Grand Rapids, Ohio Explained

Official Name:Grand Rapids, Ohio
Settlement Type:Village
Mapsize:250px
Image Map1:Map of Wood County Ohio Highlighting Grand Rapids Village.png
Mapsize1:250px
Map Caption1:Location of Grand Rapids in Wood County
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Ohio
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Wood
Subdivision Type3:Township
Subdivision Name3:Grand Rapids
Leader Title:Mayor
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:2.51
Area Land Km2:2.28
Area Water Km2:0.23
Area Total Sq Mi:0.97
Area Land Sq Mi:0.88
Area Water Sq Mi:0.09
Population As Of:2020
Population Est:928
Pop Est As Of:2023
Pop Est Footnotes:[2]
Population Total:925
Population Density Km2:404.88
Population Density Sq Mi:1048.75
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Elevation Ft:663
Coordinates:41.4069°N -83.8736°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:43522
Area Code:419
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:39-31206[3]
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:2398187

Grand Rapids is a village in Grand Rapids Township, Wood County, Ohio, United States, along the Maumee River. The population was 925 at the 2020 census. Grand Rapids is served by a branch of the Weston Public Library.

History

Grand Rapids was originally called Gilead, and under the latter name was platted in 1833.[4] To meet the challenges of keeping enough water in its canals in the 1840s, the state of Ohio built a large dam across the Maumee River at Gilead in 1845. Because the dam replaced a smaller dam that had been built to provide power to a mill and thereby restricted the water power provided to the mill, the outraged citizens of Gilead destroyed the dam. Following the destruction of the dam, a side cut canal was built that connected Gilead with the main canal. This caused an economic boom in Gilead and the village was incorporated as Grand Rapids in 1855.[5]

A post office called Gilead was established in 1837, and the name was changed to Grand Rapids in 1868.[6] The village was incorporated in 1885.[7]

An ice jam led to a major flood in February 1959, resulting in extensive damage and displacing 130 residents.[8] [9]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.97sqmi, of which 0.88sqmi is land and 0.09sqmi is water.[10]

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census[11] of 2010, there were 965 people living in the village. The population density was 1096.6PD/sqmi. There were 429 housing units at an average density of 487.5/sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 96.5% White, 0.5% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.9% of the population.

There were 385 households, of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.1% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.00.

The median age in the village was 38.9 years. 25.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.2% were from 25 to 44; 25.8% were from 45 to 64; and 15.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, the population density was 1990.7sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 423 housing units at an average density of 840.4sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the village was 97.21% White, 0.20% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 1.60% from other races, and 0.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.89% of the population.

There were 402 households, out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 24.9% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $42,014, and the median income for a family was $50,982. Males had a median income of $35,357 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income for the village was $19,796. About 2.6% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

References

  1. Web site: ArcGIS REST Services Directory. United States Census Bureau. September 20, 2022.
  2. Web site: Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Ohio: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 . United States Census Bureau . 29 June 2024.
  3. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. January 31, 2008.
  4. Book: Leeson, Michael A.. Commemorative Historical and Biographical Record of Wood County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Early Settlement and Development . 1897. J.H. Beers & Company. 272.
  5. Web site: Mary Jane Thurston State Park . Ohio Department of Natural Resources . November 7, 2020.
  6. Web site: Wood County . Jim Forte Postal History . January 11, 2016.
  7. Web site: Cities, Townships, & Villages . Wood County Government . January 11, 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150606014831/http://www.co.wood.oh.us/history/ctv.htm . June 6, 2015 .
  8. News: TERRE HAUTE BRACES FOR WABASH FLOOD . April 9, 2022 . The New York Times . February 13, 1959.
  9. News: Special Report: Extensive flooding likely on area rivers as snow melts . April 9, 2022 . wtol.com . February 19, 2014.
  10. Web site: US Gazetteer files 2010 . . January 6, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt . January 25, 2012 .
  11. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. January 6, 2013.
  12. Web site: Ghanbari dedicates highway to Medal of Honor Recipient Byers . Sentinel-Tribune . Bowling Green, Ohio . September 23, 2020.

External links