Youngstown, Ohio

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For other places with this name, see Youngstown.

Youngstown, Ohio
Seal
Location within the state of Ohio
Coordinates: 41°5′47″N, 80°38′57″W
Country	United States
State	Ohio
Counties	Mahoning
Founded	1796
Incorporated	1848 (village)
-	1867 (city)
Government
- Mayor	Jay Williams (I)
Area
- City	34.2 sq mi (88.7 km²)
- Land	33.9 sq mi (87.8 km²)
- Water	0.3 sq mi (0.9 km²)
Population (2005)[1]
- City	82,837
- Density	2,312.9/sq mi (893/km²)
- Metro	593,168
	593168 (est.) (metro area)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Website: http://www.cityofyoungstownoh.org

Youngstown is a city that serves as the county seat of Mahoning County, in Ohio. Situated on the Mahoning River, Youngstown lies 65 miles (105 km) southeast of Cleveland and about 62 miles (100 km) northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.^GR6 The city was named for John Young, an early settler from Whitestown, New York, who established the community's first sawmill and gristmill.^[2]

Youngstown is located in a region of the United States that is commonly referred to as the Rust Belt. Traditionally known as a center of steel production, Youngstown was forced to redefine itself when the U.S. steel industry shifted production overseas in the 1970s, leaving many communities in the region without major industry.^[3] As of the 2000 census, Youngstown had a total population of 82,026, making it Ohio's eighth largest city.

The Youngstown-Warren Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) contains about 600,000 people and includes Mahoning and Trumbull counties in Ohio, plus Mercer County in Pennsylvania. The Steel Valley area as a whole (including Youngstown-Warren and Sharon-Farrell-New Castle, Pennsylvania) comprises almost 720,000 residents. Youngstown lies 10 miles (16 km) west of the Pennsylvania state line and is centrally located between New York City and Chicago.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Peopling of the Valley 2 Geography and climate 3 Demographics 4 Industry and business 4.1 Post-steel economy 4.2 New growth 4.3 Legacy of innovation 5 Government 6 Education 6.1 Public 6.2 Private 6.3 Higher education 7 Attractions 7.1 Theater 7.2 Museums 7.3 Parks 7.4 Sports 7.5 Building on tradition 7.6 Former attractions 8 Refurbishing a rugged little city 8.1 Construction and business development 8.2 Challenging old verities 9 Neighborhoods 10 Transportation 11 Youngstown's sister cities 12 Media 12.1 Television 12.2 Print 12.3 Radio 13 Famous Youngstowners and former Steel Valley residents 14 References 15 External links

[edit] History

Youngstown, as noted above, was named for New York native John Young, who first surveyed the area in 1796 and settled there soon after.^[4] On February 9, 1797, Young purchased the township of 15,560 acres (63 km²) from the Western Reserve Land Company for $16,085.^[5] The 1797 establishment of Youngstown was officially recorded on August 19, 1802.^[6]

The area that constitutes present-day Youngstown was part of the Connecticut Western Reserve, which comprised land reserved for settlers from the state of Connecticut.^[7] While some of the area's early settlers were natives of Connecticut, Youngstown differed from most settlements of the Western Reserve, which drew a vast majority of their residents from New England. Youngstown attracted a significant number of Scots-Irish settlers from neighboring Pennsylvania as well.^[8] The first European Americans to settle permanently in the area were Pittsburgh native James Hillman and wife Catherine Dougherty.^[9] Within a year, Youngstown was the home of several families who were concentrated near the point where Mill Creek meets the Mahoning River. (The name Mahoning is believed to have derived from a Native American word, Mahonik, which means "salt lick.")^[7]

As the Western Reserve became increasingly populated, the need to create administrative districts was apparent. In 1800, territorial governor Arthur St. Clair established Trumbull County (named in honor of Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull), and designated the smaller settlement of Warren as the county seat.^[10] In 1813, Trumbull County was divided into townships, with Youngstown Township comprising much of what became Mahoning County.^[11] The village of Youngstown was incorporated in 1848, and in 1867 Youngstown was chartered as a city. The county seat was moved there from Canfield in 1876.^[12]

The discovery of coal in the community during the early 1800s paved the way for the Youngstown area's inclusion on the network of the famed Erie Canal. The Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal Company was organized in 1835, and the canal was completed in 1840.^[13] Local industrialist David Tod (later Ohio governor during the Civil War) persuaded Lake Erie steamboat owners that coal mined in the Mahoning Valley could fuel their vessels if canal transportation were available between Youngstown and Cleveland. The railroad came to the city in 1856, smoothing the path for further economic growth.^[14]

[edit] Peopling of the Valley

Youngstown's subsequent industrial development changed the face of the Mahoning Valley. The community's burgeoning coal industry drew sizable numbers of immigrants from Wales, Germany, and Ireland. With the opening of the city's steel mills in the late 19th century, Youngstown became a popular destination for immigrants from Eastern Europe, Italy, and Greece as well.^[15] In the early 20th century, the community also saw an influx of immigrants from non-European countries including Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria. By the 1920s, this dramatic demographic shift had fueled a "nativist" backlash, evidenced by a brief surge in Ku Klux Klan activity.^[16] In time, however, ethnic diversity came to be regarded as one of Youngstown's defining characteristics. Such diversity continues to be reflected in many of the community's neighborhoods, where a Greek Orthodox church may share a street corner with an Italian restaurant.

