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Massillon is a city in Stark County in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
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 ...
, approximately west of Canton, south of
Akron Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 Census, the city prop ...
, and south of
Cleveland 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. ...
. The population was 32,146 at the 2020 census. Massillon is the second largest incorporated area within the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area, which includes all of Stark and Carroll counties and had a population of 401,574 in 2020. The city's incorporated area primarily resides in the western half of Perry Township, with portions extending north into Jackson Township, west into Tuscarawas Township, and south into Bethlehem Township. The village of
Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...
borders the city to the south.


History


Port of Massillon

The original settlement of
Kendal Kendal, once Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England, south-east of Windermere and north of Lancaster. Historically in Westmorland, it lies within the dale of th ...
was founded in 1812 by Thomas Rotch, a
Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...
originally of
New Bedford, Massachusetts New Bedford (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ) is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, Bristol County, Massachusetts. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast (Massachusetts), South Coast region. Up throug ...
, and
Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...
. James Duncan of
New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
first settled in Kendal before recording the plot for Massillon on December 6, 1826. Duncan, known as the city's founder, named the town after
Jean Baptiste Massillon Jean-Baptiste Massillon, CO (24 June 1663, Hyères – 28 September 1742, Beauregard-l'Évêque), was a French Catholic prelate and famous preacher who served as Bishop of Clermont from 1717 until his death. Biography Early years Massillon wa ...
, a French Catholic bishop, at the request of his wife. The town plat was established along the east bank of the
Tuscarawas River The Tuscarawas River is a principal tributary of the Muskingum River, 129.9 miles (209 km) long, in northeastern Ohio in the United States. Via the Muskingum and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining a ...
, which was the surveyed route for the
Ohio and Erie Canal The Ohio and Erie Canal was a canal constructed during the 1820s and early 1830s in Ohio. It connected Akron with the Cuyahoga River near its outlet on Lake Erie in Cleveland, and a few years later, with the Ohio River near Portsmouth. It also ...
being constructed to connect
Lake Erie Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has t ...
with 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 ...
. The canal section spanning from Cleveland to Massillon was completed in 1828. Among the leading merchants were the Wellman brothers Hiram and Marshall. Marshall Wellman was the grandfather of the American author
Jack London John Griffith Chaney (January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916), better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors to ...
. Massillon quickly became a major port town along the canal route, known as the Port of Massillon, following the canal's completion in the 1832. The first
telegraph line Electrical telegraphs were point-to-point text messaging systems, primarily used from the 1840s until the late 20th century. It was the first electrical telecommunications system and the most widely used of a number of early messaging systems ...
s would reach Massillon in 1847, and the Ohio & Pennsylvania Railroad would extend its rails to Massillon in 1852. Massillon incorporated as a village in 1853. In 1868, Massillon incorporated as a city when the populated reached 5,000.


Ohio Women's Convention

The Ohio Women's Convention met at Massillon, Ohio, on May 27,1852. The president of the convention was
Hannah Tracy Cutler Hannah Maria Conant Tracy Cutler (December 25, 1815Alexander Street Press. Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1600–2000''Author Details: Cutler, Hannah Maria Conant Tracy, 1815–1895''. Retrieved on May 28, 2009. – February 11 ...
. The meeting was held in Massillon Baptist Chapel.Sarah Miller Little
A Woman of Property: From Being It to Controlling It - A Bicentennial Perspective on Women and Ohio Property Law, 1803 to 2003
16 Hastings Women's L.J. 177 (2005).
Attendees voted to establish the Ohio Women's Rights Association (OWRA), which held its first meeting the following year in Ravenna.


C. M. Russell & Company

The C. M. Russell & Company, formed in 1848 by Charles. M. Russell and his brothers, Nahum Russell and Clement Russell, manufactured
threshing machine A threshing machine or a thresher is a piece of farm equipment that threshes grain, that is, it removes the seeds from the stalks and husks. It does so by beating the plant to make the seeds fall out. Before such machines were developed, threshi ...
s and other agricultural implements in Massillon. The company began producing train cars in 1852 and incorporated in 1864 as
Russell & Company Russell & Company () was the largest American trading house of the mid-19th century in China. The firm specialised in trading tea, silk and opium and was eventually involved in the shipping trade. Foundation In 1818, Samuel Russell was approached ...
Inc. In 1884, Russell & Company began producing its famed steam traction engines and quickly became one of the largest producers of industrial and agricultural equipment. A merger with the Griscom-Spencer company in 1912 created the Griscom-Russell Company. Griscom-Russell produced heat exchangers for the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. The company closed in 1962.


