Mantua ( ) is a

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...

in northern Portage County,

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

, United States, along the Cuyahoga River. The population was 1,001 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the

Akron metropolitan area The Akron, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, sometimes referred to as Greater Akron, is defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget as an area consisting of two counties, Summit and Portage, in Northeast Ohio and anchored by t ...

. It was formed from portions of Mantua Township in the

Connecticut Western Reserve The Connecticut Western Reserve was a portion of land claimed by the Colony of Connecticut and later by the state of Connecticut in what is now mostly the northeastern region of Ohio. The Reserve had been granted to the Colony under the terms o ...

History

The first settlers came to Mantua Township in 1798. The area that eventually became the village of Mantua was owned by the Tappan family of Tappanville, later Ravenna, Ohio. After they made the Grand Tour of Europe in 1842, they renamed their northern county properties Mantua, and also renamed Tappanville, Ravenna, after the two towns in Italy they had come to love. The town was laid out in the 1840s as Mantua Station, a stop on the

Cleveland and Mahoning Valley Railroad The Cleveland and Mahoning Valley Railroad (C&MV) was a shortline railroad operating in the state of Ohio in the United States. Originally known as the Cleveland and Mahoning Railroad (C&M), it was chartered in 1848. Construction of the line began ...

. It was incorporated as Mantua in 1898. Like the township, the village is named after the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

city of

Mantua Mantua ( ; it, Mantova ; Lombard and la, Mantua) is a city and '' comune'' in Lombardy, Italy, and capital of the province of the same name. In 2016, Mantua was designated as the Italian Capital of Culture. In 2017, it was named as the Eur ...

. in honor of

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

, who had captured Mantua in early 1797 at the end of the Siege of Mantua. Mantua includes three properties 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 ...

: the Horace L. Hine House, the Mantua Station Brick Commercial District, and the William H. Crafts House.National Register listings for Portage County, Ohio
/ref>

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 t ...

, the village has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The Cuyahoga River flows through the southern part of the village.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, there were 1,043 people, 451 households, and 267 families living in the village. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was . There were 477 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 98.2%

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 o ...

, 0.3%

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 ...

, 0.1% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, and 1.2% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties forme ...

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 0.5% of the population. There were 451 households, of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.8% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 3.00. The median age in the village was 41.5 years. 22.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.8% were from 25 to 44; 30.7% were from 45 to 64; and 13.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 1,046 people, 440 households, and 278 families living in the village. The

was 743.4 people per square mile (286.4/km²). There were 452 housing units at an average density of 321.2 per square mile (123.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.85%

, 0.29%

, 0.10% Native American, 0.19% Asian, and 0.57% from two or more races.

of any race were 0.57% of the population. There were 440 households, out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.96. In the village, the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males. The median income for a household in the village was $49,519, and the median income for a family was $56,125. Males had a median income of $35,288 versus $22,500 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the village was $19,472. About 4.9% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 1.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

For public education, Mantua is part of the Crestwood Local School District, which also includes Mantua Township, most of Shalersville Township, the village of Hiram, and western Hiram Township. One of the district's three school facilities, Crestwood High School (grades 7 to 12) and the district offices, which are located in the former middle school building, are located in Mantua while the two elementary-level buildings, Crestwood Intermediate School (grades 3 to 6) and Crestwood Primary School (grades K to 2) are located nearby in Mantua Township.

Community events

Mantua hosts the Potato Festival, a celebration that has occurred annually for over 45 years. The festival features live entertainment, food, rides, a parade, a 15k road race (the Potato Stomp), and varying special attractions. Past special events included the world's largest serving of mashed potatoes and gravy (they were "mashed" in a cement mixer), and Spud Wrestling (mud wrestling in a massive ring full of mashed potatoes). The Ox Roast is another annual event that is a fund-raiser for the St. Joseph Church.

Notable people

* Jack Lambert, professional football player in the

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 ...

and member of the

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coa ...

; born and raised in Mantua * Brent Simon, musician; resident of Mantua * Barbara St. Hilaire, video game blogger known as "Old Grandma Hardcore"; resident of Mantua * William Stanton, author; resident of Mantua for a time *

Emerson E. White Emerson Elbridge White (January 10, 1829 – October 21, 1902) was an American educator and the third president of Purdue University. Career Ohio Emerson White began his teaching career at the age of seventeen when he was both a student and an in ...

, 3rd president of Purdue University; born in Mantua

References

External links

Village website
{{authority control Villages in Portage County, Ohio Villages in Ohio