The growth of industry also attracted people from within the borders of the United States, and from Latin America. By the late 19th century, African Americans were well represented in Youngstown, and the first local congregation of the African Methodist Episcopal Church was established in 1871.^[17] In the 1880s, local attorney William R. Stewart became the second African American elected to serve in the Ohio House of Representatives.^[18] The city's Latino population grew substantially in the years following World War II. By the 1970s, St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church and the First Spanish Baptist Church of Ohio were among the largest religious institutions for Spanish-speaking residents in the Youngstown metropolitan area.^[17] While the city's diversity remains one of its enduring qualities, the industrial economy that made it possible suffered collapse in the late 1970s. In response to the challenges that followed, the community has taken well-publicized steps to diversify economically, while building on some traditional strengths.^[19]

[edit] Geography and climate

Youngstown is located at 41°5'47" North, 80°38'57" West (41.096258, -80.649299).^GR1 It borders or touches the following other townships and municipalities:

• Boardman Township, Mahoning County on the south
• Canfield Township, Mahoning County on the southwest
• Austintown Township, Mahoning County on the west
• Weathersfield Township, Trumbull County, on the northwest (touches, but does not border)
• Girard, Trumbull County on the north-northwest
• Liberty Township, Trumbull County, on the north
• Hubbard Township, Trumbull County, on the northeast
• Coitsville Township, Mahoning County on the east
• Campbell, Mahoning County on the east-southeast
• Struthers, Mahoning County on the southeast

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 88.7 km² (34.2 mi²). 87.8 km² (33.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.9 km² (0.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.02% water.

Youngstown is in the Mahoning Valley on the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau. At the end of the last Ice Age, the glaciers left behind a uniform plain, with valleys such as that caused by the Mahoning River traversing the plain.

Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rec High °F	71	73	82	88	92	99	100	97	99	87	80	76
Norm High °F	32.4	36	46.3	58.2	69	77.1	81	79.3	72.1	60.7	48.4	37.3
Norm Low °F	17.4	19.3	27.1	36.5	46.2	54.6	58.7	57.5	50.9	40.9	33	23.4
Rec Low °F	-22	-14	-10	11	24	30	40	32	29	20	1	-12
Precip (in)	2.34	2.03	3.05	3.33	3.45	3.91	4.1	3.43	3.89	2.46	3.07	2.96
Source: USTravelWeather.com [1]

[edit] Demographics

Youngstown's Historical populations[20]
Census year	Population	Rank
1870	8,075
1890	33,320	91
1900	44,885	84
1910	79,066	67
1920	132,358	50
1930	170,002	45
1940	167,720	49
1950	168,330	57
1960	166,689	75
1970	139,788	98
1980	115,427[21]
1990	95,787[21]
2000	82,026
2004	77,713
2005	82,837

According to the 2000 Census numbers, Youngstown has 32,177 households, and 19,724 families in the city. The population density is 893/km² (2,312.9/mi²). There are 37,159 housing units at an average density of 423.2/km² (1,096.3/mi²).^[22]

The racial makeup of the city is roughly 51% White, 44% Black or African American, and 5% Hispanic or Latino of any race, though Puerto Ricans are the dominant Spanish-speaking group.^[22]

Records suggest that 27.2% of the households have children under the age of 18. Of these, 33.2% are married couples living together, 22.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% are non-families. Meanwhile, 34.0% of all households are made up of individuals, and 14.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.39 and the average family size is 3.07.^[22]

In Youngstown, the population leans toward greater numbers of youths, as is often the case in U.S. inner-city areas with higher birth rates. Survey data show the following: 25.8% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females, there are 91.9 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there are 87.8 males.^[22]

The median household income is $24,201, and the median family income is $30,701; but the per capita income for the city is $13,293. Males have a median income of $29,900 versus $21,050 for females. About 25% of the population is below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 37.3% of those under the age of 18 and 13.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.^[22]

