights
* Thompson
* West End
* Sunnyside
* Jethro
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 11,195 people, 4,601 households, and 2,892 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,316 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.7% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 4.6% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.3% from other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.1% of the population.
There were 4,601 households, of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.0% were married couples living together, 20.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.1% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.97.
The median age in the city was 37.6 years. 25.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24% were from 25 to 44; 26.5% were from 45 to 64; and 14.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,089 people, 5,261 households, and 3,424 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,010.3 people per square mile (1,161.8/km2). There were 5,743 housing units at an average density of 1,320.8 per square mile (509.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.85% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 4.81% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.24% Native American, 0.08% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.05% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.21% from other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.76% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 0.72% of the population.
There were 5,261 households, out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% 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 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out, with 27.1% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,138, and the median income for a family was $27,500. Males had a median income of $27,346 versus $18,990 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,656. About 21.5% of families and 25.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.2% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
National Register of Historic Places listings
Due to being the home of a large industry with many wealthy business owners, 16 different properties and three historic districts are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
, in addition to the Beginning Point of the U.S. Public Land Survey, the only National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
in Columbiana County.
Historic districts
The Diamond Historic District is at the one-sided traffic diamond between Market Street and East Sixth Street. The area is triangular, bounded by three roads. Buildings at the Diamond date back to 1884. The East Fifth Street Historic District
The East Fifth Street Historic District, located in East Liverpool, Ohio, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in November 1985. The district encompasses three blocks () of downtown East Liverpool along East Fifth street betwee ...
consists of three blocks of downtown East Liverpool along East Fifth street between Market Street and Broadway, listed due to its examples of Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing style ...
. East Liverpool Downtown Historic District covers the whole of downtown in 22 acres, and is noted for its Italianate
The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style drew its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian R ...
and Second Empire architecture
Second Empire style, also known as the Napoleon III style, is a highly eclectic style of architecture and decorative arts, which uses elements of many different historical styles, and also made innovative use of modern materials, such as i ...
as well as its prominence as a commercial center in East Liverpool's history.
Historic structures
Many historic properties in East Liverpool were the homesteads of prominent business owners throughout the late 19th century. These include the Cassius Clark Thompson House (1876), Ikirt House
Ikirt House, in East Liverpool, Ohio, was built in 1888. The house is an example of a variety of architectural styles including Second Empire, Eastlake movement, and elements of Queen Anne style architecture. The house was listed in the National ...
(1888), Homer Laughlin House
The Homer Laughlin House was built by Homer Laughlin in 1882. The house is located in East Liverpool, Ohio. Laughlin was a prominent pottery manufacturer and founder of the Homer Laughlin China Company.
The house is unique in that it makes use of ...
(1882), Godwin-Knowles House (1890), and the Richard L. Cawood Residence (1923), all of unique architectural styles.
The remaining structures on the listing are large, multi-story businesses that had historical significance in East Liverpool's economy and community during the 20th century, such as the original East Liverpool Post Office (1909), East Liverpool Pottery (1844), Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans i ...
's Public Library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants.
There are ...
(1902), the original YMCA
YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...
(1913), the Civil Works Administration's City Hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
(1934), the Elks Club
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE; also often known as the Elks Lodge or simply The Elks) is an American fraternal order founded in 1868, originally as a social club in New York City.
History
The Elks began in 1868 as a soci ...
building (1916), Odd Fellows Temple (1907), Mary A. Patterson Memorial building (1924), Potters Savings and Loan (1904), the first Potters National Bank (1881), and the Travelers Hotel (1907).
Sports
The semipro East Liverpool Potters basketball team of the Central Basketball League
The Central Basketball League was an early regional professional or semi-pro basketball league based in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The league disbanded on November 12, 1912, after playing a few exhibition games. Joseph "Joe" Meech Leithead served as S ...
played in the city from 1906 to 1909.
Parks and recreation
There are two public parks within East Liverpool city limits.
* Thompson Park – After Will Lamartine Thompson donated 100 acres of land to the city of East Liverpool in 1899, Thompson Park opened in 1900 as a green space to get away from the industry of the city. It has been open ever since, and amenities include picnic pavilions, a swimming pool, a football field, a baseball field, a disc golf course, a playground and walking trails. The main entrance is at the intersection of Park Way and Park Boulevard.