Massillon Bridge Company

The Massillon Iron Bridge Company was founded by Joseph Davenport in 1869 after moving to Massillon from Boston to work at the C. M. Russell & Company. Davenport also invented and built the first locomotive "cowcatcher" and cab in Massillon. The company incorporated in 1887 as The Massillon Bridge Company. The Massillon Bridge Company designed and built steel truss bridges up through the mid-1900s, many of which stand today.


Massillon State Hospital

The Massillon State Hospital for the Insane opened in 1898 on 240 acres of land given to the state of Ohio for the purpose of constructing the hospital. The hospital was established by Ohio governor
William McKinley William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. As a politician he led a realignment that made his Republican Party largely dominant in ...
. By 1950 there were 3,100 patients in the hospital. Today it is known as Heartland Behavioral Healthcare.


Forest City Motor Car Company

The Forest City Motor Company was founded in Cleveland in 1906 but relocated to Massillon that same year. Forest City produced approximately 1,000 of their Jewel automobiles in Massillon between 1906 and 1909. The name of the company was changed to the Jewel Motor Car Company but the company eventually ceased production in 1909.


Steel Era

Although steelmaking and fabrication is found throughout its history, some say Massillon's steel age didn't start until 1909, when the first sheet of steel was rolled at the Massillon Rolling Mill Company. Massillon Rolling merged into the Central Steel Company in 1914, and lit its first
open hearth furnace An open-hearth furnace or open hearth furnace is any of several kinds of industrial Industrial furnace, furnace in which excess carbon and other impurities are burnt out of pig iron to Steelmaking, produce steel. Because steel is difficult to ma ...
in 1915. Central Steel eventually became known as the Central Alloy Steel Company. In April 1930, Central Alloy merged with
Republic Steel Republic Steel is an American steel manufacturer that was once the country's third largest steel producer. It was founded as the Republic Iron and Steel Company in Youngstown, Ohio in 1899. After rising to prominence during the early 20th Centu ...
, becoming the third largest steel company in the world, with its Massillon operations employing nearly one-half of the city's workforce by 1959. This included other Massillon divisions like Massillon Union Drawn Steel and its
stainless steel Stainless steel is an alloy of iron that is resistant to rusting and corrosion. It contains at least 11% chromium and may contain elements such as carbon, other nonmetals and metals to obtain other desired properties. Stainless steel's corros ...
division Enduro Stainless. In 1984 Republic Steel was purchased by LTV Steel. Enduro closed in 1985, and it and other stainless plants went through several ownership changes over the following 15 years. The main Republic facilities on the southwest side of Massillon closed by 2002.


Massillon Steel Joist

Stanley Macomber designed the open-web steel joist in 1921 while working for Massillon's Central Steel Company. Macomber left Central Steel and founded the Massillon Steel Joist Co. in 1923. His open-web steel joist, patented in 1924, was known as the Massillon Steel Joist. Macomber's invention was a revolutionary assembly of steel joists with a top slab used to support of floors, ceilings and roofs. The basis of Macomber's steel joist design is still used today. Stanley Macomber was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame in 2011.


Lincoln Highway

Lincoln Highway The Lincoln Highway is the first transcontinental highway in the United States and one of the first highways designed expressly for automobiles. Conceived in 1912 by Indiana entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, and formally dedicated October 31, 1913 ...
, the first U.S. highway to run from coast to coast, was envisioned in 1913 and followed Main Street through the center of Massillon. Main Street was eventually renamed Lincoln Way in recognition of the new highway. In 1928, the federal government renamed Lincoln Highway to U.S. 30. A controlled access freeway was constructed in 1971, bypassing U.S. 30 around to the city's most southern part. The old Lincoln Highway that runs through Massillon and Canton was reassigned as State Route 172.