[edit] Industry and business

Endowed with substantial deposits of coal and iron, the Youngstown area eventually developed a thriving steel industry. The area's first blast furnace was established to the east of town in 1802.^[23] In time, the wide availability of fossil fuels contributed to the development of other coal-fired mills, including the Youngstown Rolling Mill Company, which was established in 1846.^[24] By the mid-19th century, Youngstown was the site of several iron industrial plants, notably David Tod's Brier Hill Iron & Coal Company.^[25] The iron industry continued to expand in the 1890s, despite the depletion of local natural resources. Numerous rail connections ensured a consistent supply of coal and iron ore from neighboring states.^[26] During the same period, local industrialists began to convert to steel manufacturing, amid a wave of industrial consolidations that placed much of the Mahoning Valley's industry in the hands of national corporations.^[27] Shortly after the establishment of U.S. Steel in 1901, the corporate entity absorbed Youngstown's premier steel producer, the National Steel Company.^[27] One year earlier, however, a group of city investors took steps to ensure high levels of local ownership in the area's industrial sector. Led by local industrialists George D. Wick and James A. Campbell, they established what became the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company,^[27] among the nation's most important steel producers.^[28] This impulse toward local ownership surfaced again in 1931, when Campbell, as chairman of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, attempted to merge the firm with Bethlehem Steel. The move was successfully blocked by other area industrialists.^[29] Between the 1920s and 1960s, the city was known as an important ndustrial hub, which featured the massive furnaces and foundries of such companies as Republic Steel and U.S. Steel.

At the same time, Youngstown never became as economically diversified as did larger industrial cities (such as Chicago, Pittsburgh, Akron, or Cleveland).^[28] Hence, when economic changes forced the closure of plants throughout the 1970s, the city was left with few substantial economic alternatives. Some observers have cited a 1969 corporate merger between the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company and the New Orleans-based Lykes Corporation as a turning point in the demise of the local steel industry. The merger and subsequent takeover of Youngstown Sheet and Tube burdened the community's primary steel producer with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. Further, the deal placed control of the company outside of the Mahoning Valley.^[30] The September 19, 1977, announcement of the closure of a large portion of Youngstown Sheet and Tube (an event still remembered by many Youngstowners as "Black Monday") is widely regarded as the swan song of the old area steel industry. This was followed by the withdrawal of U.S. Steel in 1979 and 1980, and the bankruptcy of Republic Steel in the mid-1980s.^[31] The community has yet to fully recover from the loss of these jobs.^[32]

[edit] Post-steel economy

Today, Youngstown is the site of several steel and metalworking operations, though nothing on the scale seen during the "glory days" of the "Steel Valley." One of the largest current employers in the city is Youngstown State University (YSU), an urban public campus that serves about 13,000 students.^[33] The blow dealt to the community's industrial economy in the 1970s, however, was mitigated by the continued presence of auto production plants in the metropolitan area. In the late 1980s, the Avanti, an automobile with a fiberglass body (originally designed by Studebaker to compete with the Corvette), was manufactured in an industrial complex located on Youngstown's Albert Street.^[34] Today, the largest industrial employer in the metropolitan area is General Motors' Lordstown Assembly plant.^[35] One of the nation's largest auto plants in terms of area, the Lordstown facility was home to production of the Chevrolet Impala, Vega, and Cavalier. Recently expanded and retooled with a new paint facility, it is the current home of the Cavalier's successor, the Chevrolet Cobalt.^[36] Delphi, Packard Electric Systems, and the WCI Steel plant are also located in the Warren area. The largest industrial employers within the Youngstown city limits are V&M Star Steel Company (formerly North Star Steel), in the Brier Hill district, and Exal Corporation, located on Poland Avenue. The latter has recently expanded its operations.^[37]

[edit] New growth

Youngstown's downtown, which once underscored the community's economic difficultes, is now a site of new business growth. The Youngstown Business Incubator, located in the heart of the downtown, houses several start-up technology companies, which have received office space, furnishings, and access to utilities.^[38] Some of the companies supported by the incubator have earned recognition, and a few are beginning to outgrow their current space. In an effort to keep such companies downtown, the incubator secured approval to demolish a row of vacant buildings nearby to clear space for expansion. The project will be funded by a $2 million federal grant awarded in 2006.^[38] Meanwhile, the downtown has retained its traditional role as the community's financial center. Several banks, including JP Morgan Chase, First National Bank, and Sky Bank have offices in the city; and the Youngstown-based Home Savings & Loan is also headquartered there.

[edit] Legacy of innovation

Extensive coverage of Youngstown's economic challenges has tended to overshadow that the city has a long entrepreneurial tradition. A number of products and enterprises introduced in Youngstown later became national household names. In 1964, for instance, the fast-food chain, Arby's, opened the first of its restaurants in the Youngstown suburb of Boardman, and Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips was headquartered in Youngstown in the late 1970s. In the 1920s, the city was the birthplace of the Good Humor brand of ice cream novelties,^[39] and the popular franchise of Handel's Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt was established there in the 1940s. In addition, the Youngstown-based Schwebel's Bakery distributes bread products nationally.^[33] The Youngstown area also played a role in the country's post-World War II transformation. In the 1950s, the suburb of Boardman became the site of one of the country's first modern shopping plazas, which was established by Youngstown-born developer Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr..^[40] More recently, the city's downtown hosted the corporate headquarters of Phar-Mor, the now-defunct pharmacy chain whose local assets were purchased by the supermarket chain Giant Eagle. In the 1980s, before it was compelled to declare bankruptcy, Phar-mor was the fiercest competitor of Wal-mart.^[41]

For a large segment of the American public, however, Youngstown continues to be associated with the economic malaise that befell much of the industrial northeast following the collapse of its manufacturing sector. The decline of Youngstown's steel industry and its devastating impact on local workers were famously treated in Bruce Springsteen's ballad, "Youngstown," featured on his The Ghost of Tom Joad album.^[42] Springsteen included Youngstown as a stop on his subsequent Ghost of Tom Joad Tour.