* Broadway Wharf – A small public park and boat launch on the Ohio River at the end of Broadway.
Government
East Liverpool operates under a mayor–council government
The mayor–council government system is a system of local government that has a mayor who is directly elected by the voters serve as chief executive, and a separately elected legislative city council. It is one of the two most common forms of loc ...
. Eight council members are elected as a legislature for 2-year terms, comprising four separate wards, three at-large districts, and a council president. In addition, an independently elected mayor serves as an executive. The current mayor is Gregory T. Bricker, and the current council president is John A. Torma. The mayor, auditor, treasurer, and law director are all elected to 4-year terms.
Education
![Kent State University, East Liverpool, Ohio July 2022](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Kent_State_University%2C_East_Liverpool%2C_Ohio_July_2022.jpg)
Primary and secondary
Children in East Liverpool (and immediate surrounding areas in Liverpool Township) are served by the public East Liverpool City School District. The current schools in the district are:
* La Croft Elementary School – grades K-4
* North Elementary School – grades K-4
* Westgate Middle School – grades 5–6
* East Liverpool Junior/Senior High School – grades 7–12
Private schools include the East Liverpool Christian School for grades K-12 and the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School for grades 7–12. In addition, two online schools, Buckeye Online School for Success and Quaker Digital Academy, operate out of downtown.
St. Aloysius School (K-8) operated for 130 years as a Roman Catholic School in the Diocese of Youngstown
The Diocese of Youngstown ( la, Dioecesis Youngstonensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church, consisting of six counties in Northeast Ohio: Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning, Trumbull County, Ohio, Trumbul ...
before closing on June 6, 2015.
Postsecondary
Kent State University
Kent State University (KSU) is a public research university in Kent, Ohio. The university also includes seven regional campuses in Northeast Ohio and additional facilities in the region and internationally. Regional campuses are located in As ...
has been operating a satellite campus, Kent State University at East Liverpool, since 1965. It grants associate's degrees and bachelor's degrees. New Castle School of Trades
New Castle School of Trades (NCST) is a private for-profit technical school in New Castle, Pennsylvania and East Liverpool, Ohio. It is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology.
History
The New Castle ...
opened a downtown campus in 2016.
Media
East Liverpool was once home to several newspapers in the 1800s, but most were consolidated into '' The Review'', which today serves chiefly southern Columbiana County and northern Hancock County. Additionally, the ''Morning Journal
The ''Morning Journal'' is the name of a Lisbon, Ohio, newspaper circulated in Columbiana County, Ohio
Columbiana County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 101,877. The county seat is L ...
'' out of Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
reports in the area.
The radio station WOHI
WOHI (1490 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format. Licensed to East Liverpool, Ohio
East Liverpool is a city in southeastern Columbiana County, Ohio, United States. The population was 9,958 at the 2020 census. It lies al ...
1490 AM has broadcast from the city since December 1, 1949, and is marketed as a classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes songs from the top 40 music charts from the late 1960s to the early 2000s, with music from the 1980s serving as the core of the format. Music that was popularized by MTV in the early 1980s ...
station. The city also had a station on the FM dial 104.3, WOGI
WOGI (104.3 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Froggy branded Country music format. Licensed in the Pittsburgh suburb of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, United States, the station serves the Pittsburgh Media Market. The station is currently ...
, but its license was moved to Moon Township, Pennsylvania
Moon Township is a township along the Ohio River in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Moon is a part of the Greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area and is located northwest of Pittsburgh. The population was 27,261 at the 2020 census.
History ...
, in 2000 and now serves the Pittsburgh radio market. Both stations were launched by the former East Liverpool Broadcasting Company.
Infrastructure
![Jennings Randolph Bridge](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Jennings_Randolph_Bridge.jpg)
Transportation
Highways
The following highways pass through East Liverpool:
*
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route in the system of the United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. With a length of , it is the third longest ...
*
State Route 7
The following highways are numbered 7. For roads numbered A7, see list of A7 roads.
Route 7, or Highway 7, may refer to:
International
* AH7, Asian Highway 7
* European route E07
* European route E007
Afghanistan
*Kunduz-Khomri Highway (A7)
...
