Steubenville, Ohio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steubenville, Ohio
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Steubenville from the air, looking north
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| Nickname(s):
"City of Murals"
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| Motto(s):
Where you always have a home
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Location of Steubenville in Jefferson County, Ohio.
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 Steubenville, Ohio
Location in Ohio
Steubenville, Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Ohio | |
| County | Jefferson | |
| Founded | 1795 | |
| Named for | Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Council-Manager | |
| Area | ||
| • City | 10.62 sq mi (27.50 km2) | |
| • Land | 10.54 sq mi (27.29 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.08 sq mi (0.21 km2) | |
| Elevation | 1,132 ft (345 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • City | 18,161 | |
| • Density | 1,723.55/sq mi (665.46/km2) | |
| • Metro | 118,250 (US: 340th) | |
| • CSA | 2,659,937 (US: 23th) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP codes |
43952-43953
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| Area code(s) | 740, 220 | |
| FIPS code | 39-74608 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 1086386 | |
Steubenville (pronounced stew-BƏN-vil) is a city in Ohio, United States. It is the main city of Jefferson County. The city is located along the Ohio River, about 33 miles west of Pittsburgh. In 2020, about 18,161 people lived there.
The city gets its name from Fort Steuben. This fort was built in 1786 and was named after Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, a military officer from Prussia. Steubenville is often called the "City of Murals" because it has more than 25 large paintings on buildings downtown. The Franciscan University of Steubenville is also located here. Famous entertainer Dean Martin was born and grew up in Steubenville. The city is also known for its yearly Steubenville Nutcracker Village, a popular Christmas event.
Contents
A Look at Steubenville's Past
In 1786, soldiers built Fort Steuben. This fort helped protect government surveyors who were mapping land west of the Ohio River. The fort was named after Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben. After the surveyors finished their work, the fort was no longer needed. However, settlers had already built homes nearby. They decided to name their new town Steubenville, also in honor of Baron von Steuben. Sometimes, the town was called "La Belle City," which means "The Beautiful City" in French.
On July 29, 1797, Jefferson County was formed. Steubenville was chosen as its main city. The city was planned out by Bezaliel Wells and James Ross that same year.
Ohio became the 17th state in the U.S. on March 1, 1803. For many years, Steubenville was an important port town on the river. In 1851, Steubenville officially became a city. Later, in 1856, a company built a rolling mill, which was an early type of steel factory. A coal mine was also opened. The city was a stop on a railroad line that connected Pittsburgh to Chicago and St. Louis.
The College of Steubenville was started in 1946 by Franciscan friars. It later changed its name to Franciscan University of Steubenville in 1985. Another college, Jefferson County Technical Institute, began in 1966. It is now known as Eastern Gateway Community College.
Where Steubenville Is Located
Steubenville is located at 40°21′30″N 80°37′0″W / 40.35833°N 80.61667°W. The city covers about 10.63 square miles. Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water. Steubenville sits along the Ohio River. The city spreads from the flat areas near the river up into the surrounding hills.
Steubenville's Population
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1800 | 731 | — | |
| 1810 | 1,617 | 121.2% | |
| 1820 | 2,479 | 53.3% | |
| 1830 | 2,987 | 20.5% | |
| 1840 | 4,247 | 42.2% | |
| 1850 | 6,140 | 44.6% | |
| 1860 | 6,154 | 0.2% | |
| 1870 | 8,107 | 31.7% | |
| 1880 | 12,093 | 49.2% | |
| 1890 | 13,394 | 10.8% | |
| 1900 | 14,349 | 7.1% | |
| 1910 | 22,391 | 56.0% | |
| 1920 | 28,508 | 27.3% | |
| 1930 | 35,422 | 24.3% | |
| 1940 | 37,651 | 6.3% | |
| 1950 | 35,872 | −4.7% | |
| 1960 | 32,495 | −9.4% | |
| 1970 | 30,771 | −5.3% | |
| 1980 | 26,400 | −14.2% | |
| 1990 | 22,125 | −16.2% | |
| 2000 | 19,015 | −14.1% | |
| 2010 | 18,659 | −1.9% | |
| 2020 | 18,161 | −2.7% | |
| Sources: | |||
Steubenville's population was highest in 1940, with over 37,000 people. Since then, the number of people living in the city has slowly decreased. However, in recent years, the population has become more stable.
Steubenville is part of the Weirton–Steubenville metropolitan area. This is a larger urban area that includes nearby cities.
People in Steubenville (2010)
In 2010, there were 18,659 people living in Steubenville. There were 7,548 households, which are groups of people living together. About 79% of the people were White, and 15.9% were African American. About 2.4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people in the city was 38.8 years old. About 20.3% of residents were under 18. About 17.5% were 65 years old or older. There were slightly more females (53.9%) than males (46.1%).