Little Steel Strike

Massillon was a site where one of the most tragic instances of
anti-union violence Anti-union violence is physical force intended to harm union officials, union organizers, union members, union sympathizers, or their families. It is most commonly used either during union organizing efforts, or during strikes. The aim most often ...
in the history of the United States occurred. The
Steel Workers Organizing Committee The Steel Workers Organizing Committee (SWOC) was one of two precursor trade union, labor organizations to the United Steelworkers. It was formed by the CIO (Committee for Industrial Organization) on June 7, 1936. It disbanded in 1942 to become the ...
began an attempt to organize workers at
Republic Steel Republic Steel is an American steel manufacturer that was once the country's third largest steel producer. It was founded as the Republic Iron and Steel Company in Youngstown, Ohio in 1899. After rising to prominence during the early 20th Centu ...
in the spring of 1937, following the unionizing of workers at the country's two largest steel companies
US Steel United States Steel Corporation, more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an American integrated steel producer headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with production operations primarily in the United States of America and in several countries ...
and Jones & Laughlin Steel. In retaliation, Republic Steel expelled over 1000 union supporters at plants in Canton and Massillon. On May 26, the union eventually called for all workers at Republic Steel,
Youngstown Sheet and Tube The Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, based in Youngstown, Ohio, Youngstown, Ohio, was an American steelmaking, steel manufacturer. Officially, the company was created on November 23, 1900, when Articles of Incorporation of the Youngstown Iron S ...
, and Inland Steel (together known as Little Steel) to strike in response to the treatment of workers in Massillon and Canton. On the night of July 11, 1937, a car failed to dim its headlights as it approached a police barricade near a picket line at one of the Massillon plants. City police assumed the worst and without warning opened fire with rifles and shotguns. Police then used this infraction to raid a peaceful crowd that was gathered in front of the union headquarters. Police pumped tear gas canisters and opened fire into the fleeing crowd. Joined by National Guardsmen, the police destroyed the union hall and arrested every suspected unionist they could find. Three men were killed and hundreds were injured during this incident. Ohio Historical Marker #18-76 was erected in 2004 in front of the Massillon City Hall in memory of the
Little Steel Strike The Little Steel strike was a 1937 labor strike by the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) and its branch the Steel Workers Organizing Committee (SWOC), against a number of smaller steel producing companies, principally Republic Steel, ...
of 1937.


Coxey's Army

Jacob S. Coxey, Sr., sometimes known as General Coxey of Massillon, was an American politician who ran for elective office several times in Ohio. He twice led Coxey's Army, in 1894 and 1914, consisting of a group of unemployed men that he led on marches from Massillon to Washington, D.C., to present a "Petition in Boots" demanding that the Congress allocate funds to create jobs for the unemployed. Although his march failed, Coxey's Army was an early attempt to arouse political interest in an issue that grew in importance until the Social Security Act of 1935 encouraged the establishment of state unemployment insurance programs. Jacob Coxey was elected mayor of Massillon in 1931 and served one year.


Geography

Massillon is at (40.7967, 81.5214), along the
Tuscarawas River The Tuscarawas River is a principal tributary of the Muskingum River, 129.9 miles (209 km) long, in northeastern Ohio in the United States. Via the Muskingum and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining a ...
. 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 a total area of , of which is land and is water. The following residential neighborhoods are located in and around the city: Amherst Heights, Belmont, C.H.A.R.M, Charity Rotch, Chestnut Hills, Clearview, Colonial Hills, Columbia Heights, East Brookfield, Elms Acres, Greenwood Acres, Kendall Heights, Lawndale, Mayflower Village, Moffitt Heights, New England, Oak Ridge, Perry Heights, Raynell, Sippo Heights, University Village, Walnut Hills, Wellman, West Brookfield, West Park, St. Andrews Golf Estates and Westadaro


Demographics


2000 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 incl ...
of 2000, there were 31,325 people, 12,677 households, and 8,328 families residing in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 1,870.3 people per square mile (722.1/km2). There were 13,567 housing units at an average density of 810.0/sq mi (312.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 88.18%
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 ...
, 9.39%
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 ...
, 1.60% from two races or more, 0.96%
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 ...
, 0.34% 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 ...
, 0.25%
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 ...
, and 0.23% Native American. There were 12,677 households, out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.96. In the city the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $32,734, and the median income for a family was $41,058. Males had a median income of $32,021 versus $22,327 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 city was $17,633. About 8.3% of families and 10.7% 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 15.5% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.


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 incl ...
of 2010, there were 32,149 people, 13,140 households, and 8,268 families residing in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 14,497 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 87.4%
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 ...
, 8.8%
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 ...
, 0.3% Native American, 0.4%
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 ...
, 0.5% 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 2.6% 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 2.0% of the population. There were 13,140 households, of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.1% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age in the city was 40.1 years. 22.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.9% were from 25 to 44; 27.1% were from 45 to 64; and 16.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.


