Defiance, Ohio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Defiance, Ohio
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City
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Top to bottom, left to right:
Downtown Defiance, post office of Defiance and Defiance County Courthouse |
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| Nickname(s):
"Shell Town."
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| Motto(s):
"A Great Place to Live"
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Location of Defiance in Defiance County
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 Defiance, Ohio
Location in Ohio
Defiance, Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Ohio |
| County | Defiance |
| Area | |
| • Total | 13.28 sq mi (34.40 km2) |
| • Land | 12.79 sq mi (33.12 km2) |
| • Water | 0.49 sq mi (1.28 km2) |
| Elevation | 696 ft (212 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 17,066 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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17,043 |
| • Density | 1,334.74/sq mi (515.34/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
43512
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| Area code(s) | 419 |
| FIPS code | 39-21308 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2394492 |
| Website | City of Defiance, Ohio |
Defiance is a city in and the county seat of Defiance County, Ohio, United States, about 55 miles (89 km) southwest of Toledo and 47 miles (76 km) northeast of Fort Wayne, Indiana, in Ohio's northwestern corner. The population was 17,066 at the 2020 census.
Contents
History
The city contains the site of Fort Defiance, built by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne in August 1794, during the Northwest Indian War at the confluence of the Auglaize and Maumee rivers. General Wayne surveyed the land and declared to General Scott, "I defy the English, Indians, and all the devils of hell to take it." Using the fort as a base of operations, Wayne ordered his troops to destroy Native American crops and villages within a radius of 50 miles (80 km) around the fort. Today a pair of cannons outside the city library on the Maumee River overlook the confluence and mark the location of Fort Defiance, along with a mounded outline of the fort walls. The city was named after Fort Defiance.
From Fort Defiance, the U.S. forces moved northeast along the Maumee River to fight the decisive Battle of Fallen Timbers near the current town of Maumee, Ohio. This victory secured for the United States the Northwest Territory, now the states of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Fort Winchester was built on the same spot during the War of 1812, but it was a larger fort that extended southward somewhat along the Auglaize River. Historical plaques in the sidewalks mark the full extent of Fort Winchester.
In 1822, Defiance was laid out as a town. In 1845, it was made the county seat of the newly created county, and it became a city in 1881.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.13 square miles (31.42 km2), of which, 11.62 square miles (30.10 km2) is land and 0.51 square miles (1.32 km2) is water.
Defiance lends its name to a distinct end moraine from the Wisconsin glaciation. As Cushing et al. point out, "The Defiance moraine represents the last notable stand of the glacial front in this region." The moraine varies in width from 2 to 4 miles [3.2 to 6.4 km], and according to Leverett, "it is like a broad wave whose crest stands 20 to 50 feet [6.1 to 15.2 m] above the border of the plain outside it."
Climate
| Climate data for Defiance, Ohio, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 70 (21) |
73 (23) |
89 (32) |
91 (33) |
99 (37) |
107 (42) |
111 (44) |
104 (40) |
100 (38) |
92 (33) |
82 (28) |
70 (21) |
111 (44) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 54.6 (12.6) |
57.0 (13.9) |
69.0 (20.6) |
79.9 (26.6) |
87.8 (31.0) |
93.6 (34.2) |
94.1 (34.5) |
92.3 (33.5) |
90.4 (32.4) |
82.1 (27.8) |
67.8 (19.9) |
57.4 (14.1) |
96.0 (35.6) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 32.3 (0.2) |
35.5 (1.9) |
46.4 (8.0) |
59.9 (15.5) |
71.3 (21.8) |
80.7 (27.1) |
84.6 (29.2) |
82.3 (27.9) |
76.5 (24.7) |
63.3 (17.4) |
49.0 (9.4) |
37.2 (2.9) |
59.9 (15.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 25.1 (−3.8) |
27.6 (−2.4) |
37.1 (2.8) |
49.1 (9.5) |
60.5 (15.8) |
70.3 (21.3) |
73.9 (23.3) |
71.9 (22.2) |
65.2 (18.4) |
53.0 (11.7) |
40.7 (4.8) |
30.5 (−0.8) |
50.4 (10.2) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 17.8 (−7.9) |
19.7 (−6.8) |
27.8 (−2.3) |
38.3 (3.5) |
49.7 (9.8) |
59.8 (15.4) |
63.2 (17.3) |
61.5 (16.4) |
53.9 (12.2) |
42.7 (5.9) |
32.4 (0.2) |
23.7 (−4.6) |
40.9 (4.9) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −2.9 (−19.4) |
2.0 (−16.7) |
11.9 (−11.2) |
24.8 (−4.0) |
36.2 (2.3) |
46.8 (8.2) |
52.9 (11.6) |
51.3 (10.7) |
41.2 (5.1) |
29.9 (−1.2) |
18.9 (−7.3) |
6.4 (−14.2) |
−6.2 (−21.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −26 (−32) |
−22 (−30) |
−7 (−22) |
4 (−16) |
24 (−4) |
35 (2) |
40 (4) |
36 (2) |
26 (−3) |
14 (−10) |
0 (−18) |
−19 (−28) |
−26 (−32) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.59 (66) |
2.17 (55) |
2.55 (65) |
3.67 (93) |
4.26 (108) |
3.63 (92) |
3.66 (93) |
3.50 (89) |
3.25 (83) |
2.87 (73) |
3.00 (76) |
2.55 (65) |
37.70 (958) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 8.7 (22) |
8.0 (20) |
2.6 (6.6) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.9 (2.3) |
3.8 (9.7) |
24.2 (61.11) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 12.3 | 9.9 | 10.7 | 13.4 | 13.1 | 10.8 | 9.5 | 9.4 | 9.1 | 10.8 | 11.1 | 11.6 | 131.7 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 5.7 | 4.4 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 3.2 | 16.6 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 800 | — | |