*
State Route 11
*
State Route 39
*
State Route 170
*
State Route 267
Bridges
Since the 1890s, East Liverpool and the West Virginia communities of Chester and Newell have been connected by three different bridges spanning the Ohio River.
* Chester Bridge (1896–1969) – Connected College Street in East Liverpool with 1st Street in Chester. It was the original bridge to carry U.S. Route 30. The bridge closed on May 14, 1969, and was demolished in 1970.
* Newell Bridge (1905–present) – Connects West 5th Street near East Liverpool City Hospital with West Virginia State Route 2. It is the only privately owned toll bridge on the Ohio River, owned and operated by the Homer Laughlin China Company
The Fiesta Tableware Company (formerly The Homer Laughlin China Company) is a ceramics manufacturer located in Newell, West Virginia, United States. Established in 1871, it is widely known for its Art Deco glazed dinnerware line, Fiesta. In 2002 ...
out of Newell.
* Jennings Randolph Bridge (1977–present) – Replaced the demolished Chester Bridge in the 1970s as the span connecting East Liverpool and Chester, and carrying Route 30 over the river. Named for West Virginia congressman/senator Jennings Randolph
Jennings Randolph (March 8, 1902May 8, 1998) was an American politician from West Virginia. A Democrat, he was most notable for his service in the United States House of Representatives from 1933 to 1947 and the United States Senate from 1958 to ...
(in office 1933–1947 and 1958–1985, respectively).
Notable people
* , comic book artist for Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
* Bernie Allen
: ''This is about the baseball player. For the musical project of Travis McCoy called Bernie Allen, see Bernie Allen (band).''
Bernard Keith Allen (born April 16, 1939) is a former Major League Baseball player for the Minnesota Twins, Washin ...
, former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
second baseman
* Dick Booth
Richard Thomas Booth (July 13, 1918 – November 25, 1987) was an American football player who played professional football in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions in 1941 and 1945.
Booth was born in Newell, WV, before movi ...
, former National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
halfback
* Less Browne
Less Browne (born December 7, 1959) is a former American football defensive back who played in the United States Football League and the Canadian Football League for the Pittsburgh Maulers (USFL), the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the Winnipeg Blue Bombe ...
, former United States Football League
The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be ...
and Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...
defensive back
* John Caparulo
John Caparulo (born September 22, 1975) is an American stand-up comedian.
Early life
Caparulo grew up in East Liverpool, Ohio and graduated from Kent State in 1998. Caparulo started his stand-up career in night clubs in Cleveland, Ohio and Pittsb ...
, stand-up comedian
* Jane Louise Curry
Jane Louise Curry, born September 24, 1932, in East Liverpool, Ohio, is a prolific author of adventure, fantasy, mystery, time travel, and American Indian tales for older children and teenagers. She has written 39 books.
Her novels include the f ...
, children's novel author
* Ben Feldman, prolific life insurance salesman
* Benedict Charles Franzetta
Benedict Charles Franzetta (August 1, 1921 - September 26, 2006) was an American Bishop of the Catholic Church. He served as auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown from 1980 to 1996.
Biography
Born in East Liverpool, Ohio, Benedict Franze ...
, former Catholic bishop
* John Godwin, former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
player
* Lou Holtz
Louis Leo Holtz (born January 6, 1937) is an American former football player, coach, and analyst. He served as the head football coach at The College of William & Mary (1969–1971), North Carolina State University (1972–1975), the New York ...
, author, television commentator, motivational speaker, and former NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
football coach
* George P. Ikirt
George Pierce Ikirt (November 3, 1852 – February 12, 1927) was an American physician and politician who served one term as a United States representative from Ohio from 1893 to 1895.
Early life and education
He was born near West Beaver ...
, physician and U.S. representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
* John Leslie, pornographic film
Pornographic films (pornos), erotic films, sex films, and 18+ films are films that present sexually explicit subject matter in order to arouse and satisfy the viewer. Pornographic films present sexual fantasies and usually include eroticall ...
actor, director, and producer
* Bob McFadden
Robert McFadden (January 19, 1923 – January 7, 2000) was an American singer, impressionist, and voice-over actor perhaps best known for his many contributions to animated cartoons.