Economy

While no longer home to the large steel plants of the 20th century, the following businesses are headquartered or otherwise prominent in the city: * Ameri Cold Logistics * Aqua Ohio (incorporated 1926 as the Massillon Water Service Company) * A.R.E. * Campbell Oil (Headquarters) * Crown Cork & Seal * Fresh Mark Inc. (Headquarters) * Greif Brothers * The Health Plan *
Heinz The H. J. Heinz Company is an American food processing company headquartered at One PPG Place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company was founded by Henry J. Heinz in 1869. Heinz manufactures thousands of food products in plants on six conti ...
Frozen Food Co. * Massillon Cable TV, founded 1965 * Midwestern Industries (Headquarters) * NFM Welding (Headquarters) * People's Cartage *
Republic Steel Republic Steel is an American steel manufacturer that was once the country's third largest steel producer. It was founded as the Republic Iron and Steel Company in Youngstown, Ohio in 1899. After rising to prominence during the early 20th Centu ...
* R.W. Screw *
Shearer's Foods Shearer's Foods, LLC is a U.S. manufacturer and distributor of snack foods. Founded in 1974 as Shearer's Snacks, it is headquartered in Brewster, Ohio. With more than 3,400 employees across eight facilities, the company manufactures, warehouses, ...
(manufacturing and headquarters) * Sugardale (pork products) * Tower Industries *King Machine and Tool Company (Est. 1979) Massillon has a central business district along Lincoln Way stretching from approximately State Route 21 to Wales Road. There are a few shopping areas, notably Towne Plaza, Amherst Shopping Center, Mayflower Shopping Center, Massillon Marketplace and Meadows Plaza.


Government

The city is governed by an elected mayor and city council. There are seven council positions representing the city's six wards and three at-large council positions. Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry ( D) Massillon City Council *President of Council- Claudette Istnick ( NP) *Ward 1 - Mark Lombardi ( R) *Ward 2 - Jim Thieret ( R) *Ward 3 - Michael Gregg ( R) *Ward 4 - Jill Creamer ( D) *Ward 5 - Megan Starrett ( D) *Ward 6 - Linda Litman ( D) *At-Large - Ted Herncane ( D) *At-Large - Ed Lewis IV ( R) *At-Large - Nancy Halter ( R) The Massillon municipal court system serves all residents in western Stark county located in the cities of Massillon, Canal Fulton and Bethlehem Twp, Jackson Twp., Lawrence Twp., Perry Twp., Sugar Creek Twp., Tuscarawas Twp., Villages of Beach City, Brewster, Hills and Dales, Navarre and Wilmot.


Education


Public schools

The city is served by the following public school districts: *
Massillon City School District Massillon City School District is a public school district serving students in the city of Massillon, Ohio, United States. The district currently consists of one 9-12 grade high school, one 4-8 grade middle school, three K-3 grade neighborhood ...
*
Jackson Local School District Jackson Local Schools is a school district located in Jackson Township, Stark County, Ohio, United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continenta ...
* Perry Local School District *
Tuslaw Local School District Tuslaw Local Schools is a public school district located in Stark County, Ohio, United States and serves most of Tuscarawas Township, the southern half of Lawrence Township, and western portions of the City of Massillon. The school district w ...
Additionally, the R.G. Drage Career Technical Center of the Stark County Area Vocational School District is located in Massillon and serves all students in the Massillon/Western Stark County area.


Private schools

There are three private schools located in Massillon. Massillon Christian School, operated by the Massillon Baptist Temple, has students in grades kindergarten through 12. There are also two parochial elementary schools, both of which are affiliated with the Holy Cross Academy system and the
Roman Catholic 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, Trumbull, Columbiana, Stark, Portage, and Ashtab ...
: St. Barbara School, for grades kindergarten through eight, and St. Mary School, for
preschool A preschool, also known as nursery school, pre-primary school, or play school or creche, is an educational establishment or learning space offering early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education at primary school ...
through eighth grade.


Attractions


Massillon Museum

The Massillon Museum was established in 1933 in order to preserve the city's rich history. The museum was accredited in 1972 by the
American Alliance of Museums American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
and is currently located downtown in the historic Gensemer Brothers Dry Goods building. The museum's collection encompasses approximately 100,000 objects in 94 categories, 60,000 photographs, and 18,000 archival and reference documents. The Immel Circus is one of the museum's most interesting collections. The 100-square foot miniature circus contains 2,620 pieces: thirty-six elephants, 186 horses, 102 assorted animals, ninety-one wagons, seven tents, and 2,207 people. Most of the pieces were hand-carved by Dr. Robert Immel of Massillon using tools from his dental practice.


