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Minerva, Ohio
Village
Village of Minerva
Market Street in the summer
Market Street in the summer
Location of Minerva, Ohio
Location of Minerva, Ohio
Location of Minerva in Stark County
Location of Minerva in Stark County
Country United States
State Ohio
Counties Stark, Carroll, Columbiana
Established April 19, 1833
Founded by John Whitacre
Named for Minerva Ann Taylor
Government
 • Type Administrator-council
 • Body Minerva Village Council
Area
 • Village 2.17 sq mi (5.61 km2)
 • Land 2.17 sq mi (5.61 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
 • Urban
2.13 sq mi (5.5 km2)
 • Rural
0.05 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation
1,056 ft (322 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Village 3,720
 • Estimate 
(2019)
3,620
 • Density 1,670.51/sq mi (644.88/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
44657
Area code(s) 330, 234
FIPS code 39-50834
GNIS feature ID 1056427
School District Minerva Local

Minerva is a village in Carroll, Columbiana, and Stark counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 3,720 at the 2010 census. In 2020, the United States Census Bureau estimated it to be 3,482.

The Carroll and Stark County portions of Minerva are part of the Canton-Massillon, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Columbiana County portion is part of the Salem, OH Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The village of Minerva began when a surveyor named John Whitacre purchased 123 acres of land from Isaac Craig in 1818 for the construction of a log mill. The town, named for his niece, Minerva Ann Taylor born April 19, 1833, grew up around the mill. Minerva's first schoolhouse was built in 1846. In its early years the Sandy and Beaver Canal helped drive Minerva's economy, to be replaced in importance by the Pennsylvania Railroad in the 1840s. Minerva manufacturers Willard and Isaac Pennock patented the United States' first steel railroad car in the nineteenth century.

In 1915, the town's weekly newspaper, The Minerva News, charged one dollar for an annual subscription.

Legend of the Lost French Gold

According to local legend, in the 1760s the French held possession of Fort Duquesne, which later became Fort Pitt in Pittsburgh. George Washington was leading a company of 2000 British troops from the east to attack the fort. The British held up at Turtle Creek for the night. Indian scouts reported to the French that an attack was coming. The French loaded one ton of gold, which was to be the French payroll, onto ten pack horses and sent them west along the Great Trail. They were to head to present-day Bolivar, Ohio, where there was a blockhouse for shelter and provisions. That location later became the location of Fort Laurens. The British were successful in overthrowing the fort and learned of the escape with the gold. Four days out of Pittsburgh, the British were catching up to the French, so the French buried the gold to avoid it falling into British hands. It was reportedly buried at the fork of three springs. One mile to the west of that location, a rock was placed in the fork of a tree. Over the years, many have tried to locate the legendary buried treasure, but to this day it has not been found.

Geography

Minerva is located at 40°43′44″N 81°6′7″W / 40.72889°N 81.10194°W / 40.72889; -81.10194 (40.728830, -81.102073), along Sandy Creek.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.23 square miles (5.78 km2), all land.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1870 210
1880 565 169.0%
1890 1,139 101.6%
1900 1,200 5.4%
1910 1,396 16.3%
1920 2,261 62.0%
1930 2,675 18.3%
1940 2,937 9.8%
1950 3,280 11.7%
1960 3,833 16.9%
1970 4,359 13.7%
1980 4,549 4.4%
1990 4,318 −5.1%
2000 3,934 −8.9%
2010 3,720 −5.4%
2020 (est.) 3,482 −6.4%

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 3,720 people, 1,580 households, and 1,009 families living in the village. The population density was 1,668.2 inhabitants per square mile (644.1/km2). There were 1,762 housing units at an average density of 790.1 per square mile (305.1/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 97.7% White, 0.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.7% of the population.

There were 1,580 households, of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.1% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.93.

The median age in the village was 41.2 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.8% were from 25 to 44; 25.9% were from 45 to 64; and 19.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.

Education

Children in Minerva are served by the Minerva Local School District. Schools in the district include Minerva Elementary School, Minerva Middle School, and Minerva High School.

Notable people

  • Carol Costello – television commentator, former host of CNN Newsroom
  • John Cowan – soul music and progressive bluegrass musician; bassist for The Doobie Brothers
  • Phil Davison – former candidate for Stark County Treasurer who earned internet fame for the aggressive and passionate manner of speaking he employed
  • Oscar Grimes – baseball player, son of Ray Grimes and nephew of Roy Grimes, twin brothers who were also major leaguers.
  • Ralph Hodgson – poet
  • Bill Powell – owner and designer of Clearview Golf Club, the first professional golf course owned and designed by an African-American and the first integrated golf course in America
  • Theodore Newton Vail – telephone industrialist
  • Charles Erwin Wilson – former U.S. Secretary of Defense and CEO for General Motors
  • A.J. Trauth – is an American actor and musician. Trauth is known for playing Alan Twitty on Even Stevens.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Minerva (Ohio) para niños

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