As of the
censusA census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 27,899 people, 11,523 households, and 7,443 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,095.2 people per square mile (1,195.5/km²). There were 12,163 housing units at an average density of 1,349.4 per square mile (521.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.43% White, 5.33% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population.
As of the
censusA census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 27,899 people, 11,523 households, and 7,443 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,095.2 people per square mile (1,195.5/km²). There were 12,163 housing units at an average density of 1,349.4 per square mile (521.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.43% White, 5.33% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population.
There were 11,523 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,178, and the median income for a family was $39,387. Males had a median income of $32,294 versus $21,778 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,764. About 11.5% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
History
Barberton was founded in 1891 by Ohio Columbus Barber, who planned the town according to his vision of industry, progress and community. In 1894 he moved the manufacturing operations of the
Diamond Match CompanyThe Diamond Match Company was the largest manufacturer of matches in the United States in the late nineteenth century. Jarden is the current owner of the Diamond brand.-History:...
, formed from a merger of 11 companies, from Akron to Barberton, where he soon was producing 250 million matches a day. In the valley running parallel to the
Tuscarawas RiverThe Tuscarawas River is a principal tributary of the Muskingum River, 129.9 miles long, in northeastern Ohio in the United States...
and the Ohio & Erie Canal, he oversaw the construction of factories, residential neighborhoods and a compact commercial downtown. In the center of the new city was Lake Anna, named after Barber's only daughter, Anna Laura Barber.
Barberton became known as the "Magic City", due to its rapid population growth during its formative industrial years, at a time of waves of immigration from eastern and southern Europe. In 1891, when it was incorporated, the scattered farms that had originally characterized the landscape were transformed into a fledgling city of 1,800. When an
Akron Beacon JournalThe Akron Beacon Journal is a four-time Pulitzer Prize-winning morning newspaper in Akron, Ohio, United States, and published by Black Press Ltd.. It is the sole daily newspaper in Akron and is distributed throughout Northeast Ohio. The paper places a strong emphasis on local news and business...
reporter revisited Barberton in 1893, he noted that since 1891, Barberton had grown so quickly that the town appeared to grow by magic (hence its nickname). Many new immigrants were attracted to its industrial jobs.
In 1908 on a high hill on the east side of town, Barber began construction of an experimental farm and estate, comprising a
French RenaissanceFrench Renaissance is a recent term used to describe a cultural and artistic movement in France from the late 15th century to the early 17th century. It is associated with the pan-European Renaissance that many cultural historians believe originated in northern Italy in the fourteenth century...
Revival mansion, completed in 1909, and lush gardens, dozens of barns and other structures in the same style, and greenhouses, which he called Anna Dean Farm. The 52-room mansion survived until 1965. Most of the 40-acre Barber estate was lost to residential redevelopment following
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and the mansion was demolished.
Barber built 35 structures for the Anna Dean Farm, all in the French Renaissance Revival style. The farm covered 3500 acres. Believing farming could be as efficient as industry, Barber intended the farm to be the basis of an agricultural college, but he did not complete financing before his death. He willed the farm to Case Western University, which sold much of the property.
Today five of the eight buildings are owned by the Barberton Historical Society. These buildings are constructed of red brick edged in white concrete block, with royal blue trim and red tile roofing. The most significant of the remaining buildings is Barn No. 1, the former Dairy Barn, restored in 1985 and now the world headquarters of the Yoder Brothers Corporation, horticulturalists. The building has castle tower-like silos, visible from much of the east side of the city. The other barns have been structurally stabilized and at least partially restored. All but one may be renovated for other economic uses.
"The Magics" became the mascot name of the Barberton High School athletic teams. As Barberton High School colors are purple and white, "purple pride" marks local enthusiasm for the school. Barberton High School has been recognized for athletic prowess in recent years, winning state championships in basketball, football, and track and field. The city's schools have begun to increase academic performance since the 1980s.
Barberton's sources of news include daily newspapers, such as the Cleveland
Plain Dealer, Akron
Beacon Journal and a weekly newspaper, the Barberton
Herald.
During the 1980s Barberton suffered a precipitous economic decline due to the losses and restructuring in industry, similar to much of the American Midwest. It was in many ways representative of a typical
Rust BeltThe Rust Belt is a term that gained currency in the 1980s as the informal description of an area straddling the Midwestern and Northeastern United States, in which local economies traditionally garnered an increased manufacturing sector to add jobs and corporate profits...
city. During this period, the city lost a large part of its economic base as factories shuttered and storefronts went vacant.
The Magic City: Unemployment in a Working-Class Community (Cornell University Press, 1989) documents the consequences of the migration of major industry from the region and the responses of residents to such dramatic changes.
In 1985 key business stakeholders and government leaders created the Barberton Community Development Corporation (BCDC). The BCDC today through a Board of Directors of 20 stakeholders and City members, including the Mayor of Barberton, and led by Tom Anders as Chairman, and Executive Director Larry Lallo, has facilitated the creation of over 2000 jobs, and in excess of $100 million in business expansion projects. They have stimulated the creation of three mini-industrial parks, and 25 new construction projects. The BCDC was originally funded through federal funds, and donations of real estate by the Babcock and Wilcox Company. With the creation of the Barberton Community Foundation in the late 1990s, the BCDC entered into a new level. It invested a portion of the Foundations asset's in prime credit business expansion projects.