Lions Lincoln Theatre

The 1915 landmark movie theatre, designed by
Guy Tilden 350px, Lions Lincoln Theater, Massillon, Ohio Guy Tilden (May 11, 1858 – August, 6, 1929) was a Canton, Ohio, United States Architect during the late 19th and early 20th century. Several of his structures are listed on the National Regis ...
, was saved from demolition by the local
Lions International The International Association of Lions Clubs, more commonly known as Lions Clubs International, is an international non-political service organization established originally in 1916 in Chicago, Illinois, by Melvin Jones. It is now headquartere ...
club in 1982. The theatre is thought to be one of the oldest purpose-built movie houses in the country still in operation. One of the theatre's two arc-lamp 35mm projectors was replaced by a digital projector in 2013. Today the theatre hosts community events, and screens classic and second-run movies on weekends. The stage also hosts live theatre. In 1989, the play '' Dear Mother and All'', a
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
play based on letters of Massillon native Charles Vernon Brown and his friends and family, debuted at the theatre.


Spring Hill Historic Home

Spring Hill Historic Home is the home of Thomas and Charity Rotch, the founders of
Kendal, Ohio The plat for the town of Kendal, in Stark County, Ohio was entered on April 20, 1812. It was named by its founder, Thomas Rotch (1767–1823), after the town of Kendal, in Cumbria, England. Kendal was absorbed into the town of Massillon, Ohio in 1 ...
(the precursor to Massillon). In 1973, the home of the Rotch-Wales families was turned into a historic home and opened to the public. Today, they focus on the Underground Railroad work that Thomas and Charity did while living in the house. The house is a member of the Ohio Friends of Freedom Society, and became a site on the National Park Service's Network to Freedom in 2006. Perhaps one of the most exciting parts of their Underground Railroad history is a letter written by George Duncan, a freedom seeker who was still on the run, to Thomas and Charity. George trusted the Rotches to help reunite him with his companion Edy, who was waiting for safer passage before escaping herself. George's letter is one of only a few written by a formerly enslaved person while they were still on the run.


Ohio Military Museum

The Ohio Military Museum is operated by the Ohio Society Of Military History and is home to thousands of artifacts and tributes to the men and women of Ohio who served in the armed forces. The museum moved to the MAPS Air Museum in 2016.


Parks and recreation

The City of Massillon Parks & Recreation Department operates a recreation center, senior center, and 35 parks and open spaces. Massillon's municipal golf course, The Legends of Massillon, opened in 1995. The City maintains the Stark County section of the Sippo Valley Bike & Hike Trail, leading trail users to
Dalton Dalton may refer to: Science * Dalton (crater), a lunar crater * Dalton (program), chemistry software * Dalton (unit) (Da), the atomic mass unit * John Dalton, chemist, physicist and meteorologist Entertainment * Dalton (Buffyverse), minor cha ...
in Wayne County. The
Ohio and Erie Canal The Ohio and Erie Canal was a canal constructed during the 1820s and early 1830s in Ohio. It connected Akron with the Cuyahoga River near its outlet on Lake Erie in Cleveland, and a few years later, with the Ohio River near Portsmouth. It also ...
Towpath Trail also passes through the city.


Football

Football has long been one of the most prominent contributions to the culture of Massillon.


Professional football

While the first players known to be paid to play football are believed to have played for club teams in the
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 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 ...
area, perhaps the first great professional football rivalry was between the
Massillon Tigers The Massillon Tigers were an early professional football team from Massillon, Ohio. Playing in the "Ohio League", the team was a rival to the pre-National Football League version of the Canton Bulldogs. The Tigers won Ohio League championships i ...
and Canton Bulldogs from 1903 to 1906 and 1915 to 1919. This rivalry predates both the NFL and the aforementioned rivalry between the Massillon and Canton high schools which continue to use the nicknames of these early professional teams. The Professional Football Researchers Association (PFRA) web site includes articles about the early years of this rivalry, as well as articles about the history of football through the 1970s.


