Medina, Ohio
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Medina ( ) is a
city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
in and the county seat of Medina County, Ohio, United States. The population was 26,094 at the 2020 Census. It lies about 33 miles (53 km) south of Cleveland and 23 miles (37 km) west of Akron within the
Cleveland metropolitan area The Cleveland metropolitan area, or Greater Cleveland as it is more commonly known, is the metropolitan area surrounding the city of Cleveland in Northeast Ohio, United States. According to the 2020 United States Census results, the five-county ...
.


History

Medina was founded on November 30, 1818, as part of the Connecticut Western Reserve. It was originally named Mecca, but an unincorporated community in Ohio already had that name, so the name was changed. Both Mecca and Medina are Saudi Arabian cities particularly significant in
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
. Most early residents were farmers. In the 1830s, the community's growth was aided by the completion of the Ohio and Erie Canal, which helped transport agricultural products to markets. On January 31, 1835, Medina was incorporated as a village and as the county seat of Medina County. By 1855, the town's quarries were producing over $200,000 worth of stone per year. In 1857, many of the canal workers started a strike for higher wages; the striking workers were fired, and the four workers who started it were jailed in Albion, Ohio. In 1835, two enslaved women and two Native Americans arrived in Medina by
stagecoach A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by four horses although some versions are draw ...
. One of the enslaved women was the child of then-Vice Presidential candidate Richard Mentor Johnson and Julia Chinn. The next day, Johnson's nephew arrived, in pursuit of the women, saying that he owned them both, they had escaped, and they had stolen a $1,000 bank check. The women were arrested and charged with stealing. Three local attorneys volunteered to represent them in court. The women were then released to Johnson's nephew to stand trial in Kentucky. Afterward, one of the Native Americans said that the women had asked for help escaping enslavement and their terrible treatment by their owners. It was later found that the alleged theft was a lie in order to make sure the Ohio court returned them to their owners. Medina attorney Charles Olcott invented self- ballasting iron ships, and received a patent in 1835.The Inventor of Iron Ships
. ''Public Ledger'' (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). August 14, 1835. p. 4.
Olcott was originally from Connecticut and had been a student at Yale College when he came up with the early prototypes for his invention. He was later a proponent of building long-distance railroad lines across Ohio. In 1869,
Amos Root Amos Ives Root (1839–1923) was an Ohio entrepreneur who developed innovative techniques for beekeeping during the latter 19th century, a period when the practice played an important role in the economy of many communities in the U.S. He foun ...
founded the A.I. Root Company in Medina as a manufacturer of beehives and
beekeeping Beekeeping (or apiculture) is the maintenance of bee colonies, commonly in man-made beehives. Honey bees in the genus '' Apis'' are the most-commonly-kept species but other honey-producing bees such as ''Melipona'' stingless bees are also kept. ...
equipment, and the town became a center for beehive manufacturing. The Root Company had 97 workers in 1886, making it the town's largest employer. In the mid-1800s, two disastrous fires hit the village. One, in 1848, destroyed the entire business district. With no facilities for extinguishing fires, the residents attempted to put out the fire using a bucket brigade, but to no avail, as the fire burned for four hours. None of the town's 1,159 residents died in the fire, but the townspeople failed to budget for the needed firefighting equipment. In 1870, another large fire, which started in a wooden building with a barbershop, destroyed 45 buildings (all but two blocks of the business district) and nearly wiped out the town. Despite the second calamitous fire, the town still had not organized a fire department beyond a bucket brigade. In 1877, after repeated dire warnings, the Council finally authorized the issuance of $3,000 worth of bonds to purchase a fire engine. After the disastrous 1870 fire, the town literally rose from the ashes. Much of the Medina Square, including the Town Hall and Engine House, was rebuilt under the supervision of onetime mayor and banker Harrison Gray Blake, who owned the Phoenix Building in the same city block. Buildings like the H. G. Blake's Phoenix Block and the Town Hall and Engine House indicate the community's resilient spirit. After the 1870 fire, it took almost ten years to replace the buildings on the Square, hence their common Victorian style. Even today, the architectural unity and historic flavor of the Town Square make Medina an appealing destination for residents, visitors and tourists. This character is what makes the Square a recognized Historic District and spurs the efforts of the Community Design Committee and the Historic Preservation Board to preserve the city's historic look and feel. Today, Medina's
Historic District A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...
is a nine-block area surrounding Uptown Park and hosts Candlelight Walk, the International Festival, and Art in the Park. It also draws visitors for many other events. In 1950, Medina had over 5,000 residents, and on May 6, 1952, it was chartered as a city.