The Barberton Community Foundation has likely helped the city rebound during the late 20th and early 21st century. Its startup money came from the sale of the Barberton Citizens Hospital. Among other community projects, the Foundation facilitated the building of a new Barberton High School, located on reclaimed swampland in the northwest section of the city.
Notable current and former residents
- David Auburn
David Auburn is an American playwright.He was raised in Ohio and Arkansas. He attended the University of Chicago, where he was a member of Off-Off Campus, and received a degree in English literature....
- Pulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning playwright of Proof
- Glenn "Jeep" Davis - Olympic Gold Medalist and former Detroit Lions wide receiver
- Thomas Dimitroff
Thomas George Dimitroff, Jr. is the current general manager for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. Before joining the Falcons in 2008, Dimitroff was with the New England Patriots for six years...
- General Manager of the Atlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
- Tom Dimitroff, Sr.
Thomas George Dimitroff was a Gridiron football player and coach. He is the father of current Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff....
- former professional football player and coach.
- Andrew Gissinger
Andrew Gissinger III is a former professional football player who became the president and Chief Operating Officer of Countrywide Home Loans.Today, Gissinger owns and manages a private equity company...
- Real estate lending executive and former NFL player
- Hal Haid
Harold Augustine "Hal" Haid was a former professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher over parts of six seasons with the St. Louis Browns, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Braves and Chicago White Sox...
- Former Major League Baseball pitcher
- George Izo
George William Izo is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, as well as the St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Lions, and the Pittsburgh Steelers...
- Former NFL and University of Notre Dame quarterback and first round pick in the 1960 NFL Draft
- John Mackovic
John Mackovic is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of United States national American football team, which was formed to compete in the American Football World Cup...
- College and Pro football coach
- Bill Mazeroski
William Stanley Mazeroski , nicknamed "Maz", is a former Major League Baseball player who spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
- Former Pittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
second baseman and member of the baseball hall of fame
- George Morgan
George Morgan may refer to:*George Morgan , American actor and author*George Morgan , American merchant and representative to Native Americans*George Morgan , American screenwriter...
- Country singer, Grand Ole OpryThe Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
star best known for "Candy Kisses." Father of singer Lorrie MorganIn 1996 Morgan married Jon Randall, a singer/songwriter now credited with writing the 2004 Brad Paisley/Alison Krauss hit "Whiskey Lullaby"; they divorced three years later in 1999....
.
- Hal Naragon
Harold Richard Naragon is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians and Washington Senators & Minnesota Twins...
- Former Major League Baseball catcher and bullpen coach
- Lawrence Ricks
Lawrence Tallmagde Ricks is a former American football professional running back and kick returner who was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League and Michigan Panthers of the United States Football League. Ricks had been a star running back for the Michigan Wolverines...
- Former University of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and NFL running back
- Alvin Robertson
Alvin Cyrrale Robertson is a retired American basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association from 1984 to 1993, and for one final season in 1995–96.-Career:...
- Olympic Gold Medalist and former NBA All-Star for the San Antonio SpursThe San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
- Kenny Robinson - Former Major League Baseball pitcher
- Bo Schembechler
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, Jr. was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234–65–8...
- former University of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
head football coach
- Mike Stock
Mike Stock was an American football coach from 1961 through 2009. He coached for 26 years at the collegiate level, 17 years in the National Football League, one year in the United States Football League, and one year coaching high school football in Ohio; altogether he coached 14 different teams...
- Former NCAA/NFL football coach for 43 years and former Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
fullback,college all-star
- Betty Sutton
Betty Sue Sutton is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes most of the western and southern suburbs of Cleveland, and includes North Royalton, Akron, Lorain, Elyria, Strongsville, Avon and Cuyahoga Falls.-Early life and...
- Ohio Congresswoman
- Jeff Tabaka
Jeff Tabaka , is a retired professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1994-2001. He played collegiately at Kent State University from 1983-1986.-External links:...
- Former Major League Baseball and Kent State UniversityKent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
pitcher
- Billy Taylor (American football)
William "Billy" Taylor, Ed. D. is a former professional American and Canadian football running back who played for Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League after starring for the University of Michigan Wolverines...
- Former University of Michigan and NFL running back
- Howard E. Woodford
Howard E. Woodford was a soldier in the United States Army who received the Medal of Honor in World War II during actions in the campaign to recapture the Philippines from Japanese forces in 1945...
- Recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor
Chicken
The
fried chickenFried chicken is a dish consisting of chicken pieces usually from broiler chickens which have been floured or battered and then pan fried, deep fried, or pressure fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or crust to the exterior...
restaurants in Barberton are famous among chicken lovers, including those in the Deep South. Some locals call Barberton the "Chicken Capital of the World." The city sponsors an annual festival known as Chickenfest, which celebrates its unique place in the culinary world. Chickenfest is sponsored by United Way of Summit County and draws visitors from across North America to savor the best that Barberton's famed chicken houses have to offer.
The four original chicken eateries that still operate are Belgrade Gardens, Milich's Village Inn, Hopocan Gardens, and White House Chicken.
External links