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Ashtabula, OH

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Ashtabula, OH

Ashtabula is the most populous city in Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States. It lies at the mouth of the Ashtabula River, on Lake Erie, 53 miles (85 km) northeast of Cleveland. At the 2020 census, the city had 17,975 people. Like many other cities in the Rust Belt, it has lost population because of a decline in industrial jobs since the 1960s. It is part of the Cleveland metropolitan area.

The name Ashtabula is derived from ashtepihəle, which means "always enough fish to be shared around" in the Lenape language. In the middle of the 19th century, the city was an important destination on the Underground Railroad as refugee slaves took ships across Lake Erie to Canada. In the late 19th century, the city became a major coal port on Lake Erie. Coal and iron were shipped here, the latter from the Mesabi Range in Minnesota. The city attracted immigrants from Finland, Sweden, and Italy in the industrial period. Ashtabula hosts an annual Blessing of the Fleet Celebration, usually in late May or early June. As part of the celebration, a religious procession and prayer service is held at Ashtabula Harbor. The city was the site of the FinnFestUSA in 2007, a celebration of Finnish Americans.

According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of 7.91 square miles (20.5 km²), of which 7.74 square miles (20.0 km²) (or 97.85%) is land and 0.17 square miles (0.44 km²) (or 2.15%) is water.

Ashtabula is bordered by Lake Erie to the north and has a prominent harbor where the Ashtabula River flows into the lake. The Ashtabula Harbor was a primary coal harbor and still serves to ship. It has two public beaches: Walnut Beach, near the harbor, and Lake Shore Park, originally a Public Works Administration project during the Great Depression, on the opposite side of the harbor.

Part of the city lies in Ashtabula Township, and part lies in Saybrook Township. The Ashtabula area receives a considerable amount of snow throughout the winter, with the average snowfall being 68 inches (173 cm). Much of the snow comes from lake-effect snow bands from the Great Lakes.

This area had long been inhabited by indigenous peoples. After the American Revolutionary War, the United States mounted the Northwest Indian War to push Native American peoples out of what it then called the Northwest - the area of the Midwest south of the Great Lakes and west of the Appalachian Mountains. The success of this military effort resulted in more European Americans entering Ohio and nearby territories.

The site of Ashtabula was settled by European Americans beginning in 1803. The city was incorporated in 1891. Located directly on Lake Erie and developed as a port for trade, the city contained several stops on the Underground Railroad. This informal, secret system was how anti-slavery supporters helped escaped African-American slaves reach freedom in Canada in the years before the American Civil War. While Ohio was a free state, many refugee slaves still felt at risk of slavecatchers here, particularly after the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 was passed. It required enforcement and cooperation by residents of free states to return escaped slaves and was biased toward slavecatchers, requiring little documentation of their claims. Among the Underground Railroad sites in Ashtabula is Hubbard House, one of the handful of former surviving termination points. Refugee slaves stayed in a basement of the house adjacent to the lake and then left on the next safe boat to Canada, gaining their freedom once they arrived in Ontario.

Health and wellness are integral to the community, and Ashtabula is home to several healthcare facilities dedicated to providing quality services. The UH Ashtabula Health Center serves as a hub for medical care, offering a range of services to residents. Explore the parks, facilities, and programs the Ashtabula Parks and Recreation Department offers. These spaces provide opportunities for outdoor activities such as walking, jogging, sports, and picnicking. Join local fitness centers and gyms to participate in exercise programs, fitness classes, and strength training. Some popular options include YMCA and Planet Fitness. Discover the walking and biking trails in and around Ashtabula, such as the Western Reserve Greenway Trail and Red Horse Trail. These trails offer opportunities for outdoor exercise and enjoyment of nature.

The top sites in Ashtabula, OH are Walnut Beach Park, Hubbard House Underground Railroad Museum, and Smolen-Gulf Covered Bridge.

Population: 17,806 (2022). ZIP Codes: 44004. Area code: 440. Elevation: 673 ft (205 m). Area: 7.92 sq mi (20.53 km²).

FAQs

What is Ashtabula, OH famous for?

The construction of railroads connected Ashtabula to a national network that contributed to its success as a port. On December 29, 1876, one of the nation's most notorious rail accidents occurred, known as the Ashtabula River railroad disaster, Ashtabula Horror, or Ashtabula Bridge disaster. As Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Train No. 5, The Pacific Express, crossed the Ashtabula River bridge, the Howe truss structure collapsed, dropping the second locomotive and 11 passenger cars into the frozen creek 150 feet (46 m) below.

What are the demographics in Ashtabula, OH?

Ashtabula, OH is home to a population of 18k people, of which 98.5% are citizens. As of 2022, 2.88% of Ashtabula, OH residents were born outside of the country (519 people). In 2022, there were 8.68 times more White (non-Hispanic) residents (13k people) in Ashtabula, OH than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.5k Black or African American (non-Hispanic) and 1.2k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

What is the crime rate in Ashtabula, OH?

Ashtabula has an overall crime rate of 11 per 1,000 residents, making the crime rate here near the average for all cities and towns of all sizes in America. According to our analysis of FBI crime data, your chance of becoming a victim of crime in Ashtabula is 1 in 88. While crime rates are a consideration, Ashtabula continues to be a vibrant community offering a range of amenities and attractions for residents and visitors to enjoy.

Sources

Wikipedia

City of Ashtabula

UH Ashtabula Health Center

Ashtabula Parks and Recreation Department 

YMCA 

Planet Fitness

Western Reserve Greenway Trail 

Red Horse Trail

Walnut Beach Park

Hubbard House Underground Railroad Museum

Smolen-Gulf Covered Bridge

DataUSA

NeighborhoodScout

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