Editing Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                            = Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
| image_skyline                   = Downtown Cuyahoga Falls.jpg
| imagesize                       = 250px
| image_caption                   = Downtown Cuyahoga Falls (2018)
| image_seal                      = Cuyahoga Falls seal.jpg
| image_map                       = Summit County Ohio incorporated and unincorporated areas Cuyahoga Falls highlighted.svg
| mapsize                         = 260px
| map_caption                     = Location in Summit County, Ohio
| pushpin_map                     = Ohio#USA
| pushpin_relief                  = yes
| pushpin_label                   = Cuyahoga Falls
| subdivision_type                = Country
| subdivision_name                = United States
| subdivision_type1               = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[Ohio]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[List of counties in Ohio|County]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[Summit County, Ohio|Summit]]
| government_type                 = 
| leader_title                    = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name                     = 
| settlement_type                 = [[City]]
| nickname                        = 
| established_date                = 
| area_footnotes                  = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 20, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2                  = 67.14
| area_land_km2                   = 66.81
| area_water_km2                  = 0.33
| population_note                 = 
| area_total_sq_mi                = 25.92
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 25.80
| area_water_sq_mi                = 0.13
| elevation_footnotes              = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft                    = 1040
| coordinates                     = {{coord|41|08|44|N|81|29|48|W|region:US-OH_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| population_footnotes            = 
| population_as_of                = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_total                = 51114
| population_density_sq_mi        = 1981.47
| population_density_km2          = 765.05
| population_est                  = 50742
| pop_est_as_of                   = 2023
| pop_est_footnotes               = <ref name="2023 est">{{cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Ohio: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 |url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2023/cities/totals/SUB-IP-EST2023-POP-39.xlsx |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=15 June 2024}}</ref>
| timezone                        = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset                      = &minus;5
| timezone_DST                    = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST                  = &minus;4
| website                         = https://www.cityofcf.com/
| postal_code_type                = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code                     = 44221 and 44223
| area_code                       = [[Area code 330|330 and 234]]
| blank_name                      = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info                      = 39-19778<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name                     = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info                     = 1087001<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1087001}}</ref>
| unit_pref                       = Imperial
}}

'''Cuyahoga Falls''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|k|aɪ|ə|ˈ|h|əʊ|ɡ|ə}} {{respell|KY|ə|HOH|gə}} or {{IPAc-en|ˌ|k|aɪ|ə|ˈ|h|ɒ|ɡ|ə}} {{respell|KY|ə|HOG|ə}}) is a city in [[Summit County, Ohio]], United States. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the city population was 51,114.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/cuyahogafallscityohio/PST045219#qf-flag-X |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Cuyahoga Falls city, Ohio |website=census.gov |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025115149/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/cuyahogafallscityohio/PST045219 |archive-date=October 25, 2020}}</ref> The second-largest city in Summit County, it is located directly north of [[Akron]] and is a suburb of the [[Akron metropolitan area]]. The city was founded in 1812 by [[William Wetmore]] and was originally named Manchester, but renamed for the [[Cuyahoga River]] and the series of waterfalls that run along the southern boundary of the city.

== History ==
Cuyahoga Falls was formed in 1812<ref name="cfhistory">Information Services Department, City of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (2005). [https://archive.today/20071008184734/http://www.cityofcf.com/web2/index.asp?dir=about&page=history History]. Retrieved May 7, 2005.</ref> near the junction of what was then [[Northampton Township, Summit County, Ohio|Northampton]], [[Stow, Ohio|Stow]], [[Tallmadge, Ohio|Tallmadge]], and [[Portage Township, Summit County, Ohio|Portage]] townships. The focus was the series of [[Cuyahoga River]] waterfalls that provided power for manufacturing.

In 1812, Kelsey and Wilcox built a dam on the Cuyahoga River at a place where a railroad bridge crossed it in 1876. They then built a flour mill, an oil mill, and a saw mill. This led to the construction of a number of houses. This area was known as the old village. Development moved downstream, though, when the power was  discovered to be better there. The old village was eventually destroyed in 1826, when a dam built by William Wetmore flooded the dam at the old village and its mills were torn down.<ref name="fairchild">{{cite book | author=Fairchild, Rev. T.B. | title=A History of the Town of Cuyahoga Falls | location=Akron | publisher=The Old Book Store | year=1876 }}</ref>