Massillon Tigers

The name Massillon is most notably associated with the
Massillon Washington High School Washington High School, commonly referred to as Massillon High School or Massillon Washington High School, is a 9th to 12th grade secondary school within the Massillon City School District in the city of Massillon, Ohio, United States. The schoo ...
football team, the Tigers. Distinguished Massillon alumni include former
Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...
,
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
, and
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
coach
Paul Brown Paul Eugene Brown (September 7, 1908 – August 5, 1991) was an American football coach and executive in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and National Football League (NFL). Brown was both the co-founder and first coach of the Clevela ...
, and former
Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...
player and former NFL
All-Pro All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list th ...
linebacker
Chris Spielman Charles Christopher Spielman (born October 11, 1965) is a former American football player and is a special assistant to the owner and CEO for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played linebacker at Ohio State University, w ...
. The Tigers are historically one of the winningest high school football teams in the United States, second only to
Valdosta High School Valdosta High School is a public high school located in Valdosta, Georgia, United States. School Valdosta High School serves grades 9-12 in the Valdosta City School District. Valdosta High School is a public school located in VALDOSTA, GA. It ha ...
in
Valdosta, Georgia Valdosta is a city in and the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, Lowndes County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. As of 2019, Valdosta had an estimated population of 56,457. Valdosta is the principal city of the Valdosta Metr ...
. Along with the
Canton McKinley High School McKinley Senior High School is a public high school in Canton, Ohio, United States. It is the only high school in the Canton City School District and has two campuses: Downtown Campus (mostly known as Early College High School or Timken High ...
Bulldogs, the Tigers represent one half of what many consider to be the greatest high school football rivalry in the nation. Both Massillon and their fierce rivalry with Canton are subjects of the 2001 documentary film '' Go Tigers!''.


Paul Brown Tiger Stadium

The construction of
Paul Brown Tiger Stadium Paul Brown Tiger Stadium is a high school football stadium located in Massillon, Ohio. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the Massillon Washington High School Tigers football team. The stadium has a seating cap ...
in Massillon was completed in 1939 through the
Works Progress Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...
program. The stadium currently holds 16,884 people and is named after former Tiger player and head coach
Paul Brown Paul Eugene Brown (September 7, 1908 – August 5, 1991) was an American football coach and executive in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and National Football League (NFL). Brown was both the co-founder and first coach of the Clevela ...
. Besides being the regular season home of the Massillon Tiger Football team, the stadium hosts numerous
Ohio High School Athletic Association The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) is the governing body of athletic programs for junior and senior high schools in the state of Ohio. The OHSAA governs eligibility of student athletes, resolves disputes, organizes levels of compe ...
state football playoff games as well as divisional championship games. The stadium also hosts the annual
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, coach ...
drum and bugle corps competition. The stadium is marked with a historical marker dedicated to Paul Brown and his contribution to the sport


Paul L. David Athletic Training Center

Massillon's Paul L. David Athletic Training Center was built in 2008 by local philanthropist Jeff David in honor of his late father. The 3 million dollar, 80,000 square foot building is the largest indoor football practice facility in the state of Ohio, 20,000-square-feet larger than the facility used by the NFL's
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
.


City of Champions

The Massillon Tigers have accumulated 24 “state AP championships” and 9 “national AP championships” during the school's history. As of 2012, the Tigers have accumulated an overall record of 837-249-35, a record not approached by any other Ohio high school football team. In the years since the Ohio high school playoff system was instituted in 1972, the Tigers have accumulated a current record of 316-117-4. The Tigers have made the playoffs 19 times, the final four six times, and the final championship game three times. There have been 23 professional players, 3 NFL coaches, and 14 collegiate all-Americans that have graduated from
Massillon Washington High School Washington High School, commonly referred to as Massillon High School or Massillon Washington High School, is a 9th to 12th grade secondary school within the Massillon City School District in the city of Massillon, Ohio, United States. The schoo ...
. Washington High School currently holds the record for the most playoff appearances by a high school football team without actually winning a state championship since 1970.