[edit] Government

Youngstown is governed by a mayor who is elected every four years and limited to a maximum of two terms. Mayors are traditionally inaugurated on or around the second of January. For reasons that are complex, the city has tended to elect Democratic mayors since the late 1920s.^[43] Youngstown's current mayor is Jay Williams, the city's first African-American mayor as well as its first independent mayor since 1922.^[44]

Residents also elect an eight-member city council, which includes representatives of the city's seven wards as well as a council president. The council, in turn, appoints a city clerk. The council traditionally meets every first and third Wednesday of the month. City council meetings are generally held from the third week in September to the third week in June. Meanwhile, the board of control oversees contracts for public projects within the municipal limits. The Youngstown Police Department and Youngstown Fire Department fall under the board's supervision, as do the parks, civil service, community development, health, planning, and water departments.

Youngstown's finance department oversees all municipal finances and supervises the departments of economic development and income tax. The city's department of public works also has sweeping supervisory responsibilities and oversees the departments of engineering, building inspection, building and grounds, signal and sign, demolition and housing, litter and recycling, street, and water waste treatment. The city's law department represents the city on all legal issues, serving as counsel to all municipal departments.

[edit] Education

[edit] Public

The Youngstown City Schools manage all public education within the city. The school district is currently engaged in a process of reconfiguration, consolidating existing schools while building some new ones. District high schools include Chaney, Rayen, Woodrow Wilson, Youngstown Early College, and Choffin Career and Technical Center. This roster is expected to change in the next several years, however. Chaney will be expanded, while Rayen and Wilson will close to make way for a newly built East High School.^[45] Youngstown City Schools participate in an "Early College" program, in cooperation with Youngstown State University. This program enables high school students to attend classes on campus and earn college credit.^[46]

[edit] Private

The Diocese of Youngstown once oversaw more than 20 schools within the city limits. As a result of dwindling enrollment, however, only four Catholic schools continue to operate within Youngstown proper.^[47] These include two elementary schools--Byzantine Catholic Central and St. Christine's--and two secondary schools, Ursuline and Cardinal Mooney. (The two high schools share a heated and longstanding rivalry in athletics.) Several additional Catholic schools operate in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, Portage, Stark, and Ashtabula counties. Youngstown also hosts a small number of charter schools and one Montessori school. The Montessori School of the Mahoning Valley, which recently celebrated its 30th year, offers alternative learning environments for students ranging from preschool to eighth grade.^[48]

[edit] Higher education

Youngstown State University is the primary institution of higher learning in the Youngstown-Warren metropolitan area. Once regarded as a commuter school, YSU currently serves about 13,000 students, many of whom hail from outside the Youngstown area. The campus is situated just north of the city's downtown and south of Youngstown's historic district, a leafy neighborhood of Tudor-, Victorian-, and Spanish Colonial Revival-style homes.^[49]

YSU offers the lowest tuition of any public institution of higher learning in Ohio. In addition, the campus is reportedly one of the safest in the state. Among the university's assets is the Dana School of Music, an All-Steinway school that is regarded as one of the finest non-conservatory schools of music in the country. Dana School of Music is ranked among similar programs at prestigious institutions including Oberlin College, New York University, and Yale University.^[50]

The Youngstown-Warren area also hosts a regional branch of Kent State University. Kent State-Trumbull was established several decades ago (in the mid-1960s), in Champion, Ohio, just north of Warren. Yet another branch, Kent State-Salem, is located in the Steel Valley and serves the area's southlands. It is located about 25 minutes south of Youngstown. Kent State University's expansive main campus, a primary center of education for Northeast Ohioans, is located just east of Akron, and 30 to 40 minutes west of downtown Youngstown.^[51]

[edit] Attractions

Despite the impact of regional economic decline, Youngstown offers an array of cultural and recreational resources. Moreover, the community's range of attractions has increased in recent years. The newest addition is the Chevrolet Centre, which offers a variety of activities, including professional hockey games and "on ice" shows

[edit] Theater

A "jewel" of elite local culture is Powers Auditorium, a former Warner Brothers movie palace that currently serves as the city's primary music hall as well as the home of the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra.^[52] Interestingly, Powers Auditorium is one of five auditoriums located within the city limits. In 2006, Ford Recital Hall was built as an addition to the restored and renovated Powers Auditorium. Meanwhile, imposing and neo-classical Stambaugh Auditorium, located on the city's north side, has served for decades as a popular site of concerts. Often rented for private events, the auditorium also hosts the Stambaugh Youth Concert Band.^[53]

Meanwhile, the Oakland Center for the Arts serves as a venue for locally produced plays, while the Youngstown Playhouse, located on the city's South Side, is the Mahoning County's primary community theater. The Youngstown Playhouse has served the area for more than 80 years, despite intermittent financial challenges. Famous theatrical personalities from the Youngstown area include late comedic actor Joe Flynn, late screen actress Elizabeth Hartman, singer and Broadway performer Maureen McGovern, and well-known television and screen actor Ed O'Neill.

