Newton Falls, Ohio facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Newton Falls, Ohio
Village
Water tower and dam in Newton Falls
Motto(s):  "Working toward a better tomorrow!"
Location of Newton Falls in Trumbull County, Ohio.
Country	United States
State	Ohio
County	Trumbull
Government
• Type	Council–manager
Area
• Total	2.39 sq mi (6.19 km2)
• Land	2.31 sq mi (5.98 km2)
• Water	0.08 sq mi (0.21 km2)
Elevation	915 ft (279 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,557
• Density	1,907/sq mi (736.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	44444
Area code(s)	234/330
FIPS code	39-55650
GNIS feature ID	2395230
Website	http://ci.newtonfalls.oh.us/

Newton Falls is a small village located in southwestern Trumbull County, Ohio, in the United States. In 2020, about 4,557 people lived there. It is part of the larger Youngstown–Warren area. The village gets its name from the two sets of waterfalls found within its borders, both on different parts of the Mahoning River. Newton Falls is also known for its special ZIP code (44444) and for its historic covered bridge, which is one of the oldest in Ohio.

History of Newton Falls

Newton Falls was likely named after an early school teacher named Newton and the waterfalls nearby. The village grew because of the river, its waterfalls, steel manufacturing, and its closeness to the Ravenna Training and Logistics Site.

The 1985 Tornado Outbreak

On May 31, 1985, a very powerful tornado hit Newton Falls. This tornado was part of a large series of tornadoes that swept through Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario, Canada. The tornado that struck Newton Falls was the only one that day in Ohio to be rated as an F5, which is the strongest type of tornado.

The tornado caused a lot of damage in the downtown area. It destroyed many homes and badly damaged the Senior and Junior High Schools. The Junior High's gym was destroyed, making the school unusable. Many businesses were also ruined. Amazingly, no one died in Newton Falls because of the tornado. Between 70 and 80 people were injured in the whole town.

After the tornado, officials found that 400 families in Newton Falls were left without homes. The entire central business district was destroyed. Warning sirens were very important that day. Ohio National Guard Major Calvin Taylor said that if it hadn't been for the sirens, more people might have died. There was even video footage of a freight train being lifted off its tracks by the powerful winds.

Geography of Newton Falls

Newton Falls is located at 41°11′20″N 80°58′11″W / 41.18889°N 80.96972°W / 41.18889; -80.96972.

The United States Census Bureau says that the village covers about 2.39 square miles (6.19 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 2.31 square miles (5.98 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.08 square miles (0.21 square kilometers), is water.

The Mahoning River flows right through Newton Falls, adding to its natural beauty.

Population and People

Village Population in 2010

In 2010, the village of Newton Falls had 4,795 people living there. There were 2,064 households, and 1,236 of these were families. The village had about 2,076 people per square mile (801 people per square kilometer).

About 29.3% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.30 people, and the average family had 2.98 people.

The average age of people in the village was 40 years old. About 23.4% of residents were under 18. About 17.1% were 65 years or older. There were slightly more females (52.5%) than males (47.5%) living in the village.

Arts and Culture

Newton Falls Covered Bridge

The historic Newton Falls Covered Bridge.

Newton Falls is famous for its covered bridge. This bridge was built over the Mahoning River in 1831. A special walkway was added to the side of the bridge between 1921 and 1922.

In 1985, the bridge was damaged by the powerful tornado but was later repaired. It was closed for two years for a big restoration project and reopened in December 2007. In 2009, a delivery truck damaged the bridge again, but it was fixed and reopened in 2010.

The Newton Falls bridge is very important for several reasons:

• It is considered the second oldest existing covered bridge in Ohio.
• It is the oldest covered bridge in Ohio that is still used in its original location.
• It is the only covered bridge in Ohio that has a covered crosswalk for pedestrians.
• It is the last remaining covered bridge in Trumbull County.

The bridge is 123 feet (37 meters) long and 24 feet (7.3 meters) wide. It has a clear span of 101.5 feet (30.9 meters) and a roadway that is 16 feet (4.9 meters) wide.

Education in Newton Falls

Newton Falls High School

Students in Newton Falls attend schools in the Newton Falls Exempted Village Schools district. The schools serving the village are:

• Newton Falls Elementary/Middle School – for students in grades K-5
• Newton Falls Junior/Senior High School – for students in grades 6-12

Media and News

Newton Falls has had several local newspapers over the years:

• The Bridge (no longer published)
• The Newton Falls Herald (no longer published)
• The Review
• The Weekly Villager

Transportation

Several major highways pass through Newton Falls, making it easy to travel to and from the village:

• Interstate 80
• State Route 5
• State Route 534

The Baltimore & Ohio railroad's main line, which connected Pittsburgh to Chicago, also ran through Newton Falls. A historic train station called "The Tower" was unfortunately torn down in 2011 after it was badly damaged in a train derailment.

Notable People from Newton Falls

Many interesting people have come from Newton Falls, including:

• Clara Louise Bell, an artist
• Patricia Cooksey, a horse jockey
• Edward H. Ives, who was a State Senator in Wisconsin
• Jack Kucek, a major league baseball player
• Earnie Shavers, a famous heavyweight boxing contender

See also

In Spanish: Newton Falls (Ohio) para niños