Reading (pronounced ) 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
Hamilton County, Ohio
Hamilton County is located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 830,639, making it the third-most populous county in Ohio. The county seat and largest city is Cincinnati. The county i ...
, United States. The population was 10,385 at the
2010 census.
It is an
inner suburb
''Inner suburb'' is a term used for a variety of suburban communities that are generally located very close to the centre of a large city (the inner city and central business district). Their urban density is usually lower than the inner city ...
of
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
and is included as part of the
Cincinnati metropolitan area
The Cincinnati metropolitan area and also known as the Cincinnati Tri-State area, or Greater Cincinnati) is a metropolitan area centered on Cincinnati and including surrounding counties in the U.S. states of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. The area ...
.
Geography
Reading is located at (39.222709, -84.439036).
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 , all land.
Reading is bordered by
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
's
Roselawn neighborhood to the south,
Amberley Village and
Sycamore Township to the southeast,
Blue Ash
''Fraxinus quadrangulata'', the blue ash, is a species of ash native primarily to the Midwestern United States from Oklahoma to Michigan, as well as the Bluegrass region of Kentucky and the Nashville Basin region of Tennessee. Isolated populati ...
to the east,
Evendale to the north,
Lockland
Lockland is a village in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,449 at the 2010 United States Census. Lockland is located in southwest Ohio, north of Cincinnati. Its population has declined since the latter part of the 20th cent ...
to the west, and
Arlington Heights to the southwest.
Mill Creek divides Reading from Lockland and Arlington Heights.
Reading can be reached by car via
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from S ...
,
Ohio State Route 126
State Route 126 (SR 126) is a state route starting at the Ohio-Indiana border, at a split with State Route 129 near Scipio, Ohio, and ending east of Cincinnati at an intersection with U.S. Route 50 in Milford. State Route 126 is locally known ...
, or
U.S. Route 42
U.S. Route 42 (US 42) is an east–west United States highway that runs southwest–northeast for from Louisville, Kentucky to Cleveland, Ohio. The route has several names including Pearl Road from Cleveland to Medina in Northeast Ohio, Readin ...
. The northbound lanes of
Mill Creek Expressway
Mill may refer to:
Science and technology
*
* Mill (grinding)
* Milling (machining)
* Millwork
* Textile mill
* Steel mill, a factory for the manufacture of steel
* List of types of mill
* Mill, the arithmetic unit of the Analytical Engine early ...
run along the city's west side, with exits onto Galbraith Road and Koehler Avenue.
Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway
Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway, formerly and locally known as Cross County Highway, is a west-east freeway in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. It stretches from southern Colerain Township to Montgomery, connecting many of Cincinnati' ...
has a complex interchange with Interstate 75 at Reading. Reading lies along
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the company operates 19,420 route miles (31 ...
's
Dayton District
The Dayton District is a railroad line owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway in the U.S. state of Ohio. The line runs from Columbus southwest to Cincinnati along former Pennsylvania Railroad and New York Central Railroad lines. It ...
and the
Indiana and Ohio Railway
The Indiana and Ohio Railway is an American railroad that operates of track in Ohio, southern Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and ...
's
Oasis Subdivision
The Oasis Subdivision is a rail line in and near eastern Cincinnati. It is owned by the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) and operated by the Indiana and Ohio Railway for freight traffic.
History
The southern part of the line ...
.
History
In 1794, Abraham Voorhees moved his family from
Somerset County, New Jersey
Somerset County is a county located in the north-central part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States Census, the county's population was 345,361, an increase of 21,917 (6.8%) from the 323,444 counted at the 2010 U.S Cen ...
, building a large double log cabin along the west bank of the
Millcreek in
Sycamore Township, in present-day
Lockland
Lockland is a village in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,449 at the 2010 United States Census. Lockland is located in southwest Ohio, north of Cincinnati. Its population has declined since the latter part of the 20th cent ...
. In the spring of 1795, Harvey Redinbo, a
Pennsylvania Dutch
The Pennsylvania Dutch ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ), also known as Pennsylvania Germans, are a cultural group formed by German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. They emigrated primarily from German-spe ...
man, visited from
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading ( ; Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Reddin'') is a city in and the county seat of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city had a population of 95,112 as of the 2020 census and is the fourth-largest city in Pennsylvania after Philade ...