Other entertainment centers are reported to be on the horizon. In April 2006, a group formed a limited liability company led by Grande Venues, Inc., an Illinois-based developer of theatre properties, and purchased the long-defunct Liberty-Paramount Theatre. The group that plans to develop the old landmark is known as the Liberty Paramount Theatre Youngstown, LLC. Many longtime residents of the area were pleased to learn of the possible restoration of the theatre, which was designed by noted theatre architect, C. Howard Crane, and built in 1918.^[33] The former Liberty-Paramount Theater is located at the corner of Hazel and Federal streets, in the heart of the downtown area. The Liberty-Paramount was once one of five downtown movie palaces. (The others were the Strand, State, Palace, and Warner). The group plans to restore the early-20th century structure and transform it into a venue for public events including live theater performances and screenings of motion pictures.^[54]

[edit] Museums

Youngstown's most widely known museum is the Butler Institute of American Art, established by industrialist Joseph G. Butler, Jr., as the first museum in the country dedicated to American art.^[33] The Butler is located near Youngstown State University's campus, just north of the downtown area. Directly across the street from the Butler stands the McDonough Museum of Art, which was established in 1991. Owned and operated by Youngstown State University, the McDonough showcases contemporary art and hosts programs for students on campus and throughout the surrounding area.^[55] The YSU campus is also the site of the Clarence R. Smith Mineral Museum, which is operated by the university's geology department and housed in a campus building.^[33]

Within walking distance of the institutions mentioned above is the Arms Family Museum of Local History. The museum, housed in a 1905 Arts & Crafts Style mansion on the main artery of Wick Avenue, is managed by the Mahoning Valley Historical Society. Once the estate of a local industrialist, the museum maintains period rooms that showcase the original contents of the household, including furnishings, art objects, and personal artifacts. The museum also mounts rotating exhibits on topics related to local history. Recently, the museum opened the "Anne Kilcawley Christman Hands-on History Room". The MVHS Archival Library operates in the estate's former carriage house, located near the back of the site.

Located just south of the YSU campus is the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor, which sits on a grade overlooking the downtown area. This unusual museum, owned and operated by the Ohio Historical Society, focuses mainly on the Mahoning Valley's history of steel production.^[33] The museum has an extensive archive that includes taped and transcribed oral historical accounts. The Ohio Historical Society recently expanded its support for the museum, and local interest appears to be on the rise.

The Children's Museum of the Valley, located in the downtown area, provides regional educational opportunities for hands-on interaction. Activities and exhibits explore the culture, art, drama, construction, science, and natural history connected to the Mahoning Valley.^[56]

Finally, visitors to Mill Creek Park have the opportunity to explore the Davis Education and Recreation Center, a small museum showcasing the history of the park as well as the life of park founder Volney Rogers.^[57]

[edit] Parks

Youngstown's most beloved resource is perhaps Mill Creek Park, a five-mile-long stretch of landscaped woodland reminiscent of Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. Mill Creek is the second-largest municipal park in the country, behind Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The park's highlights include the restored 19th century Lanterman's Mill, the dramatic rock formations of Bear's Den, scores of nature trails, the Fellows Riverside Gardens and Nature Center, and the "Cinderella" iron link bridge.^[58]

The Nature Center's popular lookout point provides visitors with contrasting views of the area. From the south side, the canopied woodlands overlooking Lake Glacier are visible; from the north side, viewers are presented with a scenic view of downtown Youngstown. The park also features two golf courses: an 18-hole short holes course, and a 36-hole professional course.^[33] In addition, it offers playgrounds, an ice-skating rink, picnic areas and other recreational spaces.

In 2005, the park was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[59] A monument commemorating this event is located near a commemorative statue of Volney Rogers, the Youngstown attorney who set aside land that would later become Mill Creek Park.^[60]

The city also features a smaller municipal recreational area, Wick Park, which is located on the historic north side. The periphery of Wick Park is lined with early 20th century mansions built by the city's industrialists, business leaders, and professionals during Youngstown's "boom" years.^[49] Near the southwestern edge of the park is Stambaugh Auditorium, described earlier as a popular site of concerts and other public events.^[61] In addition, several cemeteries (notably historic Oak Hill Cemetery) and small recreational spaces are scattered throughout the city.

[edit] Sports

Youngstown has enjoyed a long tradition of professional and semi-professional sports.^[62] In earlier decades, the city produced scores of minor league baseball teams, including the Youngstown Ohio Works, Youngstown Steelmen, Youngstown Browns, Youngstown Gremlins, and Youngstown Athletics. Local enthusiasm for baseball was such that the community hosted national championships of the National Amateur Baseball Federation throughout the 1930s and '40s.^[63] The area's minor league teams were supplemented by semi-professional football teams, including the Youngstown Patricians, which won the 1915 championship of what became the National Football League,^[33] and the Youngstown Hardhats, which competed in the Middle Atlantic Football League in the 1970s and early '80s. Local minor league basketball teams have included the Youngstown Pride (which played in the WBA from 1987-1992), the Youngstown Hawks (IBA, 1999), and the Mahoning Valley Wildcats (IBL, 2005).

