Geneva, Ohio

The city of Geneva was formed from a part of Geneva Township, which was a part of Harpersfield Township until 1816. Geneva became its own township when a small group that lived just north of Harpersfield Village decided to withdraw from Harpersfield Township. At the suggestion of Levi Gaylord, they named their new community Geneva after Geneva, New York.

With the completion of the Erie Canal in 1820, the introduction of steamboats, and an increase in shipping on Lake Erie, areas north of Harpersfield, especially near the lake, became more attractive for settlement. In Geneva's early years, the south ridge (today transversed by Ohio Route 84) served as its main road. Geneva's first frame school house was erected by its side in 1821.

By 1829, Geneva had spread from the south ridge to the north ridge (today U.S. Highway 20), so in 1829 a post office was established on the north ridge for Geneva residents, who originally had to go to Harpersfield for their mail.

In 1866, Geneva became an incorporated village, and Dennis Thorp served as its first mayor. In 1896, the town had a population of three thousand. In 1958, Geneva became a city with a new charter system of government, and the first city manager, Robert C. Salisbury, entered office. Geneva Township remains; it surrounds the incorporated area of the city of Geneva.

On April 6th, 1966, in celebration of a century from the incorporation of the city of Geneva, Ohio, 35 representatives of its citizenry, “in the presence of God”, signed a “Declaration of Lunar Ownership”. According to Virgiliu Pop, the author of "Unreal Estate: The Men who Sold the Moon", the Ohioans assumed “full possession and complete responsibility” of the Moon, bowing “to no man or State in its sovereign right so to do”. The “Declaration of Lunar Ownership”, unveiled on April 12th in the High School auditorium before over 200 persons, was in fact a stunt aimed at drawing attention to the city’s centennial celebrations, capitalizing on the nation’s fascination with lunar exploration.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 6,595 people, 2,515 households, and 1,607 families residing in the city. The population density was 636.6/km² (1,650.4/mi²). There were 2,660 housing units at an average density of 256.8/km² (665.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.84% White, 1.15% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.80% from other races, and 1.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.94% of the population.

There were 2,515 households out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.1% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% 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 90.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,048, and the median income for a family was $41,511. Males had a median income of $31,817 versus $23,927 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,940. About 5.1% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Historic population figures

1900--2,342
1910--2,496
1920--3,081
1930--3,791
1940--4,171
1950--4,718
1960--5,677
1970--6,449
1980--6,655
1990--6,597
2000--6,595
2003--6,511 (U.S. Census Estimate)

[edit] Notable residents

Emy Coligado, is a Filipino American actress, best known for her role as Piama on the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle.
Ransom E. Olds, was a pioneer of the American automobile industry, for whom both the Oldsmobile and Reo brands were named.
Platt Rogers Spencer, who created the Spencerian Method of penmanship
Freeman Thorp, was an American painter who painted portraits of many famous people such as Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley, Grover Cleveland, Ulysses Grant, Simon Cameron, Salmon Chase, Horace Greeley, Walter Forward and Robert E. Lee.
Brian Anderson, major League Baseball pitcher

[edit] Point of interest

Capo's Pizza - 118 West Main Street - http://myspace.com/capospizza

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College Pro Painters

Quality Exterior Painting 1-800-32-PAINT

[edit] External links

Geneva Grape JAMboree - Grape Jamboree festival last full weekend in September
Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 41.800098° -80.945784°
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA

	Ashtabula County, Ohio Jefferson, county seat
Municipalities	Andover \| Ashtabula \| Conneaut \| Geneva \| Geneva-on-the-Lake \| Jefferson \| North Kingsville \| Orwell \| Roaming Shores \| Rock Creek
Townships	Andover \| Ashtabula \| Austinburg \| Cherry Valley \| Colebrook \| Denmark \| Dorset \| Geneva \| Harpersfield \| Hartsgrove \| Jefferson \| Kingsville \| Lenox \| Monroe \| Morgan \| New Lyme \| Orwell \| Pierpont \| Plymouth \| Richmond \| Rome \| Saybrook \| Sheffield \| Trumbull \| Wayne \| Williamsfield \| Windsor
Census-designated place	Edgewood
Other localities	Austinburg \| Dorset \| Kingsville \| Pierpont \| Unionville \| Williamsfield \| Windsor