| 1860 | 1,399 | 74.9% | |
| 1870 | 2,750 | 96.6% | |
| 1880 | 5,907 | 114.8% | |
| 1890 | 7,694 | 30.3% | |
| 1900 | 7,579 | −1.5% | |
| 1910 | 7,327 | −3.3% | |
| 1920 | 8,876 | 21.1% | |
| 1930 | 8,818 | −0.7% | |
| 1940 | 9,744 | 10.5% | |
| 1950 | 11,265 | 15.6% | |
| 1960 | 14,553 | 29.2% | |
| 1970 | 16,281 | 11.9% | |
| 1980 | 16,783 | 3.1% | |
| 1990 | 16,768 | −0.1% | |
| 2000 | 16,465 | −1.8% | |
| 2010 | 16,494 | 0.2% | |
| 2020 | 17,066 | 3.5% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 17,043 | 3.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
As of the census of 2020, there were 17,052 people, and 7,219 households in the city. The population density was 1,347.3 inhabitants per square mile (520.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 83.6% White, 3.4% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.4% Asian, and 8.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 15.0% of the population. According to 2018-2022 census data, 90.6% of persons age 25 years or higher had an education level of high school graduate or higher. 20.2% of persons age 25 years or higher reported having a Bachelor's degree or higher.
The 2018-2022 U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) median income for households (in 2022 dollars) was $58,750. 14.6% of the population was below the poverty line. 8.5% of persons under age 65 years were without health insurance.
The median value of owner-occupied housing units (2018-2022) was $135,800. Median gross rent (2018-2022) was $809.
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 16,494 people, 6,663 households, and 4,291 families living in the city. The population density was 1,419.4 inhabitants per square mile (548.0/km2). There were 7,435 housing units at an average density of 639.8 per square mile (247.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 88.1% White, 3.6% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 4.8% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 14.4% of the population.
There were 6,663 households, of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.6% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91.
The median age in the city was 37.1 years. 24.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.7% were from 25 to 44; 26% were from 45 to 64; and 15.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.
Parks and recreation
Defiance has several city parks that offer a variety of recreational activities, including baseball and softball diamonds, as well as playground equipment. These parks include Kingsbury Park and Diehl Park. Kingsbury Park also has a public swimming pool.
Independence Dam State Park, 4 miles east of the city on State Highway 424, along the Maumee River, is also a popular recreational site for area residents. The park provides picnic facilities, nature trails, and fishing. There is a reservoir with adjacent trails, along with a track up top. There is also a Frisbee golf course. On the other side, there is a dog park.
Fort Defiance Park is a park that currently occupies the site of the former Fort Defiance. In 1980, the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Education
Defiance City Schools provide public K-12 education. Schools maintained by local Lutheran and Catholic churches also provide preschool-grade 8 education. Northeastern Local Schools (Tinora) and Ayersville Local Schools also serve rural Defiance, but each is a smaller school district.
There are three high schools in the Defiance area: Defiance (located in Defiance), Tinora (part of Northeastern Local Schools) and Ayersville High Schools. Tinora and Ayersville High Schools are located a few miles from the main city and serve the rural areas of Defiance County to the northeast and southeast, respectively, of Defiance.
Defiance College is a small liberal arts college affiliated with the United Church of Christ and has an enrollment of about 1,000 students.
Defiance has a public library, a branch of the Defiance Public Library System.
Media
Newspaper
- The Crescent-News
Radio
- WONW, 1280 AM, news-talk
- WDFM, 98.1 FM, "Hot AC"
- WZOM, 105.7 FM "The Bull", country
Television
- WNHO-LD channel 44, repeater of WLMA, Lima, Ohio
Notable people
- Kevin Bacon, Ohio Senator
- Doug Bair, pitcher for seven Major League Baseball teams
- Chad Billingsley, pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- Michelle Burke, television and film actress
- Wild Bill Davison, jazz cornet player
- Alene Duerk, first female admiral in the U.S. Navy
- Alan Francis, 24-time Horseshoe World Champion
- Chet Grant, football player and journalist
- Asel Hagerty (1837–1919), Canadian-born Medal of Honor recipient in the American Civil War
- Jessicka Havok, professional wrestler
- Michael Hitchcock, actor, comedian, screenwriter, and television producer
- Greg Kampe, men's head basketball coach at Oakland University
- Sarah Kurtz, materials scientist and member of the National Academy of Engineering
- Don Miller, one of the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame
- Ray T. Miller, 43rd Mayor of Cleveland
- Jon Niese, pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates
- Jason Osborne, majority leader for New Hampshire House of Representatives
- Chad Reineke, pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds
- Terry "Tuff" Ryan, author
- Bruce Shingledecker, Alaskan wildlife painter
- H. Allen Smith, humorist
- Scott Taylor, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
- Walter W. Wensinger, lieutenant general in the Marine Corps during World War II
See also
In Spanish: Defiance (Ohio) para niños
