Ravenna, Ohio facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ravenna, Ohio
City
Downtown Ravenna along Main Street in 2009
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Ravenna, Ohio Location in Ohio Show map of Ohio Ravenna, Ohio Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Ohio
County	Portage
Founded	1799
Incorporated	1853
Founded by	Benjamin Tappan
Named for	Ravenna, Italy
Government
• Type	Mayor–council
Area
• Total	5.68 sq mi (14.71 km2)
• Land	5.63 sq mi (14.59 km2)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.12 km2)
Elevation	1,112 ft (339 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	11,323
• Density	2,010.12/sq mi (776.14/km2)
Demonym(s)	Ravennese, Ravennan, Ravennate
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	44266
Area code(s)	330, 234
FIPS code	39-65592
GNIS feature ID	2396324

Ravenna is a city in Ohio, United States. It is the main city of Portage County. In 2020, about 11,323 people lived there. Ravenna is located about 15 miles (24 km) east of Akron.

The city was founded in 1799. It was named after the city of Ravenna, Italy. Ravenna is part of the larger Akron metropolitan area.

History of Ravenna

Ravenna was started by Benjamin Tappan. He arrived on June 11, 1799, to claim land for his father. Tappan built some log cabins. Then he went back to Connecticut in the summer of 1800.

Later in 1800, Tappan returned with his new wife, Nancy Wright. They built their own log cabin. Nancy suggested naming the new settlement after Ravenna, Italy. She worked hard to help the town grow.

Becoming the County Seat

In 1806, plans were made to create Portage County. Nancy Wright Tappan pushed for Ravenna to be chosen as the county seat. This means it would be the main city for the county's government. Ravenna was chosen in 1808. Nancy also convinced other families from Connecticut to move to the area. The Tappans left Ravenna in 1809.

Early Developments

Ravenna was first part of Franklin Township. The first mail route was set up in 1802. The first school opened in 1803. In 1810, the first county courthouse and a log jail were built. A new brick courthouse was built in 1830. The current courthouse was built in 1961.

The first church in Ravenna was the Congregational Church, started in 1822. Other churches, like the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Catholic churches, were also formed in the early 1800s.

Local Businesses and Industries

In 1831, the Clark Carriage Company started in Ravenna. They made fancy hearses, which are vehicles used to carry coffins. Henry W. Riddle and Charles Merts bought the company in 1861. Riddle later changed the name to Riddle Coach and Hearse.

The company later made motorized hearses. It was then called the Riddle Manufacturing Company. Their hearses were very famous. Two U.S. Presidents from Ohio, William McKinley and Warren G. Harding, used Riddle hearses after they died.

In 1848, a glassworks factory opened. This was Ravenna's first real industry. Train service came to Ravenna in 1851. The Quaker Oats Company was started in Ravenna in 1877. The famous Quaker Oats logo was patented there in 1879.

In 1905, The A.C. Williams Co. was started in Ravenna. In the 1920s, it was the biggest maker of cast-iron toys in the world.

Important Events

On May 25, 1853, the Ohio Woman's Rights Association held its first statewide meeting in Ravenna. They worked on a petition to ask the Ohio government for more rights for women.

On February 15, 1861, President-elect Abraham Lincoln traveled through Ravenna by train. He was on his way to his inauguration. He did not plan to speak. But because of the excited crowd and a cannon salute, he stepped out and spoke to the people. A small plaque was placed there in 1985 to remember this event.

Telephones first came to Ravenna in 1882. In 1898, Ravenna started paving its streets. By 1909, almost 50 passenger trains arrived in the town every day. In 1917, a local hospital was bought by Portage County. It is now the University Hospitals Portage Medical Center.

Since the 1970s, Ravenna has held the Ravenna Balloon A-Fair. This event usually happens in mid-September. Hot air balloon pilots and fans come to Sunbeau Valley Farm. Besides balloons, there are parades, car shows, and live music.

In the late 1990s, the downtown area was updated. A $3 million project helped restore and save the city's old buildings and history.

Geography

Ravenna covers about 5.68 square miles (14.71 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. Only a small part, about 0.05 square miles (0.12 square kilometers), is water.

Population and People

2010 Census Information

In 2010, Ravenna had 11,724 people living there. Most residents, about 91.1%, were White. About 5.6% were African American. Other groups made up smaller parts of the population. About 1.4% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in the city was 37.9 years old. About 22.5% of residents were under 18. About 14.9% were 65 years or older. The city had slightly more females (51.9%) than males (48.1%).

Education in Ravenna

Ravenna High School

Students in Ravenna go to schools in the Ravenna School District. This district also serves Ravenna Township.

Schools in the District

• Ravenna High School is for students in grades 9-12.
• Brown Middle School is for grades 5-8.
• Elementary schools are organized by grade level:
  • West Park Elementary for Kindergarten.
  • Willyard Elementary for 1st and 2nd graders.
  • West Main Elementary for 3rd and 4th graders.
• The district's preschool and child care are in the old Carlin Elementary building.

Other Educational Opportunities

Ravenna also has the Maplewood Career Center. This is a special school for high school students who want to learn job skills. It serves students from ten high schools in Portage and Summit counties. It also has programs for adults.

The Bio-Med Science Academy has a campus in Ravenna. This is a public STEM school, focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math. It teaches 5th and 6th graders at its Ravenna campus.

Transportation

Several main roads pass through Ravenna:

• State Route 59
• State Route 44
• State Route 14
• State Route 88

Ravenna is located near major highways. It is south of Interstate 80 (also known as the Ohio Turnpike). It is north of Interstate 76.

Notable People from Ravenna

Many interesting people have connections to Ravenna:

• Chris Bangle; a famous car designer.
• Wally Bell; a baseball umpire for Major League Baseball.
• Bill Bower; the last surviving pilot from the Doolittle Raid in World War II.
• Ralph Pomeroy Buckland; a U.S. Representative and a general in the Civil War.
• David D. Busch; a best-selling author.
• Curt Cacioppo; a classical pianist.
• Gerald Casale; a founding member of the band Devo.
• William Rufus Day; a justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Calvin Hampton; a classical organist.
• Al Hodge; an actor and producer for radio shows.
• Arthur E. Juve; an inventor known for his work with rubber.
• Maynard James Keenan; a singer for the bands Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer.
• Marvin Kent; a politician and businessman, the city of Kent is named after him.
• Peggy King; a singer and TV personality.
• Frederick J. Loudin; a singer, leader of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, and an inventor.
• Don Nottingham; a professional football player.
• Fela Sowande; a Nigerian musician and composer who taught at Kent State University.
• Henry Adoniram Swift; the third governor of Minnesota.
• Jack Trice; a college football player, the football stadium at Iowa State is named after him.
• Erastus B. Tyler; a Union general during the American Civil War.
• Jeff West; a professional football kicker.
• Don M. Wilson III; a former Chief Risk Officer at JP Morgan Chase Bank.

See also

In Spanish: Ravenna (Ohio) para niños