Tiger Swing Band

The 1915 Washington High School annual notes of the Massillon Football Band being a group of students bringing their instruments to the football games and playing to cheer on the team and pep up the fans. The name "The Massillon Tiger Swing Band" and the swing elements were created by George "Red" Bird in 1938 during the Paul Brown era of Massillon football. The band became known as "The Greatest Show in High School Football" and is still a very important part of the Massillon football tradition. The band's swing style includes moving formations and musicians marching with a swing step. Mr. Bird invented the 6 to 5 step. The Tiger Swing band begins every home football game with the traditional hometown songs of "Massillon Will Shine", "Stand Up and Cheer" (to acknowledge the other team), the National Anthem, "Eye of the Tiger" and the "WHS Alma Mater". At the beginning of each half time show, they perform what is known as "Opening Routine", this tradition that goes back for decades and consists of the band's entrance ("Turn Arounds") followed by "Fanfare", "Tiger Rag" and "Carry On". This entire routine is marched at 180 beats per minute. The band also learns and performs a new show for every home game.


ESPN Titletown U.S.A. finalist

In July 2008 Massillon was nominated as one of only twenty cities nationwide as a finalist in
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
's "Titletown U.S.A." contest. On July 21, a rally was held at
Paul Brown Tiger Stadium Paul Brown Tiger Stadium is a high school football stadium located in Massillon, Ohio. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the Massillon Washington High School Tigers football team. The stadium has a seating cap ...
while ESPN filmed a segment that was aired on
SportsCenter ''SportsCenter'' (SC) is a daily sports news television show, television program that serves as the flagship program and brand of United States, American cable television, cable and satellite television television network, network ESPN. The show ...
. Massillon finished fourth in the voting behind
Valdosta, Georgia Valdosta is a city in and the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, Lowndes County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. As of 2019, Valdosta had an estimated population of 56,457. Valdosta is the principal city of the Valdosta Metr ...
; Parkersburg, West Virginia; and Green Bay, Wisconsin.


Transportation

Massillon is served by the following state and federal highways: US Route 30, US Route 62, Ohio State Route 21, Ohio State Route 172, Ohio State Route 241, Ohio State Route 236, and Ohio State Route 93. Interstate 77 bypasses the city to the east and is accessible via interchanges on US-30, SR-21, SR-241, and SR-172. Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) has a transit center downtown and provides public transit bus service within the city, including service to Canton, the Akron-Canton Regional Airport, and the Amtrak station located in Alliance, Ohio, Alliance. Fidelity US Coach Tours provides charter bus service from the city.


Air

Akron-Canton Regional Airport is 10 miles north of the city and provides daily commercial passenger and air freight service.


Rail

Amtrak offers daily service on its ''Capitol Limited'' to Chicago and Washington, D.C. from a regional passenger station in Alliance, Ohio. Passenger rail service by Penn Central within the city was ended in 1971. Norfolk Southern, Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway (1990), Wheeling-Lake Erie, and the R. J. Corman Railroad, R. J. Corman railroads provide freight service in Massillon.


Media

Massillon is part of the Media in Cleveland, greater Cleveland and Akron markets. ''The Independent (Massillon), The Independent'' is the local newspaper serving the city of Massillon and western Stark County. WTIG AM 990 is located in Massillon and serves the local Massillon/Western Stark County area. Massillon Cable TV provides local access television for Massillon as well as portions of Bethlehem, Jackson, Perry, and Tuscarawas townships. Washington High School has a Media Arts and Communications Career-Technical Education program, WHS-TV, that is top notch. The students are tasked to record most events at the high school including all varsity football games (home and away), all boys varsity home basketball games, produce their own "talk shows" to interview the head football coach, head basketball coach, head baseball coach and head band director and direct, produce and star in their own high school news channel that airs to the student body and on their social media platforms three days a week called Accent. YouTube: WHS-TV Ohio; Facebook: WHS-TV; Instagram: whstvohio; Twitter: @WHSTVOhio


Religion

Massilion is home to St. Mary's Catholic Church (Massillon, Ohio), St. Mary's Catholic Church. It held the US shrine to Dymphna, St. Dymphna until, on August 4, 2015, a fire broke out in the church, ultimately destroying a baptistery and the shrine. The structure of the building survived, but heavy smoke caused much destruction. After closing for cleaning and restoration, St. Mary's reopened on December 25, 2016.