Religious Communities
Steubenville has many different religious groups. These include Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant communities. Steubenville is the main city for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville. The Holy Name Church became the main church for the diocese in 1944.
Steubenville's Economy
Steubenville and nearby areas, like Weirton, West Virginia, have faced economic challenges. This is mainly because the steel industry, which was once very big, has become smaller since the 1980s. Steel companies had to reduce their workers to stay competitive.
However, new efforts are helping the downtown area. Since 2014, events like "First Fridays on Fourth" have brought people together. New businesses have opened downtown, such as Drosselmeyer's Nutcracker Shoppe and Leonardo's Coffeehouse.
A new highway, the Findlay Connector, has made it easier to travel to Pittsburgh International Airport. Now, it takes about 25 minutes to get from Steubenville to the airport. Steubenville is also located near large natural gas areas called the Marcellus and Utica shale formations.
Arts and Fun in Steubenville
Historic Places to See
Fort Steuben is a reconstructed fort from the 1700s. It is located downtown, overlooking the Ohio River. The fort was built in 1787 to protect surveyors. Today, the area around the fort is a park with a Veterans Memorial Fountain and an outdoor theater. The Fort Steuben Visitors Center has a museum shop and tourist information.
Next to the fort is the First Federal Land Office. This building, made of original logs, dates back to 1801. Settlers would register their land deeds here.
The "Ohio Valley Steelworker" Statue honors the steelworkers of the area. This life-size statue shows a worker in a fire-proof suit. It is now located on South Fourth Street, near the Public Library.
There is also a statue downtown honoring Edwin Stanton. He was President Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of War and was born in Steubenville.
Dean Martin, the famous actor, singer, and comedian, was born and grew up in Steubenville. The town has an annual Dean Martin Festival and a special Dean Martin Room at the Jefferson County Historical Museum.
Libraries in the City
Steubenville has two public libraries. These are the Carnegie Library of Steubenville and the Schiappa Branch Library.
Amazing Murals
Steubenville is known as the "City of Murals." There are more than 25 large murals painted on buildings in the downtown area. Many of these murals celebrate Dean Martin. There is also a mural dedicated to two Tuskegee Airmen brothers, John Ellis Edwards and Jerome Edwards.
The Steubenville Nutcracker Village
In 2015, two local business owners started a Christmas festival called the Steubenville Nutcracker Village. This event features a large collection of life-size nutcracker sculptures. They are displayed throughout Fort Steuben Park downtown. The Nutcracker Village is free to visit and is open 24 hours a day. It usually runs from the Tuesday before Thanksgiving until early January.
The event started with 37 nutcrackers. These unique sculptures are made from fiberglass and foam by a local business. By 2023, there were 209 nutcrackers around town! Each nutcracker is different, showing characters from books, movies, and songs, as well as holiday figures and different jobs.
During December, the Nutcracker Village also has live entertainment and a German-style Advent Market. This market features local artists, craftspeople, and food vendors. The Nutcracker Village has become very popular. It attracted over 40,000 visitors in 2017 and has helped bring new life to downtown Steubenville.
Sports Teams
Steubenville has had a few sports teams in the past. From 1887 to 1913, a minor league baseball team called the Steubenville Stubs played here. The Steubenville Stampede was an indoor football team in 2006 and 2007.
Local Food
Steubenville is the birthplace of Ohio Valley-style pizza. This special kind of pizza has cold toppings added after the crust is baked.
Learning in Steubenville
Colleges and Universities
Steubenville is home to the Franciscan University of Steubenville. This is a private university connected to the Roman Catholic Church. It was founded in 1946. Eastern Gateway Community College was also located in the city from 1968 to 2024.
Schools for Younger Students
Public schools in Steubenville are part of the Steubenville City School District. There are five schools in the district: Wells Academy, West Pugliese, Garfield, Harding Middle, and Steubenville High School. Some parts of western Steubenville are served by the Indian Creek Local School District.
There are also private schools in Steubenville. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville runs Bishop John King Mussio Central Elementary School, Bishop John King Mussio Central Junior High School, and Steubenville Catholic Central High School.
Media and News
Steubenville shares its media market with nearby Wheeling, West Virginia. The city has a local TV station, WTOV-TV, which is an NBC and FOX affiliate. For print news, Steubenville has the daily Herald-Star newspaper, which has been around since 1806.
The radio station WIXZ 950 AM has played Oldies music from the city since 1974.
Famous People from Steubenville
Many notable people have come from Steubenville. These include the famous entertainer Dean Martin and Edwin Stanton, who was a very important government official during the American Civil War.
See also
In Spanish: Steubenville (Ohio) para niños