Geography

Medina is located at (41.135899, -81.864069). and includes parts of Lafayette Township, Medina Township, Montville Township and York Township in Medina County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the recent census of 2020, there were 26,094 people, 10,755 households, and 7,531 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,174.50 people per square mile (839.575 people per square km). There were 11,333 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.3% White, 3.5% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 1.3% from other races, and 5.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.3% of the population.


2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 26,678 people, 10,382 households, and 6,991 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,260.85 people per square mile (872.973 people per square km). There were 11,152 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.3% White, 3.1% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.8% of the population. There were 10,382 households, of which 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.7% 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, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.7% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.13. The median age in the city was 36.4. 28.3% of residents were under 18; 7.3% were between 18 and 24; 27.4% were from 25 to 44; 25.2% were from 45 to 64; and 11.7% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female. Of the city's population over age 25, 34.4% held a bachelor's degree or higher.


2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 25,139 people, 9,467 households and 6,683 families in the city. The population density was 2,215.7 people per square mile (855.14 people per square kilometer). There were 9,924 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.60% White, 2.77% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.00% of the population. There were 9,467 households, of which 40.3% had children under age 18 living with them, 35.5% 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, 57.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.15. 29.9% of the population were under 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% were 65 or older. The median age was 33. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 89.2 males. The median household income was $50,226 and the median family income was $57,435. Males had a median income of $42,437 compared with $26,893 for females. The per capita income was $21,709. About 5.1% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under 18 and 6.2% of those 65 or over.


Economy

Due to Medina's location, about 33 miles (53 km) south of Cleveland and 23 miles (37 km) west of Akron,Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce
/ref> many of its residents work in the Cleveland and Akron areas. Medina's median household income is $53,586, slightly above the Ohio median income. RPM International is among the companies based in Medina.


Education

The
Medina City School District The Medina City Schools is a school district in Medina County, Ohio. The oldest school in the district is Garfield Elementary School. Schools The district includes the following Medina, Ohio Medina ( ) is a city in and the county seat of ...
serves the city. It has one high school, two middle schools, one alternative school (for students with behavioral problems), one preschool (for children aged 3–5 with disabilities) and seven elementary schools. The newest elementary schools are Eliza Northrop and Ralph E. Waite elementary schools, both opened for the 2009–10 school year. The schools in the Medina City School District are: * A.I. Root Middle School * Claggett Middle School * Eliza Northrop Elementary School * Ella Canavan Elementary School * Evolve Academy (alternative school for students with behavioral problems) * Garfield Elementary School * H.G. Blake Elementary School * Helping Hands Preschool (preschool for children aged 3–5 with disabilities) * Heritage Elementary School *
Medina High School Medina High School may refer to the following secondary schools: * Medina College Medina College is a foundation secondary school in Newport on the Isle of Wight, formerly Medina High School. History Medina High School was founded in 1976 o ...
* Ralph E. Waite Elementary School * Sidney Fenn Elementary School The Medina County Career Center serves most of Medina County (except
Wadsworth Wadsworth may refer to: People * Wadsworth (surname) * Wadsworth (given name) Places * Wadsworth, Illinois, United States, a village * Wadsworth, Kansas, United States * Wadsworth, Nevada, United States, a census-designated place * Wadsworth, ...
) to provide career education for 11th and 12th graders. It also offers adult and continuing education for adults. Other schools in Medina include St. Francis Xavier School, a Roman Catholic
parochial school A parochial school is a private primary or secondary school affiliated with a religious organization, and whose curriculum includes general religious education in addition to secular subjects, such as science, mathematics and language arts. The ...
serving pre-kindergarten through 8th grade, and Medina Christian Academy, a non-denominational Protestant
parochial school A parochial school is a private primary or secondary school affiliated with a religious organization, and whose curriculum includes general religious education in addition to secular subjects, such as science, mathematics and language arts. The ...
serving pre-K through 12th grade. The Medina County University Center is a quarter-mile south of the city and offers employers a well-trained workforce with opportunity for ongoing career development. Medina also is home to the
Walton School of Auctioneering The Walton School of Auctioneering is an auction school in Medina, Ohio, United States. History The Walton School of Auctioneering was opened in 1989 and is a subsidiary of Walton & Associates Inc. Walton is the oldest operating auction school in ...
. The Medina County District Library Main Library is in Medina.