Youngstown-area basketball teams (which compete in the Horizon League with other sports teams) hold their games at YSU's Beeghly Center. The teams have recorded some of the highest attendance averages in the league, despite a recent "dry spell" for both the men's and women's squads. Meanwhile, local baseball and softball teams have enjoyed both local support and success, with the former reaching the NCAA super-regionals in 2005 and the latter doing so in 2006. Baseball teams use Eastwood Field in Niles, while softball teams play in Canfield. Although they play outside the city, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers are also a vital part of the Youngstown area's sports landscape. The baseball team, which holds its home games in Niles' Eastwood Field, is a single-A short season affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, competing in the New York-Penn League. Since their first season in 1999, the Scrappers have become a successful franchise in minor league baseball.

Meanwhile, the community has an unbroken tradition of collegiate sports, which is exemplified by the Youngstown State University Penguins, a major regional draw. The football team, which competes in the Gateway Football Conference, is among the most storied and successful in 1-AA football. The Penguins play in Stambaugh Stadium and enjoy one of the most supportive fanbases in their division.^[64]

[edit] Building on tradition

One of the city's most recent sports-related attractions is the Chevrolet Centre (formerly the Youngstown Convocation Center), which was funded primarily through a $26 million federal grant. Located on the site of an abandoned steel mill, the impressive, high-tech facility opened in October 2005.^[65] The Centre's main tenants are the Youngstown Steelhounds hockey team, who play in the CHL, and the Mahoning Valley Thunder, an af2 Arena football team which will play its first season in 2007. The city plans to develop vacant land adjacent to the Centre. Plans included using the space for a park, riverwalk (the Mahoning River flows through the site), amphitheater, or athletic stadium for the city's public and private high schools.

Such investments reflect wide appreciation of Youngstown's athletic tradition, which has produced noted figures in a variety of sports. Prominent athletes with connections to the city include IBF lightweight champion Harry Arroyo, College Football Hall of Fame end Bob Dove, Hall of Fame umpire Billy Evans, major league pitcher Dave Dravecky, NFL quarterback Bernie Kosar, WBA lightweight champion "Boom Boom" Mancini, major league manager Jimmy McAleer, legendary baseball trainer "Bonesetter" Reese, major league outfielder George Shuba,and Heisman Trophy recipient Frank Sinkwich.

Club	Sport	Founded	League	Venue	Logo
Mahoning Valley Scrappers	Baseball	1999	New York-Penn League	Eastwood Field
Youngstown Steelhounds	Hockey	2005	Central Hockey League	Chevrolet Centre
Mahoning Valley Thunder	Arena Football	2007	Af2	Chevrolet Centre
Youngstown St. Penguins	College football, College basketball	1908 (University's founding)	NCAA: Horizon League	Stambaugh Stadium, Beeghly Center

[edit] Former attractions

Several of the city's treasured recreational resources failed to survive the economic hardships that came in the late 1970s. The most notable of these was Idora Park, an amusement park that served as a pleasant alternative to Youngstown residents who preferred not to travel to some of the larger parks located in Northern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. (These included Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio, Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, and Kennywood in Pittsburgh.) Beyond its sentimental value, the park, which closed in 1984, enjoyed a degree of historical significance. Former Youngstown resident Jack Warner noted in his autobiography that the famed Warner brothers' first step into the movie business came when they screened a worn copy of The Great Train Robbery at Idora Park and other local venues.^[66]

Also a thing of the past is downtown Youngstown's traditional position as a retail and entertainment hub. From the early 1900s to the mid-1970s, Youngstown served as the retail center of the Mahoning Valley. The downtown area boasted no less than two department stores Strouss Hirshberg's (which later became Strouss' and then Kaufmann's, now part of Macy's) and McKelvey's (which later became Higbee's, now part of Dillard's). In addition, specialty shops lined the main artery of West Federal Street. The downtown also played host to no fewer than four luxurious movie theaters, including the Palace Theater, the Warner Brothers' Theater, the State Theater, and the Paramount Theater. These businesses were the first to disappear amid declining attendance in the 1950s, '60s, and '70s. In the early 1970s, the appearance of two suburban malls (the Southern Park Mall, in Boardman, and the Eastwood Mall, in Niles) contributed to the closure or relocation of many of those businesses that had survived. The collapse of the community's steel industry at the end of the decade sharpened challenges faced by downtown business owners; and throughout the 1980s and '90s, efforts to revive the former retail hub proved fruitless.^[67]

[edit] Refurbishing a rugged little city

The cityscape of Youngstown is remarkable for its relative dearth of newer buildings, and from certain angles, the downtown area may appear to have changed little since the 1960s. Moreover, the forces of suburbanization that undermined the downtown area's once thriving retail sector have taken their toll on the city's periphery as well. Observers note the absence of a single new car dealership operating within the city limits, and also observe that city residents are often forced to do their shopping in the surrounding suburbs of Boardman, Niles, Austintown, or Liberty.