Notable people

Listed alphabetically, by last name: *Bill Berry and his family moved to Massillon in 1971 * John Blackburn (songwriter), John Blackburn, wrote the lyrics of "Moonlight in Vermont (song), Moonlight in Vermont" * Mike Brown (owner), Mike Brown, owner of
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
*
Paul Brown Paul Eugene Brown (September 7, 1908 – August 5, 1991) was an American football coach and executive in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and National Football League (NFL). Brown was both the co-founder and first coach of the Clevela ...
, American football, football player and hall of fame coach * Matt Campbell (American football coach), Matt Campbell, head coach of Iowa State Cyclones football team * David Canary, actor * Gareon Conley, NFL cornerback for the Oakland Raiders in 2017 * Jacob S. Coxey, Sr., politician and activist * Shawn Crable, second-team All-American linebacker and defensive team captain at the University of Michigan; selected in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft by the New England Patriots * Joseph Davenport, founder of the Massillon Bridge Company, inventor of the locomotive cab and cow catcher * Jan DeGaetani, mezzo-soprano * Dillon Dingler – Ohio State catcher, MLB player with the Detroit Tigers. * Caroline McCullough Everhard, suffragist * Mayhew Folger, ship captain and uncle of Lucretia Mott * Bob Fothergill, MLB player who played primarily for the Detroit Tigers * Lillian Gish, actress * Rod Graber, player for 1958 Cleveland Indians * Bobby Grier (Pittsburgh Panthers), Bobby Grier, first African-American to play in a college football bowl game (the 1956 Sugar Bowl) * Jessicka Havok, pro wrestler * Tommy Henrich, MLB player for the New York Yankees, 1937 - 1950 * Mike Hershberger, MLB player for the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Kansas City/Oakland Athletics, and the Milwaukee Brewers * Jim Houston, member of College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Bowl linebacker for the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
* Lin Houston, an All-American guard (American football), guard who played for
Paul Brown Paul Eugene Brown (September 7, 1908 – August 5, 1991) was an American football coach and executive in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and National Football League (NFL). Brown was both the co-founder and first coach of the Clevela ...
in Massillon, at Ohio State Buckeyes football, Ohio State and with the Cleveland Browns * Carlin Isles, a rugby union player and Olympian who plays for the United States national rugby sevens team * Don James (American football), Don James, Hall of fame college football coach * George V. Kelley, recipient, Medal of Honor * Bobby Knight, college basketball coach of Indiana's 1976, 1981 and 1987 national champions * Mark Kozelek, singer/songwriter * Matt Lanter, actor and model * James Lawson (activist), James Lawson, civil rights activist * Lori Lightfoot, Mayor of Chicago and former President of the Chicago Police Board. * Stanley Macomber, inventor of the open-web steel joist * Kameron Michaels, famous Drag performer * Ed Molinski, member of College Football Hall of Fame, two-time All-American guard, member of 1938 Tennessee Volunteers football team, 1938 Tennessee Volunteers National Championship team * Richard Myers (filmmaker), Richard Myers, filmmaker * Jack Oliver (scientist), Jack Oliver, geophysicist, led team that proved continental drift theory, or plate tectonics as it was more correctly termed * Cy Rigler, Major League Baseball umpire in 10 World Series and MLB's first All-Star Game * John Ruch, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly * Robert R. Scott, Machinist's Mate First Class aboard the USS California (BB-44) posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. * Warren Shanabrook, Major League Baseball player * Devin Smith (American football), Devin Smith, wide receiver for the New York Jets of the National Football League and
Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...
. * Joe Sparma, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers and quarterback for
Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...
*
Chris Spielman Charles Christopher Spielman (born October 11, 1965) is a former American football player and is a special assistant to the owner and CEO for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played linebacker at Ohio State University, w ...
, 1987 Lombardi Award winner at Ohio State and two-time
All-Pro All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list th ...
NFL linebacker * Rick Spielman, general manager of the Minnesota Vikings * Stalley, rapper * Harry Stuhldreher, three-time All-American quarterback at University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, one of the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame * Patrick Sweany, blues-rock musician * Jeff Timmons, founder/member of pop group, 98 Degrees * Ryan Travis, Tuslaw High School graduate signed as an undrafted free agent by the Seattle Seahawks * Bob Vogel (American football), Bob Vogel, football player * John Wager, NFL center * Tom Weiskopf, professional golfer, winner of 1973 Open Championship, 1973 British Open * Stanfield Wells, Massillon's first All-American football player, selected in 1910 * Alex Wood (American football), Alex Wood, college and NFL football coach * James Young (physician), James Young, White House physician to John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson


References


External links


City website

Massillon WestStark Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control Massillon, Ohio, Cities in Ohio Cities in Stark County, Ohio Utopian communities in the United States Populated places established in 1812 French-American culture in Ohio 1812 establishments in Ohio