Media

Medina is served by a daily newspaper, The ''Medina County Gazette'' which is published every day of the week except Sundays, and a free weekly newspaper, ''The Medina Post'', published every Saturday. In addition, the ''
Akron Beacon Journal The ''Akron Beacon Journal'' is a morning newspaper in Akron, Ohio, United States. Owned by Gannett, it is the sole daily newspaper in Akron and is distributed throughout Northeast Ohio. The paper's coverage focuses on local news. The Beacon J ...
'' and the '' Cleveland Plain Dealer'' occasionally cover the city and Medina County. Medina is served by numerous television and radio stations from both the Greater Cleveland, Greater Akron and Greater Canton areas.


Transportation

Medina is served by the Medina Municipal Airport, which is 4.6 miles (7.41 km) east of the city. US-42 traverses the city. State routes include
OH-3 Ohio's 3rd congressional district is located entirely in Franklin County and includes most of the city of Columbus. The current district lines were drawn in 2011, following the redistricting based on the 2010 census. It is currently represent ...
, OH-18 and OH-57. Medina is also served by the Medina Transit Authority, which runs buses around Medina and Medina County. Rail service reached Medina in the 1800s, and at one time it was served by three rail lines, the Baltimore & Ohio, the Akron, Canton & Youngstown, and the Cleveland Southwestern interurban. Today the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad maintains numerous sidings and spurs serving many industries, mostly on the city's west side. Many other rights of way have been converted to hiking and biking trails.


Notable people

* Drew Allar, quarterback for the Penn State Nittany Lions * Matt Amodio, game show contestant known for winning over $1,500,000 on Jeopardy! *
William G. Batchelder William G. Batchelder III (December 19, 1942 – February 12, 2022) was an American politician who was the 101st Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, serving from 2011 to 2014. He also represented the 69th District of the Ohio House o ...
, former judge and former Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives * Ryan Dunn, actor, stuntman ('' Jackass'') * Scott Fahlman, computer scientist and credited creator of the emoticon *
Wayne Gift Leland Wayne Gift (October 21, 1915 – February 13, 1998) was an American football quarterback who played one season with the Cleveland Rams of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue University where he was a member of ...
,
NFL 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 major ...
quarterback *
Kyle Juszczyk Kyle Patrick Juszczyk ( ; born April 23, 1991) is an American football fullback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Harvard, and was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth rou ...
,
NFL 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 major ...
fullback Fullback or Full back may refer to: Sports * A position in various kinds of football, including: ** Full-back (association football), in association football (soccer), a defender playing in a wide position ** Fullback (gridiron football), in Americ ...
* Daryl Morey,
NBA 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 St ...
basketball executive * Matthew Patrick, founder and host of the YouTube channel The Game Theorists & GTLive * Greg Paulus, head coach
Niagara Purple Eagles The Niagara Purple Eagles are athletics teams that represent Niagara University in college sports. Part of the NCAA's Division I, the Purple Eagles field 18 varsity level teams. The Purple Eagles are members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Confere ...
, basketball player for
Duke University Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James ...
, football quarterback for
Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...
* Bobby Rahal, auto racing team owner and former driver *
Amos Root Amos Ives Root (1839–1923) was an Ohio entrepreneur who developed innovative techniques for beekeeping during the latter 19th century, a period when the practice played an important role in the economy of many communities in the U.S. He foun ...
, noted for innovations in
beekeeping Beekeeping (or apiculture) is the maintenance of bee colonies, commonly in man-made beehives. Honey bees in the genus '' Apis'' are the most-commonly-kept species but other honey-producing bees such as ''Melipona'' stingless bees are also kept. ...
* Jon Teske,
NBA 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 St ...
basketball player * Donna VanLiere, author of the ''Christmas Shoes'' series of books and other publications *
Ricky Wysocki Richard Wysocki (born June 5, 1993, in Brunswick, Ohio) is an American professional disc golfer based in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Wysocki grew up in Medina, Ohio, near Roscoe Ewing Disc Golf Course. Wysocki turned pro in 2010. His career ear ...
, professional disc golfer


References


External links


City website
{{authority control Cities in Ohio Cities in Medina County, Ohio County seats in Ohio Populated places established in 1816 Cleveland metropolitan area 1816 establishments in Ohio