Yet downtown Youngstown has seen modest (and steadily increasing) levels of new construction in recent years. New additions include a state office complex (the George Voinovich Government Center) and two federal courthouses, one of which (the Frank J. Battisti and Nathaniel R. Jones Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse) features an award-winning design by the architectural firm, Robert AM Stern.^[33]

In 2005, Federal Street, a major downtown thoroughfare that had been closed off to create a pedestrian-oriented plaza, was reopened to through traffic. The downtown area has also seen the razing of structurally unsound buildings, as well as the expansion and/or restoration of many others.^[68]

[edit] Construction and business development

In 2004, construction began on a 60-home upscale development called Arlington Heights, and a grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development allowed for the demolition of Westlake Terrace, a sprawling and dilapidated public housing project. The site currently features a blend of senior housing, rental townhouses and for-sale single-family homes. Low real-estate prices and the efforts of the Youngstown Central Area Improvement Corporation (CIC) have contributed to the purchase of several long-abandoned downtown buildings (many by out-of-town investors) as well as their restoration and conversion into specialty shops, restaurants, and eventually condominia. Further, a nonprofit organization called Wick Neighbors is planning a $250 million New Urbanist revitalization of Smoky Hollow, a former ethnic neighborhood that borders the downtown and university campus. The neighborhood will eventually comprise about 400 residential units, university student housing, retail space, and a central park.^[69] Construction for the project began in 2006.

New construction has dovetailed with efforts to cultivate business growth. One of the area's more successful business ventures in recent years has been the Youngstown Business Incubator. This nonprofit organization, based in a former downtown department store building, fosters the growth of fledgling technology-based companies. The incubator, which currently boasts more than a dozen business tenants, will soon begin construction on a multi-million dollar downtown technology center, where some of its largest firms will relocate.^[38]

[edit] Challenging old verities

Meanwhile, the city has attempted to come to terms with its troubling reputation for crime and corruption. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Youngstown was nationally identified with gangland slayings that were often committed with car bombs. Hence, the town gained the nickname, "Murder City", and the phrase "Youngstown tune-up" became a regionally popular slang term for car-bomb assassination.^[70] This dubious image has been reinforced by the widely reported fact that five prisons operate within the metropolitan area.^[71] The city, however, has accelerated measures to limit the influence of organized crime upon all sectors of municipal life. For some observers, the climax of this ongoing effort was the arrest, trial, and 2002 conviction of former U.S. Representative James A. Traficant Jr. on bribery and racketeering charges.^[72] Meanwhile, the municipal government has responded to a rise in gang- and drug-related violence by increasing the presence of police in urban neighborhoods. In the course of enforcing traffic laws and issuing warrants, police and state troopers have apprehended serious criminal offenders.^[73]

In line with these efforts to change the community's image, the city government, in partnership with the university, has organized an ambitious urban renewal plan titled Youngstown 2010. The stated goals of Youngstown 2010 include the creation of a "cleaner, greener, and better planned and organized Youngstown". In January 2005, the organization unveiled its "master plan", which took shape in the course of several public meetings that featured input from citizens. The plan, which received national attention, is consistent with efforts in other metropolitan areas to address the phenomenon of urban depopulation.^[19] Given that the communities to the south and west of the city continue to enjoy a measure of economic prosperity, supporters of such projects hold out hope for the revitalization of Youngstown.

[edit] Neighborhoods

Arlington Belle Vista Brier Hill Brownlee Woods Buckeye Plat Campbell/East Youngstown Cornersburg Cottage Grove Downtown East High East Side Erie Flint Hill Fosterville Hazelton Idora Kirkmere Landsdowne Lansingville

Lincoln Knolls Lower Gibson Mahoning Commons McGuffey Heights Newport North Heights Oak Hill Pleasant Grove Riverbend Salt Springs Schenley Smoky Hollow Steelton Struthers Warren West Side Wick Park

[edit] Transportation

The Youngstown area is served by the Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA) bus system, which is supported through income tax. WRTA, whose main terminal is located in the downtown area, provides service throughout the city as well as to locations in Mahoning and Trumbull counties. The downtown terminal also serves as the Youngstown area's Greyhound terminal.^[74]

Located in the vicinity of the WRTA terminal is a former Baltimore and Ohio Railroad station. The historic terminal building, which has been converted into a banquet hall, served as an Amtrak station from 1995 to 2005.^[75] Currently, local railroads only serve cargo trains.

The only airport within the city limits is the Lansdowne Airport, located on the city's east side. This facility is utilized for general aviation. The metropolitan area's main airport is the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport (YNG), located in nearby Vienna, Ohio. The only commercial route currently available is a flight to Orlando, Florida through Allegiant Air.^[76] Future routes may be announced soon, however. Most valley residents choose to take advantage of larger airports in Cleveland, Akron, and Pittsburgh.