His most popular television cartoon characters included M ...
, voice actor
* O. O. McIntyre
Oscar Odd McIntyre (February 18, 1884 – February 14, 1938) was a New York newspaper columnist of the 1920s and 1930s. ''The Washington Post'' once described his column as "the letter from New York read by millions because it never lost the hu ...
, columnist of ''New York Day by Day''
* Hy Myers
Henry Harrison "Hy" Myers (April 27, 1889 – May 1, 1965) was a professional baseball player. He was an outfielder over all or part of 14 seasons (1909–1925) with the Brooklyn Superbas/Robins, St. Louis Cardinals, and Cincinnati Reds.
In ...
, former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
player, led the National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
in RBIs
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...
and slugging percentage
In baseball statistics, slugging percentage (SLG) is a measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats, through the following formula, where ''AB'' is the number of at bats for a given player, ...
in 1919 while playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association (19th century), American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the ...
* Craig Newbold
Craig Newbold (born July 31, 1948) is a former Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives for the 1st district, serving one term from 2011 to 2013.
Life and career
A native of East Liverpool, Ohio, he later went forth to become an ...
, member of the Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate.
The House of Representatives first met in ...
from the 1st district
* Sally Johnston Reid, composer, educator and former president of the International Alliance for Women in Music The International Alliance for Women in Music (IAWM) is an international membership organization of women and men dedicated to fostering and encouraging the activities of women in music, particularly in the areas of musical activity, such as compos ...
* Elaine Riley
Elaine Riley (January 15, 1917 – December 7, 2015) was an American film and television actress.
Early years
The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.B. Riley, Riley was born in East Liverpool, Ohio, on January 15, 1917. She won the Miss East Liverpool ...
, actress with Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
* Ruth Crawford Seeger
Ruth Crawford Seeger (born Ruth Porter Crawford; July 3, 1901 – November 18, 1953) was an American composer and folk music specialist. Her music was a prominent exponent of the emerging modernist aesthetic and she became a central member of a g ...
, composer and first woman to receive the Guggenheim Fellowship
* George Smith, 13th lieutenant governor of Missouri
* Josh Stansbury
Josh Stansbury (born November 19, 1984) is an American mixed martial artist. He was the light heavyweight North American Allied Fight Series (NAAFS) champions in 2013 and formally fought for Bellator. Stansbury competes in Light Heavyweight divi ...
, mixed martial artist
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorp ...
, former UFC
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
light heavyweight
Light heavyweight, also referred to as junior cruiserweight or light cruiserweight, is a weight class in combat sports.
Boxing Professional
In professional boxing, the division is above and up to , falling between super middleweight and cruise ...
division fighter
* Josiah Thompson, author of ''Six Seconds in Dallas''
* Will Lamartine Thompson, composer of hymns
A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...
and gospel music
Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music, and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is com ...
* Norm Van Lier
Norman Allen Van Lier III (April 1, 1947 – February 26, 2009) was an American professional basketball player and television broadcaster who spent the majority of his career with the Chicago Bulls.
Early life
Norman Van Lier was born in East L ...
, former National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
point guard
* Jabez Vodrey Jabez Vodrey (1795–1861) was the first English potter to emigrate to and work west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Early years
Vodrey was born on January 14, 1795 in Tunstall, Staffordshire, Tunstall, an area in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Thi ...
, prominent early potter
* Peter Wooley
Peter Wesley Wooley (December 26, 1934 – November 15, 2017) was an American film producer, author, director, and production designer with 85 films and television series to his credit, including the Mel Brooks' films ''Blazing Saddles'' and '' Hig ...
, former Hollywood film producer and Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
nominated art director
Sister cities
East Liverpool has one sister city
A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there are early examples of inter ...
:
* Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent (often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England, with an area of . In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 256,375. It is the largest settlement ...
, England, United Kingdom
References
Further reading
*
*
*
External links
*
East Liverpool Area Chamber of Commerce
{{Authority control
Cities in Columbiana County, Ohio
Ohio populated places on the Ohio River
Populated places established in 1796
1796 establishments in the Northwest Territory
Cities in Ohio