Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Facts for Kids

Cuyahoga Falls (pronounced KY-ə-HOH-gə or KY-ə-HOG-ə) is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. In 2020, about 51,114 people lived there. It is the second-largest city in Summit County. Cuyahoga Falls is just north of Akron and is a suburb of the Akron metropolitan area.

The city was started in 1812 by William Wetmore. It was first called Manchester. Later, it was renamed for the Cuyahoga River and its waterfalls. These waterfalls are found along the city's southern edge.

History of Cuyahoga Falls
Geography of Cuyahoga Falls
People and Population
- Population in 2010
Getting Around
Schools in Cuyahoga Falls
Famous People
See also

History of Cuyahoga Falls

Cuyahoga Falls began in 1812. It was located where several townships met. The main reason for its location was the Cuyahoga River waterfalls. These waterfalls provided power for factories and mills.

Early Settlements and Mills

In 1812, Kelsey and Wilcox built a dam on the Cuyahoga River. They also built a flour mill, an oil mill, and a saw mill. This led to many houses being built nearby. This first area was known as the old village.

Later, people found better power sources downstream. So, development moved to that area. The old village was eventually taken down in 1826. This happened when a new dam built by William Wetmore flooded the old village.

Founding and Name Change

Some of the first people to settle in Cuyahoga Falls were Joshua Stow and William Wetmore. By 1815, a saw mill was working near Gaylord's Grove. It used power from a dam on the Cuyahoga River.

The town was first named Manchester. But the Post Office asked for a name change. This was because there were already several other Manchesters in Ohio. So, the town was renamed Cuyahoga Falls.

The main part of the village was first planned out in 1826 by Judge Richardson.

City Growth and Changes

Cuyahoga Falls officially became a town in 1836. It covered parts of Stow and Tallmadge townships. In 1853, the village council decided to stop meeting. This was because the village and township covered the same area. The community was then run as a township until 1868.

In 1841, the Summit County leaders wanted Cuyahoga Falls to be the county seat. The state government then let people vote on it. Akron won the vote and has been the county seat ever since. Cuyahoga Falls never truly acted as the county seat.

In 1939, the first Lawson Convenience Store opened in Cuyahoga Falls.

On July 31, 1940, a train accident called the Doodlebug Disaster happened. It was a very sad event in the city's history.

Modern Developments

In 1985, people in Cuyahoga Falls and nearby Northampton Township voted to join together. In 1986, Cuyahoga Falls officially merged with Northampton Township. This was the first time a city and a township merged in Ohio.

Cuyahoga Falls started as a city for industry, using the river's power. By the mid-1900s, it became more of a residential city. Mayor Don Robart, who served from 1986 to 2013, supported the merger. This was to get more land for new buildings and businesses.

Today, parts of the merged area are used for industrial growth. Business development has also increased. This is especially true in the Howe Avenue area, which is at the city's southern border.

Arts and Entertainment

The Cathedral of Tomorrow was once in Cuyahoga Falls. It was founded by televangelist Rex Humbard in 1958. It is now called Grace Cathedral.

Blossom Music Center is a large outdoor concert place. It is the summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra since 1968. It is located on 800 acres within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Cuyahoga Falls.

Geography of Cuyahoga Falls

The city covers about 25.75 square miles (66.7 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Cuyahoga Falls is next to Akron to the south. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park is to its northwest.

People and Population

Akron, Bedford and Cleveland Railroad shops at Cuyahoga Falls, 1899

Cuyahoga Falls is part of the Akron, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is also part of the larger Cleveland-Akron-Canton Combined Statistical Area.

Population in 2010

In 2010, there were 49,652 people living in Cuyahoga Falls. There were 22,250 households and 12,693 families. The city had about 1,936 people per square mile (747 people per square kilometer).

Most of the people in the city were White (93.4%). Other groups included African American (3.3%), Asian (1.2%), and Native American (0.2%). About 1.4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in the city was 39.4 years. About 20.9% of residents were under 18 years old. About 15.3% were 65 years or older.

Getting Around

METRO Regional Transit Authority provides bus service in Cuyahoga Falls. This helps people travel around the city.

Schools in Cuyahoga Falls

Cuyahoga Falls is mostly served by two school districts. The main part of the city is in the Cuyahoga Falls City School District. Its high school, Cuyahoga Falls High School, is in downtown. The nearby village of Silver Lake is also part of this district.

The northwest part of the city, which used to be Northampton Township, is served by the Woodridge Local School District. This district also serves parts of Akron and most of Boston Township. Woodridge High School is also in Cuyahoga Falls. This means Cuyahoga Falls is home to two different high schools from two different school districts.

Small areas in the city are part of other school districts. These include the Hudson City School District and the Revere Local School District.

Famous People

Many interesting people have connections to Cuyahoga Falls:

Jim Ballard - A professional football player.
Vernon Cook - Served in the Ohio House of Representatives.
Kyle Craven - Known for the "Bad Luck Brian" internet meme.
Chrissie Hynde - A musician and a founding member of the band The Pretenders.
Jane Jacobs - A professional baseball player.
Jim Jarmusch - A well-known film director.
Bob Lewis - A musician and founder of the band Devo.
Michael Morell - A former Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Frank Stams - A professional football player.
Mike Vrabel - A professional football player and coach.

Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio facts for kids

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