FINDLAY, OH

Findlay is a city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Ohio, United States. The second-largest city in Northwest Ohio, Findlay lies about 40 miles (64 km) south of Toledo. The population was 40,313 at the 2020 census. It is home to the University of Findlay and is the principal city of the Findlay, OH Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Findlay is the Headquarters of Fortune 1000 companies Marathon Petroleum and Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, who rank 22 and 830 on the list respectively.

History

In the War of 1812, Colonel James Findlay of Cincinnati built a road and a stockade to transport and shelter troops in the Great Black Swamp region. This stockade was named Fort Findlay in his honor. At the conclusion of the war, the community of Findlay was born. The first town lots were laid out in 1821 by the future Ohio Governor Joseph Vance and Elnathan Corry.

Before the Civil War, Findlay was a stop for slaves along the Underground Railroad.

In 1861, David Ross Locke moved to Findlay where he served as editor for the Hancock Jeffersonian newspaper until he left in 1865. It was in the Hancock Jeffersonian that Locke penned the first of his Nasby letters.

During the 1880s, Findlay was a booming center of oil and natural gas production, though the supply of petroleum had dwindled by the early 20th century.

Findlay hosted the highly competitive Ohio State Music Festival in 1884. A young cornet player, Warren G. Harding, and his Citizens' Cornet Band of Marion placed third in the competition. Harding would go on to be elected the 29th President of the United States.

On March 31, 1892, the only known lynching in the history of Hancock County occurred when a mob of 1,000 men, many "respectable citizens", broke into the county jail in Findlay. They lynched Mr. Lytle, who had seriously (but not fatally as believed at the time) injured his wife and two daughters with a hatchet the day before, by hanging him twice (first from the bridge, then a telegraph pole) and finally shooting his body over a dozen times. The authorities had intended to secretly convey the prisoner to a suburb at 1 o'clock, where a train was to have been taken for Lima, but their plans were frustrated by the mob.

In 1908, American songwriter Tell Taylor wrote the standard, "Down by the Old Mill Stream" while fishing along the Blanchard River in Findlay. The song was published in 1910.

For three months in the early 1960s, Findlay had the distinction of being the only community in the world where touch-tone telephone service was available. Touch-tone service was first introduced there on November 1, 1960.

In 2007, a flood that crested at 18.46 feet caused around 100 million dollars in damage. The flood was nearly as strong as the 1913 flood.

The city was officially recognized as "Flag City, USA" on May 7, 1974, a distinction which it maintains to this day.

Geography

Findlay is located at (41.042843, −83.642216).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

The Blanchard River travels through Findlay, flowing east to west.

The Findlay Reservoir No. 2 is the largest above ground reservoir in the state of Ohio with a capacity of approximately of water.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 41,202 people, 17,354 households, and 10,329 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 19,318 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.2% White, 2.2% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.5% Asian, 1.7% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.7% of the population.

There were 17,354 households, of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.5% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.87.

The median age in the city was 35.9 years. 22.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.5% were from 25 to 44; 25.0% were from 45 to 64; and 14.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 38,967 people, 15,905 households, and 10,004 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,266.3 people per square mile (875.2/km²). There were 17,152 housing units at an average density of 997.6 per square mile (385.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.70% White, 1.40% African American, 0.19% Native American, 1.76% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.66% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.95% of the population.

There were 15,905 households, out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city the population was spread out, with 23.8% under the age of 18, 11.9% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,883, and the median income for a family was $49,986. Males had a median income of $36,150 versus $23,797 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,328. About 5.9% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.0% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Findlay is the headquarters of the Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, founded in 1914, which specializes in the design, manufacture, marketing, and sales of replacement automobile and truck tires, and subsidiaries that specialize in medium truck, motorcycle, and racing tires.

Findlay was the longtime headquarters of the Marathon Oil Corporation from 1905 until 1990 when it moved its offices to Houston, TX. Marathon Petroleum Company, a former subsidiary of Marathon Oil, maintained its main office in Findlay after Marathon Oil moved. On July 1, 2011, Marathon Petroleum became an independent entity, with headquarters in Findlay.

The city's major shopping center is Findlay Village Mall, opened in 1962.

Findlay is home to a Kohl's department store distribution center, which is Kohl's oldest distribution center after the recent closing of the original one in Wisconsin.

Findlay is home to the Whirlpool dishwasher manufacturing plant and distribution center. This plant is considered to be the largest dishwasher plant in the world (based on production).

Findlay is home to several other major distribution centers including Best Buy, Lowe's, and Campbell Soup Company.

Largest employers

According to the City of Findlay 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), the following companies are the top employers in the city:

Government

Findlay has a City Council and Mayor.

Education

Primary and secondary

There are four intermediate (3–5) buildings, four primary (K-2) buildings, and one K-5 building within the Findlay City School system as well.

For decades, students attended one of three junior high schools: Donnell (Atoms), Central (Spartans), or Glenwood (Eagles). The original Donnell School building located on Baldwin Avenue was razed in 2012 to make room for the construction of a new building, which began usage in January 2013. Another new school built directly behind the original Glenwood building on North Main Street officially opened and began usage in January 2013. The building known as Central, located on West Main Cross, was originally Findlay's high school (until the current high school was built in 1963). Once the two new middle schools were opened, part of Central was razed, leaving only the auditorium. A new Performing Arts Center (funded mainly by Marathon Petroleum) was constructed by refurbishing and renovating Central's auditorium, finishing in December 2015.

Findlay High School is a comprehensive high school with an enrollment of 1,632 students in grades 9–12. Of the 130 professional staff, 87 have master's degrees or beyond. Accreditation has been

granted by AdvancEd Accreditation.

Postsecondary

The city is home to the University of Findlay, a private liberal arts college with an enrollment of over 4,100 students, and Owens Community College, a state school with an enrollment of 2,391 students. The University of Findlay is best known for its programs in Education (undergraduate and Master's) and the equestrian studies programs. Students enrolled in the Pre-Veterinary or western equestrian studies have access to a 152-acre farm operated by the university. Those students who are pursuing a degree in English equestrian studies have access to a separate rural facility composed of 32-acres, which includes the University Equine Veterinary Services Inc.

Winebrenner Theological Seminary also makes its home in Findlay, adjacent to the university. Findlay also had a branch location of Brown Mackie College prior to 2017.

Public Library

The city has the main branch of the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library. The library was established on April 16, 1888 and was originally housed in the Hancock County Courthouse basement until it was able to move into an old post office building in 1935. The main library building was renovated in 1991, and again in 2009 after a major flood. The library announced in March 2019 it would end the process of charging late fees.

Transportation

Findlay Airport does not have regularly scheduled passenger flights.

Interstate 75, US 68, and US 224 are major highways that pass through the city. State routes in the city of Findlay include: Ohio State Route 12, Ohio State Route 15, Ohio State Route 568, and Ohio State Route 37.

There were three major cab companies based in and operated in and around Findlay and Handcock County. The most notable are Accurate Cab co which went out of business in 2019–2020, USA Cab and Trinity Express Cab. While Black & White Transportation Cab will operate in Findlay, they are based out of Toledo, Ohio.

Historically, the Baltimore & Ohio, the New York Central and the Nickel Plate Road operated passenger train service through Findlay. The last trains were the Nickel Plate's St. Louis - Muncie - Cleveland trains (#9, Blue Arrow westbound and #10, Blue Dart eastbound). These trains ended in 1959.

Culture

Annual activities

Sports

Notable people