Leetonia, Ohio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leetonia, Ohio
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Village
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Main Street in Leetonia looking west.
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Location of Leetonia in Columbiana County, Ohio.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Ohio |
| County | Columbiana |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.27 sq mi (5.88 km2) |
| • Land | 2.26 sq mi (5.86 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,102 ft (336 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,833 |
| • Density | 809.99/sq mi (312.72/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
44431
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| Area code(s) | 330, 234 |
| FIPS code | 39-42560 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2398413 |
| School District | Leetonia Exempted Village School District |
| Website | http://leetonia.org/ |
Leetonia is a small village located in northern Columbiana County, Ohio, in the United States. In 2020, about 1,833 people lived there. It is located about 15 miles south of the city of Youngstown.
Contents
History of Leetonia
The Village of Leetonia was started in 1869, after the American Civil War. It was named after William Lee from Randolph, New York. He was one of the people who founded the Leetonia Iron and Coal Company. This company was set up in the village between 1866 and 1867.
Cherry Valley Coke Ovens: A Look Back
Leetonia is home to some of the last remaining bee hive coke oven sites in America. In the early 1860s, a businessman named William Lee found a lot of coal, iron ore, and lime under the ground where Leetonia is today.
Lee started buying land in the area. He then created "The Leetonia Coal & Iron Company." This company included a coal mine, coke ovens, and a blast furnace. The company quickly became important in the iron and coal industry. It turned the area into a busy company town. In 1864, only three families lived there. By 1869, when the village was officially formed, about 1,800 people lived in Leetonia.
How Coke Was Made
Making coke was the main activity of the company. Leetonia Coal & Iron would dig for coal in nearby areas. Then, they would move tons of coal on rails above the coke ovens. Workers would shovel the coal into the ovens to "cook" it. This process cleaned the coal and turned it into a purer product called coke. Coke was then sent to iron mills to be used for melting iron. Coke was preferred because it could reach much higher temperatures than regular coal.
Each coke oven was about 12 feet wide and 6 to 7 feet tall. Each oven could hold two to three tons of coal. When using 100 ovens, Leetonia Coal & Iron could turn 250 tons of coal into coke every day.
In 1873, another company bought Leetonia Coal & Iron. The new company was called "The Cherry Valley Iron and Coal Company." They made the operations even bigger. Eventually, they had over 200 coke ovens and 4 blast furnaces. This allowed them to process much more coal than before. However, the company faced financial problems during the Great Depression. Because of this, the ovens were closed for good.
In 1982, the site was given to the village of Leetonia to become a park. In 1986, the village council created a group to turn the area into a park for everyone to enjoy.
Geography of Leetonia
Leetonia covers a total area of about 2.27 square miles (5.88 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 2.26 square miles (5.86 square kilometers), is land. Only a very small part, about 0.01 square miles (0.02 square kilometers), is water.
One interesting feature of the downtown area is its steep streets. These streets go north out of the village. The railroad tracks of the Norfolk Southern company also run through the village, going from east to west.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 1,260 | — | |
| 1880 | 2,552 | 102.5% | |
| 1890 | 2,826 | 10.7% | |
| 1900 | 2,744 | −2.9% | |
| 1910 | 2,665 | −2.9% | |
| 1920 | 2,688 | 0.9% | |
| 1930 | 2,332 | −13.2% | |
| 1940 | 2,259 | −3.1% | |
| 1950 | 2,565 | 13.5% | |
| 1960 | 2,543 | −0.9% | |
| 1970 | 2,342 | −7.9% | |
| 1980 | 2,121 | −9.4% | |
| 1990 | 2,070 | −2.4% | |
| 2000 | 2,043 | −1.3% | |
| 2010 | 1,959 | −4.1% | |
| 2020 | 1,833 | −6.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Understanding the 2010 Census
According to the census from 2010, Leetonia had 1,959 people living there. There were 748 households, which are groups of people living together. About 541 of these were families. The village had about 867 people per square mile.
Most of the people in the village were White (97.8%). A small number of people were from other racial backgrounds. About 0.8% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
In terms of households, about 36.6% had children under 18 living with them. About 52.1% were married couples. Some households were led by a female without a husband (15.0%) or a male without a wife (5.2%). About 27.7% were not families.
The average age of people in the village was 38.2 years old. About 26.1% of residents were under 18. About 13.3% were 65 years old or older. The population was almost evenly split between males (49.0%) and females (51.0%).
Education in Leetonia
Children living in Leetonia attend schools that are part of the Leetonia Exempted Village School District. The schools that serve Leetonia students are:
- Leetonia Elementary School – for students in grades Kindergarten through 6th grade.
- Leetonia High School – for students in grades 7th through 12th grade.
See also
In Spanish: Leetonia (Ohio) para niños