The earliest settlers of Cuyahoga Falls included [[Joshua Stow]] and William Wetmore. In 1815, a saw mill was operating near Gaylord's Grove, using power generated by a dam on the [[Cuyahoga River]] there.<ref name="doyle">{{cite book | author=Doyle, William B, LL.B. | title=Centennial History of Summit County, Ohio and Representative Citizens | location=Chicago | publisher=Biographical Publishing Company | year=1908 }}</ref>

The town was initially called Manchester, but was renamed Cuyahoga Falls at the request of the [[United States Postal Service|Post Office]] since several other Manchesters were already in [[Ohio]].<ref name="atlas1891">Akron Map and Atlas Co. Illustrated Summit County, Ohio. Akron: Akron Map and Atlas Co. 1891</ref>

The village proper was first laid out in 1826 by Judge Richardson.<ref name="atlas1891" />

The town was incorporated in 1836, occupying 240 rods from [[Stow, Ohio|Stow]] and [[Tallmadge, Ohio|Tallmadge]] townships. In 1853, seeing that the village and township of Cuyahoga Falls occupied the same territory, the village council disbanded and the community was only a [[township (United States)|township]] until 1868.<ref name="atlas1891" />

In 1841, the [[Summit County, Ohio|Summit County]] Board of Commissioners named Cuyahoga Falls the county seat. The state legislature then intervened and put the location of the county seat up to a popular vote. Akron won and has been the county seat ever since. In spite of being named the county seat, Cuyahoga Falls never really functioned as such.<ref name="doyle" />

In March 1851, the township of Cuyahoga Falls was created out of the village limits. They covered the same territory, so the village council voted to adjourn ''sine die'', letting the village be run under township jurisdiction until June 3, 1868, when the municipal government returned.<ref name="atlas1891" />

In 1939 the first [[Lawson (store)|Lawson Convenience Store]] was established in Cuyahoga Falls.<ref>{{cite web |title=How a small dairy store from Ohio became one of the biggest names in the Japanese convenience store industry |url=https://www.marketplace.org/2018/09/04/how-small-dairy-store-ohio-become-one-biggest-names-japanese-convenience-store/ |website=Marketplace |access-date=October 2, 2020 |date=September 4, 2018}}</ref>

On July 31, 1940, the [[Doodlebug Disaster]] train wreck killed 43 people, the worst disaster in the history of the city.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cuyahogafallshistory.com/doodlebug.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=June 30, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110114154936/http://www.cuyahogafallshistory.com/doodlebug.htm |archive-date=January 14, 2011 }} Cuyahoga Falls History: The Doodlebug</ref>

In 1985, a referendum of merger between the city and neighboring Northampton Township was approved by local voters. In 1986, Cuyahoga Falls merged with Northampton Township, the first merger of a city and township in Ohio.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.northamptonhistoricalsociety.com/history.php|title=History|website=Northamptonhistoricalsociety.com|access-date=October 30, 2017}}</ref>

Cuyahoga Falls had been founded as an industrial city, taking advantage of the river power. By the middle of the twentieth century, it had become largely residential. Don Robart, mayor from 1986 to 2013, promoted the merger with Northampton Township because of the additional land that could be used for development.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}} Parts of that area have since been used for industrial development. Commercial development has also picked up, especially in the Howe Avenue area at the southern border of the city.

The city had one professional sports team, the Cuyahoga Falls Cougars, of the [[International Basketball League (2005-)|International Basketball League]].  They moved to Akron in 2006 and became the [[Akron Cougars]].

The [[Cathedral of Tomorrow]], founded by [[Televangelism|televangelist]] [[Rex Humbard]] in 1958, was in Cuyahoga Falls. It is now the church of pastor/evangelist [[Ernest Angley]] and was renamed Grace Cathedral.

[[Blossom Music Center]], an outdoor concert venue and the summer home of the [[Cleveland Orchestra]] since 1968, is situated on 800 acres of the [[Cuyahoga Valley National Park]] in Cuyahoga Falls.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has an area of {{convert|25.75|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|25.65|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.10|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 6, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=January 25, 2012 }}</ref>

Cuyahoga Falls is bordered by [[Akron, Ohio|Akron]] to the south and the [[Cuyahoga Valley National Park]] to the northwest.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1860= 1516
|1870= 1861
|1880= 2294
|1890= 2614
|1900= 3186
|1910= 4020
|1920= 10200
|1930= 19797
|1940= 20546
|1950= 29195
|1960= 47922
|1970= 49678
|1980= 43708
|1990= 48950
|2000= 49374
|2010= 49652
|2020= 51114
|estyear= 2023
|estimate= 50742
|estref=<ref name="2023 est"/>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|website=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
[[File:1899 view of Akron, Bedford and Cleveland Railroad shops at Cuyahoga Falls (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|[[Akron, Bedford and Cleveland Railroad]] shops at Cuyahoga Falls, 1899]]
Cuyahoga Falls is part of the [[Akron metropolitan area|Akron, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area]] and of the [[Greater Cleveland|Cleveland-Akron-Canton Combined Statistical Area]].