[edit] Youngstown's sister cities

• Salerno (SA), Italy
• Spisska Nova Ves, Slovakia
• Al-Bireh, Palestinian Territory

[edit] Media

Youngstown features diverse media, including television, print and radio. An important regional source of news is the daily newspaper, The Vindicator, a broadsheet published by The Vindicator Publishing Company. Youngstown is also served by 10 television stations, three of which are low-power repeaters of TV stations in other cities. This is unusual for a mid-sized city located near large metros such as Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Interestingly, nearby Akron, Ohio, with a larger population than Youngstown and Warren combined, has no local television stations and relies on Cleveland for its local news. The majority of the most powerful and popular radio stations in the Youngstown-Warren market are divided between two conglomerates: Clear Channel and Cumulus Media.

[edit] Television

The Youngstown-Warren regional area television stations include:

WFMJ (NBC) WKBN (CBS) WYTV (ABC) WYFX (FOX) WBCB (CW),

WNEO (PBS) MY-YTV "My YTV" (My Network TV) WPCP-LP 56 (Ind) W52CX 52 (TBN) W29CO 29 (FMN)

[edit] Print

The Youngstown area's primary daily newspaper is The Vindicator, the only newspaper that covers Mahoning, Trumbull, and Columbiana counties, as well as Western Pennsylvania. It has competitors, such as the Warren-based Tribune Chronicle, and the Lisbon -based Morning Journal, but they primarily cover their respective counties, with limited coverage of Mahoning County and the city. Other newspapers that print in Youngstown include The Business Journal (twice-monthly), The Metro Monthly (monthly), and YSU's student newspaper The Jambar (Tuesdays and Thursdays while classes are in session).

[edit] Radio

Radio stations in the Youngstown market include:

WTGP 88.1 FM (college; owned by Thiel College) WYSU 88.5 FM (classical music, npr; owned by YSU) WWNW 88.9 FM (college; owned by Westminster College) WVMN 90.1 FM (Religious; owned by Moody Bilble Institute) WKTL 90.7 FM (variety; owned by Struthers City Schools) WKPL 92.1 FM (oldies; Keymarket) WNCD 93.3 FM (active rock, classic rock; Clear Channel) WWGY 95.1 FM (country; Forever Broadcasting) WAKZ 95.9 FM (top 40, KISS FM; Clear Channel) WLLF 96.7 FM (soft adult contemporary; Cumulus) WMXY 98.9 FM (soft adult contemporary; Clear Channel) WHOT 101.1 FM (top 40; Cumulus) WRBP 101.9 FM (R&B; independent) WYFM 102.9 FM (classic rock; Cumulus) WWIZ 103.9 FM (active rock; Cumulus) WQXK 105.1 FM (Country; Cumulus) WBBG 106.1 FM (oldies; Clear Channel)

WEXC 107.1 FM (contemporary Christian, owned by Beacon Broadcasting ) WKBN 570 AM (news/talk; Clear Channel) WSOM 600 AM (adult standards; Cumulus) WPIC 790 AM (news/talk; Cumulus) WKTX 830 AM (ethnic and variety) WGRP 940 AM (oldies) WKST 1200 AM (news/talk; Forever Broadcasting) WJST 1280 AM (oldies; Forever Broadcasting) WBBW 1240 AM (sports; Cumulus) WGFT 1330 AM (news talk) WSAJ 1340 AM (Slient; Grove city college) WNIO 1390 AM (adult standards; Clear Channel) WHKZ 1440 AM (religious; Salem Communications) WLOA 1470 AM (Beacon Broadcasting) WASN 1500 AM (Syndication One/Urban Talk) WRTK 1540 AM (Beacon Broadcasting) WANR 1570 AM (oldies; Beacon Broadcasting)

[edit] Famous Youngstowners and former Steel Valley residents

Main article: List of people from Youngstown, Ohio

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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• Official Website of the City of Youngstown
• Youngstown 2010- A citywide revitalization effort
• Youngstown Source- A entertainment and news website
• Youngstown Steel- website dedicated to the history of Youngstown's steel industry
• The Vindicator- Published daily since 1869
• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 41.096258° -80.649299°
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	City of Youngstown
	Geography | History | Neighborhoods | Government | Education | Sports | Media | Economy | Sister Cities

	Mahoning County, Ohio Youngstown, county seat
Municipalities	Alliance | Beloit | Campbell | Canfield | Columbiana | Craig Beach | Lowellville | New Middletown | Poland | Sebring | Struthers | Washingtonville | Youngstown
Townships	Austintown | Beaver | Berlin | Boardman | Canfield | Coitsville | Ellsworth | Goshen | Green | Jackson | Milton | Poland | Smith | Springfield
Census-designated places	Austintown | Maple Ridge | Mineral Ridge
Other localities	Damascus | Ellsworth | Greenford | Lake Milton | New Springfield | North Benton | North Jackson | North Lima | Petersburg