. Pleased with the land that Voorhees had acquired, Redinbo purchased his own land, in the area of Hunt Road and Columbia Avenue. Around 1798, Voorhees
plat
In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Surveys to show the distance and bear ...
ted a town named Voorhees-Town but did not record it with county officials until January 7, 1804. By then, Redinbo had convinced him to rename the town to Reading, after Redinbo's hometown.
Between 1830 and 1880, Reading grew rapidly to become the largest village in Hamilton County. It was incorporated as a village on March 24, 1851. The village's major industry was clothing manufacturing.
![Benson Street Concrete Bowstring Bridge in color](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Benson_Street_Concrete_Bowstring_Bridge_in_color.jpg)
The Benson Street Bridge, built in 1901, spans
Mill Creek on the city limit with
Lockland
Lockland is a village in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,449 at the 2010 United States Census. Lockland is located in southwest Ohio, north of Cincinnati. Its population has declined since the latter part of the 20th cent ...
. It was the second concrete
rainbow arch bridge and the first in Ohio.
As the name of the city suggests, people presumably went there to gain an education in reading in writing. However, it is Ohio. As of 1912, Reading was a
sundown town
Sundown towns, also known as sunset towns, gray towns, or sundowner towns, are all-white municipalities or neighborhoods in the United States that practice a form of racial segregation by excluding non-whites via some combination of discriminator ...
. African Americans were prohibited from living within the city or remaining there after dark. Most censuses from 1860 through 1960 recorded no African Americans in Reading.
Reading became a city on January 1, 1932. It withdrew from
Sycamore Township on May 19, 1943, forming a
paper township
The term paper township refers to a civil township under Ohio law that nominally exists for certain purposes but does not act as a functioning unit of civil government. Such townships usually exist on paper as a legal fiction due to municipal ann ...
named "Reading Township".
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 incl ...
of 2010, there were 10,385 people, 4,554 households, and 2,624 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 4,962 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.1%
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 ...
, 7.3%
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, 1.0%
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 ...
, 0.6% 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 1.9% 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 1.7% of the population.
There were 4,554 households, of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% 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, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.4% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.97.
The median age in the city was 39.5 years. 21.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.2% were from 25 to 44; 27.5% were from 45 to 64; and 14.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.
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 11,292 people, 4,885 households, and 2,921 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 3,867.6 people per square mile (1,493.1/km). There were 5,128 housing units at an average density of 1,756.4 per square mile (678.1/km). The racial makeup of the city was 93.69%
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 ...
, 3.20%
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 ...
, 0.16%
Native American, 1.18%
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 ...
, 0.02%
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 ...
, 0.51% 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 1.25% 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 0.79% of the population.
There were 4,885 households, out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% 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, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,140, and the median income for a family was $51,858. Males had a median income of $35,466 versus $26,250 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 $23,527. About 4.7% of families and 7.3% 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 7.8% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Like other communities in the
Mill Creek Valley, Reading has an economy dominated by heavy industry, including suppliers for aerospace and automotive plants in nearby
Sharonville and
Evendale.
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is an American supplier of scientific instrumentation, reagents and consumables, and software services. Based in Waltham, Massachusetts, Thermo Fisher was formed through the merger of Thermo Electron and Fisher S ...
's
Patheon
Patheon is a service brand within Thermo Fisher Scientific’s brand portfolio. Contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) services offered under the Patheon brand include small molecule API, biologics, viral vectors, cGMP plasmids ...
subsidiary operates a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant on in the city.
The Bridal District along Benson Street in downtown Reading is the most well-known concentration of wedding-related businesses in the United States.
The electronics store chain
Steinberg's was founded and based in Reading until its bankruptcy and liquidation in 1997.
Government
Reading uses a
mayor–council form of government. The city council consists of a tie-breaking President of Council, four members representing
ward
Ward may refer to:
Division or unit
* Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward
* Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...
s, and three at-large members. , the Mayor of Reading is Robert "Bo" Bemmes and the current council president is Cris Nesbitt.