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 6, 2013}}</ref> of 2010, there were 49,652 people, 22,250 households, and 12,693 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1935.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 23,859 housing units at an average density of {{convert|930.2|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 93.4% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 3.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.3% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.6% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 22,250 households, of which 26.1% had children under age 18 living with them, 41.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.0% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.90.

The median age in the city was 39.4 years. 20.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.9% were from 25 to 44; 27.5% were from 45 to 64; and 15.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 49,374 people, 21,655 households, and 13,317 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,932.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 22,727 housing units at an average density of {{convert|889.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 95.80% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.87% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.20% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.05% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.15% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.91% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.63% of the population.

There were 21,655 households, of which 27.0% had children under age 18 living with them, 48.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% 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 2.90.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $42,263, and the median income for a family was $52,372. Males had a median income of $40,301 versus $28,459 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $22,550. About 4.5% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Transportation==
[[METRO Regional Transit Authority]] provides bus service in the city.

== Education ==
Cuyahoga Falls is mainly served by two school districts. The original area of the city makes up nearly all of the [[Cuyahoga Falls City School District]]; its high school, [[Cuyahoga Falls High School]], is located on Fourth Street in downtown. The neighboring village of [[Silver Lake, Ohio|Silver Lake]] is also part of Cuyahoga Falls City Schools.

The northwest portion of the city (the former Northampton Township) is served by the [[Woodridge Local School District]], which also serves the portions of Akron that lie within the former Northampton Township boundaries, as well as most of [[Boston Township, Summit County, Ohio|Boston Township]] (including [[Peninsula, Ohio|Peninsula]]). That district's high school, [[Woodridge High School]], is also located in Cuyahoga Falls (albeit with a Peninsula mailing address); this makes Cuyahoga Falls one of the few communities in Ohio that is home to the sole high school for two separate school districts.

A small area in the northeast of the city is zoned to [[Hudson City School District (Ohio)|Hudson City School District]], and another small area, in the far northwest of the city, is part of the [[Revere Local School District]].

== Notable people ==
* [[Jim Ballard]] — professional football player in the [[Arena Football League]]
* [[Robert Berdella]] — serial killer
* [[Vernon Cook]] — member of the [[Ohio House of Representatives]], 1973–1987
* [[Bad Luck Brian|Kyle Craven]] – the face of the "Bad Luck Brian" internet meme
* [[Grace Adele Freebey]] — composer and pianist
* [[Chrissie Hynde]] — musician and founding member of [[The Pretenders]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Akron-born rock legend Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders comes 'back to Ohio' |url=https://fox8.com/news/entertainment/akron-born-rock-legend-chrissie-hynde-of-the-pretenders-comes-back-to-ohio/ |work=Fox8.com |author=Dennis, Justin |date=July 24, 2024 |access-date=July 24, 2024}}</ref>
* [[Jane Jacobs (baseball)|Jane Jacobs]] – professional baseball player in the [[All-American Girls Professional Baseball League]]
* [[John Jacobs (evangelist)|John Jacobs]] — evangelist and founder of [[The Power Team]]
* [[Jim Jarmusch]] — film director
* [[Bob Lewis (musician)|Bob Lewis]] — musician and founder of [[Devo]]
* [[Michael Morell]] — deputy director of the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA)
* [[Elisha Noyes Sill]] — banker and politician
* [[Frank Stams]] — professional football player in the [[National Football League]] (NFL)
* [[Jack Thompson (activist)|Jack Thompson]] — activist, attorney
* [[Mike Vrabel]] — professional football player and coach in the NFL

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|Cuyahoga Falls}}
{{commons category}}
* [https://www.cityofcf.com/ City website]

{{Summit County, Ohio}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Ohio]]
[[Category:Cities in Summit County, Ohio]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1812]]