Reading is one of 23 municipalities in Hamilton County that maintains a
mayor's court, in which traffic cases and other misdemeanor cases are heard by a
magistrate
The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judici ...
.
At the federal level, Reading is located within
Ohio's 2nd congressional district
Ohio's 2nd congressional district is a district in southern Ohio. It is currently represented by Republican Brad Wenstrup.
The district includes all of Adams, Brown, Pike, Clermont, Highland, Clinton, Ross, Pickaway, Hocking, Vinton, Jac ...
. At the state level, Reading belongs to the
28th House district and
8th Senate district. See
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 ...
and
Ohio Senate
The Ohio Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly. The State Senate, which meets in the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, first convened in 1803. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such that half of the se ...
for the current representatives of the respective state districts.
Education
Reading is served by the
Reading Community City School District
Reading Community City School District, is a school district in Hamilton County, Ohio. It serves the town of Reading, Ohio, located about north of downtown Cincinnati.
The district has approximately 1,400 students enrolled in grades Kindergart ...
, which includes
Reading High School. A new Pre K-12 school opened up Monday September 9, 2019.
Reading also includes a Roman Catholic all-girl's high school,
Mount Notre Dame High School
Mount Notre Dame High School (MND) is a Catholic, college-preparatory high school for young women. The school is affiliated with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur as a part of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
History
In the early 19th century, No ...
, where the daughter of Civil War general
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman ( ; February 8, 1820February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. He served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865), achieving recognition for his com ...
was one of the first students. Also included is a Catholic elementary school, Sts. Peter and Paul Academy serve students in grades K-8.
Reading is served by a branch of the
Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library (CHPL) is a public library system in the United States. In addition to its main library location in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, CHPL operates 40 regional and branch locations throughout Hamil ...
.
Media
Reading is part of the
Cincinnati media market for newspapers, radio, and television.
WMKV
WMKV (89.3 FM) is a radio station in Reading, Ohio, United States, a suburb of Cincinnati. It is the first FM educational public radio station to be licensed to a retirement community and also streams live via webcast. Operating from the campus ...
(89.3 FM) broadcasts from a
retirement community
A retirement community is a residential community or housing complex designed for older adults who are generally able to care for themselves; however, assistance from home care agencies is allowed in some communities, and activities and socializ ...
in Reading.
Notable people
*
Ed Biles
Edward G. Biles (October 18, 1931 – April 5, 2020) was an American football coach whose most prominent position was as head coach of the National Football League's Houston Oilers
The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team ...
professional football coach,
Houston Oilers
The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 as ...
*
John Boehner
John Andrew Boehner ( ; born , 1949) is an American retired politician who served as the 53rd speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he served 13 terms as the U.S. represe ...
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
The speaker of the United States House of Representatives, commonly known as the speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives. The office was established in 1789 by Article I, Section 2 of the U ...
*
Rick Christophel
Rick Scott Christophel (born October 27, 1952) is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the senior offensive assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. In college, he was a quarterback for Aus ...
professional football coach,
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...
*
Ralph Davis professional basketball player
*
Richard E. Meyer businessman and record producer
*
Brian O'Connor professional baseball pitcher
*
Merle Robbins Merle Robbins (September 12, 1911 – January 14, 1984) was an American barber from Reading, Ohio who invented the card game UNO.
In 1971, he invented UNO to resolve an argument with his son Ray, a teacher, about the rules of Crazy Eights. ...
inventor of the card game
Uno
*
Joseph G. Wilson
Joseph Gardner Wilson (December 13, 1826 – July 2, 1873) was a U.S. Republican politician in the state of Oregon. A native of New Hampshire, he served as a state circuit court judge and as a justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, and was elected t ...
Republican politician in Oregon
*
DeShawn Wynn
DeShawn Wynn (born October 9, 1983) is an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for four seasons. He played college football for the University of Florida, and was a member of their ...
professional football player
References
External links
City websiteReading Community Schools
{{Authority control
Cities in Hamilton County, Ohio
Cities in Ohio
Sundown towns in Ohio
1851 establishments in Ohio
Populated places established in 1851